Prospect Info: Charlie Stramel, C, 21st Overall, 2023 NHL Draft

[Circulartheory]

It's actually a pretty standard progression for 1st round college players to be in the NHL in their D+3 season. D+1 another year of college. D+2 college/AHL. D+3 NHL.

He's not a midget, so he actually has a role that he can play in the bottom-6 and learn the NHL game without being overcooked.

I hope he follows the Kevin Hayes development route.

 

[AKL]

I hope he follows the Kevin Hayes development route.

Four years of college then signs with another team? I get we're not enamored with the pick but that's a little harsh.

 

[Minnewildsota]

I think many are going to be surprised by this kid

 

[Puhis]

Heavy frame, physically gifted. Charlie Coyle? Maybe. I'm thinking somewhere between him and Marcus Foligno, but at center. Straightforward, bit nasty, not very smart type of player but that's alright. We need those guys too. I don't mind this pick, not at all. He's the kind of guy who we can put in as a bottom-six guy, 3C/4C depending on how he develops. Anything more than that depends; remember how Coyle found himself on our 1st line in his rookie season? A lot of it is about fit and chemistry, too.

That said, those high ceiling guys would've absolutely been more exciting. I suppose Judd & co. didn't like who were available, even if there were some rather intriguing names & projects for us. Let's see how tomorrow goes.

EDIT:

Charlie Coyle that is able to engage his beast mode more often would be one hell of a bonus for this team, especially come playoffs. Ideally, you'd want some brain with the brawn in order to predict the plays better and be more effective, but even if his game sense/hockey IQ doesn't develop much, I'm still hopeful.

 

[Digitalbooya]

I mean this was not that long ago when people were looking at him like this… The situation in Wisconsin could have been a detriment to his draft stock, but have to think if he had stayed with the National team his stock would have not dropped near as much. I’m convinced of that.

I'm willing to consider it an anomaly given what I've seen from other players under Granato.

If he would have stayed with the NTDP, how much better would he have looked last year?

 

[Minnewildsota]

I'm willing to consider it an anomaly given what I've seen from other players under Granato.

If he would have stayed with the NTDP, how much better would he have looked last year?

I would venture to guess, a lot.
Coach that supposedly mishandles players and then playing against opponents 2-4 years younger?

 

[Digitalbooya]

People calling Stramel Jack McBain 2.0 obviously don't know what they are talking about.

 

[StateofCelly]

I'm willing to consider it an anomaly given what I've seen from other players under Granato.

If he would have stayed with the NTDP, how much better would he have looked last year?

That’s kind of what I am wondering. Probably never felt comfort there and that environment wasn’t great. Probably would have had elevated role with some skill there on the NTDP and we would be infatuated with his offensive numbers scoring against USHL kids, but for a big body kid going through that first year in college against men it might hurt numbers but have helped development. I really think this next season will be extremely telling on if he will progress back to his original ceiling or if he is what he is and the regression is the mean.

 

[AKL]

People calling Stramel Jack McBain 2.0 obviously don't know what they are talking about.

I've admitted to not knowing much about Stramel outside of what I read, but when McBain was drafted, it was as a super raw center with good physical tools, and if he develops some offense he could be a good middle six center. In that sense, I don't see it as that far off, McBain just never developed that extra offense, he was never a play driver, which I think is similar to what we're seeing about Stramel right now.

 

[Circulartheory]

Heavy frame, physically gifted. Charlie Coyle? Maybe. I'm thinking somewhere between him and Marcus Foligno, but at center. Straightforward, bit nasty, not very smart type of player but that's alright. We need those guys too. I don't mind this pick, not at all. He's the kind of guy who we can put in as a bottom-six guy, 3C/4C depending on how he develops. Anything more than that depends; remember how Coyle found himself on our 1st line in his rookie season? A lot of it is about fit and chemistry, too.

That said, those high ceiling guys would've absolutely been more exciting. I suppose Judd & co. didn't like who were available, even if there were some rather intriguing names & projects for us. Let's see how tomorrow goes.

EDIT:

Charlie Coyle that is able to engage his beast mode more often would be one hell of a bonus for this time, especially come playoffs. Ideally, you'd want some brain with the brawn in order to predict the plays better and be more effective, but even if his game sense/hockey IQ doesn't develop much, I'm still hopeful.

I think he has a higher ceiling to start off based on his last yer and he was seen as a top 15 pick to begin 2022-2023 season. Obviously his year was not great but you also don't lose all the tools in one season either and playing as a freshman on a bad NCAA team is not easy. At the very least, I'm excited to see him develop next year.

 

[Wabit]

I don't care what's standard. Ek and Gaudreau have the middle six center spots locked down through 2027-28, and you don't develop 4th line centers, so he can play in the top six in Iowa until he's actually good enough to take one of those spots. If he's putting up 1.2 points per game in the AHL in 2024-25, then we can revisit this. But he won't be. Which means there's more developing to be had in the AHL.

Actully JEE has a top-6 spot locked down. Freddy G has a bottom-6 spot locked down. There are still 2 center spots wide open. I'd rather have him learning how to play in the NHL than beating up on AHLers. Learning to win FOs and play with NHL physicality/speed.

AHL points are pretty meaningless to me. Petan, Mayhew, Anas, and Rossi have all put up ppg(ish) AHL seasons for Iowa in recent memory and none have done anything in the NHL.

 

[Digitalbooya]

That’s kind of what I am wondering. Probably never felt comfort there and that environment wasn’t great. Probably would have had elevated role with some skill there on the NTDP and we would be infatuated with his offensive numbers scoring against USHL kids, but for a big body kid going through that first year in college against men it might hurt numbers but have helped development. I really think this next season will be extremely telling on if he will progress back to his original ceiling or if he is what he is and the regression is the mean.

I've got Saturday season tickets, so the reports will be coming!

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

So far that is what I'm seeing. A very mobile 6'3" centerman who uses his size and reach but also has a nice touch passer, a pretty strong shot as well. And he can play at a high intensity pace.

problem is, he doesn't seem to dictate the pace either. He goes into the zone quick and reacts to the play before him, but doesn't seem to be player that controls the pace - slow down or speed up. Which is what you generally want from a top six forward. Stramel, so far, is more just reactionary, move the puck quick along the boards.

The raw tools are really interesting though

The raw tools are very interesting, and something our pool was very much lacking. Its not dynamic, but it is pretty easy to see how he could be effective on the future team with further development. How far he goes now will depend on him and the development team, it appears that they feel strongly enough in him.

If he really does hit when he adapts to his big body, its not hard to picture him succeeding with Kap or Boldy, but that would be a best case scenario. Big, RHS, middle controlling center is exactly what our dynamic wingers could use.

 

[AKL]

Actully JEE has a top-6 spot locked down. Freddy G has a bottom-6 spot locked down. There are still 2 center spots wide open. I'd rather have him learning how to play in the NHL than beating up on AHLers. Learning to win FOs and play with NHL physicality/speed.

AHL points are pretty meaningless to me. Petan, Mayhew, Anas, and Rossi have all put up ppg(ish) AHL seasons for Iowa in recent memory and none have done anything in the NHL.

You'd rather this because he has size. You wouldn't rather see Rossi in that top six spot than in the AHL. So you want to rush him to the NHL because of his size.

 

[keppel146]

I need to buy some Gopher vs Badgers tix now

 

[Digitalbooya]

I've admitted to not knowing much about Stramel outside of what I read, but when McBain was drafted, it was as a super raw center with good physical tools, and if he develops some offense he could be a good middle six center. In that sense, I don't see it as that far off, McBain just never developed that extra offense, he was never a play driver, which I think is similar to what we're seeing about Stramel right now.

Stramel has more of a motor and a better set of tools. I think he *could* be a play driver with the right teacher and proper guidance. McBain put up 13 points in his D+1 season. If Stramel repeats his same stats it will be a disappointment.

 

[ThatGuy22]

I've admitted to not knowing much about Stramel outside of what I read, but when McBain was drafted, it was as a super raw center with good physical tools, and if he develops some offense he could be a good middle six center. In that sense, I don't see it as that far off, McBain just never developed that extra offense, he was never a play driver, which I think is similar to what we're seeing about Stramel right now.

McBain freshman year was after he was drafted, and then he only put up 13 points. That alone makes it not the same.

If he doesn't increase we can re evaluate.

 

[Al Lagoon]

Can he win a faceoff?

Didn't follow the predraft rankings and stuff. Drafting a big center has yet to work out great (although Ek has size).

Hope it works out.

In the papers they did say Wild might draft for need, and center sure is that.

 

[Minnewildsota]

Can he win a faceoff?

Yes

 

[Soldier13Fox]

I don't hate it. At 21 we weren't finding our franchise 1C. I think there's some potential here (granted I know very little about the kid).

 

[Jbcraig1883]

Can he win a faceoff?

Didn't follow the predraft rankings and stuff. Drafting a big center has yet to work out great (although Ek has size).

Hope it works out.

In the papers they did say Wild might draft for need, and center sure is that.

Believe he was 52% with over 200 draws.

 

[Wabit]

You'd rather this because he has size. You wouldn't rather see Rossi in that top six spot than in the AHL. So you want to rush him to the NHL because of his size.

Size matters. If Rossi was 6'2" he would have been in the NHL already. Rossi gets the kid glove treatment because that's all he fits into.

TBF I want Rossi nowhere near the NHL at all, so your argument is mostly meaningless to me in that respect. In general for 1st round picks, D+3 is when I expect FWDs to be in the NHL (maybe add on season for non-NA players). The longer development paths are for the later round FWD picks.

 

[57special]

Hope I'm wrong, I had Ritchie a couple tiers better as a prospect.

ya, and Ritchie also played for a bad team, and had a bum shoulder for most of the season. Had surgery as soon as the season finished.

I think I don't want to see him in the NHL for a long time.

2023-24: Wisconsin, I want to see a point per game
2024-25: Wisconsin, I want to see 1.2 ppg or higher
2025-26: Iowa, I want to see at least .5 ppg
2026-27: Iowa, I want to see at least 1 ppg
2027-28: Maybe Minnesota, depending on how the offense is coming along

Hell man, i might be dead by then

 

[Wabit]

Can he win a faceoff?

Didn't follow the predraft rankings and stuff. Drafting a big center has yet to work out great (although Ek has size).

Hope it works out.

In the papers they did say Wild might draft for need, and center sure is that.

What big centers has MN drafted (outside of Koivu and JEE) with top-60 picks? Does Kunin count as a big center?

 

[AKL]

Size matters. If Rossi was 6'2" he would have been in the NHL already. Rossi gets the kid glove treatment because that's all he fits into.

TBF I want Rossi nowhere near the NHL at all, so your argument is mostly meaningless to me in that respect. In general for 1st round picks, D+3 is when I expect FWDs to be in the NHL (maybe add on season for non-NA players). The longer development paths are for the later round FWD picks.

That's my point. You're putting guys into the NHL or not based on their size. It's dumb and doesn't serve anything.