The Nashville Predators signed free agent left-shot defenceman Mark Borowiecki to a two-year contract worth $2 million per season. This contract carries him through the 2021–22 season.
The #Preds have signed defenseman Mark Borowiecki to a two-year, $4 million contract >> https://t.co/MOX43Vq3T9
— Nashville Preds PR (@PredsPR) October 9, 2020
Nashville Signs Mark Borowiecki
Borowiecki is a 31-year-old defenceman that has played six full seasons in the NHL, all with the Ottawa Senators. In 375 games, Borowiecki has scored 15 goals, 36 assists for 51 points. He’s a physical presence on defence. The 6′-2″, 204 pound blueliner averages about 220 hits per season and tallied 647 penalty-minutes in his career.
He had the best offensive totals of his career last year, leading Ottawa’s defence in goals with seven and getting 18 points. He played nearly 18 minutes a game last season. His 44.2 Corsi For percentage at even strength was the second-worst on the team among players who played over 20 games for the Senators, however, he did have the highest percentage of defensive zone starts out of the whole team.
The Athletic reporter Hailey Salvian reported that Borowiecki tried to change his approach to the game this past season. His role used to be getting as big as possible to hit and fight. He decided to change his style of play a little bit because of concussion issues and with support from Senators head coach D.J. Smith. Borowiecki slimmed down, gained confidence to make more plays and shoot. The reward was his highest offensive totals of his career last season.
Off the ice, Borowiecki supports many charities such as Soldier ON that supports ill and injured members of the Canadian Armed Forces, and the Capital City Condors, a hockey program in Ottawa for disabled children. He also stopped a robbery this season when Ottawa was visiting Vancouver.
What this Means for the Future
In Borowiecki, the Predators are getting an extremely hard-working, physical bottom-four defenceman, who can provide some occasional offence. Borowiecki can use his size to out-battle players for pucks and push them away from the net. He also was second on the Senators last season in blocked shots. He can get the puck out of his zone and be a threat to score from the point. He’s also the type of person who can be a big presence in the dressing room. Borowiecki’s work ethic and stand-up attitude will allow him to be an automatic leader. In the community, his philanthropy work and maybe occasional policing should make him popular with fans.
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