Penguins
Penguins Sign LHD Wotherspoon From Bruins
The Pittsburgh Penguins’ first dip into the free agent pool Tuesday was as expected. It was not a big splash for big money, and it was not a long-term deal, as the Penguins signed left-handed defenseman Parker Wortherspoon to a two-year contract.
The Penguins have not yet announced the deal, but it is reportedly a two-year deal worth $1 million per season.
Wortherpoon, 27, has been a late bloomer in the pro ranks, climbing out of the AHL after five seasons in the New York Islanders organization. The Islanders’ 2015 fourth-round pick made his NHL debut, playing 12 games with the Islanders in the 2022-23 season. He played 95 games over the past two seasons with the Boston Bruins.
In total, Wortherspoon has played 108 NHL games and scored 16 points, including one goal.
Our Boston Hockey Now colleague Andrew Fanctucchio reports that Wortherspoon is best as a seventh defenseman but was popular amongst teammates. The 6-foot-1, 192-pound blue liner is the eighth defenseman on an NHL contract on the Penguins roster.
The Penguins lack depth on the left side, both at the NHL level and the AHL level. WBS Penguins defensemen Filip Kral and Dan Renouf had already left the organization. The Penguins chose not to qualify LHD P.O Joseph on Monday, making him a free agent, as well.
Wortherspoon is a good skating defenseman and sound defensively, if unspectacular.
The deal was first reported by podcaster Irfaan Gaffar and confirmed by Elliotte Friedman of Sportsnet.
Cheap depth at a position the Penguins are thin at. Good move!
Hopefully signed for WBS.
Possibly their new top pairing LD.
King Penguin, is that you?
Actually I was being serious this time. Sorry, I guess that you always assume that i am being sarcastic. Who is going to be their top LHD? I feel like it will end up either Wotherspoon or Pickering.
The TANK is on…Dubas is like we WILL lose 60 games next year, ill make sure of it
Yep, and then hopefully the draft lottery doesn’t screw them over again like this season.
They better hope they get McKenna or they are gonna be the new Sabres with 10 plus years of no playoffs
Or we get the number 1 pick and Clark tells Dubas to pick Heinrich Scheißkopf.
The 2026 draft is allegedly much deeper, so regardless they should still get a good player or 2 out of the draft. Like, they may not get Ovechkin, but maybe a Malkin.
Meh, ok that he is sound defensively unlike….
*yawn* if he sees more than 30 games, we are dog-do-doo
Already the best LHD on the team. Unless Shea or Pickering up their game
Well he is liked by his teammates so he had that going for himself…
I’m pretty sure he is not very good, so he’ll fit right in!
gonna need bob uecker to call the games on radio
though, I will say Wotherspoon has some interesting analytics
“Wotherspoon is a good skating defenseman and sound defensively, if unspectacular.”
I don’t care if he ever scores. If he can play D he is better than the 6 we had last year!
Yes, just what we need , another left handed 7th defenseman!!! We already have Shea and Kolyachonok(Plus Aho in WBS) to fill that role, though they may be needed higher than that!