Parker Wotherspoon

Parker Wotherspoon
Born (1997-08-24) August 24, 1997
Surrey, British Columbia, Canada
Height 6 ft 1 in (185 cm)
Weight 190 lb (86 kg; 13 st 8 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams		 Vegas Golden Knights
New York Islanders
Boston Bruins
Pittsburgh Penguins
National team  Canada
NHL draft 112th overall, 2015
New York Islanders
Playing career 2016–present

Parker Wotherspoon (born August 24, 1997) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player who is a defenceman for the Vegas Golden Knights 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's Tri-City Americans, and has also played in the NHL for the Boston Bruins and Pittsburgh Penguins.

Playing career

On May 3, 2012, Wotherspoon was selected by the Tri-City Americans of the Western Hockey League (WHL) in the first round of the 2012 WHL bantam draft.[1] He signed with Tri-City on May 29, 2012.[2]

New York Islanders

Wotherspoon was drafted by the New York Islanders in the fourth round, 112th overall, of the 2015 NHL entry draft.[3]

In April 2016, Wotherspoon made his professional debut for the Bridgeport Sound Tigers of the American Hockey League (AHL), after having signed an amateur tryout with Bridgeport.[4] On May 2, 2016, the Islanders signed Wotherspoon to a three-year, entry-level contract.[5]

Wotherspoon was named a WHL Western Conference Second Team All-Star for the 2016–17 WHL season.[6]

On January 17, 2020, Wotherspoon received a match penalty for spearing Providence Bruins player Trent Frederic and received a one-game suspension.[7][8]

Wotherspoon finished the 2019–20 AHL season with four goals and 23 assists in 62 games for Bridgeport.[9]

On October 27, 2020, he signed a two-year contract extension with the Islanders.[9]

Wotherspoon recorded three goals and 21 assists in 57 games for the Bridgeport Islanders during the 2021–22 AHL season.[10]

On September 21, 2022, Wotherspoon re-signed with New York on a one-year contract.[10] 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.[11][12]

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.[13]

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.[14] However, his consistent stability on Boston's blue line earned him a permanent spot on the NHL squad as the team's seventh defenceman,[15] as well as a one-year, $800,000 contract extension on March 8, 2024.[16] 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.

Wotherspoon entered the 2024–25 season making the NHL opening night roster for the first time in his career, primarily serving as the team's seventh defenseman.[17] However, after injuries to Boston's defense corps, Wotherspoon stepped up to play a larger role.[18] On January 14, 2025, Wotherspoon scored his first career NHL goal against Tampa Bay Lightning goalie Andrei Vasilevskiy. Wotherspoon ended the season with a goal and seven assists in 55 games, as the Bruins missed the playoffs.

Pittsburgh Penguins

Wotherspoon signed as a free agent to a two-year, $2 million contract with the Pittsburgh Penguins on July 1, 2025.[19] Wotherspoon registered career highs across all categories, scoring three goals and 27 assists in 80 games with the Penguins.

Vegas Golden Knights

On June 30, 2026, Wotherspoon was traded to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for Kaedan Korczak, with 50 percent of Wotherspoon's $1 million salary retained by the Penguins.[20]

International play

Wotherspoon represented Canada Pacific at the 2014 World U-17 Hockey Challenge.[21][22] He represented the Canada national under-18 team at the 2015 IIHF World U18 Championships.[23][24]

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

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2012–13 Tri-City Americans WHL 5 0 0 0 4 2 0 0 0 0
2013–14 Tri-City Americans WHL 62 2 16 18 74 5 0 2 2 2
2014–15 Tri-City Americans WHL 72 9 33 42 93 4 0 1 1 4
2015–16 Tri-City Americans WHL 71 11 45 56 78 — — — — —
2015–16 Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 6 0 1 1 15 2 0 1 1 0
2016–17 Tri-City Americans WHL 69 10 56 66 99 4 0 1 1 8
2016–17 Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 4 0 0 0 4 — — — — —
2017–18 Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 50 7 10 17 24 — — — — —
2018–19 Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 64 6 17 23 51 5 0 0 0 2
2019–20 Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 62 4 23 27 82 — — — — —
2020–21 Bridgeport Sound Tigers AHL 23 1 3 4 35 — — — — —
2021–22 Bridgeport Islanders AHL 57 3 21 24 127 6 0 1 1 4
2022–23 Bridgeport Islanders AHL 27 1 11 12 27 — — — — —
2022–23 New York Islanders NHL 12 0 1 1 4 — — — — —
2023–24 Providence Bruins AHL 19 1 4 5 20 — — — — —
2023–24 Boston Bruins NHL 41 0 8 8 31 10 0 2 2 6
2024–25 Boston Bruins NHL 55 1 6 7 10 — — — — —
2025–26 Pittsburgh Penguins NHL 80 3 27 30 55 6 0 1 1 12
NHL totals 188 4 42 46 100 16 0 3 3 18

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2014 Canada Pacific U17 2nd place, silver medalist(s) 6 0 3 3 2
2015 Canada U18 3rd place, bronze medalist(s) 7 1 4 5 6
2026 Canada WC 4th 101346
Junior totals 13 1 7 8 8
Senior totals 101346

Awards and honours

Award Year Ref
WHL
West Second All-Star Team 2017 [6]

References

  1. ↑ "2012 WHL DRAFT RESULTS; BARZAL 1ST OVERALL – Western Hockey League". May 3, 2012.
  2. ↑ "Americans Sign First Round Draft Pick Parker Wotherspoon". Tri-City Americans. May 29, 2012.
  3. ↑ Saraceni, Dan (June 27, 2015). "Islanders select defenseman Parker Wotherspoon of WHL's Tri-City in fourth round (112 overall)". Lighthouse Hockey. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  4. ↑ Fornabaio, By Michael (April 6, 2016). "Wotherspoon's Sound Tigers debut makes an impression". Connecticut Post.
  5. ↑ "Islanders Sign Wotherspoon to Entry-Level Contract". NHL.com. May 2, 2016. Archived from the original on November 5, 2016. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  6. 1 2 "WHL announces 2016-17 Conference All-Star teams – WHL Network". whl.ca. March 22, 2017. Archived from the original on March 25, 2017.
  7. ↑ "AHL announces suspensions". theahl.com. January 18, 2020.
  8. ↑ Fornabaio, Michael (January 22, 2020). "What you need to know about the Sound Tigers this week". Connecticut Post.
  9. 1 2 "Islanders Sign Greer, Ho-Sang, Vande Sompel and Wotherspoon". NHL.com. October 27, 2020. Retrieved December 24, 2022.
  10. 1 2 "Islanders Sign Schneider, Soshnikov and Wotherspoon | New York Islanders". www.nhl.com. September 21, 2022.
  11. ↑ Gorman, Denis P. (December 23, 2022). "Raty scores in NHL debut for Islanders in win against Panthers". NHL.com. Retrieved December 24, 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...
  12. ↑ Kreda, Allan (December 23, 2022). "Raty scores in NHL debut, leads Islanders past Panthers 5-1". AP News. Retrieved December 24, 2022. ...Defenseman Parker Wotherspoon, a fourth-round pick by the Islanders in 2015, also made his NHL debut...
  13. ↑ "Bruins announce July 1 transactions". Boston Bruins. July 1, 2023. Retrieved July 1, 2023.
  14. ↑ "Bruins notebook: Parker Wotherspoon looking to stick in NHL". Boston Herald. December 19, 2023. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  15. ↑ Anderson, Ty (January 22, 2024). "It looks like the Bruins have a new 7th defenseman". 98.5 The Sports Hub. Retrieved March 7, 2024.
  16. ↑ "Bruins Sign Parker Wotherspoon to One-Year NHL Contract Extension". NHL.com. March 8, 2024. Retrieved March 14, 2024.
  17. ↑ Goss, Nick (October 7, 2024). "Bruins announce Opening Night roster for 2024-25 NHL season". Yahoo Sports. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
  18. ↑ Hurley, Christopher (November 14, 2024). "Bruins Defensemen Determined To Step Up Following Injuries". Boston Hockey Now. Retrieved May 30, 2025.
  19. ↑ DeRosa, Michael (July 1, 2025). "NHL News: Penguins Sign Former Bruins Defenseman". The Hockey News. Retrieved July 1, 2025.
  20. ↑ "Penguins, Golden Knights swap defencemen". sportsnet.ca. June 30, 2026.
  21. ↑ "Rosters - Pacific - Hockey Canada". www.hockeycanada.ca.
  22. ↑ "Ty Comrie, Wotherspoon Selected to 2014 U-17 Hockey Challenge Roster". Tri-City Americans. November 14, 2013.
  23. ↑ "Teams - WM18 - International Ice Hockey Federation IIHF". u18worlds2015.iihf.com. Archived from the original on April 19, 2015.
  24. ↑ "Wotherspoon Prepares for NHL Draft After World Championships". Tri-City Americans. May 13, 2015.
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