F Andrew Cristall - Kelowna Rockets, WHL (2023, 40th, WSH)

[ponder]

People who don’t view him as a top 10, or at the very least top 15 are clowns. His play style and production can’t be ignored. For me he’s sitting around Benson/Smith/Sale/Reinbacher in the 5-9 range.

He’s in my personal top 10, but he’s 18th on Bob McKenzie’s list, which tends to be the most predictive of how teams will actually draft, as it comes from his connections with actual NHL scouts. I wouldn’t call Bob (or the NHL scouts he talks to) clowns.

I love his hands, shot, creativity/vision, edges and compete. However, he is a small guy who plays more of a “slow it down” game. I’ll bet that’s the main reservation about him with scouts. It works at the WHL level, because he’s so elusive and creative that defenders give him lots of time and space even when he slows it down, but he won’t get that time/space at the NHL level. Will he be able to adapt, and add more pace to his game when facing better defences? I think that’s the big question.

 

[Kcoyote3]

A change of pace style isn't always a bad thing though. I think of players like Nikita Kucherov who are able to pull it off, slow the game down when needed, or attack aggressively at other times. Cristall has a lot of those elements that make me excited that eventually he could do those sorts of things at the next level. There's a risk there for sure, and other forwards should be ranked higher than him because of it, but once you get past probably the top 6 in this draft it's open season. Good options and Cristall is probably the best one of them.

 

[landy92mack29]

Yeah in todays softer nhl his type of players aren't really high risk anymore, it's the mistake I made when Gaudreau was coming into the league. Playoffs are a different animal though but Cristall loves to be a pest unlike most smaller guys, some Gallagher in him.

 

[bsu]

Either going to be a star or Sam Steel... No in between

 

[docbenton]

I think he's more talented offensively than Benson, better hands, shooting and especially playmaking ability. Not as fast as Benson, but skates fine. Not quite as skilled as Smith, but as creative. I'd Smith first, then Cristall-Benson at this juncture but the latter 2 are close. Didn't like Benson at the start of the year but he's been trending up. How do others rate Cristall vs Benson?

 

[Kcoyote3]

I think he's more talented offensively than Benson, better hands, shooting and especially playmaking ability. Not as fast as Benson, but skates fine. Not quite as skilled as Smith, but as creative. I'd Smith first, then Cristall-Benson at this juncture but the latter 2 are close. Didn't like Benson at the start of the year but he's been trending up. How do others rate Cristall vs Benson?

Benson
Smith
Cristall

But they're all in the 4-7 range for me so it's close. Benson is just an almost perfect hockey player if he's 2 inches taller. Excellent retrieval skills in the corners despite his size, positioning always solid, defensively makes a huge impact for a winger, excellent and creative playmaker, 4-way skater, all of it. Smith has a super creative mind, great individual skills and with some time could become the highest scorer out of all of them but I think he needs a lot of work in college to round his game out. Cristall has some more question marks defensively, but has a great shot along with excellent playmaking talent. Also needs time to work on rounding out his game, and given the tools I think Smith just has a little more there to work with but it's close.

 

[Dominance]

Yeah, the numerous people who seem to have Benson and Smith around 5-8 but Cristall in the 15-25 range really need to justify that take. I’d take Cristall first out of those three today.

 

[bsu]

Yeah, the numerous people who seem to have Benson and Smith around 5-8 but Cristall in the 15-25 range really need to justify that take. I’d take Cristall first out of those three today.

I wouldn't but everyone has an opinion.

Benson
Smith
Cristall

But they're all in the 4-7 range for me so it's close. Benson is just an almost perfect hockey player if he's 2 inches taller. Excellent retrieval skills in the corners despite his size, positioning always solid, defensively makes a huge impact for a winger, excellent and creative playmaker, 4-way skater, all of it. Smith has a super creative mind, great individual skills and with some time could become the highest scorer out of all of them but I think he needs a lot of work in college to round his game out. Cristall has some more question marks defensively, but has a great shot along with excellent playmaking talent. Also needs time to work on rounding out his game, and given the tools I think Smith just has a little more there to work with but it's close.

I have the same order but have Cristall closer to 7-12 range.... at this current juncture.

 

[mistaclick]

Yeah I definitely agree that his change of pace is one of his main calling cards and could be an issue. It’s hard to project if his other tools and creativity can support that “ability to change pace” similarly to the level of a Marner/Kucherov winger in the NHL. I don’t think he has that kind of upside, but I think if his other tools can develop well then his play style can certainly translate as we’ve seen before with others. Could be a bit of a risk but that’s not uncommon for guys slotted in the 5-10 range. The upside is intriguing enough to me personally

 

[57special]

People who don’t view him as a top 10, or at the very least top 15 are clowns. His play style and production can’t be ignored. For me he’s sitting around Benson/Smith/Sale/Reinbacher in the 5-9 range.

No Yager?

 

[montreal]

 

[DFAC]

Love this player - hope the Canucks can snag him with their NYI 1st rounder

 

[Fraser28]

Love this player - hope the Canucks can snag him with their NYI 1st rounder

I have a feeling he’ll be gone long before that.

 

[WeThreeKings]

I have a feeling he’ll be gone long before that.

I actually have the feeling he's gonna drop for some inexplicable reason just like Caufield and Hutson. Goes in the 20s and everyone is like wtf.

 

[MS]

Yeah, the numerous people who seem to have Benson and Smith around 5-8 but Cristall in the 15-25 range really need to justify that take. I’d take Cristall first out of those three today.

Benson has a big-time motor and high defensive value. Cristall does not.

Cristall to me is basically a carbon copy of 2020 Seth Jarvis - an undersized winger with magic hands and some sick dangles who isn't really a great skater and doesn't bring much of anything to the table outside of offense. To me he projects as the sort of one-dimensional complementary scorer who doesn't really carry a ton of value in this league right now.

 

[Dominance]

Benson has a big-time motor and high defensive value. Cristall does not.

Cristall to me is basically a carbon copy of 2020 Seth Jarvis - an undersized winger with magic hands and some sick dangles who isn't really a great skater and doesn't bring much of anything to the table outside of offense. To me he projects as the sort of one-dimensional complementary scorer who doesn't really carry a ton of value in this league right now.

Using Jarvis as an example to bring down Cristall is pretty funny when the former locked down a top-6 role on one of the best teams of the league under one of the most hard-nosed coaches not even 50 games into his career and is one of their core pieces moving forward.

 

[MS]

Using Jarvis as an example to bring down Cristall is pretty funny when the former locked down a top-6 role on one of the best teams of the league under one of the most hard-nosed coaches not even 50 games into his career and is one of their core pieces moving forward.

Jarvis to me is an undersized complimentary scorer with zero intangibles and not a lot of upside.

He's the kind of player that looks nice on the back of a hockey card but is a pretty fungible mid-level forward in the NHL. Maybe he'll have a 60-point season at some point but I don't think he's the sort of player who carries a lot of value. And I definitely wouldn't call him a core piece in Carolina.

Benson has some Brayden Point-ish qualities and could potentially be a player who carries significant value.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

The best comparison I have is Cole Perfetti or Jonathan Drouin. Very nice offensive talent but average skater and under sized. Not much of a two way player either.

 

[Our Lady Peace]

Seems his potential is not as crystal clear as we may have thought

 

[majormajor]

Using Jarvis as an example to bring down Cristall is pretty funny when the former locked down a top-6 role on one of the best teams of the league under one of the most hard-nosed coaches not even 50 games into his career and is one of their core pieces moving forward.

Yeah I'm still not sure if Cristall belongs in the top ten but if you're telling me he's the next Jarvis, then I'm taking him top ten.

 

[shotvalley]

Yeah I'm still not sure if Cristall belongs in the top ten but if you're telling me he's the next Jarvis, then I'm taking him top ten.

Cristall is not Jarvis type at all. Jarvis had huge work ethic in his draft year already.

 

[TomKosto]

Cristall is not Jarvis type at all. Jarvis had huge work ethic in his draft year already.

There's concern about Cristall work ethic?

 

[shotvalley]

There's concern about Cristall work ethic?

He is not as interested about defense as Jarvis was. It might be coaching stuff but anyway i woudn't compare him to Jarvis. Jarvis was already NHL-player dropped to WHL in a small guys body in his draft year.

 

[sting101]

Other than stature and production im not seeing a lot of Jarvis in Cristall. Jarvis is faster and attacks zone to zone with speed. Has a high tenacity and work rate and is effective in all 3 zones. He fits right in to how Carolina likes to play like and doesn't need to be a top pp guy to be an effective player. Has a well rounded tool kit but is not an elite offensive creator

On the other hand Cristall is super shifty, creative and plays with a change of pace with a lot of deception. Cristalls speed and value off puck are question marks as are his shot imo and how that transitions to the NHL. Its very good in junior. Cristall should be a elite PP facilitator and will be most effective if offense is able to get facilitated through his stick. His value will lie in his production. He looks and projects to me as a Huberdeau/Gaudreau type in playstyle. Whether he can skate and play with the speed and intensity to produce like them is the big question and if he's just a small 2nd line pp guy what does that look like. I think that is where scouts drop him down because there is a fair amount of unknown with those transitions/developments. He has a fair amount of risk and plays a position of lesser value.

Excellent prospect though and super fun/entertaining to watch.

 

[Postulates]

Other than stature and production im not seeing a lot of Jarvis in Cristall. Jarvis is faster and attacks zone to zone with speed. Has a high tenacity and work rate and is effective in all 3 zones. He fits right in to how Carolina likes to play like and doesn't need to be a top pp guy to be an effective player. Has a well rounded tool kit but is not an elite offensive creator

On the other hand Cristall is super shifty, creative and plays with a change of pace with a lot of deception. Cristalls speed and value off puck are question marks as are his shot imo and how that transitions to the NHL. Its very good in junior. Cristall should be a elite PP facilitator and will be most effective if offense is able to get facilitated through his stick. His value will lie in his production. He looks and projects to me as a Huberdeau/Gaudreau type in playstyle. Whether he can skate and play with the speed and intensity to produce like them is the big question and if he's just a small 2nd line pp guy what does that look like. I think that is where scouts drop him down because there is a fair amount of unknown with those transitions/developments. He has a fair amount of risk and plays a position of lesser value.

Excellent prospect though and super fun/entertaining to watch.

Yeah my problem with Cristall is if he doesnt improve his skating enough to be a top 6 forward, does he have a role in the league at that size.