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

[FourQuarters]

I agree! It is clear that Cristall leaves something to be desired defensively. But on Hlinka his defensive game was passable. The fact that Kelowna needs him so much offensively is perhaps the reason why there is this indifference. I believe that if the team was better and he could worry less about scoring, we wouldn't criticize his defensive play and offensive waste so much (which I believe is more the result of him wanting to do too much since he is practically the only one who does something).

Quote from Kelowna head coach.
“We don’t want three guys below the face-off dots”, Mallette explained. “We want a player in that soft ice, so when you turn a puck over, you can track a puck back and give the defense the confidence to stand up and be a little more aggressive."
I think partly it's coach's design. But Cristall did need to be more consistent and effective. I have the same sense.

 

[Lavar Ball]

Three points (1+2) through two periods against Regina

 

[Nabrules]

I don’t care how much work he needs to put in the defensive zone, he’s ELITE offensively. Has to be pushing towards a top 10 pick, right?

 

[Artorius Horus T]

Scored the game tying 5-5 goal as well.

I don’t care how much work he needs to put in the defensive zone, he’s ELITE offensively. Has to be pushing towards a top 10 pick, right?

Pushing towards? isn't he a lock top 5 pick?.

 

[McMozesmadness]

He's in the 5-7 range on my list right now

Just my opinion, but there's no way you can convince me Yager is a better prospect

With 4P tonight he sits at 43P. 11 back of Bedard in the WHL scoring race. Cristall has played 4 less games

 

[FourQuarters]

I noticed coach didn't overuse him tonight, he didn't have too many long shifts or double shifts, but played a lot PP. Looks like boy wait this game for a long time, he's great buddy with bedard.

 

[Nabrules]

Scored the game tying 5-5 goal as well.



Pushing towards? isn't he a lock top 5 pick?.

You know NHL gms… the first number they’ll see is 5’10, not his elite production

 

[WeThreeKings]

He's in the 5-7 range on my list right now

Just my opinion, but there's no way you can convince me Yager is a better prospect

With 4P tonight he sits at 43P. 11 back of Bedard in the WHL scoring race. Cristall has played 4 less games

Yager is a better prospect because he has high end tools (such as his shot), skating and will to make a difference. It's a lot easier to project Yager into a top 6 role than it is for Cristall.

 

[FourQuarters]

Yager is a better prospect because he has high end tools (such as his shot), skating and will to make a difference. It's a lot easier to project Yager into a top 6 role than it is for Cristall.

I may agree the part of shot and skating, but you can't deny cristall's will to make a difference, his impact in Rockets is tremendous, Rockets have scored 80goals this season, and cristall had 43points, make sense? He's such a clutch player, when you need a goal to cut the trail, he will stand out. You can't find a game that Cristall was quiet but rockets won.

 

[WeThreeKings]

I may agree the part of shot and skating, but you can't deny cristall's will to make a difference, his impact in Rockets is tremendous, Rockets have scored 80goals this season, and cristall had 43points, make sense? He's such a clutch player, when you need a goal to cut the trail, he will stand out. You can't find a game that Cristall was quiet but rockets won.

Didn't mean to sound like I was saying Cristall doesn't have a will to make a difference, I was just talking about Yager as a whole package.. he has high end tools, including a high end shot, with really good skating and a will to make a difference everywhere on the ice.

Cristall has skills and a want to make a difference, Yager is just more easily projectable right now with a very high upside. So it makes sense Yager has been rated ahead and should continue to be rated ahead unless Cristall begins skating at a high level.

 

[Lavar Ball]

Scored the game tying 5-5 goal as well.



Pushing towards? isn't he a lock top 5 pick?.

Definitely not...

 

[JotAlan]

Didn't mean to sound like I was saying Cristall doesn't have a will to make a difference, I was just talking about Yager as a whole package.. he has high end tools, including a high end shot, with really good skating and a will to make a difference everywhere on the ice.

Cristall has skills and a want to make a difference, Yager is just more easily projectable right now with a very high upside. So it makes sense Yager has been rated ahead and should continue to be rated ahead unless Cristall begins skating at a high level.

If Cristall skates at a high level he has to be undeniably top 5. But even without skating there's no way he can rank him outside the top 10. It's not like Benson is 6'0 and he's letting Benson down right now.
I agree that Yager's tools and skating give him a very high ceiling. But from what Cristal has done so far I would put them much closer to what I have seen.
For me, at this point Cristall is a borderline top 10. I rate it at 7 now. With Benson at 5, Yager at 6.

 

[WeThreeKings]

If Cristall skates at a high level he has to be undeniably top 5. But even without skating there's no way he can rank him outside the top 10. It's not like Benson is 6'0 and he's letting Benson down right now.
I agree that Yager's tools and skating give him a very high ceiling. But from what Cristal has done so far I would put them much closer to what I have seen.
For me, at this point Cristall is a borderline top 10. I rate it at 7 now. With Benson at 5, Yager at 6.

He certainly deserves more love than guys like Stramel or Ritchie right now.

I'm not ready to buy Cristall in the top 10 but he's top 15, for sure.

 

[2014nyr]

this is my guy. saw the hlinka tournament this summer, never watched before this year but happened to stumble into a couple canada games and honestly thought he was the most talented kid i saw. he didn't get to play much though and i couldn't figure it out - the broadcasts never had much to say about him either. i didn't know anything about anyone going in so was sort of a blind test. didn't know if there was something i was missing or if he was as legit as i thought. cool seeing him climbing

 

[Simarino]

Is Matthew Savoie from last year draft a good comparable for Cristall? Is he a better prospect than Savoie was last year?

 

[JotAlan]

Is Matthew Savoie from last year draft a good comparable for Cristall? Is he a better prospect than Savoie was last year?

In my opinion, no. Completely different players. Cristall is much better offensively at this point and Savoie much better defensively.

 

[Bubbles]

I did not know that Andrew and Connor are best friends.

Top hockey prospects, best friends Bedard and Cristall set to battle it out in Kelowna - Kelowna Capital News

 

[BuiumSaveUs]

I did not know that Andrew and Connor are best friends.

Top hockey prospects, best friends Bedard and Cristall set to battle it out in Kelowna - Kelowna Capital News

Cool picture of the top prospect for the 2023 draft and Connor Bedard

 

[vildurson]

Somehow it feels like I am probably only one in this forum who is not that high on Cristall. Guy has not been that good on games I watched. I watched his game against Moose Jaw, Chiefs and Tri-City Americans.

He just feels kinda soft and guy that does not like heavy pressure / physicality. Easy to knock off from puck. He can make some decent plays but half of them seemed to end up as turnovers for opponents. He also seemed to lose out of the picture and be nowhere seen when going got tougher and not everything were going his way.

He is a guy where you bet heavily on his upside and his playmaking abilities but so far, I am not that impressed.

I know I probably picked one of his teams weaker games overall anyways but I will have more looks at his game to see his good side more.

 

[Dead Coyote]

Looked good today. 1 assist tonight so far with 10m left in the game but has been creating chances left right and center. Clearly has great offensive vision and playmaking and his IQ looks good. He actually had a pretty decent night physically and finished a bunch of his checks.

 

[Bubbles]

2g, 2A tonight. Not sure why Reid Dyck was so deep in his net (or went down) but a goal is a goal!

 

[Lavar Ball]

He was all over the ice tonight

 

[JotAlan]

2g, 2A tonight. Not sure why Reid Dyck was so deep in his net (or went down) but a goal is a goal!

Is that the bad skating they say he has?

 

[FourQuarters]

Haven't watched the replay, but love this effort, he was supposed to be the one leading this team when our best player can't play, and he did it well this season.

 

[WADEugottaBELAKthat]

He was all over the ice tonight

I just caught the first period. Had never watched him live before. He didn´t make a single mistake. He did impressive things every time he picked up the puck. I´m an instant fan.