The Boston Bruins defenseman has carved out a reserve role among the blue liners, which has increased due to the injuries in Boston’s back end. More on where Wotherspoon came from – and where he’s heading.
The Boston Bruins defenseman has carved out a reserve role among the blue liners, which has increased due to the injuries in Boston’s back end. More on where Wotherspoon came from – and where he’s heading.
BOSTON – While the Boston Bruins’ forward group had a lot of question marks entering the 2023-24 season, the defensive corps was more or less locked in. All but one of last year’s top six defensemen returned, and veteran Kevin Shattenkirk was brought in to replace the departed Connor Clifton.
Mason Lohrei and Ian Mitchell each brought intrigue as AHL call-ups, and each has seen time in the NHL this year, but another blue liner has emerged – almost out of nowhere – and has played a significant amount as Derek Forbort and Brandon Carlo recover from injuries: Parker Wotherspoon.
Wotherspoon started the year in AHL Providence with four assists and five points in 19 games. With the big club, he has two assists in 16 games. His role in Boston continues to grow, and not just because of the injuries.
“[My comfort is] growing and growing,” Wotherspoon said after Monday’s 3-0 win against the New Jersey Devils. “Obviously a new system, new team this year. So took a little bit to get comfortable with the system, but the coaches have been helping me out a lot and bringing me up to speed early on in the year, so yeah. There’s more and more every game.”
The 26-year-old left-shot from Surrey, B.C. was drafted by the New York Islanders in the fourth round of the 2015 NHL Entry Draft. He entered the 2023-24 season with just 12 NHL games under his belt – all with the Islanders in 2022-23. Wotherspoon had spent his entire career in the Islanders organization, primarily in the American Hockey League, where he amassed 108 points (22 goals, 86 assists) in 293 games.
In his first 11 games with the Bruins, Wotherspoon’s ice time exceeded 17 minutes just three times. Over the past five games, he averaged 19:29 time on ice, and recorded at least three shot blocks in all but one. As his comfort level with the Bruins’ system increases, so has coach Jim Montgomery’s trust in him.
“I think we see a player that has the confidence to know that he can play well and help us night in, night out,” Montgomery said on Monday. “And the physicality that he brings, the consistency of it, is something that we need back there and he’s given that to us. So very, very welcomed addition, and he’s earned the right to be here.”
Once Carlo and Forbort return, Wotherspoon’s minutes will go down. He’ll either go back to Providence or play sparingly as the seventh defenseman. Regardless, he’s done well with the opportunity he received to prove his worth to the organization, and he will remain high on the depth chart should any other injuries arise.
Until then, even after just 16 games, Wotherspoon is fully aware of the NHL schedule’s grind compared to what he’s experienced in the AHL for the better part of eight years. After paying his dues in the minors and becoming a full-time NHLer – no matter how long that may last – he’s not complaining.
“It’s a different schedule than what I’ve been used to. Usually up to a week off and then play games on the weekend, but here we’re playing every second night, so it’s good,” Wotherspoon said. “If you do well, they keep you well-rested. Nice hotels, so I haven’t had too much of a problem.”
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