The 2023 NHL Draft is one that New York Rangers fans are going to remember fondly for years to come.
With the No. 23 overall pick that year, the Rangers selected forward Gabe Perreault. It was a selection that some people were skeptical of, unsure how to evaluate and project the talented winger.
Just a few years later, he made his debut in the 2025-26 regular season, and anyone who bought in on Perreault at the time deserves their flowers. He looks the part of a top-six forward, someone who can average close to a point per game.
That debut is a big reason why Perreault vaulted up the board in a re-draft of his year done by Scott Wheeler of The Athletic (subscription required). He ended up landing with New York’s rival, the Philadelphia Flyers, at pick No. 7.
With the No. 23 selection in the re-draft, the Rangers instead came away with left winger Andrew Cristall. Just like Perreault, Cristall experienced a massive jump in how early he came off the board.
Originally, he was a second-round pick, selected No. 40 overall by the Washington Capitals. Wheeler originally had him as the No. 13 player on the board, which means even in the re-draft, he hasn’t quite lived up to expectations yet.
“Cristall has always been a tough player to project because the track record and offensive smarts and skill have always been top-of-class after the big names in this age group. He continued to produce at that high level for his age in the AHL last year as well and nearly made the Capitals out of camp the year prior,” Wheeler wrote.
Playing with the Hershey Bears in the AHL during the 2025-26 campaign, Cristall played in 72 games and was productive. He recorded 60 points, scoring 20 goals and handing out 40 assists.
As Wheeler noted, he battled for a spot on the NHL roster with Washington during training camp and barely missed the cut. He could be in a similar position this year, but a few things are holding him back from earning a spot on the Capitals.
“But his size, style of play and feet have often held evaluators back from believing that NHL production would follow. I was too high on him, but there still comes a time in the re-draft when he’s one of the only names left who could point and play on a power play, and that’s somewhere in the late-first round here,” Wheeler added.
Cristall could certainly be a useful player in a specific role for a team. Only 21 years old, he still has time to develop and further round out his skills.
But there is no doubt that he is viewed as a downgrade from Perreault. The Rangers look to have gotten a true steal, landing him at No. 23 in the 2023 NHL Draft.
