Wotherspoon only had notoriety because our lack of D depth in the system. He was never projected to be a top-pairing guy, his ceiling was always a #4/5. That being said, it's actually a good sign that he's still in the mix. He has good size and reach, better than average skating, his poise and positioning has improved. If he was more physical he'd probably already have a spot. It was that lack of physicality that necessitated the acquisition of Engelland. It's puzzling to me that players gifted with size won't use that to their advantage. I like Wotherspoon's game, but realistically he needs to find that dimension to his game that gets his foot in the door on the bottom pairing. I'm sure the Flames organization are telling him this, but it is easier said than done clearly. Wotherspoon's comfort zone is playing a steady and safe game -- and while you want your d-men to know when to play that way, you also want them to know when to take calculated risks. It's an aspect of a player's hockey sense that Wotherspoon still needs to develop. If he doesn't, e projects to be a utility player. But given where he was drafted, he's already exceeded my expectations.
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