NO MATTER which NHL team called Charlie Stramel’s name on draft day, he was going to be happy. But as a proud son of the State of Hockey, and one who played his high-school puck at Rosemount High, it was that much sweeter when the Minnesota Wild picked him 21st overall in the 2023 draft. “You obviously can’t control the draft and what teams think of you,” Stramel said. “But to hear your name called by the hometown team that you grew up supporting was a dream come true of mine.”
Surely, the Wild were equally, if not more, enthused Stramel was still on the board.
While the 18-year-old didn’t blow the competition away as an NCAA freshman at Wisconsin – he had five goals and 12 points in 33 games –…
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The Hockey News (Digital) - 1 Issue, Prospects Unlimited 2023