Thunder Bay's Crysler heads west to conclude junior hockey career

He started as a Fighting Walleye, then became a Miner and will finish his junior hockey career as a member of the Steelers.
 
Colton Crysler, who calls Thunder Bay home, was traded on June 2 to the Manitoba Junior Hockey League club in exchange for future considerations.
 
Crysler gave credit to the Red Lake Miners for keeping him informed through the trade process and for respecting his request to play elsewhere.
 
“I was off skates for month after the season [finished], and took that time to really figure out what I wanted to do [for my last year of junior hockey]. When I made up my mind, I reached out to the new Red Lake Head Coach [Lee Stone], as well as [General Manager Chris Pimblott]. I told them my plan, and they were understanding about [my wishes]. Even though they wanted me to come back, they were willing to work with me [on a trade], which was great. Not a lot of people maybe wouldn’t react that way, so it meant a lot to me.”
 
Crysler did consider staying in the Superior International Junior Hockey League (SIJHL), adding, “There were some opportunities to stay in Thunder Bay with the North Stars. [However] I was super interested in Selkirk. Their Head Coach [Hudson Friesen] reached out to me, which was great. I also heard from the team captain, which means a lot. I also had some interest from the Waywayseecappo Wolverines but I [ultimately] thought that [playing for the Steelers] was going to be the best fit for me.”
 
Crysler was born in Victoria, BC and moved with his mother to Thunder Bay when he was 2 years old.
 
He spent over two years with the Thunder Bay Kings program. Crysler’s former coach Dan Bissonnette feels the Steelers organization is fortunate to secure Colton for this season.
 
“[Colton] will bring a tremendous work ethic, that will transpire throughout the dressing room,” Bissonnette added. “Colton is an exceptional teammate and the City of Selkirk will feel his exceptional character that will make an impact both on and off the ice. I look forward to following Colton’s successes in a historic Junior A hockey community in Selkirk.”
 
Crysler, who will turn twenty-one on December 30th, registered 12 goals and 21 points in 40 games with the Kam River Fighting Walleye during the 2021-2022 season. He added a goal in five post-season games as he and his Walleye teammates fell to the Miners in the Bill Salonen Cup Final.
 
Crysler had no idea that he would be joining the defending league champions just months later.
 
“We just finished playing our preseason games, and I thought I was going to play [with Kam River] for this year. [The Walleye] brought me in and said we are going to move to Red Lake,’’ Crysler reflected. “At first it was a shock, it was something that I wasn’t used to because I’ve never played away from home before. The interview was in the morning, and I left that night to go to Red Lake. I ended up staying in Dryden overnight before making it to Red Lake the following day. It was tough transition, but I had to be mature about that situation, and be confident that everything was going to be okay and work out for the best.”
 
Crysler went onto say about the shock and sting of being traded, “It wasn’t easy. It took me weeks [to wrap my head around it], and I still think about it to this to this day. It definitely was a tough situation, but I tried to make the best [of the situation]. It took me a while to say okay, I’m here to play hockey, I have to get the job done and work with these guys and we have to move forward.”
 
Crysler enjoyed his time in Red Lake, adding that the community and his billet family was very welcoming.
 
He would make his return to Norwest Arena on October 13th, 2022 wearing the Miners colours in a 3-0 Fighting Walleye win. 
 
“It was weird [entering Norwest Arena as a visitor], I was in the opposite dressing room, it was crazy,” Crysler mentioned. “I had a lot of fans from home [in the crowd], including my parents and grandparents. [They were] super supportive. It was different but it was fun.”
 
Crysler played in 46 regular season games with the Miners this past season, compiling 20 goals and 45 points. He took over the captaincy from forward Carter Albrecht, who finished the campaign closer to his hometown of St. Albert, Alberta.
 
Crysler credits his parents for being supportive of him spending the whole season away from home to finish playing junior hockey.
 
“They want the best for me, and they know that I can [achieve anything I want] as long as I work hard for it,” said Crysler. “I was away last year obviously, so they know what it’s like. Now that we have all summer to prepare, I know exactly when I need to be Selkirk for the season, so it shouldn’t be as hard.”
 
Crysler wants to pursue hockey for as long as he can, but hinted at being interested in physiotherapy, being a personal trainer or even a stint behind a hockey bench.
 
The Selkirk Steelers will open up their camp on Aug. 29.