Stoner makes his mark, leaving Scott expendable

Clayton Stoner continues to impress during his promotion to the Wild after 4 1/2 years in Houston, but it's too early to determine whether the defenseman will stick.

"There's a saying ... 'You're good enough to get here. Now are you good enough to stay?'" coach Todd Richards said. "You always have that initial adrenaline push where you come up and you're able to keep up with the pace just because of that high.

"Eventually there comes a letdown and that's what he's got to guard against. He's got to keep his play elevated."

The Wild reassigned Jaime Sifers to Houston last week, called up Stoner, flew him to Montreal and played him over John Scott against the Canadiens without even a practice.

Scott has been scratched in seven of the past 12 games. When he's played in that stretch, he's had some hiccups -- most memorably, three minors at Colorado and an ill-advised icing that led to a goal against Columbus.

Asked if Stoner's presence is an indictment of Scott, Richards said, "You want to reward guys [in Houston] and give guys opportunities, and guys have to know here if their play isn't up to par, there's other guys that can and will step ahead of them in the lineup."

The 6-3, 225-pound Stoner brings size, strength, toughness and mobility to the back end, and he's making Scott expendable with his willingness to fight.

Stoner, 24, a 2004 third-rounder whose pro development was slowed because of a slew of injuries including back problems, understands he must prove himself every day. You don't spend as long as he has in the minors and just automatically become an NHLer in four games.

"A lot of guys can come here and have a couple good games, and I'm sure they want to see if I can play consistent, steady and be reliable," said Stoner, who has two assists and two fights, the latest being a one-sided bout Wednesday against Edmonton's Ryan Stone.

Stoner is ecstatic to have fresh eyes evaluating him.

"I'm really happy that I'm being given a chance here," Stoner said. "That wasn't the case with the last management, so I have to say I'm happy with the change here. It seems like it's a lot more comfortable around here. I shouldn't say comfortable. Just a lot more pleasant. The coaches are a little more personable, and communicate."

As for Scott, he's talked to Richards and is "focused on getting back in the lineup."

Scott admits he has lost confidence after being "in and out, in and out, in and out."

"Physically I'm ready to go, but mentally I have to get back into that state where I'm ready to play," Scott said. "I thought I was going to play and someone else comes in, so it's tough to wrap your head around it and deal with it. But I've obviously made a couple mistakes, and they had to do what they had to do. They have to put the best team on the ice, and I understand that."

Richards considered replacing Niklas Backstrom with Josh Harding to start the third period Monday against Colorado, but he decided against it for one big reason.

Because of the equipment fire Friday in Ottawa, Backstrom was wearing Harding's pads and Harding was wearing Backstrom's new, stiff ones on the bench.

"So it was a pretty easy decision once I heard that," Richards said.

Backstrom wore the new pads against Edmonton.

• Martin Havlat (flu) and Guillaume Latendresse (flu) played and James Sheppard was scratched.