NASHVILLE — Charlie Stramel, who grew up in Rosemount, attended a few Wild games each year, considered Zach Parise his favorite player and even had a few Wild jerseys.
But the one he received on Wednesday night was different.
This one had his name on the back.
The Wild selected Stramel 21st overall in the NHL draft at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, making him only the third Minnesotan the team won in the first round.
Rounds 2-7 take place on Thursday. The wild currently has five other selections starting with numbers 53 and 64 in the second round.
“Of course excited,” said Stramel. “There is no better feeling than being selected by the home team. I always hoped the wild would pick me. I always had that in the back of my mind.”
“Seeing that dream come true is definitely a blessing.”
18-year-old Stramel describes himself as a 200-foot power forward, a snappy playmaker who pays attention to offense and defense.
The six-foot-tall, 220-pound center is just wrapping up his first season in Wisconsin, where he recorded five goals and seven assists in 33 games after a stint with the United States National Team Development Program. In his last season with the U18 team, Stramel recorded 10 goals and 12 assists in 26 games, giving him 22 points.
“I’ve matured a lot both as a person and as a player,” said Stramel, who was ranked the No. 30 North American skater by NHL Central Scouting. “I think as a player I learned what player I will be at the next level. You have to be smart. You have to be able to control the puck. You can’t do anything too crazy.”
Earlier in the evening, the draft started as predicted: Chicago picked generational talent Connor Bedard first overall, completing a selection that took years to come as the prolific Canadian goalscorer made waves throughout his stunning junior and international career has.
But after that, the script turned around.
Sweden standout Leo Carlsson took second place behind Anaheim, ahead of Michigan Hobey Baker Award winner Adam Fantilli, whom many believed to be the second-best contestant behind Bedard. However, Fantilli didn’t have to wait long to advance to the draft stage. He was seeded third by Columbus.
Will Smith (San Jose) and David Reinbacher (Montreal) completed the top five in that order.
Forwards continued to be the main players in the first round, including Mounds View’s Oliver Moore, who went to Chicago in 19th, and that position the Wild gained when they were on the clock.
Before joining the NTDP, Stramel skated at Rosemount High.
His sister Sophie was a sophomore on the varsity hockey team at Rosemount last season and scored in the second final of second overtime to earn them a place in the state tournament. His mother Gretchen coached the Rosemount girls soccer team to a Class AA championship before he retired.
Stramel acknowledged that being drafted by the Wild might put some extra pressure on him, “but at the end of the day I think that’s a blessing.” He is the first Minnesotan to be drafted by the Wild in the first round since Eden Prairie’s Nick Leddy finished 16th overall in 2009. Savage’s AJ Thelen was ranked #12 in 2004.
Returning to Wisconsin next season, Stramel would like to incorporate more physicality into his game when he returns to Wisconsin next season.
“I think I shied away from that a little last year,” he said. “For me, my main focus is getting back into people’s focus, making things happen, and also on the production side.”