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

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I agree, it is kind of ridiculous, maybe it will light a fire under his butt for the rest of the season, oh wait, he has had red hot fire going all season already. Not much more the kid could have done. Feel a bit sorry for him and not only him but it happens every year and seems even more so this year.
 
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oldwpgjet said:
I agree, it is kind of ridiculous, maybe it will light a fire under his butt for the rest of the season, oh wait, he has had red hot fire going all season already. Not much more the kid could have done. Feel a bit sorry for him and not only him but it happens every year and seems even more so this year.
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Agree. Cristall obviously never had a chance. I find it weird given his (a) NHL preseason experience (b) legendary numbers. He wasn’t HC’s type and, really, never has been. They don’t like his fancypants style. They’d rather have other guys to hold the offensive load.

Canada has so many players that it’s hard to make room for everyone. But there is literally nothing else Cristall could have done.
 
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oldwpgjet said:
I agree, it is kind of ridiculous, maybe it will light a fire under his butt for the rest of the season, oh wait, he has had red hot fire going all season already. Not much more the kid could have done. Feel a bit sorry for him and not only him but it happens every year and seems even more so this year.
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I mean, his butt will spontaneously combust if this happens.

I keep thinking how much fun a Cristall - Heidt - Sennecke line(with Parekh behind them)would've been, but the no fun gang who runs TC insisted on grinders.
 
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I know junior stats aren’t the end all be all but he still has 2.364 ppg in the WHL and it is a junior tournament at the end of the day. He’s like a walking goal created against like six or seven of the other teams playing.
 
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PavelBure10 said:
Cristall is a player who has potential to lead the whole tournament in scoring imo, to leave him off of the Canadian roster is just absurd.
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This is a Canadian problem when virtually every year, you could make a team of the best canadian guys not selected that would be medal contenders.

My bet is that if Canada only took skilled players and they faltered the knives would be out on why they didn't do a better job CONSTRUCTING the team right?

Team Canada will have zero problem generating offense so it's not the glaring omission everyone is making it out to be.
 
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wetcoast said:
This is a Canadian problem when virtually every year, you could make a team of the best canadian guys not selected that would be medal contenders.

My bet is that if Canada only took skilled players and they faltered the knives would be out on why they didn't do a better job CONSTRUCTING the team right?

Team Canada will have zero problem generating offense so it's not the glaring omission everyone is making it out to be.
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That's what we said last year lol, turns out generating offense was a bit of an issue
 
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Went to his game today vs Giants and holy moly he had a brutal game. Almost looked as if he was playing on a broken leg. He glided with his feet super close together while hunched over and literally barely ever took a stride when he didn’t have the puck. It was legitimately the worst game I have ever seen a star player play in my entire lifetime of watching hockey. I don’t know if he was just sulking about not making team Canada or what. Watching this game and seeing his attitude every time he came to the bench cursing and looking like the Grinch, I see why they may have left him off Team Canada.
 
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EdJovanovski said:
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Went to his game today vs Giants and holy moly he had a brutal game. Almost looked as if he was playing on a broken leg. He glided with his feet super close together while hunched over and literally barely ever took a stride when he didn’t have the puck. It was legitimately the worst game I have ever seen a star player play in my entire lifetime of watching hockey. I don’t know if he was just sulking about not making team Canada or what. Watching this game and seeing his attitude every time he came to the bench cursing and looking like the Grinch, I see why they may have left him off Team Canada.
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The two games after the Christmas break might have been the worst of his entire junior career, but it's not exactly surprising given the off-ice factors like the upcoming trade deadline and selection camps. What stood out to me more was the shift in his role within the team. The team seemed to prioritize giving the rookies more ice time rather than relying on AC, and they didn't even pair him with the better-performing players among the remaining lineup. He's almost certain to be traded before the TDL, so I'm not sure if there's something going on between him and the team. The entire squad seems to lack motivation.
 
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Bubbles said:
What do you think of all the Kelowna trades? I don't know if they have necessarily built a better team going into next year. The picks are nice but they won't be ready for next year's Mem cup.
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I totally don't like it, not this trade, it's the whole thing about Mem-cup, and I don't think rockets will have a strong team next season. Mem-cup isn't just a tournament, it's a business, about money. Three years ago, when Rockets have a strong team, CHL didn't let them host it, and now when they're going to lose all those great players, they get it.
 
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FourQuarters said:
I totally don't like it, not this trade, it's the whole thing about Mem-cup, and I don't think rockets will have a strong team next season. Mem-cup isn't just a tournament, it's a business, about money. Three years ago, when Rockets have a strong team, CHL didn't let them host it, and now when they're going to lose all those great players, they get it.
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Disagree.

COVID cancelling Kelowna's Memorial Cup in 2019/20 was a blessing in disguise. They were a .500 team and were going to get completely embarrassed against top CHL competition if it hadn't been cancelled.

After dealing Cristall + Price they have 8 1st round picks between 2025-2027 to trade for immediate help this summer and at next year's deadline. Hopefully Stancl and Graham get dealt before the deadline for additional picks/players as well.

The Rockets will look completely different next year. Silly to say they won't have a strong team next season
 
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Just struck me that Cristall being left of TC for WJC reminds me a bit of when they left Jarvis off the team.

Not the same type of player necessarily, but at the same time there are quite a few similarities there (2-way play, IQ, undersized...).

Easy to be a critic in retrospect but it's getting harder and harder to be confident in TC's decision making for these tournaments.
 
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