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

[majormajor]

Cristall relies on variants of the curl up/ delay game but that's also the bread and butter of Patrick Kane and Artemi Panarin. My genuine question with Cristall is whether he'll have the tools to get away with it.

I don't see much resemblance to Kent Johnson, who has a more diverse set of attacks and is remarkably strong on his edges despite being reed thin. FWIW I think most people probably thought Kent Johnson was going to be a winger when he was drafted, but not the Jackets, and I think they're probably going to be ultimately right on that one.

 

[FourQuarters]

I think Kent Johnson and Cristall would laugh if they saw the argue about which of them is better. They are close friends

 

[UrbanImpact]

He is dropping on my list.

No skating ability at all to get outside rush on Dmen.

He just curls after entering the blue-line, in the NHL he is going to get trampled

He is also very lost defensively and without the puck.

Starting to look like another Nic Petan to me.

Would happily be wrong and i wish him all the best.

 

[Playmaker09]

He is dropping on my list.

No skating ability at all to get outside rush on Dmen.

He just curls after entering the blue-line, in the NHL he is going to get trampled

He is also very lost defensively and without the puck.

Starting to look like another Nic Petan to me.

Would happily be wrong and i wish him all the best.

Petan was the 3rd wheel on a stacked Portland line/team with two older players (Rattie, Leipsic).

Cristall is on an awful team where has has no choice but to do it all himself, the other team knows he's the guy to stop, and still does it anyway.

Cristall is also way more dynamic (shooting, stickhandling in particular) and actually tries to be a difference maker, wants the puck on his stick, whereas Petan was always very passive, overpassing.

 

[MS]

He's a weird player because I don't really like how he plays and think he's probably going to be a low-value pick as a soft one-dimensional scoring winger with a fairly high bust potential, but there's like a 5 or 10% chance he turns into a Gaudreau or a Panarin and is a massive home run for whoever takes him.

He's one of those guys where if I'm an NHL team I'd really be hoping some team ahead of me takes him so I don't have to make a decision on him and potentially look stupid for passing.

 

[Hale The Villain]

The annual extremely highly skilled small player that doesn't have above average skating that scouts shy away from in favour of "safer" prospects with nowhere near as much upside.

People will say no way he falls outside of the top 20 or even the top 32 but the same geniuses let Hutson fall to the late 2nd and Dumais to the late 3rd, so no one should be surprised when it happens.

 

[Michael Brand Eggs]

If Cole Perfetti can make it, so can this kid. And I think Cristall is actually a better skater.

 

[ryan callahan]

Same question as Dumais. If he has so many issues, then why is he producing so much? I think scouts overthink way too much today. If Cristall was able to overcome the challenges in the path of becoming an offensive menace in the WHL, he'll at least be fine in the NHL. The game is changing. Every team needs multiple play drivers in their offensive cores.

 

[Postulates]

Same question as Dumais. If he has so many issues, then why is he producing so much? I think scouts overthink way too much today. If Cristall was able to overcome the challenges in the path of becoming an offensive menace in the WHL, he'll at least be fine in the NHL. The game is changing. Every team needs multiple play drivers in their offensive cores.

Cheats heavily for offense

 

[Mrb1p]

Cheats heavily for offense

He really doesn't though. Not more than Smith, Bedard, Michkov or a lot of other offensive players. Kane and Bure literally made HOF careers out of "cheating offensively".

It's a lazy analysis. Yes, offensive players skew their playing towards the offensive zone, thats what makes them great. Gretzky and McDavid also.

 

[Lavar Ball]

 

[Bubbles]

He played a bit better tonight, but he has largely been invisible these three games. He's been bullied off the puck easily by the bigger T-birds.

 

[FourQuarters]

He finally realized that he must count on himself, he made tons of great chances for teammates, but Milic is so good. He needs to shot more.
His defensive play is way better tonight tho, stole the puck so many times.

 

[Mrb1p]

He played a bit better tonight, but he has largely been invisible these three games. He's been bullied off the puck easily by the bigger T-birds.

To note that the Birds are really f***ing big though. Especially that defense. I havent watched but Im guessing they play around Millic a lot and close down the play.

 

[ponder]

Gonna be a short playoffs for Cristall, I expect Seattle to close out the sweep tonight. The T-Birds are ridiculously stacked, elite defensively, pretty damn elite offensively too, good goaltending too. Cristall is getting shut down, but honestly Kelowna are simply overmatched.

 

[Bubbles]

To note that the Birds are really f***ing big though. Especially that defense. I havent watched but Im guessing they play around Millic a lot and close down the play.

The games have been a lot closer than the scores. The T-birds like to keep it close and just turn it on later in games.

The Rockets are a 1-line team so it's easier to shut Cristall's line. I was hoping Cristall could show he can get to another level, like Bedard has.

 

[FourQuarters]

The games have been a lot closer than the scores. The T-birds like to keep it close and just turn it on later in games.

The Rockets are a 1-line team so it's easier to shut Cristall's line. I was hoping Cristall could show he can get to another level, like Bedard has.

That being said, the Tbirds and Blades aren't in the same level. Tbirds, blazers and ice dominate.
Cristall and Bedard aren't in the same level too.

 

[PostBradMalone]

Am I the only one who gets major Zach Boychuk vibes from this kid?

 

[Bubbles]

Cristall and Bedard aren't in the same level too.

I'm talking about raising your game in the playoffs. I'm not saying Bedard and Cristall are at the same level at all. I always watch if a player raises his game in the playoffs. I haven't seen it yet from Cristall.

 

[Chainshot]

Am I the only one who gets major Zach Boychuk vibes from this kid?

Is he trying to pump and dump crypto?

 

[FourQuarters]

I'm talking about raising your game in the playoffs. I'm not saying Bedard and Cristall are at the same level at all. I always watch if a player raises his game in the playoffs. I haven't seen it yet from Cristall.

I don't think Bedard "raise" his game in the playoffs, he's as good as he used to be. It's hard to raise your game when you against such a rival like Tbirds, and Rockets play against them in the playoffs 2years in a row. Also, I think he didn't meet my expectations, but I'm not really surprised, considering we can't keep the cycling, can't win the faceoff and board battle.

 

[WeThreeKings]

Should have a prominent role at the U-18s.

 

[Chainshot]

Should have a prominent role at the U-18s.

I'm hoping to watch him against his peers. I had spotty viewing and didn't come away with the best impression but since there are folks who really like his game, I want to see it anew.

 

[JeffreyLFC]

Am I the only one who gets major Zach Boychuk vibes from this kid?

He has HUGE bust potential.

 

[UrbanImpact]

He is in my no draft list for anyone with a top 20 pick.

I think there is very little chance his game translates well at all in the NHL.

I'm not sized bias either, as I'm just as low on Matthew Wood.


There are soo many holes in AC's game. I also find him either very lost without the puck or lazy. Neither is good.