Washington Capitals prospect Andrew Cristall likes to play that gritty, hard-nosed style.

It'd somewhat always been a part of his game, but he ultimately came to that revelation while making the pro jump with the Capitals' AHL-affiliate Hershey bears this past season.

After all, going from juniors to the pros isn't an easy jump, and as Cristall took in the league in front of him, he was happy to make adjustments.

"It's fast, it's physical, everybody out there is a great hockey player," Cristall said at season's end. "It's so much fun to compete against great players."

The 21-year-old played in all 72 regular-season games for the Bears, putting up 20 goals and 40 assists for 60 points while emerging as one of the league's top rookies.

For Cristall, who also formed quite a bit of chemistry with fellow rookie Ilya Protas, he felt he was able to prove his worth, and that this season was a promising step forward in his journey.

"My game translates... I just proved myself of making that next jump and feeling good," Cristall said. "Junior to the AHL's a big jump, it's amateur to pro, and everybody here is trying to make a living. Obviously, I want to make that next jump as well."

In the playoffs, he put up seven points in six games, and that's when he said he really started to embrace his physicality.

"It's always been part of my game, but maybe just figuring out the league and trying to work through that," Cristall said. "In playoff time, that's when it matters most, and I was going to do whatever to try and help the team win... it just comes with the nature of the game."

This summer, Cristall's focus has been on working on his skating and adding more muscle, as he hopes to make a statement once again at training camp.

That said, he'll have to do quite a bit to stand out, with their being little vacancies up front while Ivan Miroshnichenko, Bogdan Trineyev and more prospects are also champing at the bit for their NHL chance.

That's where bringing that grit will come into play going forward.

"Being a smaller guy, I need to get to pucks quick and just (buildi) that muscle. Being able to win puck battles," Cristall said. "I felt like in the playoffs, I was more physical and playing a little bit of a rat style, and that's what I need to bring starting next year wherever I am... it'll take me a long way."