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| Brock Cripps jets up the Ice for the Raiders last Friday. |
The 16-year-old rookie defenceman with the Prince Albert Raiders has dived head first into the deep end and is swimming at a fairly good pace. In the 2024 WHL Prospects Draft, Cripps was selected by the Raiders second overall in the first round.
The Victoria, B.C., product came to “Hockey Town North” with the potential to be a WHL standout or star. The Raiders were pegged to have a sturdy blue-line crew for the current campaign that could also move the puck and spark offence.
On paper, it appeared Cripps, who stands 5-foot-10 and weighs 160 pounds, was going to be in a spot to have a great learning season that would allow him to take off in later campaigns. Cripps is showing he is a quick learner and is already taking off. In the 16 appearances he has made with the Raiders so far this season, Cripps has recorded two goals, seven assists and a plus-12 rating in the plus-minus department.
He also played under Raiders head coach Ryan McDonald for Canada Red at the U17 World Challenge that ran Nov. 2 to 8 in Truno, Nova Scotia. Canada Red posted a 4-0-1 record at that event and claimed a 6-3 victory over Canada White in the Gold Medal game. The Canada White roster contained Raiders 16-year-old right-winger Ben Harvey.
This column of mine appeared in the Prince Albert Daily Herald. To read the full article, feel free to click right here.
