Minnesota Wild President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Bill Guerin announced the National Hockey League (NHL) club has signed forward Charlie Stramel to a three-year, entry-level contract starting with the 2026-27 season.
Stramel, 21 (10/15/04), collected 44 points (19-25=44), seven game-winning goals (GWG), five power-play goals (PPG), 15 penalty minutes (PIM) and a plus-29 rating in 37 games during his senior season with Michigan State. The 6-foot-3, 216-pound native of Rosemount, Minn., ranked T-1st in GWG, second in face-off wins and T-5th in plus/minus in the NCAA this season. Stramel led all Big Ten skaters with 483 face-off wins and ranked T-2nd in plus/minus, fifth in points and goals and T-7th in assists. He was named a Top Ten Finalist for the Hobey Baker Award and named to the All-Big Ten First Team. Stramel set collegiate career-highs in points, goals, assists, PPG, GWG and plus/minus this season. He was named Big Ten Third Star of the Week on Nov. 11 after recording four /points (2-2=4) against Penn State on Nov. 8. He was also named Great Lake Invitational MVP after recording five points (4-1=5) in two games.
In two seasons at Michigan State (2024-26), Stramel posted 71 points (28-43=71), 11 GWG, six PPG, 56 PIM and a plus-32 rating over 74 games. He helped lead Michigan State to a Big Ten Championship in 2024-25, recording the primary assist on the GWG in the championship game. Prior to joining Michigan State, Stramel spent two seasons at the University of Wisconsin (2022-24) where he posted 20 points (8-12=20) in 67 games. He also recorded 23 points (8-15=23) in 38 career contests with the U.S. National Team Development Program in the United States Hockey League (USHL) in two seasons (2020-22).
Stramel represented the United States at the 2021 and 2022 IIHF Under-18 World Championships, collecting nine points (4-5=9) in 11 total contests and winning a silver medal in 2022. He also skated for Team USA at the 2022 and 2023 IIHF World Junior Championships, collecting four points (0-4=4) in eight games and won a bronze medal in 2023. He skated one season at Rosemount High School, where he posted 18 points (6-12=18) in 23 games in 2019-20.
The Wild selected Stramel with the 21st overall selection in the 2023 NHL Draft. He will wear sweater No. 15 with Minnesota.
Guerin also announced the club has signed defenseman Viking Gustafsson Nyberg to an amateur tryout (ATO). Gustafsson Nyberg will report to the Iowa Wild of the American Hockey League (AHL).
Gustafsson Nyberg, 22 (9/21/03), recorded 11 assists, 47 shots and 26 PIM in 37 games with the University of Connecticut (UConn) this season. He led the team with a plus-18 rating, ranked second in blocked shots (51) and third among defensemen in assists and points. The 6-foot-6, 225-pound native of Stockholm, Sweden, helped the Huskies reach the Hockey East Championship game and qualify for the NCAA Tournament. In two seasons (2024-25) at UConn, Gustafsson Nyberg totaled 21 points (1-20=21), 83 shots, 53 PIM and 113 blocked shots. Gustafsson Nyberg transferred to UConn from Northern Michigan, where he played one season (2023-24) and posted three points (1-2=3) in 34 games while ranking fourth on the team (first among freshman) with 44 blocked shots.
Prior to his collegiate career, Gustafsson Nyberg played two seasons (2021-23) with Leksands IF J20 of the Swedish Junior League, recording seven goals, 30 assists, 37 points (7-30=37), 28 penalty minutes, and a plus-21 rating in 82 games and serving as an alternate captain during the 2022-23 season.
(info courtesy of Wild)
