(Photo Credit: @NHLBruins on X/Twitter)

A little over a year ago, the Pittsburgh Penguins took a shot on an under-utilized stay-at-home defenseman, signing Parker Wotherspoon to a two-year $1 million AAV deal as a free agent. Then, when training camp began, head coach Dan Muse decided to give the newcomer a shot on the top pair alongside three-time Norris winner Erik Karlsson. The pairing worked well instantly, and it eventually stuck for the entirety of the 2025-26 season, which saw the Penguins surprisingly make the playoffs.

Wotherspoon posted his best statistical season in just about every category. Goals, assists, points, games played, shots, time on ice, and takeaways were all blown out of the water in his fifth season in the NHL as a 28-year-old. He also led the Penguins in blocked shots and ranked second in hits.

It was a breakthrough season of epic proportions, and Pittsburgh fans and media couldn’t stop raving about the success story Wotherspoon had become in his first season as a Penguin.

So for everything that Parker Wotherspoon did in his own game and for everything he did that helped the team, and that helped specifically Eric Karlsson, if I had to grade year one of Parker Wotherspoon in Pittsburgh, I’d give him an A+ and I’d give him a higher grade if it was possible. It’s pretty darn close to 100% success rate for if looking back at year one of Parker Wotherspoon. –Nick Belsky, Tip of the Ice-Burgh

Then, on the eve of free agency, in a bit of a stunner, the Golden Knights and Penguins swapped defensemen, with Wotherspoon coming to Vegas for Kaedan Korczak.

The question for the Golden Knights will be about the utilization of Wotherspoon. With Pittsburgh, he posted positive numbers in every advanced stat while playing with Erik Karlsson, but came up short when he played with anyone else. Prior to his time in Pittsburgh, he typically played on 3rd pairs and the numbers are pedestrian as well.

He does not bring much offense, or even a ton of puck-moving ability out of the defensive zone, but his breakthrough season showed he can be an excellent foil to a high-end offense player. VGK have to figure out whether that’s necessary for him to be useful or not.

The current roster as it stands offers a few different options. Brayden McNabb will likely remain alongside Theodore as the top pair. Noah Hanifin and Andersson have a lot of history together and Ryan Craig could opt to stick with that continuity. That would leave Wotherspoon alongside either Jeremy Lauzon or Dylan Coghlan.

What Wotherspoon offers, though, is a full season of success with an offensive dynamo, which opens the door for a pairing with Andersson or even Theodore. He’s shown he can not only keep up, but thrive in that role, even against the opposition’s best players.

The challenge, though, is the opposite. Wotherspoon has not shown a lot of success without a star next to him, and prior to the stop in Pittsburgh, he couldn’t even find a way to stay in an NHL lineup. He was a godsend to a Penguins team that needed to find a partner for their most dynamic weapon on the blue line while Vegas already has that role filled.

Wotherspoon’s spot in the Vegas lineup this year could go a long way in not only determining his own success, but how well the defense unit works together as a whole. It will be intriguing to see how Craig opens camp and how willing he is to try other options as the season goes on.