Mrb1p
PRICERSTOPDAPUCK
No holes in his offensive game tho, something you cant say for anyone outside the top 4
F Andrew Cristall - Kelowna Rockets, WHL (2023, 40th, WSH)
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No holes maybe in the WHL level.
but in general i dont think he has the speed or skating to get around players off the rush. That will be problematic with how transition based the NHL has become.
Cristall wont be able to dangle through NHL Dmen like he does with ease at the WHL level.
Mrb1p
PRICERSTOPDAPUCK
He does have the edges to dangle around anyone. Also hes not even slow, its just weird expectations around small forwards.
JeffreyLFC
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- Sep 29, 2017
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He is not even as effective of a skater as Drouin was in the Q and I would even say he is even more lazy and less involved defensively.
Mrb1p
PRICERSTOPDAPUCK
I had Drouin outside the top 10in 2013. They are not the same.
Drouin's issue has never been skating. Cristall is intense and works hard but he's misguided in his effort, his tools are good, even great.
The exercise isn't to see who the best junior player is( even so he'd be third in this draft in the CHL), the exercise is to get the best possible NHL player, Andrew has all the talent to be exactly that.
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samsagat
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- Jun 20, 2013
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Cristall, imho, is the typical player that put great numbers in junior, but has a playing style combined with his frame/(lack of) strength/skating that doesn't translate well to the NHL.
Too much fancy plays that wouldn't make it in the NHL.
He's smart, he has a great hockey sense, but he likes it cute. It's efficient in the WHL but in the NHL, the passing lanes he's exploiting on a constant basis won't be available.
Plus he's small, not that strong and his skating is ok, which is not ok for his size.
In comparison, Benson has a style that is more pro translatable. He's not that fast but is more direct in his approach. His skating agility is better. Do not rely as much on cuteness/fanciness.
IMHO, Cristall will make it to the NHL because he's smart. But he'll be more of a complimentary player. A PP specialist, a typical offensive exploitation specialist.
I don't think he's gonna become an impact player.
Too much fancy plays that wouldn't make it in the NHL.
He's smart, he has a great hockey sense, but he likes it cute. It's efficient in the WHL but in the NHL, the passing lanes he's exploiting on a constant basis won't be available.
Plus he's small, not that strong and his skating is ok, which is not ok for his size.
In comparison, Benson has a style that is more pro translatable. He's not that fast but is more direct in his approach. His skating agility is better. Do not rely as much on cuteness/fanciness.
IMHO, Cristall will make it to the NHL because he's smart. But he'll be more of a complimentary player. A PP specialist, a typical offensive exploitation specialist.
I don't think he's gonna become an impact player.
NickH8
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Realgud
Jersey ads are a disgrace
Well, he did almost fall down lol (might have been the stick though).What a bad skater
Problem with Drouin is he's scared to go in the high danger areas. Even if his skating is good enough for him to manoeuvre well there, we'll never get to know how good if could've become.
FourQuarters
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JeffreyLFC
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How is that proof that he is a great skater? That's more in his agility than his acceleration and top speed.What a bad skater
NickH8
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Agility and acceleration are a part of skating just like top speed? Players can be good at some parts of skating and not others. I'm not denying his top speed isn't great.
Mrb1p
PRICERSTOPDAPUCK
What a bad skater (displays elite edges)
And Cristall lives there.
JeffreyLFC
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Agreed it's just we cannot call a shifty player a great skater if he only excel in one part or some part.
The worry with Cristall is the combination of size/skating. He is clearly not a bad skater just not on the upper echelon in the skating department.
Would someone like Connor Garland be a decent example? Garland has high-end edgework and is elusive, but lacks true separation speed.
Seems like Cristall has a much better shot though...Garland has a muffin.
Garland's limitations keep him as a 45-50 point player instead of a 65+ point player. Obviously you're hoping for the latter if you draft Cristall in the top-10.
Seems like Cristall has a much better shot though...Garland has a muffin.
Garland's limitations keep him as a 45-50 point player instead of a 65+ point player. Obviously you're hoping for the latter if you draft Cristall in the top-10.
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Garland plays a high paced game. Cristall is much more deliberate. Very similar to Claude Giroux.
Mrb1p
PRICERSTOPDAPUCK
I say Kane.
You hear talk about him not translating or whatever, but Cristall does everything a pro should do in the offensive zone. He breaks down defenses at a super high rate and he uses 100% of the ice. Hes not a perimeter player at all and he's super intelligent.
Of course, he dekes 10 players sometimes, he forces plays, he cherry picks, but every single offensive player does this. Bedard, Benson, Kane, Michkov, etc., they all do this.
WeThreeKings
Habs cup - its in the BAG
Another Cristall game where nothing he does works..
He's going to go a lot lower than the internet scouts think, imo.
He's going to go a lot lower than the internet scouts think, imo.
Marc the Habs Fan
Moderator
I haven't seen every minute but it's safe to say he's had a very underwhelming U-18 so far. Guys like Wood, Ritchie and Heidt (today was the 1st game he played) have outplayed him.
I don't think he'll be in too many top 10's going forward.
I don't think he'll be in too many top 10's going forward.
Dominance
99-66-4-9-87/97
False. He’s created more than anyone not named Celebrini and I can easily recall more than half a dozen golden opportunities he’s put together the last two games. If even half of those were converted, the narrative doesn’t even start.
LeProspector
AINEC
- Feb 14, 2017
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I think he is one of the most overrated players in this class, i think hell go later than many think on draft day
Postulates
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