​Being back in the Twin Cities for the summer isn’t new for Minnesota Wild prospect Charlie Stramel. But this time, as September approaches, he’ll be focused on staying with the team. At 21, Stramel was Minnesota’s first-round pick in the 2023 draft and is a hopeful candidate to make his NHL debut when training camp closes in October. In reality, if a bit of misfortune hadn’t plagued his final college game, the Rosemount native might already have worn a Wild jersey during last season’s playoffs.
Stramel had a breakout senior season at Michigan State, helping a talented Spartans squad that captured its third straight Big Ten title. He tied for the team lead with 25 assists and formed a notable chemistry with Porter Martone, who slid straight from college to the NHL and became a playoff sensation with the Philadelphia Flyers. While Martone has emerged as an early frontrunner for the NHL’s rookie of the year next season, Stramel faced a brutal setback in March that has him rebuilding his health as summer continues.
In an NCAA Regional final against Wisconsin—the program where Stramel began his college career before transferring to East Lansing—he blocked a Badgers shot, then hobbled to the bench with what turned out to be a broken ankle. His college career ended there, and Wisconsin’s season wrapped up a few hours later with an overtime victory en route to a national runner-up finish. A few days after the game, Stramel signed a three-year contract with the Wild and was already planning to finish his communications degree at Michigan State while reclaiming his body and shedding the walking boot that had become part of his life in late spring.
When Stramel spoke with reporters at Wild development camp last week, he approached TRIA Rink wearing either a boot or a noticeable limp, yet he described it as a joy to skate again after months away. “I just started on ice, but I’ve been training in the gym for the last month, month-and-a-half since the season ended,” he said. “It’s been feeling good. I’ve been making a ton of progress and I feel like I’m getting into great shape, excited to push the pace on the ice in a couple weeks.”
Stramel’s path began when he left his Minnesota hometown to skate for Adam Nightingale at USA Hockey’s National Team Development Program in Michigan, and later chose to play for Tony Granato in Madison. The 6-foot-3 center impressed enough as a freshman to catch the Wild’s eye, landing him the 21st overall pick in the 2023 draft. But changes in Wisconsin’s coaching staff would disrupt his fit there: Granato was fired a short time before the draft, and Mike Hastings—who had achieved success at Minnesota State Mankato—took over. For a variety of reasons, Stramel didn’t mesh with Hastings’ system. In his sophomore season, he played 34 games, scoring three goals and adding five assists. The result was a challenging period in his development, though it’s clear the Wild still see potential in his size, reach, and offensive instincts as he works to rehabilitate and return to form.