Gregor says Bordeleau, Eklund ‘skilled enough’ to be in NHL originally appeared on NBC Sports Bayarea
The Sharks’ young duo of Thomas Bordeleau and William Eklund have caught the eye of Noah Gregor.
Speaking with Sharks Audio Network’s Ted Ramey, Gregor shared his thoughts on two of the Sharks’ most promising youngsters.
“He’s obviously a really smart and sealed player and he plays the game differently than me,” Gregor said in regards to Bordeleau.
Gregor also noticed the 20-year-old center’s impressive IQ on the ice and said that would help the two mesh even quicker as the latter would know where the former was going to be for potential assists.
“I’m excited to see how Bords’s coming into camp here, and if we have a chance to play together again, that’d be great,” Gregor continued.
Drafted in the second round of the 2020 NHL Draft and initially signed to an amateur contract by the AHL San Jose Barracuda, Bordeleau was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Sharks on April 16. The following day he made his NHL debut against the Minnesota Wild and got his first point via an assist.
Bordeleau also has impressed those in San Jose, as well he has developed quickly. In all, Bordeleau played in eight games and amassed five points, all from assists.
Meanwhile, the 19-year-old Eklund played nine games with the Sharks in 2021-22 before being sent to Sweden to play for Djurgårdens IF.
Despite the demotion, Gregor believes Eklund is skilled enough to play in the NHL and the 2021 first-round pick shouldn’t get too worried if he were to end up in the minors yet again, as many NHL players have been demoted before.
“You just can’t get down, you’ve got to work on your game if you’re down there and do your best to get back up,” Gregor concluded.
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With a mix of talented rookies and newcomers looking to make a change, the Sharks are in a good spot to make some noise during the 2022-23 NHL season.
If all goes well and the team figures out their identity early, expect Bordeleau and Eklund to be a part of the noisemakers.