Bordeleau signs 3-year deal with Avalanche

Bordy was a staple of the Avalanche line up in 2013, serving both as a deterrent to other teams' penchant for targeting key players and as a member of an energy line that often gave opposing players fits. Bordeleau's stint with the Avalanche organization began in 2009 with a one-year deal in the team's AHL affiliate. His performance with the Lake Erie Monsters garnered him a one-year extension and an invite to the Avs' training camp in 2010. In the summers of 2011 and 2012, Bordy signed additional one-year contracts; however, these were two-way deals with the Avs. This summer sees a bigger commitment by the Avalanche, locking in the 27-year-old for three years and giving him a hefty raise at $1 million per year.

Bordeleau came into the league knowing his role and has performed it well. He's considered one of the top heavyweights in the league already, decidedly winning all but one of his five fights in the shortened 2013 season. The final fight was a draw and arguably the best fight in the NHL last year. However, Bordy wasn't a one-trick pony. The coaches, front office and Altitude announcers regularly commented on the forward's abilities as a skater, abilities which improved over the course of the season.

Bordy was one of five players from the Monsters invited to the 2013 Avalanche training camp, from which only two players were retained: Bordeleau and defenseman Tyson Barrie. In his rookie season, Bordeleau recorded 2 goals, 3 assists, and 70 penalty minutes in 46 games.