Confirmed with Link: Borowiecki Signs 2 Years AAV of $1.2 million ($1.2M in both years)

[DrEasy]

I don't think it's a bad contract. I don't think he's going to be traded though, at least not until the last year of his contract at the trade deadline if we're not in playoff contention. I also don't think he'll be used as a 7th defenseman. He fits Boucher's system, for better or for worse. He'll play.

I agree with the argument that these contracts for depth players add up. Ideally we'd keep our money to sign top free agents (we sure could use a top 6 forward, for example). But there's no indication that top players want to play here. So as long as these contracts don't stop us from extending our own guys or taking on bad contracts in trades, then I guess it's ok.

 

[megalomania]

I've said this for as long as I can remember; Boro is an ideal 7th Dman. I have no issues with keeping him on as such, because I don't want guys who need icetime to develop being prevented from getting that icetime.

What I don't want is Boro blocking a better dman from getting icetime, but that's a coaching decision.

This is pretty much how I see it as well. I don't mind the contract in a vacuum although I believe that money could be allocated better. Boro would be good as a 7th or 8th dman that you draw in against teams with little speed that are built around physical play and bullying defenses into submission. He can be useful in those situations even though I personally dislike the way he runs around in the d-zone and leaves his position for unneeded hits (not to mention his non-existence in the neutral and offensive zone and his inability to clear the puck effectively). If you're a team paying to the cap and need an experienced dman to play 20 games a year who works hard and knows his role reasonably well you could do worse than Boro.

But based on what we've seen so far that's not what management and coaching want to use him for. I fully expect him to be a regular over young players like Harpur and Claesson (young being relative in the latter case) who I believe would prove to be better than Boro within the next 20 or 30 games if they were given a consistent chance. Who knows, maybe Boro is gonna be used as the 7th dman when Karlsson is back, but I'm not counting on it until proven otherwise. On the contrary I expect our pairings to be Phaneuf/Oduya - Karlsson, Oduya/Phaneuf - Ceci, Boro - Wideman (Claesson as 7th D or maybe replaces Wideman), which let's be real is worse than last year and quite bad in terms of d-corps' around the league.

So while I don't necessarily dislike the contract, I dislike what it tells me about management's plans in terms of our D for the next few years.

 

[Burrowsaurus]

Hahaha YES. LOVE this signing, and absolutely delighted that it's twisting the panties in a knot of all the arrogant, scoffing arm chair know it all corsi nerds around here who don't value the things Boro bring and who constantly persecute, belittle and insult him and act like he's the worst player in the NHL. Soooo satisfying

This board really is on a different planet. The coach, management and players have nothing but praise for Boro, commentators also speak highly of him during broadcasts all the time, and the general sens fan base, ie regular everyday fans at the games and around the city, love Boro but you come here on this board and you'd swear Boro is the antichrist.

I've said it before, but it's actually downright hilarious how obsessed people around here are with a 6D. And now this "we wouldn't have gone as far with Boro in the line up last year" revisionist BS? Wow, oh man that's priceless! Yep, you're right Hf, a bottom pair 6D playing or not is the defining factor into how far the team goes. Excellent logic. Lmao how far are people willing to go to discredit Boro...

You talk about how great he is and then you talk about how little he's matters lmao.

 

[Hale The Villain]

Signing a guy for 2.4M/2YRs to be our 6th/7th/8th D is nothing in the grand scheme of things.

Don't get how people can blow up over this, but be happy with signing a 36YR old goalie to a deal that pays him 4.75M until he's 39YRs old.

 

[armani]

Cheap and experienced 7th defenceman who plays a role nobody else in the team does. He maybe useful against the Tanner Glasses of the world and he hits like a truck.

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

Cheap and experienced 7th defenceman who plays a role nobody else in the team does. He maybe useful against the Tanner Glasses of the world and he hits like a truck.

What's his role exactly?

Going out of his way for hits? Taking useless penalties? Barely sticking up for teammates?

 

[Gil Gunderson]

How the hell does Boro have any kind of leverage in a negotiation?

 

[armani]

What's his role exactly?

Going out of his way for hits? Taking useless penalties? Barely sticking up for teammates?

A 7th defenceman who plays against tougher opponents. This team doesn't have Neil and without Boro doesn't really have anyone else who takes care of the rough stuff as needed.

 

[PatrickEaves]

What's his role exactly?

Going out of his way for hits? Taking useless penalties? Barely sticking up for teammates?

This is actually pretty funny because Boro was on the ice when Stone got headshot by Trouba. He skated away and didn't even stick up for Stone.

 

[RandomChickenWing]

Honestly thought someone bumped his original contract extension thread. A bit expensive for a bottom pair/7th D but it's not the end of the world

 

[SensHulk]

Honestly surprised at this as I thought we showed in the playoffs that he wasn't required. Makes me think there are other moves coming down the line, such as Phaneuf (off-season move likely). Or they feel they can get good trade value for a signed Boro. I'd understand a 1 year deal but 2 years is a bit of a head scratcher....that 2nd year is eating into the Karlsson pie that was available.

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

We knew it was coming. I would have preferred a maximum of 1 year and I would have waited. Nothing pressing on this imo.. I just think there are better players coming and generally available. If he's our #7 its ok. I don't want a young guy sitting and watching. But #7 means he doesn't play much. Its true that very few players today will take a run at you from half the rink away. Leading the NHL in hits is not an easy thing to do. I give him credit for his effort level and the toughness he brings but, hockey skill wise, even positional play wise he lacks a lot.

 

[Tuna99]

How the hell does Boro have any kind of leverage in a negotiation?

He led the league in hits. And the coach loves him.

 

[Pierre from Orleans]

A 7th defenceman who plays against tougher opponents. This team doesn't have Neil and without Boro doesn't really have anyone else who takes care of the rough stuff as needed.

Does he really play against tougher opponents? Every time he plays (regardless of who he plays against) he has difficulty retrieving the puck and is caught chasing in his own end. Next time he completes a shift watch him on the bench after, he is always gasping for air, and it's not because he has asthma.

Mind boggling how some can watch him run up from his blue line all the way to the opponents hashmarks and say that it was a good play

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

In case you wanted something for the wall in the bar

 

[Sens of Anarchy]

Cheap and experienced 7th defenceman who plays a role nobody else in the team does. He maybe useful against the Tanner Glasses of the world and he hits like a truck.

7th defensemen are replacement players ... not everyday players

 

[Ouroboros]

Very excited to have 'the Bobby Orr of hitting' locked up long term.

 

[NyQuil]

He led the league in hits. And the coach loves him.

I listened to Dorion's comments and that's basically what he said.

(I assume that is where this is coming from)

 

[BondraTime]

I'm not disagreeing with you about a potential logjam, but don't you think this is a very movable contract in a trade if it came to that? 1.2M x 2 years for a veteran bottom pairing D (ideally as a 7th D) who leads the league in hits and has somehow had every coach he's ever played for in love with him?

Now the Sens would probably never trade the guy, but that's not really the point.

I think it's a "somewhat" movable guy. I don't think any teams loading up for a playoff run will be looking at him.

I'm just convinced we wouldn't be think about moving him. This early extension kind of backs that up.

 

[NyQuil]

I think it's a "somewhat" movable guy. I don't think any teams loading up for a playoff run will be looking at him.

I think there are still a lot of old-school hockey people out there. I think he's pretty movable, particularly for a team with an injury to a physical defenceman.

I'm just convinced we wouldn't be think about moving him.

Sadly, this is the salient point.

 

[HavlatMach9]

Another one of those extensions where you wonder... but why did we rush to sign him so early?

we didn't really rush. Boro looks like the same old boro, and the Sens like that, and so they gave an offer, and it was accepted. Obviously Turris and the last part are to be determined through negotation.

Anyways, this is our second free agent next year done. EZ

 

[Hale The Villain]

He led the league in hits. And the coach loves him.

Frankly I'm surprised he didn't get more when plugs like Engelland and Carkner got 2.5M and 1.5M respectively on longer-term deals.

 

[bert]

The problem is that you can get better players for cheaper. It's not smart management and if a budget team has any hope of being a threat every year they don't sign these contracts.

Having Karlsson really distorts how **** our management is.

Bingo

 

[The Professional]

You talk about how great he is and then you talk about how little he's matters lmao.

What I'm saying is that he is a fine bottom pairing d man but no matter how good or bad a 6d is at doing his job, it doesn't make or break a team or a playoff run lmao...people pretending him not playing for most of the playoffs last season is the reason we reached the ECF is beyond ridiculous.

 

[bert]

If you were a forward playing against him would you be comfortable carrying the puck across the red line or our blue line, I know I certainty wouldn't. He's not here to get points, we have Karlsson and Phaneuf for that and Chabot later down the line. He fits our left d stepping up plan.

I also like having someone to drop the gloves on the team with Neil gone.

Agreed its more important to play Boro than Chabot because one guy can hit hard. Forget about absolutely everything else.