PuckSleuth
Parker Wotherspoon29

Vegas Golden Knights · Defense · Shoots L

Parker Wotherspoon

Age 29 · 6'1" · 195 lb · Born in Surrey, CAN

Cap hit

$500K

50% retained by previous team

Term

1 yr

Through 2026-27, then UFA

Clause

None

Surplus value

+$4.125M

vs. $5.125M market estimate

Confirmed by the public signing announcement · source

2026-27 regular season

GP

2

Goals

0

0.0% shooting

Assists

0

0 primary

Points

0

0.00 per game

TOI/GP

17:54

PP 0:14 · PK 0:27

xGF%

48.4

5v5, -2.4 vs. last yr

Game Score

-0.36

per game

Faceoff %

—

Plus/minus

-4

Blocks 1 · Hits 1

Game log

Last 5 games · NHL API

GameGASOGHITBLKTOIPPPKFOOZS%GVTK+/-GS
Oct 2
vs ANA · L 4-3
0000115:390:240:00—6710-3-0.46
Sep 29
vs CHI · W 5-2
0011020:080:040:54—2051-1-0.26
Apr 29
@ PHI · OTL 1-0
0014229:540:032:34—33100+0.36
Apr 27
vs PHI · W 3-2
0111321:030:002:03—40020+0.90
Apr 25
@ PHI · W 4-2
0013223:490:003:00—8001-2-0.06

GS = our Game Score (credit for everything he did; goals and assists count most). FO = faceoffs won-lost. OZS% = share of his 5v5 offensive and defensive zone faceoff starts that were in the offensive zone. GV/TK = giveaways/takeaways.

Advanced metrics

5v5 unless noted · 2025-26 · 1,373 min · percentile vs. NHL defensemen

xGF%50.9%

63rd percentile

Relative xGF%-0.7

46th percentile

HDCF%49.3%

52nd percentile

CF%52.2%

77th percentile

Relative CF%+2.8

81st percentile

FF%51.4%

72nd percentile

GF%54.7%

75th percentile

CF/6059.4

71st percentile

CA/6054.3

75th percentile

ixG/600.11

8th percentile

Goals above expected+0.5

58th percentile

IPP35.7%

58th percentile

PDO100.8

62nd percentile

OZS%45.6%

43rd percentile

xGF% is his team's share of 5v5 expected goals while he was on the ice, from our own expected goals model; HDCF% counts only high-danger chances (xG of 0.15 or more). IPP is the share of his team's 5v5 goals while he was on the ice that he scored or assisted on. Relative stats compare him with his team when he was off the ice. Goals above expected and ixG/60 use his own shots at all strengths. PDO and OZS% describe luck and deployment, so their bars are grey.

Play styleAggressive two-way defenseman

Trait percentiles vs. NHL defensemen · 2025-26

Wotherspoon thrives in transition and on the forecheck, winning pucks and pushing tempo with physical presence and excellent rush instincts. He limits shot attempts against but struggles to generate offense through shooting or puck control in structured play.

Transition driverPhysical presenceRush chance creator
Shooting volume
7
Playmaking
70
Zone entries(est.)
84
Forechecking
87
Physicality
84
Defensive impact
53
Puck management
8
Speed
38

Where he shoots from

Slot 1% · Mid-range 29% · Perimeter 70%(99 unblocked shots)

Strengths

  • 99th percentile in unblocked shots generated, showing exceptional involvement in play
  • Forecheck intensity at 87th percentile keeps opponents on their heels
  • Zone entry ability at 84th percentile and physicality at 84th percentile fuel transition offense

Watch-outs

  • Shooting volume at just 7th percentile means he rarely puts pucks on net himself
  • Puck management at 8th percentile indicates struggles maintaining possession in setup play
  • Speed at 38th percentile may limit his transition ceiling against faster teams

Similar style: Emil Andrae (CBJ), Ian Cole (CHI)

Built from play-by-play, shift data, and NHL EDGE tracking. Zone entries is an estimate (rush chances while he is on the ice) until tracking data is added.

Where his Game Score comes from

2025-26 · 80 GP

Season total +29.7, or +0.37 per game.

Scoring
+18.9
Shooting
+5.3
5-on-5 goals
+1.8
Defense
-0.3
Penalty kill
+0.4
Physical play
+8.8
Puck battles
-4.6
Penalties
-0.6

Game Score gives credit for everything a player does in a game. Goals (1.0) and assists (0.7 primary, 0.5 secondary) count most; shots, blocks, hits, takeaways, penalties drawn, faceoff wins, killing penalties, and holding down the other team's chances add to it. Only mistakes subtract: goals against at 5-on-5, giveaways, penalties taken, faceoff losses, and allowing more chances than an average player would. A player who is there to defend or kill penalties is not marked down for not scoring. Goalies are measured by goals saved above expected.

Career stats

From the NHL's player records

SeasonTeamGPGAP+/-PIMPPGPPPSHGGWGSOGS%TOIFO%GS/GP
2022-23New York Islanders12011+540000100.013:20—+0.21
2023-24Boston Bruins41088+6310000320.017:43—+0.32
2024-25Boston Bruins55167-10100000442.318:02—+0.20
2025-26Pittsburgh Penguins8032730+17550001704.320:10—+0.37
2026-27Vegas Golden Knights2000-42000010.017:54—-0.36
Career5 seasons19044246+1410200011572.518:34—

Seasons traded mid-year show one row per team. GS/GP is our Game Score per game.

Usage

Last game: vs ANA, Oct 2

Pair 3 with Rasmus Andersson (14:13 together at 5-on-5)

From the NHL's shift chart.

Latest news

Headlines from news outlets and team blogs

No news about him in the last 30 days.

Sentiment & chatter

Fans

—

Beat writers

—

Media

—

Fan, beat writer, and media scores, the 14-day trade chatter chart, and the latest mentions appear once sentiment scoring is switched on. Mentions are already being collected.

Recent Game Scores

Last 10 games · goals above average

Average +0.13 per game over these 10.

Skating · NHL EDGE

2026-27, as of Oct 2

Top speed
18.9 mph
20th pct
20+ mph bursts
0
Hardest shot
84.3 mph
77th pct
Distance
2.7 mi
OZ time
40.9%
41st pct
DZ time
42.7%

Age curve

NHL defensemen · production index

202937

At 29, defensemen typically produce 93% of their peak (age 24).

From 24 seasons of NHL results, adjusted for league scoring and save percentage in each era. Shaded bars are the seasons left on his contract.

Contract by season

1 season left

SeasonTeamCap hit% of cap
2026-27VGK$500K0.5%

UFA after 2026-27. $1M in cap hits left. % of cap uses each season's ceiling where the league has set one ($104M this season, $113.5M in 2027-28).