Minnesota Wild: 2018-19 Season Preview of Nate Prosser

The season previews roll on as we move closer to the start of the Minnesota Wild preseason. Nate Prosser is coming up with only 39 days remaining.

Defenseman Nate Prosser is no stranger to camp battles as a member of the Minnesota Wild, as nearly every preseason he enters camp as a cusp player possible of seeing more time as the #6 or #7 defenseman. Now coming into his 10th NHL season, and this year is looking to be more of the same for the Elk River, MN native.

History

Minnesota born, Minnesota raised, and Minnesota trained, Nate Prosser is the living embodiment of the State of Hockey. Prosser played his high school hockey in hometown Elk River, and signed as an undrafted free agent with the Minnesota Wild after completing college.

In 9 years since signing his first contract, Prosser has always been a team first player. He is  willing to take a minors assignment or sit in the press box when it is asked of him, and is always ready for the call to the lineup when he’s required.

Prosser can fill whatever role the team is asking of him, which makes him the ever ready soldier the team has come to rely on. He’s not a high scorer, but can supply points when given opportunities, and is a willing power play and penalty kill body.

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Nate always finishes his hits, will stand up and defend his teammates when necessary, he is always looking for ways to draw penalties from opposing players, and has shown himself to be  great defense partner for rookies coming into the league to learn and develop beside.

Wild fans may not remember, though, that Prosser has not always been a member of the Minnesota roster. The Wild have actually let Nate leave in free agency on 2 different occasions (both to St.Louis), before claiming him back off waivers each time.

Season Preview

This season, Prosser’s spot on the team appears to be the same as usual as he is entering training camp as the borderline 6/7 defenseman yet again. With Ryan Suter reportedly ready for training camp, Mathew Dumba, Jared Spurgeon, and Jonas Brodin appear to be locked in the top 4 spots, so there are not many spots left to go around.

I feel Prosser is one of the kind of players who is well loved by local fans, I never have any complaints about his game and rarely hear anything negative about him in team discussion. He’s not flashy, and not a top talent, but he gets the job done that is requested of him.

Prosser is entering the final year of this contract, but in his case a contract year is not any indication to go off of since he has never in his career been signed to anything more than 2 year deals. This nullifies the “contract year” discussion since almost every year is a contract year for Nate.

Training camp and preseason should start with Prosser slotted on the 3rd D pairing, likely beside Greg Pateryn. That pairing is very much written in pencil, however, as Nick Seeler and Carson Soucy should both be challenging for playing time.

I’d say to expect 40-50 games out of Prosser, maximum 10 points over the season. Where I see his true value, is that he will be paired with Soucy, Seeler, and possibly even Belpedio in training drills at practice and for any time he actually spends on ice in games.

There is a good possibility this is truly the final season we see Nate Prosser as a member of the Minnesota Wild. The Wild’s defensive depth is currently growing in Iowa is only getting better, they are reaching the limits of what they can do in Iowa and fully deserving of their chance at the main roster.

Prosser will spend this season training the next generation to take his place, possibly even soon enough to get himself traded at the trade deadline if anyone is interested in a reliable depth defenseman, and likely test the market in free agency next summer.