Christie is someone that I've talked about many times this season for his play, and of course, he once again looked strong at the Silver Stick. He was so impressive at applying pressure, getting his sticks into attackers' space, and breaking up plays. Gavin was winning pucks all over the ice, and once he regained possession, he was always looking to move pucks up the ice with control. Rarely was he just dumping pucks out of his zone, but he was taking the extra second to get his head up and scan for his forwards to hit with an outlet pass. Gavin had some flashes carrying the puck end to end and nice moments in the offensive zone to spark a chance, but his impact as a disrupter and then puck-mover was my main takeaway. It just became so clear that the mobility, puck management and defensive impact made him someone who fits what I'm looking for, and as he starts to settle more into his frame and add strength, I can see how he'd be a very useful player in a few seasons.

I really liked Christie's play back at the Titans Tournament, so I was curious how he'd look over the showcase. It was a tough game for the North Stars against a strong YSE side, so he couldn't create as much as I've seen from him in the past, but there were still some strong takeaways. I mainly thought he used his footwork well to take away opponents' time and space and thwart their attempts to enter the zone. He had the mobility to mirror his attackers, get in their space, and force turnovers in the neutral zone. With the puck, Gavin had moments of leveraging his feet to dodge forecheckers and carry pucks forward, which was what I've always appreciated in his game in the past, so it was nice to see that element again, even if the volume was limited.

Christie impressed back at the Draft Day Showcase, so he entered with a star beside his name as someone I was curious about how they'd perform in league play. Just like in my initial assessment of him in June, there was just an impressive combination of mobility and confidence to play with control that caught my eye in Gavin's game. Christie's head was always up, processing what was in front of him and opting for the right play to push play forward. He had so many sequences where he combined a lateral cut and tactical puck touch to evade an oncoming forechecker to win the time and space required to move pucks up ice with control. As such, he was the North Stars leader from the back end, helping them breakout and transition easily by relying on his tools and confidence to play this strong puck management style of game, which I always appreciate. Given how he moves in his frame, I think the signs are there that Gavin is someone who is set up well for future development and will only get better and better as the season goes on, so I could easily see him being a really intriguing player come year-end.

Christie was another defender on SCTA that I noted for his transition impact. Gavin was aggressive in the neutral zone, scanning for the perfect opportunity to jump a pass and disrupt an opponent's transition attempts. He was intercepting pass after pass in the neutral zone, winning back possession all through anticipation and an eagerness to activate and disrupt play. Once he won the puck, Christie was effective at connecting on passes up ice or recognizing he had space and carrying the puck through the neutral zone to enter the offensive zone with control. There were some moments of offensive impact, such as pinching down the wall, passing to the slot, and one of his shots that got tipped into the back of the net, but his puck-moving and transition game really stood out. The North Stars have quite a few players on my radar entering the year, so I'll certainly be seeing more of Gavin and further exploring what his game offers.

Christie brought that calmness and composure I've highlighted all year, never panicking under pressure and trying to make plays under control. Whether on retrievals or carrying pucks through the neutral zone, Gavin was confident while managing the puck, dodging forecheckers, weaving in and out of checks, and finding ways to push pucks up ice. On the defensive side, he used his reach and feet well to take away the attacker's options and shut plays down. This is the type of game I've come to expect from Christie and what has landed him in the upper half of my rankings from the early stages of the year, as he's always showcased that blend of exciting tools and the confidence to use them.