Brock Faber and Marco Rossi outduel Bedard and the Blackhawks in 4-1 over Chicago It's almost Christmas which means the 2024 World Juniors Tournament is about to start. The U.S. team selected their preliminary rosters [https://thehockeynews.com/news/usa-hockey-reveals-preliminary-roster-for-2024-world-juniors] yesterday and the Wild's recent first round selection did not make it. Charlie Stramel was drafted 21st overall in the 2023 NHL draft and is currently playing for the Wisconsin Badgers of the NCAA. In ten games for the Badgers, Stramel has one goal for one point. Drafted as a center, Stramel has slid all the way down the Badgers depth chart and has been playing fourth line right wing in the team's last four games. A lot of guys get left off the USA World Juniors team and still carve out great careers in the NHL. Alex Tuch didn't make team USA and he scored 36 goals and had 79 points last year for the Buffalo Sabres. Matt Boldy also didn't make it and he scored 31 goals last year and will be a big part of the Wild's top-six for years to come. So, Stramel not making the World Juniors team shouldn't be a bigger concern than his lack of production for Wisconsin. Stramel, 19, didn't get off to the start he wanted and later got hurt. The 6-foot-3 forward missed six games before he returned back into the Badgers lineup. The Rosemount, Minn. native was on team USA's World Juniors team last year where he recorded three assists for the Bronze Winning U.S. team. Don't be too quick to count Stramel out despite his slow start. He was still a first round pick and the Wild are expecting a lot out of Stramel and project him to be a big piece of the Wild's forward group going forward, when he makes the jump from the NCAA to professional hockey. RELATED
