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Thomas Bordeleau, San Jose Sharks (Photo by Jonathan Kozub/NHLI via Getty Images)

Sharks’ Bordeleau and Gushchin Have Become Casualties of the Rebuild

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers | By Alex Hutton | Last updated May 15, 2025 9:15 AM ET

As the San Jose Sharks continue their rebuild, they continue to focus on identifying which players will be core members of their roster. As they draft players and watch them work their way through San Jose’s prospect system, many will turn into crucial pieces of the team for many seasons to come. However, when new players get added to that list, they may force others further down the depth chart and possibly out of the organization. They were once assumed to have roles at the NHL level in the future, but now the Sharks might not have a place for them. Following the San Jose Barracuda’s elimination from the Calder Cup Playoffs, Thomas Bordeleau and Danil Gushchin understand that reality perhaps better than anyone else in the organization. They are both set to hit restricted free agency, and their comments from their respective exit interviews acknowledge they might not be Sharks for much longer. Now, they have to determine the next steps in their NHL careers.

Bordeleau Stuck Behind Newer Forwards

A second-round pick by the Sharks in 2020, Bordeleau’s stints in the NHL have been brief and frustrating. He’s never played more than 27 NHL games in a season and managed just 44 total, posting six goals and 12 assists.

Bordeleau finally started the transition to being a full-time NHL player in the 2023-24 season, but the additions of players like Macklin Celebrini, Will Smith and Tyler Toffoli the following offseason filled up the forward spots and left him as one of the odd men out among the team’s young forwards. Although he consistently produced for the Barracuda and played for the United States at the 2022 World Championship, the Sharks never gave him a long-term shot at the highest level. In possibly his final chance to show his ability, he suffered a concussion after making one appearance at the end of the season. In his exit interview, he expressed disappointment with his constantly changing situation, but tried to stay as optimistic as possible.

“After my first couple of games in the NHL, then during the summer and after going to worlds, it seemed like they were ready for me to play an 82-game season in the NHL, have a good summer, and hit the ground running after a good camp, and then everything changed,” Bordeleau told reporters. “It’s hockey, it’s a business. Doug Wilson had to leave, and I’m forever grateful [he] drafted me, and it’s given me three good years here.”

Bordeleau still wants an NHL opportunity, and has the talent to at least get a serious look from a forward-hungry team. At this point, he knows that team probably isn’t the Sharks.

Gushchin Unable to Establish Himself in NHL

Gushchin’s NHL sample size is even smaller than Bordeleau’s, consisting of two goals and three assists in 18 games. Another 2020 Draft pick, he scored at least 20 goals in each of his three seasons with the Barracuda, but never staked a permanent spot as a Shark, always teetering on the border of being good enough for the big leagues. Even at the end of the season, as the Sharks looked to close their campaign with a youth movement, he was still in the American Hockey League (AHL). Like Bordeleau, the arrivals of other forwards hurt Gushchin’s chances, as did his diminutive frame. He still believes in his own ability, stating simply during his exit interview, “I want to play in the NHL.” But he might have gone as far as he can with the Sharks, and the team might not be able to fit him anywhere on the roster.

Gushchin says his priority is to play in the NHL and in North America next year
— Sheng Peng (@Sheng_Peng) May 9, 2025

At this point, both Gushchin and the Sharks are likely best served by agreeing to part ways. Gushchin can find a team that’s a better fit, while the Sharks can free up an additional space for the forwards they’re likely to bring in this offseason through the draft and free agency. The reality of their relationship is difficult to confront, but necessary for both of them to move ahead to their next steps.

Bordeleau and Gushchin Are Victims of a Common Occurrence

Gushchin and Bordeleau are far from the only players to be facing this situation. Even within the Sharks’ organization, AHL MVP Andrew Poturalski is frustrated by constantly being on the fringes of the NHL and is speculating on his next steps. All 32 teams have players who feel they can be bigger contributors to their teams, but can’t get beyond a handful of games at the highest level.

What makes Bordeleau and Gushchin stand out for the Sharks is how they symbolize the components of a rebuild. The process revolves around adding promising young players. The two forwards once fit that category, but even younger and more promising players overtook them. On the other hand, a rebuild also needs some veterans, who caused Gushchin and Bordeleau to slip lower in the organization. They had a case to be regular third-liners, but the Sharks decided they were better served by having veterans in those roles.

When the Sharks began to fully tear down their roster, they knew they would eventually have more young players than they could fit in their organization. Bordeleau and Gushchin’s likely departures make that reality as tangible as it’s ever been.