Another Wisconsin Badgers hockey player is picked in the first round of the NHL draft

MADISON – Charlie Stramel joined some exclusive company when he was selected in the first round of the NHL draft Wednesday night at Bridgestone Arena in Nashville, Tennessee.

The 6-foot-3 forward who is a rising sophomore for the Wisconsin Badgers became the 18th player in program history selected in the first round when he was taken with the 21st pick by Minnesota. Stramel is from Rosemount, Minnesota, which is about a 25-minute drive from the Xcel Energy Center, the Wild’s home arena, in downtown St. Paul.

“No better feeling than being picked to the hometown team,” Stramel said. “I always hoped the Wild would pick me. It was in the back of my head for sure and to see that dream come true is a blessing for sure.”

Who is Charlie Stramel?

Stramel scored five goals and seven assists in 33 games for the Badgers last season. He played two seasons with the U.S. National Team Development Program. He helped the United States win a bronze medal at the World Junior Championships in January, recording three assists and playing on the penalty kill for the team.

How was Stramel's freshman season at Wisconsin?

Stramel entered last season with the promise of helping boost the Badgers' struggling offense. Instead, he tied for seventh on the team in points and recorded two multi-point games in what was a tough year for the team as a whole. He spent about three weeks of the season competing for the U.S. world junior team, a stretch that started just as he appeared to begin to his his stride with the Badgers.

“It was a transition at first for sure," he said. "I think overall not the season I wanted to have, but I think with (Coach Mike) Hastings coming in, we’ve got some great transfers, some great recruits. You can already see the culture changing. I’m pumped to play Wisconsin next year and I think we’re going to turn a lot of heads in the Big Ten as well.”

What the Wild says about Stramel

"The nice thing about Charlie is he had two years with the national team. Even in his first year (there), he played a lot with the 18s, so we’ve got two, three years of viewings on him. And he owned it, (last season) was a tough year for him. It was a transition to college hockey, playing against older players, bigger players and the offensive production didn’t happen. He’s not the first player that’s hit a bit of a stall as a freshman, but we’re a believer in Charlie and his upside offensively. He’s a big body, skates well. I think he even said it in his interview. He likes to play a heavy, hard, physical game with some power and grit, so that is what we identified with him." - Judd Brackett, Director of Amateur Scouting.

Stramel's selection continues run of UW players in first round

This marks the fifth time in last six drafts that a UW player was selected in the first round. Here is the list: 2021 – Corson Ceuelmans, Columbus, 25th pick; 2020 – Dylan Holloway, Edmonton, 14th pick; 2019 – Alex Turcotte, Los Angeles, fifth pick; Cole Caufield, Montreal, 15th; 2018 – K’Andre Miller, New York Rangers, 22nd pick.

Brady Cleveland, William Whitelaw, Zach Schulz selected on Day 2

Here are the Badgers who have been picked Thursday on the second day of the draft:

Brady Cleveland, Detroit: The 6-5, 210-pound defenseman from Wausau was taken by Red Wings with the 15th pick of the second round (47th overall.) He played with the U.S. National Team Development Program last season.

William Whitelaw, Columbus: The 5-9, 175-pound forward was selected by the Blue Jackets with the second pick of the third round (66th overall). He led Youngstown to the U.S. Hockey League title last season when he scored 36 goals and finished with 61 points.

Zach Schulz, New Jersey: The 6-1, 197-pound defenseman was taken with the 17th pick of the sixth round (177th overall). He played for the U.S. National Team Development Program last season.

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This article originally appeared on Milwaukee Journal Sentinel: Minnesota takes Wisconsin's Charlie Stramel in 1st round of NHL draft