Parker Wotherspoon Explained

Parker Wotherspoon
Birth Date:24 August 1997
Birth Place:Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Height Ft:6
Height In:1
Weight Lbs:190
Position:Defence
Shoots:Left
League:NHL
Team:Boston Bruins
Prospect League:AHL
Former Teams:New York Islanders
Draft:112th overall
Draft Year:2015
Draft Team:New York Islanders
Career Start:2016

Parker Wotherspoon (born August 24, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman for the Boston Bruins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the New York Islanders in the fourth round, 112th overall, at the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. Wotherspoon played four seasons of junior hockey for the Western Hockey League (WHL)'s Tri-City Americans.

Playing career

New York Islanders

Wotherspoon was drafted by the New York Islanders in the fourth round, 112th overall, of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft.[1]

On May 2, 2016, the Islanders signed Wotherspoon to a three-year, entry-level contract.[2] On October 27, 2020, he signed a two-year contract extension with the team.[3] Wotherspoon made his NHL debut on December 23, 2022, playing for 14:47 minutes while recording two shots on goal and one hit in the Islanders' 5–1 win against the Florida Panthers.[4] [5]

Boston Bruins

Following six full seasons within the Islanders organization, Wotherspoon left as a free agent to sign a one-year, two-way contract with the Boston Bruins on July 1, 2023.[6]

Although Wotherspoon initially started the 2023–24 season with the Bruins' American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Providence Bruins, injuries to Boston's defense corps caused him to bounce between Providence and Boston for much of the first half of the season.[7] However, his consistent stability on Boston's blue line earned him a permanent spot on the NHL squad as the team's seventh defenceman,[8] as well as a one-year, $800,000 contract extension on March 8, 2024.[9] In his first full season staying at the NHL level, Wotherspoon scored eight assists in 41 games. Wotherspoon made his NHL playoff debut in Game 3 of the first round against the Toronto Maple Leafs. Similarly as he had done in the regular season, once Wotherspoon was slotted into the playoff lineup, he found a consistent and stable role in the lineup. Wotherspoon would help the Bruins beat the Leafs in seven games, and would record his first NHL playoff point, an assist, in Game 1 of the second round against the Florida Panthers. However, the Panthers would eliminate the Bruins in six games, ending Wotherspoon's and the Bruins' season.

Personal life

Wotherspoon is the younger brother of Tyler Wotherspoon, who was selected 57th overall by the Calgary Flames at the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Team League GP GP G A Pts PIM
2012–13Tri-City AmericansWHL5000420000
2013–14Tri-City AmericansWHL62216187450222
2014–15Tri-City AmericansWHL72933429340114
2015–16Tri-City AmericansWHL7111455678
2015–16Bridgeport Sound TigersAHL60111520110
2016–17Tri-City AmericansWHL691056669940118
2016–17Bridgeport Sound TigersAHL40004
2017–18Bridgeport Sound TigersAHL507101724
2018–19Bridgeport Sound TigersAHL64617235150002
2019–20Bridgeport Sound TigersAHL624232782
2020–21Bridgeport Sound TigersAHL2313435
2021–22Bridgeport IslandersAHL573212412760114
2022–23Bridgeport IslandersAHL271111227
2022–23New York IslandersNHL120114
2023–24Providence BruinsAHL1914520
2023–24Boston BruinsNHL4108831100226
NHL totals5309935100226

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2014Canada PacificU1760332
2015CanadaU187 1 4 5 6
Junior totals131788

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Saraceni . Dan . Islanders select defenseman Parker Wotherspoon of WHL's Tri-City in fourth round (112 overall) . Lighthouse Hockey . December 24, 2022 . June 27, 2015.
  2. Web site: Islanders Sign Wotherspoon to Entry-Level Contract . NHL.com . December 24, 2022 . May 2, 2016.
  3. Web site: Islanders Sign Greer, Ho-Sang, Vande Sompel and Wotherspoon . NHL.com . December 24, 2022 . October 27, 2020.
  4. Web site: Gorman . Denis P. . Raty scores in NHL debut for Islanders in win against Panthers . NHL.com . December 24, 2022 . December 23, 2022 . ...Islanders defenseman Parker Wotherspoon had two shots and one hit in 14:47 in his NHL debut after being called up from Bridgeport on Friday. The 25-year-old was selected No. 112 in the 2015 NHL Draft....
  5. Web site: Kreda . Allan . Raty scores in NHL debut, leads Islanders past Panthers 5-1 . AP News . December 24, 2022 . December 23, 2022 . ...Defenseman Parker Wotherspoon, a fourth-round pick by the Islanders in 2015, also made his NHL debut....
  6. Web site: Bruins announce July 1 transactions . . July 1, 2023 . July 1, 2023 .
  7. Web site: Bruins notebook: Parker Wotherspoon looking to stick in NHL . March 7, 2024 . Boston Herald . December 19, 2023.
  8. Web site: Anderson . Ty . It looks like the Bruins have a new 7th defenseman . March 7, 2024 . 98.5 The Sports Hub . January 22, 2024.
  9. Web site: Bruins Sign Parker Wotherspoon to One-Year NHL Contract Extension . NHL.com . March 14, 2024 . March 8, 2024.