Tyler Wotherspoon

Last updated

Tyler Wotherspoon
2013 1011 Milwaukee 1600 72dpi057 (50510789612) (2).jpg
Wotherspoon with the Abbotsford Heat in 2013
Born (1993-03-12) March 12, 1993 (age 31)
Burnaby, British Columbia, Canada
Height 6 ft 2 in (188 cm)
Weight 207 lb (94 kg; 14 st 11 lb)
Position Defence
Shoots Left
AHL team
Former teams
Laval Rocket
Calgary Flames
National teamFlag of Canada (Pantone).svg  Canada
NHL draft 57th overall, 2011
Calgary Flames
Playing career 2013present

Tyler Wotherspoon (born March 12, 1993) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman and alternate captain for the Laval Rocket of the American Hockey League (AHL). He was selected in the second round, 57th overall, by the Calgary Flames in the 2011 NHL entry draft. Wotherspoon played four seasons of major junior hockey for the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League (WHL), and was a member of the team's Ed Chynoweth Cup championship run before turning professional in 2013.

Contents

Playing career

Junior

A native of Burnaby, British Columbia, [1] Wotherspoon was selected by the Portland Winter Hawks in the second round of the 2008 Western Hockey League (WHL) bantam draft. [2] He made his WHL debut as a 15-year-old in 2008–09, appearing in four games for Portland, then played four full seasons between 2009 and 2013. During his WHL career, he appeared in 239 total games, scoring 17 goals, and registering 65 assists. With the Winterhawks, Wotherspoon appeared in the WHL championship series in three consecutive years as Portland lost the final in 2011 and 2012 to the Kootenay Ice and Edmonton Oil Kings, respectively, before finally winning the Ed Chynoweth Cup championship in 2013 by defeating Edmonton. [3] [4] Wotherspoon was also named to the WHL's Western Conference second All-Star Team in 2012–13. [5] Wotherspoon scored three points in five games at the 2013 Memorial Cup, however Portland lost the Canadian Hockey League (CHL) championship game, the Memorial Cup, to the Halifax Mooseheads, 6–4. [6] During the season, Wotherspoon was also a member of the Canadian junior team, recording two points in six games at the 2013 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. [7]

Professional

Wotherspoon playing for the Calgary Flames in 2014 Tyler Wotherspoon 140328.png
Wotherspoon playing for the Calgary Flames in 2014

Selected by the Calgary Flames with their second-round pick (57th overall) during the 2011 National Hockey League (NHL) entry draft, [8] Flames Special Assistant to General Manager Craig Conroy described Wotherspoon as a player whose qualities often go unnoticed: "If you're a stay-at-home defenceman that can join the rush, make the good first pass, doesn't get beat one-on-one, very sound, it doesn’t stand out." [1] Upon turning professional, Wotherspoon was assigned to Calgary's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Abbotsford Heat, for the 2013–14 season. [1] He had nine points in his first 48 games and a plus-minus of +13 when an injury to defenceman Dennis Wideman late in the season caused the Flames to recall Wotherspoon on an emergency basis. He made his NHL debut on March 7, 2014, a 4–3 victory over the New York Islanders. [9] He recorded his first point the following night with an assist on a Brian McGrattan goal in a contest against the Vancouver Canucks. [10] Wotherspoon appeared in 14 games with the Flames, recording four assists, before suffering a shoulder injury that required surgery and ended his season. [11] In the 2014–15 season, Wotherspoon was assigned to the Flames new AHL affiliate, the Adirondack Flames. [12] Having played 61 games with Adirondack, scoring 2 goals and 24 points, he was recalled by Calgary on April 3, 2015. [13] He made his NHL season debut in the season finale, a 5–1 loss to the Winnipeg Jets. [14] He made his playoff debut in the 2015 Stanley Cup playoffs, making four appearances in the first round win over the Vancouver Canucks, paired with David Schlemko. [15] He made two more appearances in the second round where the Flames were defeated by the Anaheim Ducks. [16] [17]

Wotherspoon was assigned to the Flames' new AHL affiliate, the Stockton Heat, to start the 2015–16 season. He was recalled by Calgary in February 2016 and made his NHL season debut against the Vancouver Canucks. [18] He appeared in 53 games with Stockton, scoring 2 goals and 10 points. In 11 games with Calgary, he registered just one assist. [16] In the 2016–17 season, Wotherspoon spent the majority of the season with Stockton, playing in 56 games, netting six goals and 18 points. [19] In the 2017 Calder Cup playoffs, Wotherspoon appeared in five games for Stockon, going scoreless. [16] He also played in four games with Calgary going scoreless. On September 5, 2017, the Flames re-signed Wotherspoon to a one-year, two-way contract worth $650,000. [19] He was assigned to Stockton for the 2017–18 season after going unclaimed on waivers [20] where he put up career highs in goals with 7, assists with 30 and points with 37 in 67 games. [16] He was named one of Stockton's associate captains for the season. [21]

After five seasons within the Flames organization, Wotherspoon left as a free agent to sign a one-year, two-way contract with the St. Louis Blues on July 1, 2018. [22] He was assigned to the Blues' AHL affiliate, the San Antonio Rampage, for the 2018–19 season. [23] He played in 70 games with San Antonio, scoring 4 goals and 22 points. [16]

On July 1, 2019, Wotherspoon signed a two-year, two-way contract with the Philadelphia Flyers. [24] He was assigned to the Flyers' AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms, after going unclaimed on waivers to start the 2019–20 season. [25] He played in 54 games, scoring 4 goals and 22 points before the AHL suspended play on March 12, 2020 due to the COVID-19 pandemic. [16] [26] He spent the pandemic-shortened 2020–21 season with Lehigh Valley, playing in 24 games and registering six points, all assists. [27]

On September 14, 2021, Wotherspoon signed a professional tryout contract with the New Jersey Devils. [28] After participating in training camp and preseason, he was released from the contract and signed a one-year deal with the Devils' AHL affiliate, the Utica Comets, on October 13, 2021. [27] Following a successful season with the Comets in which he scored three goals and 21 points in 53 games, Wotherspoon was signed to a two-year, two-way contract by the Devils to continue within their organization on July 13, 2022. [29] He would be assigned to Utica for the 2022–23 season and was named one of team's alternate captains. [30] Wotherspoon was again assigned to Utica for the 2023–24 season, recording four goals and 18 assists in 65 games. [31]

On July 1, 2024, Wotherspoon signed a one-year AHL contract with the Montreal Canadiens' affiliate Laval Rocket. [31] He was subsequently named one of Laval's alternate captains for the 2024–25 AHL season. [32]

International play

In January 2022, Wotherspoon was selected to play for Team Canada at the 2022 Winter Olympics held in Beijing, China. [33] [34] [35]

Personal life

Wotherspoon's younger brother, Parker, was a fourth round selection by the New York Islanders in the 2015 NHL entry draft [36] and currently plays for the Boston Bruins. [37]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season TeamLeagueGP G A Pts PIM GPGAPtsPIM
2008–09 Portland Winter Hawks WHL 40000
2009–10 Portland WinterhawksWHL431452120000
2010–11 Portland WinterhawksWHL6421012732031410
2011–12 Portland WinterhawksWHL677212842221676
2012–13 Portland WinterhawksWHL61730373021281020
2013–14 Abbotsford Heat AHL 4818912
2013–14 Calgary Flames NHL 140444
2014–15 Adirondack Flames AHL612222420
2014–15 Calgary FlamesNHL1000060000
2015–16 Stockton Heat AHL53281016
2015–16 Calgary FlamesNHL110110
2016–17 Stockton HeatAHL56612182450002
2016–17 Calgary FlamesNHL40000
2017–18 Stockton HeatAHL677303746
2018–19 San Antonio Rampage AHL704182228
2019–20 Lehigh Valley Phantoms AHL544182226
2020–21 Lehigh Valley PhantomsAHL2406618
2021–22 Utica Comets AHL53317202250000
2022–23 Utica CometsAHL65417212260226
2023–24 Utica CometsAHL654182220
NHL totals30055460000

International

YearTeamEventResultGPGAPtsPIM
2010 Canada Pacific U17 5th50004
2013 Canada WJC 4th61120
2022 Canada OG 6th50222
Junior totals111124
Senior totals50222

Awards and honours

AwardYearRef
CHL
CHL/NHL Top Prospects Game 2011 [38]
WHL
Ed Chynoweth Cup champion 2013 [39]
West Second All-Star Team 2013 [5]

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References

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