Tyler Wotherspoon

Tyler Wotherspoon (born March 12, 1993) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman who is currently playing with the Calgary Flames of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Flames in the second round, 57th overall, at the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Wotherspon played four seasons of junior hockey for the Portland Winterhawks and was a member of the team's Western Hockey League championship team before turning professional in 2013.

Playing career
A native of Surrey, British Columbia, Wotherspoon was selected by the Portland Winterhawks in the second round of the 2008 Western Hockey League (WHL) Bantam Draft. He made his WHL debut as a 15-year-old in 2008–09 by appearing in four games for Portland, then played four full seasons between 2009 and 2013; Wotherspoon appeared in 239 games in his WHL career and scored 17 goals along with 65 assists. With the Winterhawks, he 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. Wotherspoon was also named to the WHL's Western Conference second All-Star Team in 2012–13. Wotherspoon scored three points in five games at the 2013 Memorial Cup, however Portland lost the Canadian Hockey League championship game to the Halifax Mooseheads, 6–4. During the season, Wotherspoon was also a member of the Canadian junior team and recorded two points in six games at the 2013 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships.

The Calgary Flames had selected Wotherspoon with their second round pick, 57th overall, at the 2011 National Hockey League (NHL) Entry Draft. Flames' special assistant to the General Manager, Craig Conroy, described Wotherspoon as a player who's 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." Upon turning professional, Wotherspoon was assigned to Calgary's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Abbotsford Heat, for the 2013–14 season. He had nine points in his first 48 games and a plus-minus of +13 when an injury to Dennis Wideman late in the season caused the Flames to recall Wotherspoon on an emergency basis. He made his NHL debut on March 7, 2013, a 4–3 victory over the New York Islanders. He recorded his first point the following night with an assist on a Brian McGrattan goal in a contest against the Vancouver Canucks. Wotherspoon appeared in 14 games with the Flames, and recorded four assists, before suffering a shoulder injury that required surgery and ended his season.