MatchesMalone
Formerly Innocent Bystander
- Aug 29, 2010
- 1,612
- 1,071
I wonder if we move on from Borowiecki this season. It's possible that he won't get many minutes and he's a pending UFA. Unless we're going with an arrangement where we consistently give him 1 year six figure deals to be our 7th-8th D who is good in the room, it might be in both sides best interest to move on. The Senators probably get a late pick for him, and Borowiecki would presumably go somewhere that he might get a shot in the top 6. I assume it would be to a team that has had injuries hurt their depth chart and create an opening that Boro' could try to take advantage of.
Boro's value has gone down since he fights less and disrupts the game less. I am not saying he should fight, or that he's wrong to prioritize his health, only that he brings less since he's not doing it. He benefited from Boucher's proclivity to play 7 defenseman. It allowed more defenseman to come into the lineup on a regular basis. Unless DJ Smith has the same philosophy as Boucher, it's going to be more difficult for Borowiecki to play on the regular as our defense develops going forward.
Here's our defense in terms of what should be close to sure things to make the NHL based on their performances last season. (Not pairings, just organizing them)
Chabot-Zaitsev
Hainsey-Jaros
Wolanin-Demelo
Considering the Senators roll with 22 roster players and not 23, that means that there is probably one final spot. Fighting for that spot would be Borowiecki, Brannstrom, Ebert, Englund, and Lajoie. I'm not suggesting the team is going to hand Jaros or Wolanin their spots, but it is pretty clear based on games at the end of the last season that those two are a tier above the other prospects in our system.
The above makes it look to me like Borowiecki could be on his way out. Maybe his leadership is valuable enough that we decide to carry 23 players solely for keeping him in the room, but we've moved on from players pegged as leaders before. We traded Zack Smith a few weeks ago and he was always hyped as a strong locker room guy. So I think if a chance comes up for us to get some value in a trade for Boro' while also giving him the opportunity to go somehwere that he'll play, we'll take that trade.
You really think we could get a late pick for Boro? I'm less hopeful here.