Andrew Cristall gets a taste of pro hockey
Rockets Press Release:
The Washington Capitals announced today that they have re-assigned forward Andrew Cristall from the Kelowna Rockets to their American Hockey League affiliate, the Hershey Bears.
Cristall recorded 111 points (40g, 71a) in 62 games with Kelowna this season. The 5’10”, 175-pound forward ranked fifth in the WHL in points during the regular season and was named to the WHL B.C. Division Second All-Star Team. In addition, Cristall ranked tied for first on Kelowna with 15 points (4g, 11a) in 11 WHL playoff games.
Regan’s Take: This is the next step for a Capitals prospect whom they highly covet. Any pro experience this late in the season or next year at training camp is invaluable. That said, you can bet Cristall will be back for another season with the Kelowna Rockets in 2024-2025. Any suggestion that he will jump to the NHL as a 19-year-old just isn’t accurate. More development is needed in his game to play pro against men, not junior-aged players. The hope is he can challenge for a spot on Canada’s entry at the World Junior Hockey Championships. In a worst case scenario, the dynamic player will get an invite to camp.
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