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ARLINGTON, Va. — Andrew Cristall couldn’t be blamed if he felt a sense of deja vu after his most recent Western Hockey League season ended.

The Washington Capitals forward prospect had an impressive season in 2022-23, scoring 39 goals and making 54 assists, totalling 95 points in 54 games or 1.76 points per game. He then returned to Kelowna in the following season and performed even better, scoring 40 goals and 71 assists, a total of 111 points in 62 games, an average of 1.79 points per game. His performance put him in fifth place in WHL scoring.

“Andrew had an outstanding year, in my opinion,” said Ross Mahoney, the assistant general manager of the Capitals. “He consistently scored a lot of points. He also seemed to improve areas of his game, like his performance without the puck.”

The 19-year-old who was selected by Washington in the second round (No. 40) of the 2023 NHL Draft, accumulated 15 points, consisting of four goals and 11 assists, in 11 WHL playoff games.

“Cristall expressed during the Capitals development camp in July, “A hard-working summer indeed, getting ready for the year’s start definitely benefited me. My confidence also greatly contributed. I believe these factors played a significant role in me having a successful year.”

After the WHL season concluded, Cristall became a “black ace” with the Hershey team in the American Hockey League during their playoff run, which ended with them securing their second consecutive Calder Cup championship.

“Cristall expressed his admiration for the team, acknowledging them as an exceptional playoff hockey team, a level all players aspire to reach. He went on to share the valuable lessons he learned about their self-care practices, teamwork, and the mutual support each player offers to their teammates,” the statement said.

Cristall, in addition to participating in his second development camp, has collaborated with Barb Aidelbaum, a power skating coach based in Vancouver. Now that development camp is over, Cristall’s summer plans involve on-ice training and bulking up his 5-foot-10, 172-pound physique.

“Mahoney expressed satisfaction with Andrew’s progress over the year, stating, “I believe Andrew has grown as much as possible this year. It will be beneficial for him to spend a productive summer in the weight room to enhance his strength. When training camp rolls around, we’ll evaluate his progress, but I’m genuinely pleased with his performance so far.”

Cristall, who won’t be 20 until February, is considered too young to begin the season in Hershey. He might make it to the Capitals roster straight from training camp, but it’s more probable that he’ll be sent back to Kelowna to refine his game.

“Cristall outlined his objectives for this season, emphasizing the importance of strength, corner battles, and puck battles. He explained that a major focus of his summer training is improving his stick technique, particularly in positioning it strategically to gain an advantage over larger, stronger players and triumph in puck battles,” he said.