Just as the Washington Capitals did not expect Ryan Leonard to be available at No. 8 in the 2023 NHL draft, they were also not expecting Andrew Cristall to be available at No. 40. Washington didn’t pass up the opportunity to draft one of the most electric playmakers in the draft.
“Obviously you want to go to a team that wants to have you and thinks you can help the organization. I couldn’t be happier,” Cristall said back at Capitals development camp.
His hockey sense and playmaking ability were off the charts, but the big risk with the 18-year-old was his skating ability. His straightaway speed and explosiveness were big weaknesses and he relied heavily on his edges and lateral movement.
Wendy giving the boys all they can handle today. 😁 #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/ysIvYPC5pj
— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) July 2, 2023
Furthermore, his 5-foot-10 frame and 174-pound build were other factors as to why he fell down the ranks.
“People sometimes can take an eye test and see if a guy is small out there and maybe write them off the list early,” Cristall said. “For me I definitely gotta go out there every day with a chip on my shoulder and prove myself right that I can be out there and compete. It’s something I’ve dealt with my whole life.”
Day 2 of #ALLCAPS rookie camp at the Naval Academy. pic.twitter.com/RnSvvxqRHd
— Capitals Prospects (@jon_m_sorensen) September 17, 2023
The Vancouver native addressed his skating flaws by training with power skating coach Barb Aidelbaum. He worked with her three to four times per week and it paid off during the first day of Caps’ rookie camp.
“I definitely feel a step faster for sure. I was always kind of strong on my edges but now my straight line [skating] is a little bit faster for sure,” Cristall said. “Hopefully I can lean on that this year.”
“He’s very shifty. Diagonally he could really cut across the ice and make it difficult for the defenseman,” assistant general manager Ross Mahoney said. “But he’s working on his overall speed, which has improved but you have to be patient too. It’s been only five or six weeks since we’ve had a development camp. But yeah, there’s definitely improvements for sure.”
Looks like Andrew Cristall has a bit more jump and fluidness in his crossovers. He said he felt faster but still work to be done. #ALLCAPS pic.twitter.com/Z3lI8oqh2p
— Jacob Cheris (@JCheris17) September 17, 2023
The Capitals rewarded the former Kelowna Rocket with a three-year, entry-level contract back on Thursday, Jul. 6. It is unlikely that he will make the main squad right out of training camp, but the left-winger wants camp to be a learning experience on how to be a professional.
“I think for me it’s just to keep getting better day by day. I don’t really have too many expectations this year,” Cristall said. “Obviously [training] camp is to learn a lot and try and be a sponge to all the veteran guys that I’m gonna be on the ice with.”
Though he feels he has improved, Cristall knows that there is still a lot of work to be done before the new season begins.
By Jacob Cheris
His shot is ridiculous, NHL-caliber for sure. Good to see he’s working hard on his skating.
Hopefully they can get him skating
Great summer and preseason to NovaCapsFans dotcom. Great Job Jon and crew.
This makes the 49th Caps preseason for me and you and a few on your staff. We’ve seen some really good Caps years and some unbelievably dreadful ones too. I just can’t take the jump-off-the-Bay-Bridge outlook on the Caps season as the several Gloom and Doomers we share comment space with. Many previous teams had that “you can smell disaster” to it going into training camp. I actually felt a lot of that going into the 22-23 season. It was the combination of Big Injury and Dialed-out Head Coach that gave that foreboding.
The 23-24 Caps aren’t the Can’t Miss bunch from say 2015 to 2018, or even the 1994-2000 clubs. But jump off the bridge for this season? I don’t see that at all. In fact I don’t see the Caps being out-classed by any other team in the NHL, and that includes CAR and NJD who are supposed to mop the floor with the Caps this season.
Can’t wait for Main Camp to start.
Prevent Defense
Great summer and preseason to NovaCapsFans dotcom. Great Job Jon and crew.
This makes the 49th Caps preseason for me and you and a few on your staff. We’ve seen some really good Caps years and some unbelievably dreadful ones too. I just can’t take the jump-off-the-Bay-Bridge outlook on the Caps season as the several Gloom and Doomers we share comment space with. Many previous teams had that “you can smell disaster” to it going into training camp. I actually felt a lot of that going into the 22-23 season. It was the combination of Big Injury and Dialed-out Head Coach that gave that foreboding.
The 23-24 Caps aren’t the Can’t Miss bunch from say 2015 to 2018, or even the 1994-2000 clubs. But jump off the bridge for this season? I don’t see that at all. In fact I don’t see the Caps being out-classed by any other team in the NHL, and that includes CAR and NJD who are supposed to mop the floor with the Caps this season.
Can’t wait for Main Camp to start.
Prevent Defense
Can NHL level skating be taught? That is the million dollar question.
It can. Not like he is starting at zero. But yeah, that is the thing he needs to work on. Would be great if we found a steal here although it will take a couple of years. I suspect he is post OV era.
Jamie Benn was a terrible skater, when he was drafted. That’s why he fell to the 5th round. 847 NHL points later: you tell me if NHL skating can be taught.
jamie benn is also 6’2″ and like 210 lbs….you can’t teach size
The question was about skating. Size has nothing to do with that question. John Scott is 6’8″ and 250 lbs, and has a grand total of 11 points, so if you’re implying that Benn got his points because of his size, then that’s ridiculous.
The point is that Benn got 847 points, because he IMPROVED his skating.
i implied no such thing…i just said that you can’t teach size, and benn had size which is a big deal. he could do things with that size that cristall cannot no matter how much better he skates.
Cristall is also 18 years old. Benn is 33. It’s a little early to say what Cristall can and can’t do. Give the kid time to learn.
I have no idea exactly what you’re saying. Both were not great skaters coming out of juniors. That’s a fact. So you’re saying that Cristall will never learn to skate, because he’s smaller? Or is it that Cristall will never have the career Benn has had, because he’s smaller? Enlighten me.
Skill can take you a long way, Poindexter. There was once a kid who was 5’10”, 170 lbs (same size as Cristall), not a great skater either. He ended up scoring 2,800 points in the NHL. I guess if you had been scouting him in 1978, you’d have said “That Gretzky kid will never be as good as Howe, because he’s smaller”.
1. stop being “that guy” and calling people names and making assumptions
2. never did I say that Cristall can’t make it and be effective
3. i simply said that size is important and he doesn’t have it so regardless of his skating, he’s behind the 8-ball
4. jumping from cristall to gretzky is just plain silly. (PS-old wayne is 6′ tall, so please please, if you’re going to make a comparison based on height, at least know the height of the player!)
5. have a nice day pal
1. Sorry you can’t handle being challenged, snowflake
2. You sure weren’t building him up. The subject was his skating, but then you start going on about size. I still don’t know exactly what your point was
3. He’s not behind the 8-ball. He’s got a ton of skill, and an NHL quality shot, right now. So you’re apparently the expert on the kid. I’ve seen quite a bit of him, watching a lot of WHL games. If he improves his skating a bit, he’ll be a great NHLer
4. I wasnt comparing Cristall to Gretzky, I was showing how ludicrous your reaction to a talented kid is. And I was referring to Gretzky when he was 18. Everyone who saw him then remarked on how small he looked. Size is more than height Poindexter, he was, and still is, very lean. He was 160 lbs when he played in the WHA
5. So long. Learn something about hockey before you come back
No. No you can not teach elite skating.