By Warren Kozireski–
It always takes longer than the player or the fans want, but defenseman Parker Wotherspoon is making progress toward playing on the New York Islander blueline.
The 2015 fourth rounder took a year to adjust to the Western Hockey League exploding from two goals and 18 points as a first year junior in 2013-14 to nine goals and 42 points one season later.
That built to 56 and 66 points over his final two years in Tri-City.
But maybe the learning curve will be shortened as he enters his 20’s?
Wotherspoon is now in the stretch run of his first professional season with Bridgeport in the American Hockey League where he had ten points over his first 40 games this season. More recently he has exploded with four goals and three assists over his last five games (as of March 15).
“It’s good,” the left-shot defenseman said after an early March game. “I had a rough start in and out of the line-up (played in five of teams’ first eight games this season), but I’ve been playing a lot lately and I think taking advantage of it.
He scored his first professional goal—two in fact—Dec. 15 at Springfield; the first coming shorthanded and is seeing time on the power play as well.
“They’re giving me an opportunity and I’ll try to make the best of it; that’s all I can do. I feel like they have faith in me.
“My game in general is a lot better and I feel a lot more confident with the puck and can make plays rather than just throwing it away or making bad plays. The game at this level is fast and I like it, it works well for me.”
At 6’0” and 171 lb., Wotherspoon is expected to use his skating and playmaking to create offense—exactly the direction the NHL seems to be going for blueliners.
And he has had both leadership as a two-time alternate captain with Tri-City and high-level international experience winning bronze with Team Canada at the 2015 Under -18 World Juniors and silver at the 2014 World Championships where he had five points in seven games.
His older brother Ty is with the Calgary system and helped Parker to prepare for things so not much has come as a surprise.
“The pace of the game was a little shock at first, but then I got some time (in the AHL) at the end of the year the past couple years so I was already in game mode, but it is a lot faster and took a little time to adjust, but I think I’m holding my own.”
Now he competes with fellow defense-prospects Mitch Vande Sompel, Sebastien Aho and Devon Toews to be the next call-up to the Island.
