Mark Borowiecki Announces Retirement

Nashville Predators defenseman Mark Borowiecki took to Instagram on Wednesday to announce his retirement from professional hockey.

Borowiecki was a fifth-round pick by his hometown Ottawa Senators in the 2008 NHL Draft, and he played 375 games for the Senators over nine years. Nashville signed the veteran blueliner to a two-year, $4 million contract in October 2020 and re-signed him to a one-year deal for the 2022-23 season. Over the course of his career, he recorded 848 penalty minutes in 458 regular-season games, leading the league in that category twice. He finishes his NHL career with 56 points (15g-41a).

Borowiecki only skated in four games for the Predators this year before an awkward hit against the boards in Nashville's 3-1 loss to the Philadelphia Flyers on Oct. 22 sidelined him for the remainder of the season. The 33-year-old stayed involved with the team during his recovery and could frequently be found in the locker room at Bridgestone Arena or working out with other injured Predators players at Centennial Sportsplex.

"Boro is a massive part of this franchise and this team," said Preds teammate and fellow defenseman Dante Fabbro. "Everyone in the locker room looked up to him as a leader and, most importantly, as a friend. His value is unmatched in any locker room in the NHL. He's always been a guy you can talk to [about] hockey or life. You can tell we missed him a lot this year on the ice, but his presence at the rink was invaluable."

Borowiecki's physical play and reputation for dropping the gloves earned him the nickname "Borocop." He also gained notoriety for attempting a citizens' arrest in late 2019 while on the road in Vancouver, stopping a car break-in, making the moniker all the more appropriate.

Borowiecki is known just as much for his off-ice work as he is for his on-ice contributions. He is an outspoken advocate for mental health among hockey players, notably among concussion victims. He is also a champion of "Hockey is for Everyone," the NHL's initiative to drive positive social change and foster more inclusive communities within the sport of hockey.

"Hockey is For Everyone is an initiative that is particularly close to me," Borowiecki said in an interview with Nashville Lifestyles Magazine in October, when the publication named him one of Nashville's Most Beautiful People. "Using our platforms as professional athletes and as a league to advocate for making our communities more inclusive and accepting is something that my wife and I knew we could get behind. Sport should be a safe and welcoming place no matter your race, gender, sexual orientation, socioeconomic status, or level of physical or mental ability."

Borowiecki's playing career may be over, but President of Hockey Operations/General Manager David Poile opened the door for the possibility of a different role for the veteran within the Predators organization.

"If he doesn't want to play anymore, I certainly would like to talk to him," Poile said when asked about Borowiecki's plans beyond 2022-23. "I've talked to Barry [Trotz] and John [Hynes] about that. Boro's been around all the time. I said to him yesterday we missed Boro in our lineup - not only his physical presence, but the person that he is. He's a real mentor to the younger guys."

Whether he remains involved with the Predators in any official capacity remains to be seen, but Borowiecki will always be a beloved member of the SMASHVILLE community.

"I think all he wanted was for his teammates to look at him every practice, every game, and say with no hesitation that Boro did absolutely everything for his team to be successful," said teammate Ryan Johansen. "If we're lucky enough to have Boro around for time to come, he will continue to make big impacts for our hockey club."