The Minnesota Wild Select Charlie Stramel With Pick No. 21

In a draft that had a couple of shocks and some players falling past their original projections, this 2023 NHL Draft has been a blast so far.

Like how the Minnesota native, Oliver Moore was taken by the Chicago Blackhawks two picks before the Wild. But Minnesota is probably proud to select the other Minnesota native in Charlie Stramel.

Stramel struggled a bit this year with Wisconsin after he put up five goals and 12 points in 33 games for the Badgers, but his d-1 year was a solid season in the NTDP.

Our staff at The Hockey News had Stramel going at No. 39 because of the season he just had. Stramel was projected to go in the 20's before his season at Wisconsin, but his season didn't live up to what some scouts thought it could.

I wouldn't be discouraged, though, with the new coaching change for the Badgers and a new start after being drafted by his hometown team. The Wild will look for a much better season out of Stramel.

One scout told THN that in his 30-plus years of experience, there are a few players whose stock dropped more in one season than Stramel's. The scout went on to say that Stramel sliding as far as he did is going to be a steal for that team.

That team is the Minnesota Wild.

Our staff has Stramel's projection to be like Kevin Hayes, a big center who has played 634 games in the NHL with three different teams. He just recently was traded to the St. Louis Blues.

I think Hayes is a good projection for what Stramel's celling is. He projects to be a top-nine center who will add a physical game at the center position.

"Charlie is a heavy, strong skating, physical two-way center," Minnesota Wild's Director of Scouting Judd Brackett told the media. "We are very excited to add him to our organization."

The Wild have the No. 1 prospect pool in the NHL for a reason and have done a great job developing these youngsters. It is also hard to doubt any pick that Brackett makes. Which has me to believe, Stramel with the right development, will be a solid pick from the Wild.