Article: Wild Select Minnesota-Born Charlie Stramel At 21st Overall

[Protec]

I totally realize the organization has the best view of it all. Not necessarily ragging on the pick. Watching it play out differently than expected or hooking in the Rosemount Kid who wasn’t totally obvious to us is gonna make ya think.

It is also hard to compare NCAA, Junior, Euro hockey, and KHL. The layperson simply wants to see the vision for themselves. Myself included. Glad the Wild got a big strong player. If he can improve details of his skill or offensive game over the coming years it could be a really great MN story and the Wild have a hometown hero.

Forgive me for holding back a bit and subconsciously thinking it might backfire and crush Minnesota hopes in an unexpected but profound way.

[CoolHandL]

9 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

So, after reading about him, and like a newby spelling his name wrong above, I think I like his game.

He reminds me of Alex Tuch and a young Joel Eriksson Ek. I wish he'd transfer into a better college hockey program, though.

They had a sub-par program over there in Madison last year. With Mike Hastings taking the reigns, perhaps the whole team turns a new leaf and we get to see the real Stramel over the next 1-2 years.

[B1GKappa97]

26 minutes ago, Protec said:

Yes. It’s good that MN did something to balance their Rossi pick where the quality was all in just a couple offensive categories.

Also a good point you make is how the Wild were in a weird spot at 21st. I said this a couple weeks ago but the top tier of centers wasn’t gonna get to MN. Moore was the last guy at 19th so at that point, the Wild had to look at the next group of available centers who didn’t necessarily get top-six projections.

That’s kinda why I expected the Wild to reach a little bit, but I thought it would be Edstrom with his similarities to Ek. Drafts are fun but a little weird cause you can’t formulate the final opinion for awhile.

Yeah I think Endstrom would've been a good selection as well but my guess is that Stramel's size and high floor probably gave him the edge. Also the fact he's playing North American hockey, so it won't be as much of an adjustment for him. 

I think the fact they felt Rossi needed to add some "F-U" to his game scared them off another European center. By all accounts, Stramel already has that. He also has 30 lbs on Endstrom already, so there isn't as much physical development necessary for him.

He undoubtedly has a lower ceiling than some of the other players who were available but he fits the identity of what this team wants to be to a T and it shouldn't be long before he's playing for the big-club. Idk that he'll ever be a 20-goal scorer for us like Ek has turned into, but from all accounts he will, at worst, be a defensive-minded 3C.

[Beast]

A lot of Greenway comps coming up, which is scaring some people.  I read this one this morning that should help:

”Greenway is more physical and has more flash to his game.”  He goes on to say their main similarity is length which they use to interrupt passing lanes.

If we have a less physical and “flashy” Greenway, here…..just deliver the Stanley right now.

One promising comp I did see was Chris Kreider.  The comp there is he has the size to get net front and score the volume of dirty goals that have turned Kreider into a star.  The hesitation I see there is Kreider is surrounded by guys like Panarin,  Zibanejad, Fox - elite offensive talents - that’s what’s turned him into a “star.”  We’re not going to have that level of skill around him without a developmental miracle. Before ‘21-‘22 Kreider was more of a 20 goal, 40 point, .5-.6 per game type a guy.

Just an interesting take I that I found out there.

 

[Protec]

Quote

Idk that he'll ever be a 20-goal scorer for us like Ek has turned into, but from all accounts he will, at worst, be a defensive-minded 3C.

Those are the kinds of guys who are unsung on Cup teams. I think it's smart to get a player which makes it to the NHL. Sooner the better that they're at least an option for the big club. This is where the Rossi pick has sort of failed to live up to the hype. MN just needs to turn their draft reputation around so badly, I'm really hoping Stramel can round out his arsenal of tools and become a top-six NHL player. Guerin's prospect pool is solid. Watching Knudi, Yurov, and Stramel this season will begin to paint the picture.

Edited June 29, 2023 by Protec

[Protec]

4 minutes ago, Beast said:

A lot of Greenway comps coming up, which is scaring some people.  I read this one this morning that should help:

”Greenway is more physical and has more flash to his game.”  He goes on to say their main similarity is length which they use to interrupt passing lanes.

If we have a less physical and “flashy” Greenway, here…..just deliver the Stanley right now.

One promising comp I did see was Chris Kreider.  The comp there is he has the size to get net front and score the volume of dirty goals that have turned Kreider into a star.  The hesitation I see there is Kreider is surrounded by guys like Panarin,  Zibanejad, Fox - elite offensive talents - that’s what’s turned him into a “star.”  We’re not going to have that level of skill around him without a developmental miracle. Before ‘21-‘22 Kreider was more of a 20 goal, 40 point, .5-.6 per game type a guy.

Just an interesting take I that I found out there.

I think we'll want to see for ourselves and formulate our own conclusions. Reason being, I've read many conflicting takes which cite speed and compete as strengths. Yet offense, or skating are criticized as weakness. 

We've seen him blast Honzek while with Team USA and he has been playing against older guys in NCAA. I'm not saying he's Eric Lindros 2.0 or Tom Wilson Jr. but I think we've got a few things we can agree are big positives. Size & Strength and NHL readiness. Reported to be able to win draws and defends well. That would allow a guy to develop skill or offensive talents which size and strength will allow him to take advantage of. Tipping pucks net-front, backhand-saucers inside 10' radius, or one-timers are things that will be possible to improve. Rossi can't grow 6" or pack on 40lbs of muscle no matter how skillful his setup passes become.

I'm pretty okay with the Wild getting a North American center who's big, can win some face offs, and will develop around the 94/35 crossroads.

[TheGoosesAreLooses]

Oofda taking Stramel over Perrault or Stenberg or Musty is a very questionable call to fill that center position. I get that Guerin loves grit but Stramel was rated around 30th of NA Skaters and we took him at 21. Seems like a really big reach to me.

From everything I have read his ceiling is a third line center without much offensive upside. We have an entire team of grinders and decided to draft a grinder instead of a top level talent. That is going to hurt in a couple years.

Weak management by BG, I see his fingerprints all over this. 

[Protec]

^^^

It's in the history books now.

I'm more curious at this point if the Wild will be able to trade Addison to Detroit and get a pick from the 41-43 range? If the Wild could move up from 53rd or 64th, that'd be cool. Molgaard is Danish so I wouldn't call that going full elite Swede. He might be there around 41-43.

If the Wild could get in that range, perhaps they could have a nice choice to pickup Danny Nelson, Riley Heidt, Grakyn Sawchyn, Carey Terrance, Jakub Dvorak, Felix Nilsson, or Molgaard.

They might still get a chance to pickup one of these guys at 53rd, but good chance only one or two would be left from this group. Terrance, or perhaps Tristan Bertucci are guys who can really skate that might be good if the Wild stay at 53rd. Again, I'm assuming the Wild will focus on the center or defense positions to get ahead of future needs maybe a little more than wing.

Edited June 29, 2023 by Protec

[Up North Guy]

12 hours ago, mnfaninnc said:

I was very disappointed that we didn't move up to get Moore as he slid down the board, especially at 17. I was also disappointed with the Strammel selection at 21 with Calum Ritchie on the board.

ESPN listed Strammel as 6'3" 222. I know little about him. He wasn't even on my radar.  To me, Shooter made this pick, not Bracket. If he doesn't make it at center, he'll be a nice RW. We got a big bodied forward with an RHS. 

I mentioned that Oliver Moore should have been the most scouted player by the Wild in this draft, being that he was from their own backyard. It sucks he went to the Blackhawks, but it would be epic if he played all his college years and then didn't sign with them!

Strammel is the same sort of player that should have been heavily scouted by this franchise. Wisconsin isn't that far away, but he played in St. Paul. I certainly hope they know something we don't know. So, maybe he just had a bad year in college? Also, when looking at him walk up to the podium, he looks like a guy who did not take gym days off. He also looked stronger than kids coming out of jr. 

I don't care where he was ranked, as long as he pans out. He has the size to play in the NHL now. It can be argued he played in a better league too. We've got plenty of good wings to carry the puck, all he needs to do is win faceoffs, make a good pass to the wings and show up on time down the slot to bang in a rebound.

A little refresher on UW. They were awful last year. The whole coaching staff was fired after the season. UW hired Mike Hastings away from Minnesota State Mankato. He is bringing virtually his whole staff with him (he really raped Mankato). UW will be a much better team this year and Stramel will get much better development.

[MNCountryLife]

9 hours ago, B1GKappa97 said:

And we NEED centers with size

Exactly.  I really like this pick.  You can't teach it and we have seen during a playoff series that size does wear down opposing teams.  By the end of the first round we are toast and the other teams just get more confident that they can push to the tough areas of the ice.  There is GRIT and SIZE.  You have to have one or the other to compete in the season.  But in the playoffs it sure helps to have both.

[mnfaninnc]

13 hours ago, B1GKappa97 said:

I don't know about an Alex Tuch. I mean they're both big but Tuch definitely had much more offense to his game. Ek is a closer comparison, though it should be noted that Joel also had higher upside than Stramel heading into his draft class.

Let me explain the comparison. Tuch was big, fast, and put up his numbers in his draft year at the USHL. Stramel did his draft year as a freshman in college playing against bigger and better competition. Both players like to hit, and based upon the hit I saw above, Stramel likes to lay the wood. So did Tuch in college. Both players have heavy hard shots. Both players have excellent straight line speed, and I'd say it took Tuch a few steps to get going early on, but once he did, his speed showed. 

While Stramel didn't have much to offer in his season offensively, he was still the #1C on a brutally bad Wisconsin team. Mike Hastings from MSU moves in to coach him this year. I like Hastings as a coach. I'd have to believe that Stramel will be much stronger this coming year. 

Does he stay for 2 more seasons at Wisconsin, or just 1 and head to Iowa? Either one works for me.

[mnfaninnc]

12 hours ago, Protec said:

I expected Brackett/MN to get one of the elite Swedes. I did not think they would go off the board and leave Perreault after his year & numbers. That was the biggest surprise. If he's gun-shy from taking a falling player who's little with Rossi, this is the anti-little guy with big numbers.

I don't even think Perreault is that small. Fiala size isn't the worst especially if you're Canadian or American.

Stramel, to me is a big swing. He's big and you can't teach that. So I'm with that line of thinking. However, in a few years if Perreault is getting 90 points and Stramel is Foligno'n guys and chipping in 21pts in 80 games, ya gotta expect me to rip on Brackett again.

One of the things I had been asking for before the draft was for Guerin to take more control over the draft. Brackett has been to cutesy with some of his picks, elevating skill over size. Guerin needed to rein him in a bit, and remind him of what we need in the playoffs. To me, the 1st 2 picks in this draft were Guerin's. Heidt was Brackett's pick, but it was a no brainer at 64.

[mnfaninnc]

9 hours ago, TheGoosesAreLooses said:

Oofda taking Stramel over Perrault or Stenberg or Musty is a very questionable call to fill that center position. I get that Guerin loves grit but Stramel was rated around 30th of NA Skaters and we took him at 21. Seems like a really big reach to me.

From everything I have read his ceiling is a third line center without much offensive upside. We have an entire team of grinders and decided to draft a grinder instead of a top level talent. That is going to hurt in a couple years.

Weak management by BG, I see his fingerprints all over this. 

If our offense is being generated by the wings, then what we really need are centers who can get down the middle on time. This guy also looks like a guy who can be parked in front of the net on the PP and tip and screen, and win that 1st draw. 

I'd love to have gotten someone like Fantilli (sp), but we weren't terrible enough. BTW, did anyone watch how Michigan and Wisconsin played last season. We know Stramel was line 1, how did he do head to head with Fantilli?

[Mateo3xm]

On 6/28/2023 at 10:56 PM, mnfaninnc said:

So, after reading about him, and like a newby spelling his name wrong above, I think I like his game.

He reminds me of Alex Tuch and a young Joel Eriksson Ek. I wish he'd transfer into a better college hockey program, though.

I don’t think he has anywhere near the skill as Tuch or JEE.

hope I’m wrong though.

[Mateo3xm]

On 6/28/2023 at 11:36 PM, Secord Sucks said:

I had the same reaction, a little bit of "WTF?" after see him projected so much later. But the more I read, the more I like it. We've all been talking about needing size, and  he was the heaviest player taken tonight. Stramel was tabbed as a top ten pick before the season, but fell because his lack of scoring was seen as a disappointment. But to be fair, he was a freshman centering Wisconsin's top line-- a tough task for an 18 year old.

Fun fact: Stramel was tossed in a game against the Gophers for headbutting none other than our very own Brock Faber (although Faber did sort of pull him into it).

 

Do you know for sure he was centering their top line?

as a freshman?

[Secord Sucks]

2 hours ago, Mateo3xm said:

Do you know for sure he was centering their top line?

as a freshman?

I didn’t watch much Badger hockey last year, but he’s been called their “top line center” in many of the draft write ups I’ve seen. And he was a freshman last year, a true freshman actually, as he didn’t even turn 18 until October. So really, he could have still been in high school. I laugh at all the people who seem so certain of his floor or ceiling. He could turn out to be a total bust or a total stud. Check back in a few years.