Walking into the underbelly of Giant Center, Andrew Cristall awaited my arrival by two red folding chairs. Wearing a black Washington Commanders sweatshirt, the emerging Capitals forward prospect had much to talk about after a whirlwind season that saw him put on jerseys for five different teams throughout the year.
“Roller coaster,” Cristall said when I asked him to sum up his year with one word. “It was a pretty up-and-down year. It was a lot of change, adjusting, adapting. But a whole lot of fun as well.”
Sporting a new gap-toothed smile due to an errant high stick he absorbed in February, Cristall posted huge numbers and had eye-opening success throughout the year. So much so that his name became an exciting topic for members of the organization — one compared his strengths and weaknesses to Nicklas Backstrom — and fans on social media, who see the forward prospect as another steal-of-a-draft-pick by the Caps front office. Where the 2023 second-round selection starts the 2025-26 season — either with the Washington Capitals or Hershey Bears — is a wildcard.
Cristall first began turning heads at Capitals training camp in September. After showcasing an improved skating stride, the Vancouver, British Columbia native’s skill and high hockey IQ were exhibited in four preseason games, where he finished tied for the team lead in preseason points (3) and second in goals (2).
Cristall remained on the Capitals’ training camp roster until October 7, the final day of the preseason, when Opening Night rosters were due.
“[We’re considering keeping him], for sure, because of the camp he’s had,” Capitals head coach Spencer Carbery said of the forward prospect on October 2. “He’s put himself in the spot that maybe, if you were looking before camp started, probably didn’t have him slotted to potentially make the team.”
While Cristall was ultimately returned to junior without making his NHL regular-season debut, he got tantalizingly close to realizing his dream. With a positive attitude, he made the most of his final year in the WHL. Cristall was named alternate captain of the Kelowna Rockets and jumped out to a huge start, tallying four or more points in six of his first 18 games. He scored his first of two hat tricks during the regular season on November 30 in a 9-1 victory over the Regina Pats.
On December 2, Cristall put on the third different sweater of his young season when Team Canada added him to their World Junior selection camp roster.
After practicing with the team for a week, Cristall was ultimately snubbed by Team Canada brass for a second consecutive year. Cristall watched from afar as the Canadian junior team didn’t medal and was upset by Czechia in the quarterfinals of the elimination tournament.
“Yeah, disappointing,” Carbery said of the snub then. “From all of our internal reports, he’s playing great.”
“I feel for him right now, but he’s got – if I could speak to him through here – he’s got big things ahead in his career and a lot to look forward to.”
Cristall returned to Kelowna for another month, jumping into second on the Rockets’ all-time scoring list, before his next setting change. With little hope of reaching the postseason, the Rockets dealt Cristall to the Spokane Chiefs for five different draft picks — a 1st-round pick in 2025, 1st-round pick in 2027, 2nd-round pick in 2026, 3rd-round pick in 2025, and 6th-round pick in 2026 — and forward Hayden Paupanekis. Cristall notched 60 points (26g, 34a) in 28 games before the trade.
“He’s one of the best players that’s ever played for the Rockets,” Rockets president and general manager Bruce Hamilton said in a statement. He added later, “I can’t remember a player other than maybe Jamie Benn or Leon Draisaitl that controlled the game like he did.”
Cristall managed to go to another level with the Chiefs in the latter half of the season, posting 72 points (22g, 50a) in 29 games. He tied his single-game career-high in points with 7 (3g, 4a) in his second appearance with Spokane — a 12-2 victory over the Wenatchee Wild.
He had four more games of five points or more, becoming the first player in the WHL to 100 points and ending the year with 48 goals, 84 assists, and 132 points in 57 games. He led the league in points, finished second in goals and assists, and became the first WHL player in the 21st century to reach 400 points in their career.
“I think just a lot of confidence,” Cristall said on his success in the WHL. “I’ve been in the league for a little bit now, and I haven’t figured it out per se, but I feel like I knew what I had to do to be able to play well and then score goals, and whatnot.”
Cristall continued his production in the playoffs, where he had 41 points (21g, 20a) in 19 games.
During a stretch from April 16 to May 1, Cristall scored goals in eight consecutive postseason games. The left wing finished just short of lifting a WHL championship as the Chiefs fell to the Medicine Hat Tigers in five games of the WHL finals. Highlights of Cristall’s postseason included a double overtime goal that sent the Chiefs to the Western Conference finals and an overtime buzzer-beater that gave Spokane a 3-2 series lead in the second round. He had two different postseason hat tricks.
Cristall got the call to be a black ace for the Hershey Bears on May 20 for a second consecutive year. He practiced several times with the team but ultimately did not make his AHL debut as the Bears, who were looking to three-peat, were swept out of the Atlantic Division Finals in three games by the Charlotte Checkers.
Before leaving for summer, Cristall, a longtime friend of Connor Bedard, spoke to RMNB on Thursday, May 15 about his incredible year; what it was like meeting Alex Ovechkin and watching him break the NHL goals record; and how he’s going to attack the offseason. Below is the full interview.
