E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120: Tyler Wotherspoon #108

by Eldon Macdonald

E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120: Tyler Wotherspoon #108

108. Tyler Wotherspoon - “Mr. Stay-at-home” - D - Canada
Vitals: Size - 6’2”, 203 lb.; Shoots left; Born 12-Mar-93 - Surrey, BC
Team: Portland, WHL
2010-11 Stats: 62-2-10-12-73-(+0) + WHL playoffs - 20-3-1-4-10-(+4)
Rankings:
44 - The Hockey News per TSN
50 - NHL Central Scouting's Final Rankings (40th North American skater)
66 - ISS per TSN
HM - Bob MacKenzie's June Poll of Scouts ( HM’s = 61 to 85)
80 - Cory Pronman's Top 100
108 - E-Mac's 2011 NHL Entry Draft Top 120
110 - Christopher Ralph's Top 210
Draft result:
57 - Calgary Flames

While Central Scouting has him 2nd round, my view of Tyler Wotherspoon is much closer to the snippet Redline put out on his Top Prospects Game performance @ http://www.redlinereport.com/ “Poor foot speed and does not move well laterally or make quick stop/starts. Not good in battles at close quarters due to his lack of agility – has a tough time sticking with his man in coverage.” While the Redline report is only of one game and therefore may be a little harsh when it comes to evaluating his overall performance, his agility, his puck handling and his offense are far from NHL requirements. However, he has enough of a physical game that he may be good enough to make it as a bottom pairing-stay at home-penalty killing d-man.