Jump to content
Hockey Wilderness
  • Charlie Stramel Is Starting To Look Like A Better Jordan Greenway


    Image courtesy of Matthew Dae Smith/Lansing State Journal-USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images
    Robert Brent

    Former Minnesota Wild first-round pick Charlie Stramel has spent this season flipping the script on his prospect status. Stramel plays for Michigan State and has quickly put together a solid start. 

    While Stramel is playing well, he hasn’t always had a straightforward path as a prospect. After two rough seasons at Wisconsin to start his college career, we’re constantly discussing whether the former first-rounder is a “bust.” However, Stramel is beginning to alleviate those concerns after transferring to MSU.

    Stramel wasted no time showing promise with Michigan State, exhibiting what made him a high-end prospect during the team’s opening series. 

     

    Stramel doesn’t get the goal but makes a great defensive play that directly leads to the scoring chance. Stramel’s physicality, skating, and defense are hallmarks of what the Wild hope to develop. With Stramel returning to playing a hard-nosed style, he’s starting to fit the mold of a Jordan Greenway.

    Charlie Stramel’s road to MSU

    Wild fans following the team's prospect pipeline know of the adversity Charlie Stramel has faced. Stramel has an appealing toolbox of skills. He's 6-foot-3, 215 lbs., and plays a physical 200-foot game. Still, when The Wild took the power forward at 21st overall in the 2023 draft, it was seen as a reach. When the Wild drafted the Rosemount native, he had already played his freshman season at the University of Wisconsin. Stramel had a decent first college season, scoring five goals and 12 points in 33 games. His sophomore season only got worse.

    Stramel suffered a hip flexor strain, which derailed his year. Wisconsin also made a change at head coach that didn't fit Stramel's style. He never recovered from a slow start and fell down the lineup. By the end of the season, he produced only three goals and eight points. USA Hockey left Stramel off the World Juniors roster, even though he represented the team in the two previous tournaments. Stramel believed he had gotten away from playing his game.

    "I've gone through many challenges these first two years on the ice." Stramel said in an NHL.com Q&A, "Maybe not producing as much as I want to, playing the game I should be playing at times." 

    Stramel recognized an issue and realized that he needed a change of scenery. At the end of his sophomore season with Wisconsin, he entered the transfer portal and committed to Michigan State. Stramel chose Michigan State to reunite with his former head coach, Adam Nightingale. Nightingale coached at the US National Development Program, where Stramel had his most success as a prospect. The center confirmed the importance of Nightingale's presence when he spoke to the media at the Wild's development camp.

    "I was always thinking, if I'm ever going to leave (Wisconsin), I'm going to go somewhere where I trust somebody," Stramel said, "and with Nightingale and Michigan State up-and-coming, it was a no-brainer to go there."

    Stramel finds comfort in Green and White

    The NCAA season just started, so it's difficult to draw conclusions. Still, early results have been exclusively positive for Stramel. Nightingale has put Stramel in Michigan State's talented top-six forward group instead of the reduced role he held last year. The Wild prospect earned acclaim as the Big Ten third star of the week after a two-goal performance against powerhouse Boston College. 

    Stramel has succeeded at Michigan State mainly because Nightingale put him in a position to succeed. The Spartans are a top-five team in the country, and experts projected that they will win the Big Ten before the season begins. He's receiving top-six minutes with some of the most talented players in the country. Stramel has played this season on a line with Tampa Bay Lightning prospect Isaac Howard, who was named to the preseason all-Big Ten first team.

    Stramel's reunion with coach Nightingale and strong supporting cast is a recipe for success for the former first-round pick. 

    Stramel is going back to basics

    Although Stramel's situation has dramatically improved at Michigan State, his play inspires confidence. Stramel is getting back to playing the style of game that made him a first-round pick. The power forward is at his best when playing with an edge, a sentiment he echoed at the beginning of the season. 

    "I'm pumped,” he said. “[I'm] playing with a chip on my shoulder this season and looking forward to it."

    Playing with a chip on his shoulder has already paid dividends for the prospect. Let's take a deeper look at his previously mentioned first assist of the season.

    Stramel makes a great effort to play to cause the transition turnover. His fellow Spartan Isaac Howard does a lot of the work with a great shot, but the play starts with Stramel showing some admirable defensive prowess. 

    Stramel exhibits solid skating for a player of his size, coming from center ice to force a turnover. The play is simple and effective, but the type of play he wasn't often making at Wisconsin. 

    Stramel's assist against Lake Superior was just the preamble to an even better performance in the next series. The Spartans took on Boston College in East Lansing for a two-game set, and Stramel made his presence felt in game two. He won 70% of his faceoffs and notched two goals, which showed an aspect of his game that should be his signature: a net-front presence. 

    Stramel's first goal was a blown defensive assignment by Boston College. MSU entered the zone on an odd-man rush, and Isaac Howard drew the defense's attention. Still, Stramel did a great job finding a soft area and putting in a sharp-angle shot without any Lake Superior defenders around him.

    Stramel's second goal of the night was even more encouraging. The imposing forward initiated contact along the boards, forcing a quick decision by BC's defenders. The Spartans ultimately won possession of the puck and sent a shot from the blue line to the net. Stramel had already made it back to the front of the net and got the redirect for a game-tying goal.

    That play happens because Stramel makes it difficult for Boston College to break out. The chaos caused by the prospect leads to a turnover in the offensive zone. After the turnover, Stramel shows great instincts by transitioning to the front of the net. It's a quickly developing play that he's involved in at every level. He makes life difficult for the goalie by using his large frame as a screen. This goal is a microcosm of everything you want to see out of Stramel this season. Physical, fast, and instinctual.

    The season is young, but Stramel’s success is encouraging. If he continues to use his best traits as a player so well, the noise around his quality as a prospect should dwindle. In many ways, his game is reminiscent of Jordan Greenway’s. Time will tell if he’s a more or less successful version of the Greenway mold, but Stramel is on a better path now than he has been the previous two years. If Stramel continues to play like he has for Michigan State early in the season, the discussion surrounding him should heat up.

    Think you could write a story like this? Hockey Wilderness wants you to develop your voice, find an audience, and we'll pay you to do it. Just fill out this form.

    • Like 5

    User Feedback

    Recommended Comments



    Featured Comments

    Thank you for posting these plays. The assist and 1st goal looked like phenomenal plays by his teammates. Always easier to score when you are setup with a wide open goal to shoot at, but nice that he was able to find the net with his shot. The tip in looked like his best point so far on the season.

    Hopefully he can continue to contribute positive plays and develop into a useful player for the Wild on the 3rd or 4th line.

    • Like 2
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    6 minutes ago, Tony Abbott said:

    Greenway's an interesting comp there, because Greenway wasn't a big-time scorer in college, either.

    Certainly not big-time, but Greenway had 31 points(10 goals) in 37 games his 2nd college season, and was 1 point away from a point per game his 3rd year.

    Stramel had 20 points in his first 67 games. If Stramel can exceed 25 points this season, it would go a long way towards showing a possible NHL future, even if that future is simply a checking line role.

    • Like 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    I maintain the Stramel pick was a "need" pick rather than best player available, mostly due to the uncertainty about Rossi going into last season.  The Wild didn't have a lot of options at center past Ek.  Hartman and Gaudreau are swing players, but natural center players were kinda hard to come by.  Even moreso was fighting the "size" thing that is almost always going to cloud this team until their quality of play dictates it won't matter...if ever.

    Rossi and Khusnutdinov are definitely playing up to their potential right now, and Ek is a lifer.  Hartman's better than he gets credit for, but there's always more.  You can never have too many options either due to injury, salary reason, or just pure depth concerns.  Kumpulainen could be a sleeper option as well, given he seems more offensively inclined than Stramel is right now.  Heidt obviously has the offense but is about a year or two away from cracking the lineup.

    You have Yurov sitting there as the next guy up (whenever that actually freaking happens...).  But people like Stramel, Kumpulainen, Heidt, etc. can push for depth roles along with Khusnutdinov doing that now.  

    • Like 3
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    2 minutes ago, FredJohnson said:

    Is Stramel pronounced Stram-el or Stray-mul?

    This is gonna be another one of those Trenin/Trenion things, isn't it?  Don't all press announcers have those pronunciation sheets with them?  You'd think that's mandatory.

    • Like 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    40 minutes ago, FredJohnson said:

    Is Stramel pronounced Stram-el or Stray-mul?

    He'll tell us eventually. it only took Rossi 2 years to tell us it's pronounced Row-See.

    If I was to venture a guess, I would say thats a big reason BG doesn't like him. He doesn't see him as strong mentally. Just a guess, but I get that from Guerin.

    • Thanks 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    6 minutes ago, Willy the poor boy said:

    He'll tell us eventually. it only took Rossi 2 years to tell us it's pronounced Row-See.

    And then he went back to everyone calling him Ross-E.

    Ross-E definitely sounds better to my ears than Row-C, but it was surprising that he gave the nod to go back to that after he had the announcers calling him Row-C for a season.

    I like the sound of Stramm-el better than Stray-mull, but I could get used to either.

     

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    2 minutes ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

    And then he went back to everyone calling him Ross-E.

    Ross-E definitely sounds better to my ears than Row-C, but it was surprising that he gave the nod to go back to that after he had the announcers calling him Row-C for a season.

    I like the sound of Stramm-el better than Stray-mull, but I could get used to either.

     

    I didn't even know it changed back, but ya I agree with you on both.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    46 minutes ago, Imyourhuckleberry said:

    And then he went back to everyone calling him Ross-E.

    Ross-E definitely sounds better to my ears than Row-C, but it was surprising that he gave the nod to go back to that after he had the announcers calling him Row-C for a season.

    I like the sound of Stramm-el better than Stray-mull, but I could get used to either.

     

    Just don’t be the guy who rolls the R’s saying Row-C.  Don’t be that guy, please.  

    • Haha 3
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Stramel was still a big reach, only projects as a bottom 6 center. Should never draft for need, especially when there was superior talent available still at 21.  Brackett missed the boat on that one.  I hope I am proven wrong though.  

    • Like 1
    • Confused 2
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    17 minutes ago, Outskated said:

    Stramel was still a big reach, only projects as a bottom 6 center. Should never draft for need, especially when there was superior talent available still at 21.  Brackett missed the boat on that one.  I hope I am proven wrong though.  

    The consensus was that was Guerins pick. And, to me it never really fit Brackett's pattern so I believe it was BG's pick with Brackett's blessing. Lets not let Guerin off the hook again. It's always been, if it's good it's Guerin, if it's bad it's someone else, mostly Evason. Guerin gets the cap excuse, but no one else gets to use it.

    • Like 2
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    24 minutes ago, Outskated said:

    Stramel was still a big reach, only projects as a bottom 6 center. Should never draft for need, especially when there was superior talent available still at 21.  Brackett missed the boat on that one.  I hope I am proven wrong though.  

    Might go out in left field a little but stay with me. Stramel felt more like a "football draft pick" to me. Seems to happen quite a bit in the NFL draft especially with lineman. Some of these guys are drafted for their size, strength and athleticism even if they are still raw skill wise hoping that a professional coaching staff can develop the skill and mental side of the game to go along with the coveted, unteachable, size, strength and athleticism. 

    Reeling it back in a bit but apparently they see a high-ish ceiling for Stramel if they can develop the skillset of his game. If he can develop into an Ek 2.0 then I think the 1st round pick is justifiable. Apparently Stramel scored well on his combine athleticism tests.

    Edited by M_Nels
    Further clarification
    • Like 2
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    From Russo in 2023....

    Wild GM Bill Guerin noted that with a deep prospect pool, he had the opportunity this year to make a pick more based on positional need. And that was part of the driving force in taking the 6-3, 222-pound center. Guerin said they made some calls about potentially moving up but were pleased when Stramel was available at No. 21. “There were a few other players we could have taken, but to fill the need was pretty important this year,” Guerin said.  “It’s so hard to find a center with his size, skating ability — the grit, the jam,” Brackett said. “He fits a lot of our identity.”

    They definitely drafted for need at the time.  The Center position for the Wild was pretty weak then as we all remember.  The only counter I'll offer is it takes 3-4 years for these later 1st round prospects to get to the NHL. So, drafting for what you need at the NHL level during that draft year is not a sound strategy.  The C position is in a much better state now with Rossi, Ek, Hartman and Khusi plus Yurov coming next year and that was all done in-house.  And Heidt will be in the mix in the next year or two.  They should always always draft the best available player.  I agree about the 'football' analogy also M_Nels.

     

    • Like 4
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    I mean, getting a third liner era Ek is hardly a bad thing if Stranel is anywhere close to that.  Ek was always a completely unstoppable defensive force.

    If it's an off and on unreliability, he won't last long, size be damned.

     

     

    • Like 3
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    4 hours ago, Willy the poor boy said:

    If I was to venture a guess, I would say thats a big reason BG doesn't like him. He doesn't see him as strong mentally.

    Because he has a confusing name pronunciation??!! Harsh.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    24 minutes ago, FredJohnson said:

    Because he has a confusing name pronunciation??!! Harsh.

    Not sure if that's sarcasm. Knowing you, it likely is, but, no, taking two years to muster up enough fortitude to say it out loud to someone. I just don't think Guerin has it in him to respect people like that.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    1 hour ago, Willy the poor boy said:

    Not sure if that's sarcasm. Knowing you, it likely is, but, no, taking two years to muster up enough fortitude to say it out loud to someone. I just don't think Guerin has it in him to respect people like that.

    Harsh. 
    My last name is hard to pronounce and I don't correct everyone. Should I not be respected for not correcting the mispronunciation? (Or are you just $hitting on Guerin?)

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    14 hours ago, FredJohnson said:

    Harsh. 
    My last name is hard to pronounce and I don't correct everyone. Should I not be respected for not correcting the mispronunciation? (Or are you just $hitting on Guerin?)

    I don't think I'm shitting on him, I'm just making an observation. There are reasons I've come to that conclusion (he needs to add some eff you to his game, among many others). But, I also have to say, I don't think it's any secret I don't like him.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    45 minutes ago, Willy the poor boy said:

    I don't think I'm shitting on him, I'm just making an observation. There are reasons I've come to that conclusion (he needs to add some eff you to his game, among many others). But, I also have to say, I don't think it's any secret I don't like him.

    No no no that's not what I read. I am confused by this: "thats a big reason BG doesn't like him." Are you guessing that Guerin has an issue with guys that have hard to pronounce names and holds it against them? I mean his last name is GWERIN.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    23 hours ago, Tony Abbott said:

    Greenway's an interesting comp there, because Greenway wasn't a big-time scorer in college, either.

    I think the main thing to take away here is that Stramel is already a better skater than Greenway is. Now, if Stramel can put forth better efforts, those were the 2 shortfalls of Greenway. 

    When Greenway looked like someone ran over his cat, he was at his best, and players merely bounced off of him. But, far too often he looked passive and lazy and that would be my main complaint about him.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    23 hours ago, Citizen Strife said:

    This is gonna be another one of those Trenin/Trenion things, isn't it?  Don't all press announcers have those pronunciation sheets with them?  You'd think that's mandatory.

    Not for visiting teams' commentators. For the home team, sometimes the player has to clarify a pronunciation.

    • Like 1
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    Guerin has been a polarizing GM. His overall results have been good. No bad AND expensive contracts. Spurgeon's may look bad now, but it's got just a few years left.

    Ek, Boldy, Faber, Hartman, are all on good deals. Team-friendly, long-term value. Additionally, there's the draft, waivers, and deadline additions that haven't cost the Wild a ton. 

    That's the core group right there if you add Middleton, Zuccarello who is still scoring, and Brodin. Who Guerin also extended if I recall. So yes, there are personality issues and criticisms that are valid but overall it's more nit-picking than evidence of a garbage GM. 

    I could start with one signing I don't like one bit and go on for awhile myself but the whole "good with bad" phrase. So far the Wild look like last year's Spurgeon absence did indeed allow them to adjust to a future without #46. Sad to say but MN has played well enough defensively thus far that no desperation exists. Yet...

    I do think Guerin has some flexibility AND he made sure Kaprizov money would be available. With a winning team and better depth at most positions it's a positive situation overall. The weaknesses are clear. We can't afford to lose Ek, Faber, Kaprizov, Brodin, or Boldy. The Wild need continued good goaltending which is hard to expect for all 82 games so unknown. The size is an issue for defending and winning draws. After the puck drop that size and strength matters in both zones. MN isn't struggling so much with the offense but can they defend well enough to compensate for bad bounces, crooked-refs, or poor goaltending? Ragging on NoJo or Fred right now isn't wrong necessarily but it's a minor thing surrounding the big picture. Not ruining it or making it a masterpiece. Stramel will be done with NCAA after next season basically and by then he could easily compete for an NHL role. Guys like Foligno will be wrapping up and centers like Hartman who could move to the wing or Fred will be guys Stramel could replace. Rossi is a great example of when being patient is smart. 

    • Like 4
    Link to comment
    Share on other sites

    21 hours ago, Outskated said:

    Stramel was still a big reach, only projects as a bottom 6 center. Should never draft for need, especially when there was superior talent available still at 21.  Brackett missed the boat on that one.  I hope I am proven wrong though.  

    I disagree. Where we were drafting from in the round, a bottom 6 C starter would be a welcome addition to the team.

    Link to comment
    Share on other sites




    Join the conversation

    You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.
    Note: Your post will require moderator approval before it will be visible.

    Guest
    Add a comment...

    ×   Pasted as rich text.   Paste as plain text instead

      Only 75 emoji are allowed.

    ×   Your link has been automatically embedded.   Display as a link instead

    ×   Your previous content has been restored.   Clear editor

    ×   You cannot paste images directly. Upload or insert images from URL.


×
×
  • Create New...