ST. LOUIS – Hockey's a crazy business.

After waking up Thursday a member of the St. Louis Blues, Nate Prosser ended his day by jumping on the Wild's charter for a return trip to Minnesota, the team he played on for parts of five seasons until not being re-signed this past offseason.

But Thursday, the Wild claimed the defenseman off waivers, triggering a whirlwind day for Prosser that included watching his Thursday morning team — St. Louis — beat his Thursday night team — Minnesota — 4-1 in an exhibition game.

"Get pulled off the ice and tell me the team that I've been playing for the last few years claims me, what am I supposed to think?" Prosser said. "That's bizarre and exciting and funny business all wrapped up in one."

Back in July, the Wild wanted to re-sign Prosser to a two-way contract. After playing 126 games with the Wild and spending all of last season with Minnesota, Prosser felt he warranted a one-way deal. He didn't get it, so he signed a two-way contract with the Blues.

But St. Louis is a tough roster to crack, so when he didn't make the team, the Wild scooped him up off waivers to add veteran depth while it weighs whether rookies Matt Dumba and Christian Folin are ready to fill top-6 roles.

Wild forward Jason Zucker skated past the Blues’ Kevin Shattenkirk during the first period on Thursday. Zucker scored the Wild’s lone goal, his first of the preseason.

If one won't play regularly, the Wild plans to send him to AHL Iowa to play large minutes. Prosser also provides depth in case veteran Keith Ballard, who has experienced abdominal soreness in camp and suffered through several injuries last season, gets hurt.

"The coaches know and trust Nate's game," GM Chuck Fletcher said. "He's a character guy who fits well in our room and, thirdly, he provides us depth at a very important position. It's a long season, and I don't think you can ever have enough NHL-caliber defensemen."

Prosser proved valuable last season when the Wild suffered injuries to Ballard, Jared Spurgeon, Marco Scandella and Clayton Stoner. If Prosser doesn't make the team, he would have to again be placed on waivers.

Fletcher indicated he expects Prosser to make the 23-man opening-night roster. Some cuts are expected Friday.

"Whatever we start with first game is going to change repeatedly," Fletcher said. "It'll be very fluid all season long due to poor performance, injuries or adjustments the coaches want to make.

"We're going to need a lot of defensemen, and once the season starts, it's very difficult to get defensemen if you need them."

Defensive battle

Dumba, Folin and fellow roster hopeful Stu Bickel were under the microscope Thursday. Folin stood out with four shots and a strong game defensively. Bickel, in a nasty game by both teams, had his third fight of the preseason. Ballard, in danger of being the seventh defenseman if Folin and Dumba both stick, also played.

"We haven't given [Ballard] any indication to feel that kind of pressure," coach Mike Yeo said. "We just want to make sure that his game's feeling really good, and we're counting on him to have a great season for us."

Etc.

• The Wild's lone goal came from Jason Zucker, who stealthily picked Patrik Berglund's pocket from behind in the first period, turned and fired for his first goal of the preseason. For Zucker to make the team, it would have to initially be in a fourth-line role like injured Justin Fontaine last season and "then from there earn more opportunity," Yeo said. "That's all we can do right at this moment. You look at our top-nine forwards, and we're pretty set there right now. … So far he's shown he's capable of filling that kind of role."

• In a one-sided game that featured a 36-15 shot advantage for St. Louis, Niklas Backstrom, playing behind a lineup of mostly minor leaguers and roster hopefuls, was solid. He made 33 saves.

• Charlie Coyle had a pedestrian two-shot game after a Thursday morning pep talk from Yeo. "My only message to him was systemwise he looks good, battle level, conditioning all that stuff looks good," Yeo said. "I do know there's another level to his execution, his playmaking out on the ice."

• The game featured four fights. The Wild's Joel Rechlicz earned 23 penalty minutes.