I’m sure readers have noticed that Crew’s name has not appeared on our boards as of yet. I would have added him already except I was still hoping for future views to solidify his placement after missing quite a bit of the early part of the year, as well as we only restructured the rankings last month rather than adding new names. Crew’s game is controlled, not speedy. He’s big, strong, and his sense of pass timing for lanes opening up or when to find shot lanes is really nice. He’s extremely effective gathering points at this level due to a strong system and teammates helping him drive play through transition. I haven’t seen him powering his way into slot space or really putting players on their heels constantly. He’s just kind of a lurking threat no matter where he is since his hockey IQ is so high. Little pass or shot openings in the cycle turn into consistent scoring chances for him. He’s one of the top players who I am excited to see when all Albertans gather together.

Crew did not play a lot of the fall so I was curious about his upside when it came to this tournament. As someone who has produced consistently in years past, I wondered what his game was like. I felt his opportunities came once zone play was established in a cycle, he could step into shots as a trailer, or he was able to calculate his options when curling off the right side on the PP. He can quickly step into shots from timed passes, find players backdoor with cross ice passes on the PP, and can be evasive when extending his reach and reacting well to pressure. Due to his overall foot speed, he was more effective on the PP than he was driving play on his own at 5 on 5. He’s a curious player since he has the size, reach, puck touch, and shot release to be a difference maker. If he gets lighter on his feet and more explosive, then his goal scoring touch will only find more opportunities.