Wild waives Minnesota natives Nate Prosser and J.T. Brown

Recent additions prompted moves, but both could stay in organization.

February 4, 2019 at 2:29AM
Philadelphia Flyers' Robert Hagg, left, collides with Minnesota Wild's Nate Prosser during the third period of an NHL hockey game, Monday, Jan. 14, 2019, in Philadelphia. Philadelphia won 7-4. (AP Photo/Matt Slocum)
Playing time opened up for Wild defenseman Nate Prosser, right, after Matt Dumba’s injury, but he has been scratched the past five games. (The Minnesota Star Tribune)

The Wild created roster flexibility by waiving defenseman Nate Prosser and winger J.T. Brown on Sunday.

If the two are unclaimed at 11 a.m. Monday they can be assigned to Iowa of the American Hockey League or remain with the Wild. Neither would then require waivers to be sent to the minors before 30 days expires or 10 games played.

The Wild is at the 23-man roster limit after claiming defenseman Anthony Bitetto off waivers from the Predators and activating center Eric Fehr off injured reserve.

Those moves gave the Wild eight defensemen and 13 forwards.

While Prosser received regular minutes for the first time this season after Matt Dumba was sidelined with a torn pectoral muscle, playing 13 out of 15 games at one point, he'd recently shifted back into a reserve role.

The 32-year-old Elk River native, who's a righthanded shot, was scratched the past five games, an absence that mostly coincided with the addition of defenseman Brad Hunt, whom the Wild acquired in a trade with the Vegas Golden Knights almost two weeks ago.

Prosser has appeared in 15 games after skating in 56 last season when his third stint with the organization began once he was plucked off waivers from the Blues. In 353 games with the Wild, Prosser has 10 goals and 47 points. He's in the final season of a two-year, $1.3 million contract.

Brown signed a two-year, $1.375 million deal with as a free agent last summer. He has a goal and three assists in 35 games.

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A Burnsville native and Minnesota Duluth alum, Brown played 3 minutes, 54 seconds Saturday in a 4-3 overtime loss to the Blackhawks. It was the 28-year-old's first game since Jan. 17.

Winger Pontus Aberg was injured in Saturday's game, meaning a recall of either Luke Kunin or Joel Eriksson Ek is likely before Tuesday's game in Buffalo.

ST. PAUL, MN - SEPTEMBER 13: J.T. Brown #71 of the Minnesota Wild poses for his official headshot for the 2018-2019 season on September 13, 2018 at the Xcel Energy Center in St. Paul, Minnesota. (Andy Clayton-King/NHLI via Getty Images) *** Local Caption *** J.T. Brown ORG XMIT: 775215551
Brown (The Minnesota Star Tribune)
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about the writer

Sarah McLellan

Minnesota Wild and NHL

Sarah McLellan covers the Wild and NHL. Before joining the Minnesota Star Tribune in November 2017, she spent five years covering the Coyotes for The Arizona Republic.

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