Borowiecki Thrilled to Join Predators, Ready to Contribute On and Off Ice

There's a new sheriff in town.
Mark Borowiecki, better known around the NHL as "Boro Cop," inked a two-year, $4 million contract with the Predators on Friday afternoon, as the NHL's free-agency signing period opened, and it wasn't long before the defenseman let his feelings known.
Tough and physical on the ice, and equally charitable and kind off of it, the 31-year-old blueliner had Music City in his sights all along once he knew he'd be testing the market.
Now that the deal is official, the entire family can't wait to get to Tennessee.

"Just for fun, when we had an idea that we'd be going to free agency, my wife and I kind of sat down and [looked] into the teams in the league and places you'd like to be, and Nashville was always top of the list for us," Borowiecki said from his home in Ottawa. "I've heard so many great things about the city about the community…and knowing a few guys who play in Nashville, they had nothing but great things to say about the organization, and the city itself just seemed like a great fit. My wife and I are super excited."
Pronounced "BOHR-vee-YHET-skee," the Ottawa native was drafted by his hometown team in 2008 and has spent all nine of his professional seasons with the organization, including the last six full-time with the Senators.
Over that span, Borowiecki established himself as one of the most rugged defenders in the League. His 1,505 hits since his first full NHL season in 2014-15 are the third-most among all NHL players and 710 more than the next-closest Ottawa skater, while his 585 blocked shots are tied for the second-most on the Sens in that time span.
Borowiecki has tallied 647 penalty minutes in 375 career games and posted a career-high seven goals and 18 points last season while serving as an alternate captain with the Senators. The combination of attributes makes an ideal fit for a team that was looking to shore up their defensive depth and add some grit, too.

"I had a chance to talk to [General Manager] David Poile and [Head Coach] John Hynes, and they expressed to me that they were looking for a guy like me, someone who had my particular on-ice qualities, but also some things I'm known for off the ice as well," Borowiecki said. "I take a lot of pride in my leadership role in the past and work ethic and what I can bring to a team in that aspect. That's how I made a name for myself, and they seemed like they were very interested in that and it really did seem like a natural fit."
The "Boro Cop" nickname came while Borowiecki was patrolling the ice in the American Hockey League with Ottawa's affiliate in Binghamton. His former roommate, Patrick Cannone, gave him the moniker due to his on-ice style and willingness to stick up for teammates.
He more than lived up to the nickname last season in Vancouver when he thwarted a robbery while doing some shopping on an off day, but Borowiecki didn't hesitate to speak up when he saw something wrong.
That's the kind of person he is, and Borowiecki says he and his wife, Tara, who were known for their community involvement in Ottawa with military, LGBTQ and youth hockey organizations, expect to do the same here in Nashville.
"My wife and I, we just try to live our lives in a simple way, and we have a certain set of values," Borowiecki said. "Those are empathy and compassion and respect, and these are all things that are important to us. We believe in everyone having an equal opportunity to experience life the way that we have and kind of do our best to help instill those values in our community around us… We don't really feel like we're doing anything above and beyond, we're just trying to live our life the way that we think is right based on those values of empathy and compassion. That's definitely something that we plan on continuing in our new home in Nashville."

Borowiecki, who has an aunt and uncle who live in nearby Paducah, Kentucky, said that while hockey was the main draw to sign with the Predators, the chance to live in Nashville made the decision that much easier - and to call Bridgestone Arena his home building.
"I'm sure most guys, if you took a poll around the League, Bridgestone, it'd be up there as a top place to play, and honestly probably one of the most intimidating places to play," Borowiecki said. "I remember as a younger guy in the League being terrified coming to that rink. I think our first game of the year one year was in Bridgestone, and that place was loud and was tough to play in. Having that as a home rink - obviously right now the circumstances are a little bit different given the state of the world - but hopefully we get back to normal soon, and being a part of that atmosphere [would be] huge.
"I've heard so many good things about the mix of having those big city amenities, but also a bit of a smaller-town feel on the outskirts, and that's important to us. I wanted a place to raise my family and hopefully put down some roots as well, and it really seemed like Nashville ticked all the boxes for us… I'm just so, so excited. I can't say it enough. Tara and I are just beyond pumped."
The Predators feel the same way as they know exactly what they're getting in Borowiecki. Poile and his staff prefer to add players who happen to be good human beings as well.
Talk about ticking all the boxes.
"I've been in this League for six full years now, and I want a chance to win," Borowiecki said. "I think Nashville is right there, and hopefully with a few tweaks, we can get there. Again, combined with the community aspects and hearing about the level of professionalism in this organization, what they value and what their values are, I was just super interested right from the get go. It really does seem like a great fit for us."