A deserved deal.
The Bruins have made their first move of Deadline Day — but instead of making a splash externally, they’re taking care of in-house business first.
Per Elliotte Friedman, the B’s and defenseman Parker Wotherspoon have agreed to a one-year contract extension worth $800,000.
That represents a $25,000 increase from Wotherspoon’s current deal, which was a one-year, $775,000 deal signed last summer.
Wotherspoon would have been a restricted free agent at the end of this season; he’ll be a UFA when this new deal ends after next year.
Wotherspoon has been found money for the Bruins this season, ranking among the best of Don Sweeney’s bargain-basement free agency signings.
The 26-year-old blueliner has played 32 games for the Bruins this season, nearly three times as many as had played in the NHL prior to this year.
In those 32 games, Wotherspoon has six assists. He has averaged just shy of 18 minutes TOI and has generally been a reliably decent presence on the back-end.
He also fought Corey Perry, which was nice.
It’s good to see the B’s reward players for their performance, and having Wotherspoon in the fold gives the team more flexibility under the cap next season.