Wild prospect Charlie Stramel taking a ‘chip on my shoulder’ to Michigan State after trying year at Wisconsin

ST. PAUL, Minn. — Charlie Stramel said all the right things Tuesday, mostly that this is now on him and he’s going to have to determine if he’s going to make it to the next level and perhaps one day have a successful NHL career.

He made no excuses about what led to his second straight sub-par season at the University of Wisconsin, not blaming early season injuries for his season-long lack of production nor Mike Hastings for playing him down near the bottom of the Badgers’ lineup.

Instead, the Wild’s 2023 first-round pick tried to keep the focus on the future and his transfer to Michigan State, calling it a “no-brainer” to leave Wisconsin and attempt to prove all his naysayers wrong during a clean slate under one of his former USA Hockey coaches, Adam Nightingale, with the Spartans.

“I’m pumped,” Stramel, the Rosemount, Minn., native, said. “Playing with a chip on my shoulder this season and looking forward to it. … I was always thinking, ‘If I’m ever going to leave, I’m going to go somewhere where I trust somebody and with Nightingale and Michigan State … upcoming here, it was a no-brainer to go there.’”

Charlie Stramel says it was a “no brainer” to transfer to Michigan State and that he’ll be playing with a “chip on my shoulder” this season pic.twitter.com/dO4P7LAMHq

— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) July 9, 2024

Stramel, 19, scored three goals and eight points in 35 games during his second year with Wisconsin after having five goals and 12 points in 32 games as a freshman.

That lack of productivity and his usage mostly at fourth-line right wing sure didn’t quiet the critics who were already scrutinizing the Wild’s decision to skip skilled forward Gabe Perreault on their draft list and take a leap at Stramel.

Stramel was drafted as a center, and at 6-foot-3 with a power game in his arsenal, the Wild were intrigued by the overall package because there’s no doubt that has long been an organizational need.

Granted he’s young and it’s way, way too premature to hurl him into the pile of failed Wild first-round picks, Stramel feels the pressure to prove himself now. The Wild have supported him since drafting him. They stick up for him every chance they get.

Now he must prove them correct in their faith.

He knows it.

So, first things first, it’s that power game that Stramel hopes to rediscover at Michigan State.

“I think getting back to my identity,” he said. “Just getting back to the power forward, 200-foot center, winning draws, good at the net front. Not straying away from that. I think at times I strayed away from that at Wisconsin and it hurt me. I’ve got to stick to the player I am and the player I’m hopefully going to be at the next level.”

Wild director of amateur scouting Judd Brackett believes being reunited with Nightingale after spending two years together at the U.S. National Team Development Program will do wonders.

“To be back with a coach he has trust and confidence in is what he needs right now,” Brackett said. “He needs to go in feeling sure of himself, his ability and where his role and opportunity is going to be, but now it’s up to him to perform. It’s a clean slate. It’s the right fit. It’s a great opportunity. But now the rubber’s gotta meet the road. He’s got to do it.”

GO DEEPER

Russo and Smith: Wild keeping faith in Charlie Stramel, but Judd Brackett says, 'We want to see progress'

Stramel said he learned a lot during his trying season with the Badgers, mostly that it’s up to “you” to work your way out of adverse situations. He had to endure plenty of them last season, from the early injuries to a new coach who didn’t recruit him and seemed to want to rely on veteran players the way he used to during his successful stint as Minnesota State’s coach.

Stramel says he has worked hard this offseason to be in better shape and improve his first three steps in his stride. He’ll head to Michigan State after the Wild’s development camp, which wraps up Thursday.

“This is a big year,” Stramel admitted. “I think confidence helps a lot in any player. You don’t always have it. You’re always working to get more of it. I think this summer even these first two months of the summer I’ve already felt like my confidence is up a lot more. I’m trying to carry that momentum into State.”

Stramel does his best to avoid reading articles or the sometimes mean banter on social media from fans already labeling him a bust. First-round pick Marco Rossi was also smart enough to distance himself from that during his rough start to his NHL career. He worked his butt off last summer, scored 21 goals in his first full NHL season and last month was named to the NHL’s All-Rookie Team.

And, by the way, Rossi is three years older than Stramel.

“It definitely helps put a chip on my shoulder. I’m coming into this season with something to prove,” Stramel said of the criticism and worry about his future. “Like I said, I didn’t have a great season this year overall. I think everybody knows that. But (the Wild) have been every step of the way — player development, management — super supportive getting me back to the player they drafted and the player I want to be at the next level.”

(Photo: Jason Kempin / Getty Images)