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

[LesCanadiens]

You have Smith all wrong. He skates significantly better and plays significantly better defense than Cristall.

And he was chosen significantly higher (by 36 spots). The rest is subjective...my point was they were similar players and considering Smith hasn't exactly exploded this year and Cristall has, that it wouldn't be surprising if they turn out much closer as far as NHL potential goes in spite of the 36 spot difference. And I make no qualms about my long-held opinion that Smith was/is vastly overrated.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

And he was chosen significantly higher (by 36 spots). The rest is subjective...my point was they were similar players and considering Smith hasn't exactly exploded this year and Cristall has, that it wouldn't be surprising if they turn out much closer as far as NHL potential goes in spite of the 36 spot difference. And I make no qualms about my long-held opinion that Smith was/is vastly overrated.

You can think what you want. Not telling you that you can’t, but he has 8 points in 6 games. He has the most points of any BC player and he’s in his first season in college hockey. How is that not exploding this season?

 

[MS]

You have Smith all wrong. He skates significantly better and plays significantly better defense than Cristall.

Smith doesn't play significantly better defense than anyone.

Skating, yeah, he's better than Cristall.

 

[Pavel Buchnevich]

Smith doesn't play significantly better defense than anyone.

Skating, yeah, he's better than Cristall.

Smith’s defense is very underrated on this website. A lot of the time the NTDP players will sell out for offense in their draft year because they know offense is what gets you drafted. He’s shown his defensive ability through the years. He sold out a little for offense last season.

 

[MS]

Smith’s defense is very underrated on this website. A lot of the time the NTDP players will sell out for offense in their draft year because they know offense is what gets you drafted. He’s shown his defensive ability through the years. He sold out a little for offense last season.

The games I saw last year, he was probably the single worst defensive C I've ever seen amongst high-profile draftees. Soft as butter, blowing the zone at every opportunity and Leonard was basically doing his job defensively for him as a winger.

I'm anticipating a Kent Johnson situation (and soon to be a Zegras situation) where he's pretty quickly shifted into a Gaudreau/Kane/Panarin-type highly-skilled wing in pro.

 

[LesCanadiens]

You can think what you want. Not telling you that you can’t, but he has 8 points in 6 games. He has the most points of any BC player and he’s in his first season in college hockey. How is that not exploding this season?

Smith is 38th overall in league scoring and 1.33ppg. Cristall is 4th overall in league scoring and 2.1ppg. Although I do understand it's more complicated due to the different leagues.

For a kid that was taken 4th overall in one of the deepest drafts for high-end forwards vs the guy taken in the 2nd round....I don't know, Pavel. I guess we can slice and dice stats and personal observations to fit our views all day long. You like Smith, I don't, and never have. But neither of us have a crystal ball, so I guess time will tell. I just think they're very similar stylistically.

 

[MikeyS]

Smith is 38th overall in league scoring and 1.33ppg. Cristall is 4th overall in league scoring and 2.1ppg. Although I do understand it's more complicated due to the different leagues.

For a kid that was taken 4th overall in one of the deepest drafts for high-end forwards vs the guy taken in the 2nd round....I don't know, Pavel. I guess we can slice and dice stats and personal observations to fit our views all day long. You like Smith, I don't, and never have. But neither of us have a crystal ball, so I guess time will tell. I just think they're very similar stylistically.

No bias at all from this West Kelowna resident.

 

[LesCanadiens]

No bias at all from this West Kelowna resident.

Oh, gawd. How lame...I could care less if he plays for Kelowna or Kanata. But if that's what you think, fill your boots.

 

[BlueBull]

Is Cristall possibly the next Alex DeBrincat?

 

[Leafshater67]

Is Cristall possibly the next Alex DeBrincat?

Possibly. He’s slower though and more of a perimeter player. His skating is getting better though

 

[Bubbles]

Is Cristall possibly the next Alex DeBrincat?

Not similar players. He reminds me a lot of Mike Ribiero.

 

[WADEugottaBELAKthat]

Not similar players. He reminds me a lot of Mike Ribiero.

Love the Ribiero comparison. Cristall even comes with a dash of controversy - just like Ribs. But similar for both is the ingenuity and special puck skills. Both players can do things with the picks few others can do.

Marc Savard is another guy that comes to mind. Savers had pretty heavy boots at the start of his career - but did get better. But Cristall has what I believe to be special and elite vision.

 

[FourQuarters]

As I feared, he was being targeted every night. Today after the royals hurt him, the team allowed three goals and didn't score another one. Obviously we didn't respond with our on-ice performance.

 

[Peasy]

Only thing similar between Cristall and debrincat are their height. They play nothing alike.

 

[Bubbles]

Love the Ribiero comparison. Cristall even comes with a dash of controversy - just like Ribs. But similar for both is the ingenuity and special puck skills. Both players can do things with the picks few others can do.

Marc Savard is another guy that comes to mind. Savers had pretty heavy boots at the start of his career - but did get better. But Cristall has what I believe to be special and elite vision.

The way he skates with the puck, even the way he plays in the offensive zone reminds me of Ribiero. And you're right about that dash, it's that confidence bordering on cockiness.

 

[SenzZen]

I can picture him doing this.

 

[FourQuarters]

Last two games showed his improvement of skating.

 

[Just Linda]

So, honest question, did he not earn a team Canada tryout? Lack of size killed his shot to play internationally?

 

[WarriorofTime]

So, honest question, did he not earn a team Canada tryout? Lack of size killed his shot to play internationally?

18/19 year old politics and the same “not really a depth player” reasons he didn’t go first round.

 

[WADEugottaBELAKthat]

Ridiculous.

 

[Artorius Horus T]

29 games, 59 points, +18, 2.04 ppg

last season, 95 points in 54 games, +18, 1.80 ppg

18 years old

 

[Artorius Horus T]

without 1 x 0+0 game, he would be on a 30 game point streak.

has now 63 points this season, had a casual 4 point game

 

[FourQuarters]

without 1 x 0+0 game, he would be on a 30 game point streak.

has now 63 points this season, had a casual 4 point game

3A I think

 

[Faceboner]

Deng hawks should have went with the Bedard connection reminiscent of Ottawa with stutzle and peterka

 

[FourQuarters]

Deng hawks should have went with the Bedard connection reminiscent of Ottawa with stutzle and peterka

i don't get it, why should Cristall be in the same team with Bedard? Hawks' management said don't want player can't skate, obviously they wouldn't pick Cristall.
The Bedard&Cristall story is beautiful, but they're young, they both have new friends and teammates, if hawks picked Cristall for making Bedard happy, what would happen if Cristall doesn't suit hawks' prospect pool or doesn't figure out?