Los Angeles Kings‘ 5th year center Andrew Crescenzi(21) has been extended by the club he was traded to late in a contract season twice (on the same date 7/16).
He posted new, modest AHL career highs in scoring in 2014/2015 with 7 goals and 8 assists for 15 points with then affiliate Manchester Monarchs adding 3 more helpers in 18 playoff contests on the way to a first Calder Cup Championship.
With a new deal in hand, the big pivot must have breathed quite a sigh of relief that he was staying put, albeit moving west with new farm club Ontario Reign to play minor league hockey closer to the parent club.
He responded by taking two of his offensive categories to new bests, doubling his assists to 16 and 21 points in a most 67 games.
The 24-year old, who is set to become a restricted free agent once again at the end of the current campaign will have to continue to take it up a notch to stay on the radar but if he can break out might have a shot at his first NHL recall.
Andrew Crescenzi(21) Manchester Monarchs
Undrafted 3rd year, large but low-scoring center Andrew Crescenzi(21) was involved in a mid-season deal that sent him from Toronto Maple Leafs‘ system to Los Angeles Kings, where they like their forwards big.
Skating in only 14 AHL games with Manchester Monarchs, he found himself to be a healthy scratch on more occasions than he likely considered.
The 6’5″ 208 lbs. pivot enters his contract season and has to be thinking it’s high time to make an impression.
Although it’s a modest boost, in 31 games he’s already tied his 2 goal mark and has new career highs with 3 assists and 5 points with half the regular season remaining.
He’s also firing the puck on net with much more frequency and is asserting his size into play.
The only 22-year old was hardly a hefty scorer in three years in the OHL with Kitchener Rangers but did put up almost a point-per-game in his final campaign before turning pro.
He’ll have to connect with the score sheet with more frequency to be given a qualifying offer to stay in the system but it’s still a long climb for the big man.