F Charlie Stramel - Michigan State University, NCAA (2023, 21st, MIN)

[ThePlanet]

If you see a player in college hockey who turns 23 during their Spring semester or is older than that, they almost certainly aren’t an NHL prospect. The majority who go onto play in the NHL don’t even reach their senior year.

Sooo... He's struggling against players who aren't worthy of being considered NHL prospects?

 

[Topcheese31]

You guys need to chill out.

Stramel is not a Top6 prospect, he'll probably be a bottom 6 at NHL level. In the few game I saw, he clearly have the tools to acheived is goal one day. The injury at the beginning of the season clearly didn't help. A big guy like this can take a while to develop.

Taking him at 21 it's obviously a reach but I saw him more like a late 2 Rd pick.

 

[MNRube]

He’s still basically a freshman age wise. The upside is obvious because he has soft mitts and decent vision. If you are a massive RHC, you don’t have to possess a world of skill to make it. If he can continue to work on his skill he will pass up a lot of the smaller skilled guys around 23/24 IMO.

I still think he was a reach. But also an obvious fit for MN who needed RHS, Cs and size in the system. He’s so much more fluid than most guys his size - that gives me hope

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

He’s still basically a freshman age wise. The upside is obvious because he has soft mitts and decent vision. If you are a massive RHC, you don’t have to possess a world of skill to make it. If he can continue to work on his skill he will pass up a lot of the smaller skilled guys around 23/24 IMO.

I still think he was a reach. But also an obvious fit for MN who needed RHS, Cs and size in the system. He’s so much more fluid than most guys his size - that gives me hope

He reminds me a bit of Michael McLeod. All tools but no toolbox kind of guy, who can still play a uesful role in the NHL, but lacks the IQ/processor to be a consistent offensive threat, even at lower levels of competition.

I didn't hate the pick for Minnesota, I typically like to draft for upside but I think the odds are good he becomes an NHLer.

 

[MNRube]

He reminds me a bit of Michael McLeod. All tools but no toolbox kind of guy, who can still play a uesful role in the NHL, but lacks the IQ/processor to be a consistent offensive threat, even at lower levels of competition.

I didn't hate the pick for Minnesota, I typically like to draft for upside but I think the odds are good he becomes an NHLer.

I was thinking McCarron is his floor

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

I was thinking McCarron is his floor

I think he'll be better than that. He's a much more fluid skater than McCarron and is very responsible defensively. But as a floor I could see it.

 

[57special]

He reminds me a bit of Michael McLeod. All tools but no toolbox kind of guy, who can still play a uesful role in the NHL, but lacks the IQ/processor to be a consistent offensive threat, even at lower levels of competition.

I didn't hate the pick for Minnesota, I typically like to draft for upside but I think the odds are good he becomes an NHLer.

McLeod was a much better skater, Stramel is more physical. The hope is that Stramel has better puck skills. That remains to be seen. Stramel actually skates quite well once he gets going, but it takes him a while to get up to speed, and his feet can look slow out there. It's a common problem with a lot of prospects, and can be fixed.

Given the choices available at #21 last year, Stramel still seems like an odd choice.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Sooo... He's struggling against players who aren't worthy of being considered NHL prospects?

He had 4 points in 2 games from the fourth line this weekend. You don’t seem to pay attention. He’s been injured and played through those injuries. The coach demoted him to the fourth line for that.

Anyway, it’s difficult to go against older players. This is pretty basic logic. Put 23 and 24 year olds in there against 18 and 19 year olds and the players with less capability have some advantages.

 

[AKL]

He had 4 points in 2 games from the fourth line this weekend. You don’t seem to pay attention. He’s been injured and played through those injuries. The coach demoted him to the fourth line for that.

Anyway, it’s difficult to go against older players. This is pretty basic logic. Put 23 and 24 year olds in there against 18 and 19 year olds and the players with less capability have some advantages.

Did you see any of those points? I mean did you actually see the plays on the ice that resulted in them? Two of them were broken plays because of Stramel that his teammates had to recover for him, or there would have been no assist. The third assist was better, but he still didn't show any kind of special ability, IQ, vision or anything else, he just went to the net with the puck, looked like he tried to make a move, couldn't, looked like he tried to lift the puck on his backhand, couldn't, and then his linemate finished the tap in rebound off the goalie's pad.

They weren't outstanding plays by him by any means. He doesn't stand out in any positive ways from the rest of his teammates or linemates.

 

[MS]

Does Adam Beckman ring a bell?

I'm a WHL guy, so of course.

Heidt is a better, more dynamic prospect.

He might bust but he has top-6 upside and I'd take him as a prospect over a 'safe' future 4C who Minnesota has to be looking at a John Beecher development path as a best-case right now.

 

[Obvious Fabertism]

I'm a WHL guy, so of course.

Heidt is a better, more dynamic prospect.

He might bust but he has top-6 upside and I'd take him as a prospect over a 'safe' future 4C who Minnesota has to be looking at a John Beecher development path as a best-case right now.

I feel like the development path that the Wild are looking at for this player is the same they had with Joel Erickson-Ek. Big bodies, defensively sound, with incredible VO2 scores and noses for the hard areas. JEE has gotten steadily better each and every year to become the dominant two way monster that he is today. Early on many were questioning if he deserved to even be in the league.

Stramel is a guy that you also hope for steady progression year over year. This is not a boom or bust kind of guy, people in this topic are going to be mad if you are waiting for the boom, its not expected to happen until he has significant NHL experience under his belt. He brings a lot of potential tools to the table that go beyond point output, if that’s all you are watching for on him then you may as well put this on ignore for 4 years.

 

[Joe Zanussi]

I need to stop reading this thread (and maybe even the USA junior thread). I like Stramel but these threads are making me root against him. He didn’t make the team. I’m moving on.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Did you see any of those points? I mean did you actually see the plays on the ice that resulted in them? Two of them were broken plays because of Stramel that his teammates had to recover for him, or there would have been no assist. The third assist was better, but he still didn't show any kind of special ability, IQ, vision or anything else, he just went to the net with the puck, looked like he tried to make a move, couldn't, looked like he tried to lift the puck on his backhand, couldn't, and then his linemate finished the tap in rebound off the goalie's pad.

They weren't outstanding plays by him by any means. He doesn't stand out in any positive ways from the rest of his teammates or linemates.

I did see the points.

You seem to be unaware of how he plays the game, and for a fan of the team that drafted him thats pretty damning. He's a big power forward. Two-way player. Good skater. Plays a lot around the net and in the corners. Does a lot of the dirty work.

If you are another that prefers 5'10 weak skaters who put up 130 points in the WHL with no competition for a spot in the lineup going against future plumbers and butchers and then 25 points once he reaches the AHL all so you can be satisfied looking at a box score, we can revisit this in the future. Stramel will be a good NHL player.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

I'm a WHL guy, so of course.

Heidt is a better, more dynamic prospect.

He might bust but he has top-6 upside and I'd take him as a prospect over a 'safe' future 4C who Minnesota has to be looking at a John Beecher development path as a best-case right now.

We can revisit this in the future.

His best case scenario is like David Backes, who was a 1B center. Likely outcome a Lawson Crouse or Charlie Coyle. He won't be worse than a low-end 3C.

John Beecher is such a lazy comparison. Beecher was fast and drove hard to the net. Didn't have any of the same scoring ability at the NTDP that Stramel had. Not as good defensively or in the corners or near the net. He was faster, but that's the only advantage he had.

And I love this idea that if you challenge yourself playing a harder, more physical, lower-scoring league in your draft year and the year after your draft year that it suggests limited potential, but of course any small guy putting up a lot of points in wide-open junior leagues showcases more potential.

 

[AKL]

I did see the points.

You seem to be unaware of how he plays the game, and for a fan of the team that drafted him thats pretty damning. He's a big power forward. Two-way player. Good skater. Plays a lot around the net and in the corners. Does a lot of the dirty work.

If you are another that prefers 5'10 weak skaters who put up 130 points in the WHL with no competition for a spot in the lineup going against future plumbers and butchers and then 25 points once he reaches the AHL all so you can be satisfied looking at a box score, we can revisit this in the future. Stramel will be a good NHL player.

No, I'm quite aware of how he plays, I'm just not pulling the wool over my eyes and tricking myself into thinking he's any good at it at this point. You can still be a standout player playing the game that way, Stramel isn't.

 

[MS]

We can revisit this in the future.

His best case scenario is like David Backes, who was a 1B center. Likely outcome a Lawson Crouse or Charlie Coyle. He won't be worse than a low-end 3C.

John Beecher is such a lazy comparison. Beecher was fast and drove hard to the net. Didn't have any of the same scoring ability at the NTDP that Stramel had. Not as good defensively or in the corners or near the net. He was faster, but that's the only advantage he had.

And I love this idea that if you challenge yourself playing a harder, more physical, lower-scoring league in your draft year and the year after your draft year that it suggests limited potential, but of course any small guy putting up a lot of points in wide-open junior leagues showcases more potential.

Holy shit, man.

I don't want to be rude, but this is an absurdly rose-coloured take.

Guys who project as top-6 forwards are separating themselves at this level in their age 19 season.

If Stramel gets to the point of being a 30-point grinding 3C, you should be f***ing ecstatic.

 

[AKL]

Holy shit, man.

I don't want to be rude, but this is an absurdly rose-coloured take.

Guys who project as top-6 forwards are separating themselves at this level in their age 19 season.

If Stramel gets to the point of being a 30-point grinding 3C, you should be f***ing ecstatic.

For what it's worth, if I had to guess, I think most Wild fans are just hoping he can become a bottom six player in some capacity, whether 3rd or 4th line, W or C, doesn't really matter. The expectations and opinions surrounding him from the fanbase are far more reasonable than 1B center at best and 3 center at worst.

 

[OilersFanatics505]

For what it's worth, if I had to guess, I think most Wild fans are just hoping he can become a bottom six player in some capacity, whether 3rd or 4th line, W or C, doesn't really matter. The expectations and opinions surrounding him from the fanbase are far more reasonable than 1B center at best and 3 center at worst.

You should hope for better from 21st overall in a very deep draft

 

[AKL]

You should hope for better from 21st overall in a very deep draft

We should, you're right, but Guerin wanted Stramel instead.

 

[newmanager]

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Holy shit, man.

I don't want to be rude, but this is an absurdly rose-coloured take.

Guys who project as top-6 forwards are separating themselves at this level in their age 19 season.

If Stramel gets to the point of being a 30-point grinding 3C, you should be f***ing ecstatic.

How can you separate yourself playing on the 4th line? Let’s revisit this in a few years once he’s playing elsewhere.

 

[newmanager]

That video above was Stramel getting the shit knocked right out of his shorts....by one of the butchers or plumbers from the WHL. He sure had his head on a swivel after that. He probably doesn't want to play against those ruffians again.

 

[MS]

How can you separate yourself playing on the 4th line? Let’s revisit this in a few years once he’s playing elsewhere.

That’s the point.

Guys who become impact players in the NHL don’t get stuck on the 4th line behind a bunch of undrafted nobodies as an NCAA sophomore.

 

[Wasted Talent]

4th liners don't score 4 points in 2 games. That's a sign of a player who shouldn't be on the fourth line.

I just want to point out that Connor Dewar, an actual 4th liner in the NHL, had a 4 point game and a hat trick like a week or two ago.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

That’s the point.

Guys who become impact players in the NHL don’t get stuck on the 4th line behind a bunch of undrafted nobodies as an NCAA sophomore.

4th liners don't score 4 points in 2 games.

Dinosaur coaches who stuff their lineup with super seniors and demote players they chose to play through injury do make bad decisions though, and shouldn't be used for appeal's to authority.