BOROWIECKI SHOULDN’T HAVE BEEN ONLY ONE RECEIVING A SUSPENSION
Whether he did or not we don’t know, but Mark Borowiecki should have taken the opportunity of his hearing with the NHL’s Department of Player Safety on Wednesday to ask a few questions of his own.
Starting with, why was there no such hearing for Brendan Gallagher?
Borowiecki was suspended one game — which means he’ll forfeit US$6,451.51 of his salary to the Players Emergency Assistance Fund — for flattening Bruins defenceman Urho Vaakanainen in Tuesday’s game. It wasn’t exactly the “flying elbow” Bruins coach Bruce Cassidy claimed, but he did raise his arm and moved it slightly forward in defending his goal, and he did concuss his victim.
The player safety department believed Borowiecki’s contention that he was not trying to hit Vaakanainen in the head, and considered the fact that the Senators blueliner had been suspended only one other time in his career — a two-gamer for boarding Tyler Toffoli in December 2016.
All things considered, he got what he deserved this time.
Hopefully that includes an explanation.
While on the phone with the department of player safety, Borowiecki should have asked why Gallagher didn’t get more than a boarding penalty for hitting him from behind at high speed on Saturday. Borowiecki’s head was slammed into the end boards. He was lucky to avoid serious injury. It was certainly a much more dangerous incident than Borowiecki’s hit on Vaakanainen.
And more deliberate.
DELIVERING AS EXPECTED: Remember a couple of years ago when the Senators were trying to negotiate a deal with Colorado for Matt Duchene, and the owner said “we’re not trading Chabeau?” We’ll assume Huge-ne Melnyk knows how to pronounce Thomas Chabot’s name by now.
In just his second NHL season, the 21-year-old defenceman is, at least temporarily, making people forget about Erik Karlsson. In eight games heading into Wednesday’s action, Chabot has 10 points leaving him tied for third among all NHL blueliners with Brent Burns, behind only John Carlson and Morgan Rielly. He had played one less game than Burns and Rielly, and had much less ice time than many other defenceman. Whereas Karlsson is always among the league leaders in minutes played, Chabot is 51st, with an average of 22:08 per night.
The following is part of a conversation I had with Chabot after Wednesday’s practice:
Are you keeping an eye on the league’s D-men scoring race?
“I wouldn’t say a close eye on it. Obviously, whenever I get back home, I always look at the games, to see the other scores. As you check the highlights, you see who gets points. I won’t say I’m keeping a close eye on it.”
Is it realistic to think you could be a point-per-game player this season?
“It’s kind of hard to answer. The season is long. You go through highs, you go through lows. If I can do that and help the team win, obviously I’d like to. But I wouldn’t be able to answer yes or no right now. Right now it’s going well. I get a few chances. The whole team is playing real well. It helps our game and hopefully we just keep going that way.”
Are you happy with your own game?
“I’m pretty happy. I thought last night was a decent game for myself. I thought I could have been a little better. Those are going to come. We play so many games. Some nights it’s going to be better than others.”
You’re getting more minutes than last season, but not nearly what you were used to as a junior. Can you handle a heavier workload at this level?
“During the summer, Guy (Boucher) and I had a few chats. I knew I was going to get bigger role. I was ready for it. Whether I get 30 minutes or I get 15, I have to take advantage of it and make the best of it.”
When you were a kid did you always lead your team in scoring?
“Pretty much, yeah. My dad actually tried to put me as a forward because I always wanted to get in the rush and make plays, but for some reason I’d always come back as a D, I’d come back skating backwards. So we just stuck to being a D. I always thought I didn’t have the explosiveness to be a forward. When you’re a D you have time to pick up your speed, which was the difference. As a D-man you always see the play coming up, most of the time you’ll have time and you can see the entire ice, which I really like.”
How long does it take you to decide you’re going to jump into the rush?
“I think it’s pretty much a split second. It’s when the play goes up the board and I see it’s wide open, I’m just jumping. It’s kind of hard to answer. It just happens.”
Is there a D-man you looked up to, and tried to emulate as a kid?
“I liked Scott Niedermayer, Al MacInnis. I was a big fan of this guy (MacInnis), for his shot. I just loved his clapper.”
He retired in 2003. You were six.
“Yeah, it was mostly from video games I played. I loved him there. That’s where it all started.”
ICE CHIPS: Craig Anderson and Matt Duchene were among the handful of players who weren’t on the ice for what was essentially an optional practice Wednesday. “Active recovery day today,” said coach Guy Boucher. “Whether you were on the ice or got off the ice, just gave the guys what they needed. So that we’re back harder and more specific tomorrow.” ... Boucher will probably go with six defencemen Friday, substituting Cody Ceci for Borowiecki. “I’d like to get (Max) McCormick in,” said Boucher. “He’s ready to go.” ... Boucher was asked if he had seen Sidney Crosby’s spectacular OT goal from the night before. He hadn’t. “No matter how sick it is, I’ve coached him for two years, so I’ve seen some pretty crazy stuff in practice and in games in junior,” said Boucher. “So I highly doubt I’m going to be surprised.”