Borowiecki skates, return still unknown

Mark Borowiecki has made a step in the right direction on the road to recovery.

The rugged Ottawa Senators defenceman, who has been out since receiving a concussion Nov. 19 against the New York Rangers, skated with the NHL club for the first time in six weeks on Friday morning.

No, he wasn’t going to suit up for the Senators’ Friday night game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Canadian Tire Centre, but this was still a big step for Borowiecki, who had been skating on his own lately.

There was no timetable for his return to action, though, and Senators head coach Guy Boucher cautioned about placing much significance in Borowiecki’s presence on the ice in the morning.

Borowiecki didn’t stay for the whole skate. He hasn’t been cleared for contact, either.

“The truth is later this morning or in three hours from now he might have symptoms and we’re not further than we were this morning,” Boucher said. “I’m very cautious. The fact he’s on is a step, but is that step secured? We’ll know in the next hours or in the next day.

“If we see that it’s secured, then we’ll get in to start having a real practice, not necessarily hitting with the team, but you get to push the body. At that point, that will definitely be more of a really, solid step.”

Borowiecki wore a tinted visor and a wide smile when he was on the ice.

He did not speak to reporters Friday.

“Getting him out there, it’s more mental for him, to be honest with you,” Boucher added. “He’s fed up with being apart. The players know he’s not that close. It’s really more for him to feel it out and feel good about himself. Sometimes it does have an effect on your recuperation.” bgarrioch@postmedia.com Twitter.com/sungarrioch