Guerin & Brackett need a regroup.

[Protec]

Last Summer Brackett & Guerin made a big decision to take a kid from St.Paul who's dad had just died in the 1st round of the draft. Yeah he is a product of the NTDP and a big athletic guy but all things considered, did he need to be their top pick?

Was that good for Charlie Stramel? Think about it. You're a kid, you lose your Dad and still have immense pressure to play NCAA and maintain your composure before the NHL draft. Being the 1st overall in your hometown, doesn't reduce pressure or expectations, it amplifies that. How does a young man handle that? Should he be an expert dealing with that kind of thing at age 17/18???

You have to wonder whether Guerin & Brackett took any psych-courses, or if they've dug-deeply into the topics related to the whirlwind that saw Stramel drop in the draft boards and results of the first season in WI and passing of his father. We wanna see Stramel succeed and be good in life, but how could anyone know how these circumstances would affect him? Is a kid gonna go into NHL interviews and say, "Everyone, I'm kinda struggling mentally." Probably not, but would that be surprising?

I don't know anybody, but I can imagine what people do or think sometimes. My question for Brackett & Guerin is, why take Stramel early over other solid players and put a spotlight on the boy given the timing? Was it totally selfish by MN looking for a big athletic kid who can skate? One who fit the M.O. for Brackett falling in the rankings? One that Guerin wanted for the size & position opposite of what some draft experts say is smart? Did Charlie convince the Wild he's a stud and is gonna show everybody in St.Paul he's the man? Here's another big question, why didn't Brackett learn his lesson from Vancouver if we believe he wanted to pick Tkachuk??? Narrative has been told the GM wanted the Finnish kid. If that epic blunder is true, why does Brackett allow Guerin to select Stramel over Perreault if that was the best available player? Either Brackett wanted Stramel at 1st overall or he hasn't learned his lesson from the Canucks organization? Is Guerin bullying Brackett???

Here I am looking at the Wild's history at the draft a month before another kick at the can. The Wild seem lost and always have in the draft. Sometimes they've gotten it right with a player who makes it, but more often than not they go left when they shoulda gone right. They traded a pick when they shoulda not. They missed an obvious solution for an experimental one. They reinvent the wheel when they're already way behind in the race. They wait for the plateaued-players and ship out the developing one. Only now does MN have a group of prospects from which a few could be hits. Do you guys really think it will be better than that?

Guerin and Brackett can't see the forest for the trees it seems just like the last groups. If it's about effing winning Bill, how bout you effing regroup and start getting it right. We're there now boys, at the crossroads. The penalties are almost over, the roster has a core, and the prospect dividends should be showing. Grading Guerin is not unfair or premature. Criticizing the new direction isn't overzealous. There's some good teams knocked out of the playoff race today. MN has to regroup and see they're no closer to a second round series than ever. It feels like the next 12-18 months are gonna be telling and predictive of the next handful of years. Does the pendulum swing good or bad for the Wild?

[mnfaninnc]

I'm not sure where Stramel was on their scouting reports. This I am sure of, however, since he was in their own backyard, they scouted him as heavily as they scouted Faber. I do truly believe that Brackett saw him as a falling prospect and that time would heal the wound of losing his father.

But, I also believe that the 1st 2 picks had more Guerin influence than any others the Wild has picked under him. I think he was demanding larger players as he sees his diminutive team in action. I also think they had their eye on Oliver Moore who had just been plucked. At the very least, I had my eye on Oliver Moore who had just been plucked!

I don't see this as added pressure on the kid. I see this in a more compassionate way for Charlie. Rumor had it that NYR was eyeing him in the 1st too. I think Guerin/Brackett really wanted the kid. But, to be taken by your hometown team, it's a bit like a community hug for the kid who has had a tough time. It's an "I believe in you" from where he grew up. It's a let's get over this and I've seen you play when you're on, you will be great for us type of pick. 

What happened his 1st year in WI was a disaster of an organization. I still don't know why he didn't choose the Gophers. The 2nd year at WI may have been worse. He had a whole lot of players pass him on the depth chart, and he played listless, like he didn't really know what to do. We are now 2 years out from the death of his father. Time doesn't necessarily heal this, but it does put it further in the rear view mirror. Perhaps Charlie needs to get further away from home to concentrate on himself? Perhaps there are underlying hardships the family is going through that none of us knows about? 

For a visual of what could be happening, a quick view back to Rocky 3 shows the toll losing Mick had on Rocky, and it didn't last just a week. In the movie, Rocky was very close to Mick, and he had to go through some soul searching, and, really desire searching as he didn't really want to go forward without him. I don't really know Stramel, but there may be a little of the trouble going on without his dad who was such a big part of his hockey life. 

This is why I've suggested that perhaps the Wild have the ability to help him see a sports psychologist from the team. Since he's a local kid he wouldn't really have to travel that much to see him. NCAA rules play a part and may not allow it, though, you'd think that they might in this case. 

You don't find many guys that are Charlie Stramel's height/weight who skate smoothly. This is one of Brackett's high marks, skating. I don't know that Stramel has the hands of a Tkachuk, but if he gets this thing turned around, I suspect he will bleed green and red. This adversity should make him mentally tougher. And, perhaps he plays with the passion that his dad is watching down on him from a front row seat in heaven?

The other part of the post is talking about regrouping. I think we are nearing that point of transformation where Guerin as GM is going to have to start looking at the holes on the roster. In this draft, we should be able to get a particular player that plugs a hole, but it is now time to identify those guys and go after the guy you want. 

It's also time to start using draft currency to obtain the guy you want who might be a little further along in the development process. I think I'd start that with the 2025 top picks. 

From my untrained eye, it looks like we need a little more size on the back end in a player who also possesses a cannon of a shot. It would be nice if that guy were an RHS. It also appears that we are missing 2 finishing forwards that have some size and also come with an RHS. Our strength up the middle has started to form, we don't really have an RHS draw man, and we could use some help in the dot across the board. We also have need at the goalie position for depth and if we trade Goose out, we'll need a 3rd guy who can fill in and play in the N. I'd prefer a lefty goalie as they are just weirder. 

So for me, regrouping consists of filling in the remaining holes and obtaining guys who are ready to go now, not in 3-5 years. It's transitioning into the full win now, and not a split win now/build future. This is a change in philosophy/mentality and is one very hard thing to do as a GM. Knowing the timing of this is what makes good GMs great vs. good GMs mediocre. I'm hoping we have the former in our barn.

[Tony Abbott]

Stramel was a big boy though and you need big boys, I don't see the problem

[Pewterschmidt]

30 minutes ago, Tony Abbott said:

Stramel was a big boy though and you need big boys, I don't see the problem

It's a problem if we spent a 1st on Oskar Sundqvist.  But Pewter why so negative?  Because the results since he started college have been less than underwhelming.

[mnfaninnc]

9 minutes ago, Pewterschmidt said:

Because the results since he started college have been less than underwhelming.

Big guys generally take longer to develop. Stramel may be for different reasons. How about we wait and see what he looks like at 21?

[Pewterschmidt]

1 hour ago, mnfaninnc said:

Big guys generally take longer to develop. Stramel may be for different reasons. How about we wait and see what he looks like at 21?

While that’s true once they reach the pros, they’re generally a stud when going up against smaller weaker competition in college/junior.  There are plenty of Troy Riddle’s playing in ncaa who’ll never sniff a pro locker room.  Obviously rooting for the kid, it would just be nice to see some indicators he’s on a pro trajectory and not the 2024 version of AJ Thelen

[Protec]

I think when you've got the 13th pick, and the Wild's history at the draft, you can't afford to get cure. Just take the best guy and you can target size in less regrettable ways. If Stramel turned into Tom Wilson, great. If he turned into Foligno 2.0 you've gotta ask why the Wild made their decisions? It could be a great pick, but it looks like it could be a tough one too.

Maybe there's a big picture concept we're simply not capable of understanding from an outside perspective, but It's also goofy and unsure about transition from penalized cap to contending team. There's some great parts but the overall is nowhere near as deep as the Stars or Panthers. No duo like Edmonton and no defense like NYR who amazingly look good after a pretty close to full rebuild.

My main point is that G & B need to refresh the goals for 2024 and get it right, the course for an efficient path back to the playoffs to start...

[mnfaninnc]

28 minutes ago, Protec said:

My main point is that G & B need to refresh the goals for 2024 and get it right, the course for an efficient path back to the playoffs to start...

Apparently, one outlet has ranked the Wild farm system as #5 going into this draft. One thing we saw in previous rankings was that the Wild had a lot of solid prospects, but very few game changers. I believe The Wall and Yurov were the potential stars. 

Heidt's emergence has helped as he looks to be a star potential player. 

Where am I going with this? With solid depth, I think we can be a bit pickier, and if I'm looking at a regroup, it is getting picky with some guys you really, really like. So, for me, using #13 to move up higher in this draft and selecting a Lindstrom, or Silayev would be a good idea. Both of these players are types we don't really have. It's a shame both are LHS players. 

To me the regrouping has got to be moving into the full win now mode. It's not so much about rebuilding an empty cupboard, we've got plenty of selection there. It's about getting them to the N and picking up now players for futures. 

For instance, if we did move up to grab a player we loved in this draft, maybe we also invest future currency to pluck an RFA that helps us win now. Is this the year to do it? It could be, but it's more likely to be '25.

[Protec]

I don't see enough upside for another team to work with MN in order for the Wild to trade up. Nor do I think it's really worth it cause there should be some nice players at 13th overall.

I'm looking at who is gonna be available realistically and I want the Wild to make the safest pick possible on the best available guy. Whatever position forward or defense. Yakupchuck would be fine with me. The giant Russian if available would be an okay gamble maybe. Catton or Buium if they fell could be okay. I am real leery about elite Norwegians but maybe that guy is Peter Forsberg's Scandinavian nephew, I don't know?

I just hope the Wild make a smart pick and get some UFAs to improve the team. Please trade NoJo back to Sweden for his World performance. It will not translate to NHL in October.