You've got to feel for Nate Prosser.
Every day, reporters show up to practice and look down at the ice to find out which defenseman is paired with Prosser. That indicates who will be scratched the next game. That's how the media figured out Marco Scandella would sit Thursday night against the Winnipeg Jets.
The Wild is carrying eight healthy defensemen, two more than typically dress for a game. For the second season in a row, Prosser is the eighth. He's the only one who hasn't played any of the four games this season.
"He's just got to hang in there," coach Mike Yeo said.
Every day Prosser shows up at the rink ready to work and puts on a smile to mask what's got to be frustration.
"I'm just trying to stay as positive as I can and be ready when my number's called," Prosser said. "Mentally, it can be pretty tough at times. But that's the name of the game. It's the position I'm in, just waiting around for an injury or bad play. And hopefully none of that happens."
What's ironic is the Wild's usually successful when he plays. The Wild was 11-6 with Prosser in the lineup last season. He was on the ice for two goals against all season — the first coming in his 10th game, the second coming on a Detroit garbage power-play goal with 14 seconds left in a 4-2 Wild victory. He skates well, has a good shot, makes a good first pass, and gets in opposing forwards faces when they stray too close to his goaltender.
The problem for Prosser is where he sits on the depth chart. Yeo doesn't feel the right-shot Prosser can play the left side, and standing ahead of him on the right are Jonas Brodin, Jared Spurgeon, veteran Keith Ballard and, when he plays the left, rookie Matt Dumba, a 2012 first-round pick the Wild is trying to get a good look at.
