"Cristall added that he spent time in the gym to get bigger and "get that weight up for battles in the corners." The forward prospect's skating has been a focus ever since being picked by the Caps over two years ago. (Editor's note: So was Filip Forsberg's once upon a time.) A wizard with the puck, Cristall was arguably a first-round talent, who saw concerns about his speed and stride drop him to 40th overall."
"The Capitals' 2023 second-round draft pick spent his summer working out in British Columbia with Kaivo Hockey alongside a handful of BC-based NHL players including Connor Bedard, Kent Johnson, and former Caps forward Beck Malenstyn. There, Cristall continued to work on his skating, where, pun intended, he feels like he made great strides. "Kind of on a little bit newer program for kind of my speed and my skating, and I think it's helped a lot," Cristall said when asked if he made any changes ahead of this season. "I feel a lot faster. We're testing every two weeks with our sprints and on-ice sprints as well. And when you see numbers improving, it only helps your confidence.""
Andrew Cristall trained in British Columbia with Kaivo Hockey alongside NHL prospects, focusing on skating and speed improvements. He followed a new program emphasizing sprint testing every two weeks and on-ice work, and reported measurable gains and increased confidence. Cristall also spent time in the gym to add weight for corner battles. The Vancouver native led the WHL with 132 points last season but slipped to 40th in the draft due to skating concerns. Evaluators praised his shot, puck skills, and hockey sense while grading his skating below average, prompting ongoing technical work to elongate his stride.
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