Flames Recall Tyler Wotherspoon from Stockton

Dennis Wideman’s suspended. Kris Russell is interminably “day to day” with a lower-body injury. Ladislav Smid has an upper-body injury. With all those defenders down and likely unavailable for the short-term, the Calgary Flames had to make a move.

And they did, reportedly recalling blueliner Tyler Wotherspoon from the American Hockey League’s Stockton Heat.

Wotherspoon, 22 (23 in March), is in the third year of his entry-level contract. He’s played 15 games over his pro career with the Flames, but struggled last season a bit after missing most of training camp with recovering from shoulder surgery. Much like fellow Stockton call-up Markus Granlund, he’s a guy that has some value but that the organization likely wants to gauge against the rest of the young talent they have on their hands. He has 4 assists in 40 games with Stockton this season, but projects much more as a Smid-esque shutdown defender at the NHL level than a puck-moving, point-producer.

To make room on the 23-man roster, the club has placed Smid on the injured reserve.