Capitals prospect Cristall named WHL Player of the Month
Calgary, Alta.— Kelowna Rockets forward Andrew Cristall has been named WHL Player of the Month for November, the Western Hockey League announced Tuesday.
The Washington Capitals prospect put up 13 goals (including his first hat trick of the season) and 18 assists for 31 points and a +16 rating through 12 games, leading all skaters in goals and plus/minus while finishing second in assists.
Cristall tallied nine multipoint efforts through November, including four matches where he notched four or more points. The 5-foot-10, 183-pound right winger kicked off the month with a goal and three assists for four points in a narrow 6-5 loss to the Spokane Chiefs on November 5. His first five-point effort of the campaign came in a one-goal, four-assist night as the Rockets downed the Vancouver Giants 8-3. Cristall, an alternate captain for Kelowna, capped off November with a hat trick and two assists in a 9-1 demolition of the Regina Pats.
He’s currently riding the longest active point streak in the league with 40 points in 15 games dating back to October 19.
Since rejoining the Rockets on October 11 after an extended look at Washington’s training camp, Cristall has exploded for 18 goals and 29 assists for 47 points and a +27 rating through 18 outings.
The Burnaby, B.C. product leads the league with a 2.61 points-per-game average and sits second in points, third in assists and third in plus/minus.
Since being selected by Kelowna with the eighth overall pick in the 2020 WHL Prospects Draft, Cristall has established himself as an all-time Rockets great, scoring 127 goals and 200 assists for 327 points in 209 regular-season games. He is second in all-time franchise scoring.
The Washington Capitals selected Cristall with the 40th overall pick in the second round of the 2023 NHL Entry Draft and signed him to an entry-level contract later that summer.
Cristall registered three points in four preseason games with the Capitals ahead of the 2024-25 season and was one of the team’s final cuts before NHL final rosters were due.
He’s also slated to attend Canada’s National Junior Team selection camp starting on December 10 in hopes of representing Canada at the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship.
Kelowna (11-10-2-1) has points in seven of its last 10 games and looks to build momentum when the team visits the league-leading Everett Silvertips (21-3-2-1) on Friday, December 6 at 7:05 p.m. PST.
2024-25 WHL Player of the Month
September/October: Gavin McKenna, Medicine Hat Tigers
About the Western Hockey League
Regarded as the world’s finest development league for junior hockey players, the Western Hockey League (WHL) head office is based in Calgary, Alberta. The WHL offers a world-class player experience featuring three key cornerstones: hockey development, education, and a safe and positive environment for all participants. A diverse and inclusive organization, the WHL consists of 22 member Clubs with 16 located in Western Canada and six in the U.S. Pacific Northwest. A member of the Canadian Hockey League, the WHL has been a leading supplier of talent for the National Hockey League for close to 60 years. The WHL is also a leading provider of hockey scholarships with over 375 graduates each year receiving WHL Scholarships to pursue a post-secondary education of their choice. Each season, WHL players also form the nucleus of Canada’s National Junior Hockey Team.
-30-
