Predators Sign Defenseman Mark Borowiecki To One-Year Deal

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Nick Borowiecki. Photo: Courtesy of the Nashville Predators

Nashville Predators have signed defenseman Mark Borowiecki to a one-year, $900,000 contract for the 2022-23 season.

Borowiecki has skated in 39 games for the Predators in the 2021-22 season, his second with the organization, and has recorded two assists and 103 penalty minutes. He leads all Nashville defensemen and is sixth among NHL blueliners in hits with 134, and he’s 15th in the NHL in hits per 60 minutes at 15.3.

“It means a lot. More than I can probably say, more than I can articulate at the risk of getting a little too sentimental,” said Borowiecki in a postgame press conference. “This organization has really stood by me. This group of guys in the locker room especially some of these older guys, like Mattias [Ekholm] and Roman [Josi]. The support they’ve given me through last year and coming into this year and trying to find my game again [has meant the world]. Again, I just can’t put it into words.”

The Ottawa native was originally drafted by the Senators in the fifth round (139th overall) of the 2008 NHL Draft. He appeared in 185 career AHL contests with the Binghamton Senators, winning the Calder Cup in 2011 and earning a spot in the AHL All-Star Classic in 2012.

The 2020-21 season was Borowiecki’s first with the Predators in which he appeared in 22 games, recording one assist and 38 penalty minutes in 13:41 of average ice time. He signed as a free agent with Nashville in October 2020 and is in the midst of his 11th career NHL season. He posted 54 points (15 goals, 39 assists) in 436 games, 375 of which came with Ottawa from 2012-20.

“The amount of gratitude my wife and I have, it’s pretty special to me,” continued Borowiecki. “My son is two-years-old and when he sees the Preds logo, he says ‘daddy’s team.’ It makes me emotional just saying that, but that’s pretty sweet. When I heard him say that I knew this is the place I wanted to be and that I didn’t want to play anywhere else.”

Since joining the Preds, Borowiecki has been very active in the community. He serves as the Predators’ “Hockey Is For Everyone” ambassador and regularly contributes to Nashville Predators Foundation empowered by SmileDirectClub initiatives throughout the season. In addition to several good Samaritan acts of kindness, he is actively involved with local LGBT charities and supports Canadian military members through the Soldier On program.

Steven Boero
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