Parker Wotherspoon Ready to Bolster Blue Line

Kyle Dubas entered free agency looking to strengthen the left side of Pittsburgh’s defense. One of the reinforcements he landed was Parker Wotherspoon. The 27-year-old blueliner signed a two-year contract with an average annual value of $1 million.

“It was Canada Day here, so I was out just on the beach with some friends. When I started talking to Pittsburgh, right from the get-go, it seemed like there was a good connection there,” Wotherspoon said. “They seemed interested. We seemed interested. We thought it'd be a good fit, with some opportunity to play.

“Looking forward to getting out there. Putting on the skates, just going to work on the ice and having a good first impression... I play aggressive, play hard, try and be as physical as possible.”

Wotherspoon followed his older brother Tyler into the sport, saying he wouldn’t be in this position without him. Tyler, also a defenseman, was a second-round pick of the Calgary Flames in 2011 and has appeared in 30 NHL games.

“I saw the success that he had when he was growing up and going to the Prospects game and watching him get drafted and live in the U.S. and all that stuff, and I just wanted to be like him,” Parker said. “So, I started really buckling down because that was the life I knew I wanted. Then he’s always helped me along the way, giving words of encouragement... he's always someone you can just fall back on. We have a good relationship like that.”

Parker was drafted in the fourth round (112^th overall) in 2015 by the New York Islanders. He remained in the organization for years before signing with the Bruins in the summer of 2023, and took his game to the next level in Boston.

After playing in 41 NHL games during the 2023-24 campaign, Wotherspoon appeared in a career-high 55 games last year. He averaged over 18 minutes a night, with a decent amount of time on the penalty kill. Wotherspoon also collected seven points, six assists and one goal, his first in the NHL. It came against arguably the best netminder in the league, Andrei Vasilevskiy.

“I was building pretty good last year,” Wotherspoon said. “It was kind of a tough season. Obviously, we didn't make the playoffs or (get) where we were wanting to be. But with the extra playing time, I felt like I was growing every game, playing more and more, especially when I would get the bigger roles with the PK and stuff.

“It takes a little bit to get your feet wet, for the game to slow down. I was finding that a little bit more at the end of the year, just playing more confidently as the game came. You can only get that way when you're playing more.”

He is looking to build on that here in Pittsburgh. Although it's a new destination, there will be some familiar faces. Wotherspoon was teammates with new forward Justin Brazeau in Boston, and he goes way back with fellow British Columbia native Danton Heinen.

“I actually grew up working out with Heinen a little bit,” Wotherspoon said. “We skate together every week. We actually live in the same building. I know Danton really well. We're good buddies. So, that helps a ton, obviously. Knowing him coming into the situation is huge. Just being able to talk to him, too, about places, where to go, and things like that.”

With a full offseason of training behind him, Wotherspoon is eager to seize his next opportunity.

“It’s been a long offseason, so I'm just ready to get back to it now.”