![\"Charlie](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/04\/Syndication-Lansing-State-Journal-27284891-e1775534401257.jpg\")
Credit: Nick King\/Lansing State Journal \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tCredit: Nick King\/Lansing State Journal \/ USA TODAY NETWORK via Imagn Images\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/p>\n
In the National Hockey League, it has become customary for teams to burn the first season<\/a> of most top college prospects, when their final year of college hockey comes to an end. We\u2019ve seen the Minnesota Wild do it with Matt Boldy<\/a>, Brock Faber and Zeev Buium<\/a>, among others.<\/p>\n That way, not only can they can get their feet wet in the NHL and get to know new teammates, but if they are good enough and sign with a playoff team, they can even help on a postseason run. Originally, the Minnesota Wild\u2019s plan for Stramel was no different.<\/p>\n Of course, that was before he broke his ankle<\/a> during his final game at Michigan State. Once that happened, president of hockey operations Bill Guerin was never going to put his top non-NHL asset on the ice at less than 100%, when there\u2019s virtually no chance he would have helped them during a playoff run.<\/p>\n That\u2019s why, when Michael Russo (The Athletic)<\/a> reported that the MN Wild were planning to burn the first year of Stramel\u2019s deal anyway<\/a>, I couldn\u2019t help but question what in the world president of hockey operations Bill Guerin was thinking.<\/p>\n The Minnesota Wild had plans to sign top prospect Charlie Stramel immediately when his senior season at Michigan State was over.<\/p>\n Then, he broke his ankle in their final NCAA Tournament game \u2014 an eventual OT loss to his former school, Wisconsin.<\/p>\n Yet according to @RussoHockey<\/a>,\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) April 1, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n The Minnesota Wild were never going to play Stramel on a broken ankle, which is why burning a year of his deal made absolutely no sense. I appreciate Guerin\u2019s willingness to bend over backwards to make those who play for him feel seen.<\/p>\n Minnesota Wild sign Charlie Stramel; Do NOT burn year<\/p>\n But at the end of the day, the NHL is a business and you can\u2019t be lighting rookie years of a first round pick\u2019s contract for\u2026 literally no reason whatsoever. Thankfully, Billy saw the light on the situation. On Monday evening, Stramel signed his entry level contract, which doesn\u2019t kick in until next season.<\/p>\n 15 is locked in for next season \ud83d\udd12 pic.twitter.com\/XHstpAZjJ3<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 x \u2013 Minnesota Wild (@mnwild) April 7, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n Stramel was selected No. 21 overall in the 2023 NHL Draft<\/a>, after a difficult start to his college career at Wisconsin. After the Rosemount, MN native was drafted by his hometown team, he struggled yet again across the eastern border.<\/p>\n When the dust settled on his first two collegiate seasons as a Badger, Stramel had totalled just 20 points between his freshman and sophomore years in Madison.<\/p>\n So he packed up his bags and transferred to East Lansing, where he quickly got his hockey career back on track \u2014 totalling<\/a> 71 points (28 goals, 43 assists) in his two seasons at Michigan State.<\/p>\n NCAAM<\/p>\n Charlie Stramel with a big weekend for Michigan State as they win the GLI. 5pts (4G\/1A) in wins over Michigan Tech and Ferris State. pic.twitter.com\/lc1rTSPnKb<\/a><\/p>\n \u2014 YHH (@YouthHockeyHub) December 30, 2025<\/a> <\/p>\n As I pointed out last week \u2014 after Russo suggested Stramel might \u201cbe available\u201d for the playoffs \u2014 there was no proverbial gun being held to Guerin\u2019s head forcing him to burn a year of Charlie Stramel\u2019s contract, especially once he went down with his ankle injury.<\/p>\n Wild made the logical decision<\/p>\n Unless Charlie was going to go full Eli Manning<\/a> and refuse to play for the team that drafted him (then waited out a rocky start to his collegiate career at Wisconsin) the Minnesota Wild had options to sign him and NOT burn any years, which is what they ultimately did.<\/p>\n Unfortunately, I have yet to receive my apology letter from Mr. Russo, but I\u2019ll update this article if anything changes on that front.<\/p>\n Not true<\/p>\n \u2014 Minnesota Sports Fan (@realmnsportsfan) April 1, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n It is true and what a ridiculous click bait article when you quote us and that\u2019s not what we wrote. What a joke that you can misconstrue and mischaracterize a situation so badly. Par for the course with you<\/p>\n \u2014 Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) April 1, 2026<\/a> <\/p>\n saying he would be available for the playoffs is very different than him turning it into that we’re saying he “supposedly would make an impact in the playoffs” and this is fishy. Burning the first year is par for the course in the NHL, especially when he can become a free agent.\u2026<\/p>\n \u2014 Michael Russo (@RussoHockey) April 1, 2026<\/a> More About:Minnesota Wild<\/a><\/p>\n Add MinnesotaSportsFan as a preferred source on Google. \t\t\t
\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\tMentioned in this article: Charlie Stramel<\/a> Michael Russo<\/a> <\/p>\n![\"Add](\"https:\/\/www.rawchili.com\/nhl\/wp-content\/uploads\/2025\/11\/google_preferred_source_badge.png\"){kind=icon}
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