Credit: Christopher Hanewinckel-Imagn Images
Charlie Stramel was drafted by the Minnesota Wild in the first round (No. 21 overall) of the 2023 NHL Draft, after the Rosemount, MN native had already played one disappointing season at the University of Wisconsin.
Unfortunately, Madison was a bad fit for a kid born and raised in the southern Twin Cities suburbs, before leaving before his junior year of high school for the USA National Juniors Team.
While going to Wisconsin for two years, Stramel’s prospect status took a massive hit, as he struggled to score just 8 total goals and 12 assists (-14 +/-) in 67 games played.
Get to know top Minnesota Wild prospect, Charlie Stramel
So before his junior season, Stramel packed up and hit the transfer portal, where he landed with the Michigan State Spartans. Immediately upon his arrival East Lansing, Charlie was a completely different player.
First-round draft picks Charlie Stramel (21st overall, Minnesota) and Porter Martone (6th overall, Philadelphia) went to work in the first frame for @msu_hockey 😤 pic.twitter.com/xXwkcJs46Q
— Big Ten Hockey (@B1GHockey) November 8, 2025
In 2024-25, as a new junior on campus, Stramel scored 9 goals and assisted on 18 more. In case you missed it, that’s double what he posted in either categories during his two seasons at Wisconsin.
Related: Team USA Hockey Undecided on Bill Guerin as GM?
And Charlie’s senior campaign was even better. While wearing the “A” for Sparty hockey this season, the uber-talented forward helped carry Michigan State all the way to the final eight teams in the NCAA Tournament. Unfortunately, Sparty blew a 3-1 lead over the weekend and fell in overtime to Stramel’s former school.
That’s such a gutting loss and collapse for Michigan State. As is allowing 2 goals in :35 just to force OT. Bummed for Adam Nightingale and that program.
Have had some uber talented teams and just cannot reach a Frozen 4 yet. Stinks. pic.twitter.com/Yl8wqvEDYM
— Joey Ellis (@Jellis1016) March 28, 2026
Normally, a highly-touted prospect like Stramel — whose rights are already owned by the Minnesota Wild — would shed tears with his college teammates, take a day or two to recover from such a soul-crushing loss, then sign with his NHL team.
And that was certainly the expected outcome for Charlie, who the Minnesota Wild planned to immediately inject into their late-season (and maybe even Playoff) lineup, despite the fact that it will burn a year of his rookie contract.
Of course, that was before Michigan State’s 21-year-old forward left their NCAA Tournament game last weekend vs Wisconsin with a lower-body injury that was later diagnosed as a broken ankle. Logically, most of us assumed when the news broke that our 2026 Wild + Charlie Stramel dreams were dead.
MN Wild planning to sign Charlie Stramel and burn year, despite injury?
But not so fast. Since the injury occurred, NHL insiders Michael Russo and Joe Smith are reporting that Wild president of hockey operations Bill Guerin still plans to sign Stramel and burn the first year of his deal, broken ankle and all.
That doesn’t make logical sense, right? Well according to Russo and Smith’s most recent co-written piece at The Athletic, the Minnesota Wild are holding out hope Stramel can still help them in the playoffs… (again — on a broken ankle).
[Stramel’s] injury has delayed the process [for signing him], as the Wild seek further clarity on its extent. Still, the Wild will likely sign Stramel to his entry-level contract in the coming days and burn the first year of the deal. That means Stramel would join the team, rehab with them and potentially be available in the playoffs.
Michael Russo and Joe Smith – The Athletic
Obviously, there are different tiers to every injury, and if any professional athlete is going to play through a broken ankle, it would 100% be a hockey player. Still, this situation smells funny.
What is really going on here…?
The Minnesota Wild, like many NHL teams, love to sign and immediately call up their top prospects, after they finish the final seasons of their collegiate careers.
However, even in a world where Stramel is completely healthy, there would be a ton of questions over whether he’s capable of making a positive impact on the 2025-26 Wild lineup, this early in his career.
And now, they are trying to convince us that this kid’s presence is so necessary that it’s worth (a) playing him on a broken ankle AND (b) burning the first year of his deal?
Wild working toward signing him
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) March 29, 2026
No matter the severity of his injury, that makes very little logical sense. Yet, Russo remains confident in the Wild eventually signing Stramel THIS season — whether he can play or not.
This “hope” that Charlie Stramel might be ready by the NHL playoffs feels more like Guerin stretching the truth, in order to avoid a large amount of fan blowback for doing something that makes absolutely no logical sense for the Minnesota Wild, but would help Stramel immensely in the future.
No. Not correct
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) March 29, 2026
Yes
— Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) March 29, 2026
Mentioned in this article: Charlie Stramel
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