Washington Capitals select Andrew Cristall No. 40 overall in 2023 NHL Draft

The boom/bust prospects are always lightning rods for debate. Andrew Cristall earned that unofficial label in the months leading up to the 2023 NHL Draft thanks to his tremendous pure skill level. So will he make the Washington Capitals look like geniuses one day? They decided they couldn’t let him fall any further and pounced in the first round Wednesday at Nashville’s Bridgestone Arena, selecting him No. 40 overall.

Cristall, 18, has been hyped by some scouts as a top-five talent in a loaded draft class if judged purely on his raw offensive ability. His hands are perceived to be elite. He’s known as an extremely creative thinker who his equally adept at scoring and setting up teammates. He made it look easy at times with WHL Kelowna this season, piling up 39 goals and 95 points in 54 games. Cristall’s numbers would’ve popped even more had a quad injury not cost him 14 games. He had the third best point-per-game mark in The Dub behind only Connor Bedard and Logan Stankoven in 2022-23.

That’s the good. There’s plenty of bad in the scouting report, too. Cristall’s skating is considered questionable, and questionable would be generous in describing his commitment to defense. He also isn’t a particularly physical player and isn’t known to provide consistent efforts night to night. You never know which version of Cristall you might be getting. He vanished in the WHL playoffs, recording a single point as the Rockets were swept by the Seattle Thunderbirds in the first round.

Still, the ceiling for Cristall is undeniable. If he can iron out his defensive deficiencies and elevate his skating, look out.

STEVEN ELLIS’ SCOUTING REPORT

“When Cristall is on his game, he’s the best player on the ice, no matter the competition. His offensive game is as dynamic as a shooter and a set-up man. He puts his teammates in spots to score and always talks with them to get them on the right page. There’s a reason he had 56 assists this year: he knows where he wants the puck, and can slow the game down to a pace that lets him take over.

“Cristall’s hands are as close to “elite” as you’ll get in this draft class, easily in the top five. He’s willing to get creative under pressure and can deke himself out of a five-man Radko Gudas roadblock. His hand movement is so quick, which is why there was no shortage of Cristall highlights weekly this year.”