The Blues have traded Nick Bjugstad to the Devils in exchange for Thomas Bordeleau and a conditional 2026 fourth-round pick. St. Louis will receive the latest of the three fourth-rounders that the Devils own, according to Frank Seravalli of Victory+. The corresponding move saw the Devils assign forward Juho Lammikko to AHL Utica. This trade comes with less than an hour remaining until a league-wide trade moratorium during the Olympic break. With only 12 days until the trade deadline, speculation has been high about increased activity this week, but the only notable move so far has been the Islanders' back-to-back trades. Bjugstad's season has been challenging due to injuries, with an upper-body issue sidelining him for nearly a month in December and January. He has only appeared in 35 games, scoring six goals and adding one assist for a 0.20 points per game rate, the worst of his career. However, his defensive play has been solid, especially when centering the fourth line with Nathan Walker and Alexey Toropchenko, who controlled 54.2% of expected goals despite mostly defensive zone starts. Bjugstad's strong faceoff performance, winning 51.1% of his draws, is also notable. The Blues' willingness to trade Bjugstad, under contract through next season, reflects their focus on acquiring future assets. The Devils, despite their poor standings, are adding Bjugstad to their roster, likely to provide a cost-effective fourth-line solution next season. Center depth has been an issue in New Jersey, with Jack Hughes missing significant games, leading to over-reliance on injury-prone players. The Devils' fourth line, consisting of Lammikko, Luke Glendening, and Maxim Tsyplakov, has struggled offensively, scoring only one goal this season. Thomas Bordeleau, a 24-year-old second-round pick by the Sharks in 2020, has seen his development stagnate over the past two seasons. After a disappointing showing in Utica this season, with just two goals and eight points in 35 minor-league appearances, his trade value is minimal. Juho Lammikko, reassigned to Utica, has been limited to two assists and a -4 rating in 24 appearances for New Jersey. The trade was first reported by podcaster and former NHLer Jordan Schmaltz, with Sportsnet's Elliotte Friedman confirming the return of Bordeleau.
