Borowiecki announces retirement from hockey after 12 NHL seasons

Mark Borowiecki announced his retirement from hockey Wednesday after 12 NHL seasons.

Borowiecki didn't have a point in four games with the Nashville Predators this season. The 33-year-old defenseman last played Oct. 22, when he sustained an upper-body injury and was removed from the ice on a stretcher after being hit into the boards by Philadelphia Flyers forward Morgan Frost.

"After a lot of time, thought, love, and support, I have decided that my career as a professional hockey player has come to an end,"

. "I am so appreciative of everyone who has helped me along the way. Especially the @senators, where my career began, and the @predsnhl where my career ended."

Selected by the Ottawa Senators in the fifth round (No. 139) of the 2008 NHL Draft, Borowiecki had 56 points (15 goals, 41 assists) in 458 regular-season games with the Senators and Predators, and no points in 10 Stanley Cup Playoff games. His 1,831 hits are fifth among NHL defensemen since he entered the NHL in 2011-12.

He played this season on a one-year, $900,000 contract he had signed Feb. 15, 2022.

"There are far too many people who have influenced and guided me along my career to mention in a single post," Borowiecki wrote. "So I'm not even going to attempt it. Just know that I appreciate each and every one of you. It's my job now to pay that all forward to the next generation of players. I am very excited for a new chapter in the hockey world, and I'm looking forward to finding an opportunity to help grow the game and help other players develop.

"A friend of mine who played a long, long time in the NHL asked me when I was [a] young player breaking into the league what I wanted my legacy to be. He told me that being remembered as a good person and good teammate would always be far more important than any on ice accomplishments. I really hope that I have achieved that."