Game #70: Minnesota Wild at Nashville Predators, Thursday March 18, 2010 at 7:00pm (CDT), Bridgestone Arena [GAME PREVIEW]

If you wanted to send a thank-you card to someone in appreciation for the signing of Casey Wellman, you’re going to have to send it in care of the Atlanta Thrashers.  When the undrafted U-Mass player started feeling the pressure from the various offers of the twenty-one teams interested in him, he called the one and only Chris Chelios.  If anyone knows a thing or two about the NHL and the people involved in its management, the 48-year old shoe-in for the Hall of Fame, would be it.  According to the article in yesterday’s Minneapolis Star Tribune, Chelios told Wellman that Chuck Fletcher was an honest guy (at least based on what he’s heard from others), and that he figured the young Wellman would find a good fit and enjoy his time in hockey-mad Minnesota.  Even better, Chelios figures that Minnesota got a “diamond in the rough.”  Having spent as many years in Detroit as he did, one can imagine that Chelios knows a thing or two about “diamonds in the rough” as the Red Wings are well-known for taking late draft picks and undrafted players and turning them into stars.  If Chelios sees that kind of potential, we can only hope that the Wild can fully develop that talent.  It is still undecided when fans will see Wellman take the ice though, as Minnesota is on a mini winning-streak right now, and as the old saying goes, “if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.”

While the Wild’s playoffs hopes are still tenuous at best, they are taking chances in the college free-agent market.  Yesterday, the Wild came to terms with Elk River, MN-native Nate Prosser.  Having spent the past four seasons with Colorado College of the WCHA, he tallied the second most points for a defenseman in the league this season.  The contract signed is a one year deal, and will be prorated for what’s left of this season.  It is extremely doubtful if he’ll see any ice-time, but as your mother always told you, “never say never.”  The Wild intend to keep Prosser in St. Paul to allow him to practice with the team.  It would take even more injuries on Minnesota’s blueline for fans to see the Minnesota-native in a game.  One has to wonder if he’ll be moving back home with mom and dad or he’ll look for a short-term apartment of his own to lease.  Hopefully, this signing will stymie much of the pointless chatter about how Minnesota needs to have local players on the roster.  It seems that the Wild are not done with their college signings either if you believe what Michael Russo in his blog regarding Prosser’s signing.

When you’re on a three-game win streak, it’s hard to head to Nashville of all places.  The Predators are not an easy team to face, especially when they’re the second best team in the Central Division.  Minnesota has had its struggles with Nashville.  Possible good news, is that Niklas Backstrom is making the trip to Nashville.  Whether he plays or even warms up is still up in the air.  As of now, Wade Dubiliewicz is still with the Wild.  Personally, considering how well Josh Harding has been playing, it would be foolish to bench Harding tonight.  The Wild’s blue-line is a bit banged-up right now.  Both Brent Burns and Shane Hnidy will be out tonight.  It’s also been reported that both Hnidy and Clayton Stoner have hit a bit of a setback in their respective rehabs.  Both are skating, but both left the ice early during yesterday’s practice.

So with fingers crossed, rabbit’s feet, and a host of other good-luck charms, Wild fans will be more than invested in tonight’s game.  Of course for Twin Cities locals without the benefit of NHL Center Ice, they’ll be catching the game by radio, as there is no local television broadcast.

For those of us with Center Ice, we’ll be enjoying Nashville’s HD feed.