Parker Wotherspoon’s ‘Winning’ Mindset Supports Bruins Rotation

With a healthy back end, Boston Bruins head coach Jim Montgomery has had the luxury of rotating defensemen to keep the legs fresh heading down the stretch.

Parker Wotherspoon has been part of the scheduled rotation and isn’t bothered that he is suiting up for every game.

“My main thing here is I’m here to win,” Wotherspoon told reporters following Bruins morning skate at Warrior Ice Arena ahead of Boston’s matchup with the Seattle Kraken on Thursday. “If I came in here with a bad attitude because I got scratched, then it affects the team. That’s just not me.”

The 26-year-old British Columbia native can play on either side which makes him a little more versatile in the Bruins lineup.

“That’s obviously good when you can slot in each side if there’s somebody that goes down,” Wotherspoon said. “I’m pretty comfortable on both sides, so it’s a good thing to have in my game.”

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Montgomery said the rotation of the Bruins defensemen, mainly between Wotherspoon and Kevin Shattenkirk, is play-driven as well as game matchups.

“We have confidence in all seven defensemen to get the job done,” Montgomery said, per the team. “But we do want to keep guys in a rotation, so to speak. And it just feels like right now it’s been those two. But I have told both of those two, that it’s not just them two. There is going to be other guys at some point, whether it’s injury or because of just play.”

Regardless of how many Bruins games he sits or plays, Wotherspoon has no hard feelings toward the other Boston blue-liners, especially Shattenkirk.

“Kev’s the man. … He’s such a pro,” Wotherspoon said. “There’s no hatred or anything. Like I said, we’re here to win. We’re such a close, close group,e specially our back end. Everyone is rooting for each other back there.”

Wotherspoon added: “(Montgomery) wants everyone to be fresh for the postseason. It’s all to do with winning. There’s no complaints here.”

Shattenkirk will be the healthy scratch with Wotherspoon subbing back in after two games off when the Bruins host the Kraken at TD Garden on Thursday night. Boston will look to bounce back from the shootout loss against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Tuesday night.

Wotherspoon has suited up in 22 games for Boston this season, notching three assists while averaging 17:30 minutes of ice time. He’s blocked 43 shots and punished opponents with 50 hits.