The St. Louis Blues have traded forward Nick Bjugstad to the New Jersey Devils in exchange for forward prospect Thomas Bordeleau and a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Draft. The deal, announced on February 4, 2026, comes ahead of the Olympic break as both teams sit outside the playoff picture. Bordeleau will report to the Blues' AHL affiliate, the Springfield Thunderbirds.
St. Louis Blues President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Doug Armstrong announced the trade on February 4, 2026, just before the league's break for the 2026 Winter Olympics in Milano Cortina. The Blues, who hold a 20-27-9 record and sit last in the Central Division—12 points behind the Seattle Kraken for the second wild card in the Western Conference—sent veteran forward Nick Bjugstad to the New Jersey Devils. In return, they received 24-year-old forward Thomas Bordeleau and a conditional fourth-round pick in the 2026 NHL Entry Draft.
Bjugstad, 33, from Minneapolis, Minnesota, signed a two-year, $3.5 million contract with the Blues as a free agent on July 1, 2025. In 35 games this season, he recorded seven points (six goals and one assist) along with 25 penalty minutes. Over his 14th NHL season, the 2010 first-round pick (19th overall by the Florida Panthers) has amassed 337 points (163 goals and 174 assists) in 795 regular-season games across multiple teams, including eight points (six goals and two assists) in 27 playoff appearances. He can become an unrestricted free agent after the 2026-27 season.
Bordeleau, a Houston, Texas native, was originally selected by the San Jose Sharks in the second round (38th overall) of the 2020 NHL Draft. He was traded to the Devils on July 2, 2025, and signed a one-year, $775,000 contract on July 25, 2025, making him a restricted free agent after this season. This year, the 24-year-old has tallied eight points (two goals and six assists) with 37 penalty minutes in 35 games for the Devils' AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets. In his AHL career, he has 115 points (49 goals and 66 assists) in 196 games with Utica and San Jose, and he participated in the 2023 AHL All-Star Classic. Bordeleau has appeared in 44 NHL games, all with the Sharks, posting 18 points (six goals and 12 assists).
The Devils, with a 28-26-2 record, are seventh in the Metropolitan Division, nine points behind the New York Islanders and 10 points behind the Boston Bruins for the Eastern Conference's second wild card spot. They host the Islanders on February 5 before the Olympic break. The Blues face the Dallas Stars on February 4 in their final game prior to the pause.
