AHL Stock Watch: Andrew Cristall and Ilya Protas are building chemistry in Hershey
After years of competing for the Atlantic Division lead, the Hershey Bears have dropped deeper in the standings. Goals aren’t going in at the same rate and the team has been more permissive defensively, too. But in some ways, the club’s play seems more promising than in years past, as they’re led not by a collection of AHL veterans, hired to manufacture success, but by a duo of bright youngsters.
Ilya Protas and Andrew Cristall are receiving the bulk of the ice time in recent weeks and making the most of their opportunities, scoring at a more than respectable level as rookies. Protas, especially, seems to be continuing to develop faster than most, following in his brother’s footsteps.
Stock Rising 📈
Ilya Protas, C, Hershey Bears (Washington Capitals)
The Protas brothers may one day be reunited in Capitals jerseys. That’s an exciting perspective. It could happen sooner than later, too, considering how well the younger brother has played for the Hershey Bears.
His physical and skating skills have continued to improve. Engaging in battles, he gets the interior position on the puck, wins it back, and keeps defenders away. Calling him a fierce battler would be overselling his current power forward abilities, but he’s using his frame and range better than he did in junior. He knows how to take opponents down and shield possession. The AHL’s harder defensive pressure has forced him to adapt.
Just like in the OHL, it’s still his hockey sense, or, more specifically, his ability to connect plays that stands out. He spots teammates across the ice, sends perfectly weighted passes to them, using some deception or his backhand, and then repositions to offer a return option. His playmaking, anticipation, and special physical gifts make him easy to play with. He keeps possession for his team and pushes the play toward a scoring chance.
In moments, Protas still has some skating and stickhandling hiccups. His physical play could still improve, too, but at the very least, he’s on an NHL path.
Andrew Cristall, LW, Hershey Bears (Washington Capitals)
Many anticipated that Andrew Cristall’s chess-like game would falter in the AHL, but with a few adaptations, he has managed to pull off many of the same plays that made him successful in the WHL.
Leading rushes, he’s drawing in pressure, manipulating defenders, and dropping the puck to teammates in space. With give-and-goes and tic-tac-toe plays, not only is he picking up points regularly, but he is doing so in more impressive ways than your typical AHL rookie. Away from the puck, he’s darting in and out of pockets of space, avoiding checking pressure, and finding shots around the slot.
Although he lacks a wall game, he’s keeping his feet moving, jumping on loose pucks, and using rapid-cycling passes to keep possession for his team before spacing out from the play to orchestrate scoring chances.
Playing at a higher pace and a more streamlined game when needed, he looks more projectable to the NHL than ever before. That being said, there are still very few players of his profile in the league. Cristall’s value comes from his offence. To produce at a similar rate at the NHL level, he would need a chance on a power play one, half-wall spot.
Honorable Mentions: Bradly Nadeau (Carolina Hurricanes), Felix Unger Sörum (Carolina Hurricanes), Conor Geekie (Tampa Bay Lightning)
Stock Steady ↔️
Carter Yakemchuk, RD, Belleville Senators (Ottawa Senators)
We debated putting Carter Yakemchuk in the stock rising category.
One one hand, his play has improved over the past few weeks. He’s looking more like WHL Yakemchuk, accumulating more highlights and scoring more. In the games we watched, he froze high defenders by faking shots, moved past them, and beat goalies from the high slot. With clever tic-tac-toe, drop, and give-and-go passing plays, he orchestrated the offence, shifting it around and creating lanes. In the defensive zone, he’s standing in the correct spots, removing options from the opposition, protecting pucks on breakouts, skating them out of pressure.
On the other hand, Yakemchuk is not defending at an NHL level. Not moving his feet enough and puck-focused, he can get manipulated by shiftier forwards. He’s a step behind some rotations and passes fly through his space, connecting with opponents behind him. His skating quirks also make it difficult to shut down rushes.
Yakemchuk’s puck management has improved. Better at picking his spots to dangle and attack, he’s keeping the play in front of him and avoiding giving up as many scoring chances. He’s on the right track, but may need more AHL seasoning before being ready for a top NHL role.
The Senators should avoid treating him like David Jiříček, a player with similar offensive strengths and mobility weaknesses. Yakemchuk can’t be called up to play a depth role that would only expose his weaknesses. To shine, he needs a spot in the lineup that enables him to show his playmaking and scoring skills.
Ivan Miroshnichenko, LW, Hershey Bears (Washington Capitals)
Ivan Miroshnichenko could play in the NHL right now, but maybe not in the scoring role envisioned for him in his draft year. His game in the AHL is based on his speed and power. He’s dumping and chasing after the puck, exploding off the wall, and catching up to opponents in the neutral zone.
Adding more layers to his physical game, becoming elite at leveraging his frame and holding defenders on his back to make plays would increase his NHL upside. Miroshnichenko will also have to improve his reads under pressure, find the right outlets, and use more deception to connect on passing plays. His shot gives him some power play upside.
Stock Falling 📉
David Edstrom, C, Milwaukee Admirals (Nashville Predators)
David Edstrom wasn’t selected for his offensive touch, but centres of his type who went on to have successful NHL careers produced more points in the AHL.
He has played mostly a supporting role for the Milwaukee Admirals, providing outlets for teammates, rotating on defence, and engaging in battles. He’s getting some opportunities on the penalty kill, but also sufficient 5-on-5 and powerplay minutes to add to his scoring and show his offensive skills.
We know he can make some clever passing plays, retrieve pucks, get them to the middle of the ice, and work the front of the net. In the next months, however, he will have to show those skills and some growth in his playmaking game to earn some NHL chances.