The Washington Capitals selected Andrew Cristall with the 40th overall pick in the 2023 NHL Draft.
Andrew Cristall
Position: Left wing
Height: 5-foot-9.5
Weight: 175 lbs
Shoots: Left
Age: 18
Club: Kelowna (WHL)
Nationality: 🇨🇦
NHL Central Scouting final ranking: 15th among North American skaters
2022-23 stats
| GP | G | A | |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kelowna | 54 | 39 | 56 |
| U18 Worlds | 7 | 2 | 6 |
| Hlinka Gretzky Cup | 5 | 1 | 5 |
If not for Connor Bedard, Cristall would've had the highest scoring rate by a draft-eligible WHLer in a full season since 1999. That's the caliber of offensive talent here in this prospect.
Concerns over Cristall's size - he's listed at 5-foot-10 - and subpar skating resulted in him being ranked in a wide range. The Athletic's Scott Wheeler listed Cristall as the No. 13 player overall in the draft class, Central Scouting had him as the No. 15 North American skater, and The Athletic's Corey Pronman ranked him as a third-round prospect at No. 68.
A lackluster showing in the WHL playoffs, where he scored just one goal as Kelowna was swept by the Seattle Thunderbirds, only made the concerns over his game stronger. It was again reinforced when Cristall was bumped down the lineup with Team Canada early at the U18s.
The vastly different perspectives on Cristall made him one of the more uncertain players to project heading into the 2023 draft. His size and skating concerns, in addition to his struggles at the end of the season, loom large, but the upside of his skill and scoring ability is tantalizing.
Cristall will return to the WHL's Kelowna Rockets next season, where he'll have a strong chance to feature prominently for Team Canada at the 2024 world junior.
What they're saying
"He's as fun to watch with the puck on his stick as almost anyone in this draft," The Athletic's Scott Wheeler wrote. "He's just a natural creator for himself and others who manufactures offense in a variety of ways. And while his speed in straight lines is a definite barrier, his skating is adjustable in tight space."
"Dynamic when he has time and space," wrote Sportsnet's Jason Bukala. "Pace off the puck, zone exits, and overall detail have room for significant improvement."
"The concerns come down to his frame and especially his skating," wrote The Athletic's Corey Pronman. "He will need to score a lot in the NHL to justify his various risk factors, and while I think he can get games due to his immense offensive talent, I have a hard time seeing him as a long NHL career type given his various risk factors."
Click here to watch Cristall's highlights.
