Is Tyler Wotherspoon That Bad?

[Lucky23]

Okay. I understand the reasoning behind having a more veteran presence on D, but to essentially be playing 5 D man in a hopefully long playoff run seems inefficient to me. Corey Potter is playing playing 3 minutes a night, so my question is, why is Corey Potter even in the lineup? Does the Flames coaching staff have more trust in playing an AHL type player for 3 minutes a night, or is Tyler Wotherspoon, our top defensive product not capable of playing 3+ minutes? I get the idea of playing guys with more "experience", but Potter only had 1 other previous NHL playoff game. Is Tyler Wotherspoon not reliable?

[MrMastodonFarm]

No, he's not that bad, he's that rookie.

Yes, they would rather play a veteren 3 minutes a night then a rookie. I'd love to see Wotherspoon play but that's Hartley's style.

[skudr248]

Rather have Wotherspoon in than Potter. Seriously whadddahell Harts?

[Roof-Daddy]

Like I posted in the other thread, he certainly doesn't seem to have the trust if the coaching staff. Maybe he's in the dog house for some reason, who knows....

Certainly is puzzling that with all the call ups and practice time with the big team this season, he hasn't been able to get any ice time except for one meaningless game at the end of the season.

[dino7c]

Originally Posted by skudr248

Rather have Wotherspoon in than Potter. Seriously whadddahell Harts?

based on what exactly? Wotherspoon got a shot in the last game and didn't do himself any favors

[GioforPM]

Potter is RH, which is important to Hartley. Potter only has one playoff game. He has 129 regular season NHL games.

[GioforPM]

What I haven't seen is why Potter is so limited in minutes - he's looked OK to me, as good as Smid or Diaz in his own zone. Not much offence but that's not his job.

[heep223]

Wotherspoon looked slow against the Jets, particularly his pivots and reads. He still needs more work I'm thinking.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by MrMastodonFarm

No, he's not that bad, he's that rookie.

Yes, they would rather play a veteren 3 minutes a night then a rookie. I'd love to see Wotherspoon play but that's Hartley's style.

Yet he shows so much trust in rookies up front.


It just seems odd.

[N-E-B]

My question is what has Wotherspoon done to earn a spot? From what I've seen he hasn't been an upgrade on anything else we have. I don't understand why so many people feel he should be in the line-up. What has he done to prove that? Obviously he isn't forcing Bob's hand in practices, otherwise he'd be in. There's probably a good reason he isn't playing and I have confidence in Hartley's decision to not play him.

[GranteedEV]

Originally Posted by undercoverbrother

Yet he shows so much trust in rookies up front.

It just seems odd.

Rookie mistakes out of your blueline with vet forwards get you the San Jose Sharks and Dallas Stars.
Rookie mistakes out of your forwards with vet D get you the Calgary Flames and New York Islanders.



Rookie mistakes out of your blueline and forwards get you the trauma that Devan Dubnyk experienced before this season, and Ben Scrivens and Viktor Fasth will have to try and forget this offseason.

[nik-]

I'm more ok with him not playing now than I am with him not playing at all in any of his callups this year except for the last game.

[undercoverbrother]

Originally Posted by GranteedEV

Rookie mistakes out of your blueline with vet forwards get you the San Jose Sharks.
Rookie mistakes out of your forwards with vet D get you the Calgary Flames.



Rookie mistakes out of your blueline and forwards get you the trauma that Devan Dubnyk experienced before this season.

Yeah I know, but it just seems odd that he didn't get somemore icetime during the lead up, but yeah I know play off race.


I suspect that had Gio been in the line up they might have been more interested in giving Tyler some sheltered minutes.

[codynw]

I honestly think it's a RH/LH thing. If Wotherspoon was a righty, or if Potter was a lefty, he'd be in the lineup.

[The Yen Man]

Hartley also mentioned that just because you aren't in a game, you're still expected to practice and prepare as if you were playing, so that means practicing hard. Maybe the coaching staff has seen something in Wotherspoon's game during practice that they don't like? That's the only thing I can think of.

I don't think Hartley opposes rookies. Our current line up is littered with several rookies.

[shermanator]

Think some folks need to chill out re: Wotherspoon.

He's a 22 year old rookie. Not all defencemen develop at the same rate (see Giordano's career progression as an example).

[FlamesAddiction]

I just don't think he is ready. He was never a bluechip prospect and it was always known that he was going to take the well travelled path to the NHL. For reference, Giordano played 144 AHL games before making the NHL. Wotherspoon currently has 109.

I wouldn't be surprised to see him draw in for limited duty at some point, but honestly, for a few minutes a night, Potter isn't a bad option.

[Red Menace]

I agree it is more of a RH /LH decision, which seems to be more important to Hartley than it probably really is on the ice.
But as far as "earning" the spot...what has Potter done?
In any case, the #6D is getting buried anyway, I don't care who it is at this point.
Too bad we are missing our #1, #6 and #7 D and have to rely on #8 and #9 in the playoffs. (granted Schlemko is as good or better than our 6/7 combo of Smid/Diaz)

[GioforPM]

Originally Posted by Red Menace

I agree it is more of a RH /LH decision, which seems to be more important to Hartley than it probably really is on the ice.
But as far as "earning" the spot...what has Potter done?
In any case, the #6D is getting buried anyway, I don't care who it is at this point.
Too bad we are missing our #1, #6 and #7 D and have to rely on #8 and #9 in the playoffs. (granted Schlemko is as good or better than our 6/7 combo of Smid/Diaz)

I know Wotherspoon is part of the future, but Potter earned a callup. He's experienced at the NHL level, and at Addie he was a .41 PPG and +10. Tyler was .39 PPG and -2. Ramage and Acolaste had decent numbers too, with RH shots, but less experience than Potter.

[ricardodw]

Originally Posted by dino7c

based on what exactly? Wotherspoon got a shot in the last game and didn't do himself any favors

Different playing in the last game exhibition game with Kulak and Ramage and Potter as your pairing partner.

Based on the -5 Colborne had in that game he would not be playing on a line with Backlund and Bennett last night.