By: Andrew Bluestein | Follow Me On X / Twitter @adbblue
Defenseman Parker Wotherspoon was the Boston Bruins’s seventh defenseman going into the start of the season. He has only appeared in 16 games through Boston’s first 31.
Even with Hampus Lindholm on the shelf for multiple weeks, Wotherspoon has not been in the lineup regularly. He had been a healthy scratch for five straight games. Thursday night against the Seattle Kraken was his first time back in the lineup.
Heading into the 2023-24 campaign, Wotherspoon had only 12 NHL games, all with the New York Islanders. Injuries on the Bruins’ back end resulted in him being called up from AHL affiliate Providence, and he never looked back. The former fourth-round pick appeared in 41 games last year and was sound defensively, finishing with a +11 rating.
His defensive ability stood out most, especially in the Bruins’ end. He’s a smart player and knows where to position himself on the ice. Being a reserve defenseman is a perfect role because he can be plugged right into the lineup.
Lindholm is one of the Bruins’ top defensive defensemen, and Wotherspoon has the attributes to fill that void. However, in Lindholm’s absence, Jordan Oesterle has been getting most of the minutes recently. Oesterle has played well, but it’s been interesting that Wotherspoon has barely been in the lineup.
He has a -2 rating thus far, but in 16 games, he has the same number of plus games as minus games, four each. The rest of the games, he’s been even. Oesterle has a -1 rating and does bring a little more of an offensive presence, but the gap isn’t huge. Wotherspoon can also kill penalties effectively and is more sound in the defensive zone.
The players are practically interchangeable. It makes sense to rotate the two defensemen to keep them fresh. Once Lindholm returns, it’ll be more difficult for interim Head coach Joe Sacco to do that, so Wotherspoon should be more utilized. It’s also better for his confidence in the long run.
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