Stramel strikes me as the kind of player that is in-between realizing what he’ll need “to be” in order to be a regular NHL’er. I would like to see him focusing on 2-3 things and becoming good/great at them. Winning board battles, defensive IQ, and face off expert… he can do it! Don’t let being the “#1 center” make you something you’re not. As much as that can be taken sarcastically… I mean it.
Agreed. My expectations is low so as long as he can develop into a Mark Jankowski/Radek Faksa/Brian Boyle type, centering a disruptive fouth line.
So the thing I'm looking out for this season is how defensively reliable and disruptive on the forecehck he can be while letting Howard be the offensive driver. Because we have JEE/Rossi/Yurov/Heidt/Haight as our offensive future, let Stramel be the key PKer and energy line. Would I prefer we spend our 1st pick on something else? Yes. But it is what it is, unfortunately.
And be the #1 center on a top NCAA team would be nice. They are 2-0 right now vs lower teams. But keep it going and it'll be a good step forward.
Lorenz/Stramel/Bankier or switch in Kumpulainen. That is a nice 4th shutdown line for a playoff conteding team.