2020 Draft: Bordeleau gets big boost from family ties

Every Thursday, NHL.com will look ahead to the 2020 NHL Draft with an in-depth profile on one of its top prospects.

Thomas Bordeleau doesn't have to go far for advice.
A 5-foot-10, 175-pound center for the USA Hockey National Team Development Program, Bordeleau's family tree includes former professional hockey players. His father, Sebastien Bordeleau played seven NHL seasons from 1995 to 2002. His grandfather Paulin and great uncle Christian won a World Hockey Association title with the Quebec Nordiques in 1977, eight years after Christian won the Stanley Cup with the Montreal Canadiens. Another great uncle, J.P., played all nine of his NHL seasons for the Chicago Black Hawks.
"My family has helped me a lot," Thomas said. "My dad has been there for me all through my development, and my grandfather coached me in midget. They taught me the right way to play, but they also taught me the right way to act and the right way to live a happy life."
To NTDP coach Seth Appert, it's obvious Bordeleau has gotten a significant boost from his family ties.
"His family has taught him what is expected of him and what kind of work ethic he needs to succeed," Appert said. "He's got multiple people who have been at the highest levels of the sport and can answer any question he has about how to get there."
So far, they have helped get Thomas, 18, to the verge of being the fourth Bordeleau chosen in the NHL Draft with the chance of being the fifth to play in the NHL. He's 29th on NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters for the 2020 NHL Draft.
Bordeleau, though, is quick to give Appert and the NTDP a lot of credit for his place on the list.
"I've really developed my all-around game here," he said. "I'm a small guy, so I always have to work on my strength, my speed and my shot, but being here has really helped develop my mind as well as my body."
When asked if he tries to play like one of his relatives, Bordeleau said his hockey idol is someone more current.
"I've always tried to pattern my game after Sidney Crosby," he said. "When we lived in Montreal, I got to see him play every time they came in to play the Canadiens."
Appert has encouraged the comparison.
"We show Thomas a lot of tape of Crosby, because they are both smaller guys who play the same type of game," he said. "Obviously, it is going to be tough for anyone to do all the things Crosby does, but it has helped develop his game."

Bordeleau loves the NDTP, but it wasn't a simple journey to get there.
He was born in Houston while his dad played for the Aeros in the American Hockey League but grew up in Switzerland during Sebastien's 10 seasons in the Swiss league.
"It was awesome living in Switzerland, but when Dad retired, Mom got a great job offer in Montreal," he said. "That's where our family lives, so it was an easy choice."
After learning to skate in Europe and playing youth hockey in front of his family in Quebec, Bordeleau didn't seemed destined for USA Hockey.
However, a famous NTDP family changed everything. Bordeleau lived with the Hughes family, and it was Quinn Hughes and Jack Hughes who pointed him toward Plymouth, Michigan.
"They told me a lot about the program and how it works," Bordeleau said. "Then I got invited to a tryout camp and I fell in love with the place."
In his first season, Bordeleau led the U-17 team in scoring (39 points; 16 goals, 23 assists) before finishing his shortened U-18 season with a team-high 46 points (16 goals and 30 assists). He's committed to the University of Michigan, 15 minutes from Plymouth.
Before that, he'll likely be the latest Bordeleau to be drafted by an NHL team, and his relatives have set a high bar.
Christian joined the Canadiens before the modern draft process began. J.P. was selected by the Black Hawks in the first round (No. 13) of the 1969 NHL Draft. Paulin went to the Vancouver Canucks in the second round (No. 19) of the 1973 NHL Draft. Sebastien was a third-round pick (No. 73) by the Canadiens in the 1993 NHL Draft.
The wait for Thomas to find out where he falls on the list might be the hardest part of all. Of course, his family had some advice about that, too.
"I'm not going to lie -- I think about it all the time -- but they taught me to focus on playing my game and give myself the best chance," he said. "That's all I can control."
---
Listen: New episode of NHL Draft Class