Being the nephew of former NHL player and coach Terry Crisp, hockey is in Connor Crisp‘s blood.
Before reaching the AHL, Crisp played four years in the Ontario Hockey League (OHL). He was Erie’s second-round pick in the 2010 OHL draft, and since his debut in 2010-2011, Crisp has registered 97 points (55 goals, 42 assists) and served 308 penalty minutes in 184 regular season junior games.
During his time with the Erie Otters, not only did Crisp learn what it means to be a team player, but also the the pressures faced by a netminder.
In March, 2012, during a matchup versus the Niagara IceDogs, the Otters’ starting goaltender was knocked unconscious in the first period. Despite the fact that he was dealing a shoulder injury, Crisp took one for the team and suited up to play goalie for the first time since he was five years old. Even though 13 goals slipped past him and his team lost 13-4 to the home team, Crisp managed to stop 33 shots and earned himself a standing ovation and first-star honors.
That shoulder injury cost him a selection in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft when NHL teams passed on him due to his limited action uring the season, dressing for only six games.
During his last year with the Otter’s in 2012-2013, he tallied 36 points (22 goals, 14 assists) and 139 penalty minutes in 63 games. For the 2013-2014 season, Crisp moved on to play 67 games with the OHL’s Sudbury Wolves, collecting 55 points (28 goals, 27 assists) and led his team with 120 penalty minutes
In his second year of draft eligibility, he was one of only 37 OHL players selected in the 2013 draft when the Montreal Canadiens chose him in round three, at 71st overall. At the conclusion of the Canadiens rookie camp in September of that year, Crisp showed off his skills with a hat trick, helping his Team Red beat Team White 8-1 during the annual Red vs. White scrimmage.
On April 2, 2014, Crisp made his AHL debut, playing seven games with the Hamilton Bulldogs while signed to a tryout agreement. In the process of racking up 102 penalty minutes in 39 games played the next season, he also endured a three-game suspension when he left the players bench on a legal line change for the purpose of starting an altercation versus the Texas Stars.
On April 24, 2014, the Montreal Canadiens signed Crisp to a three-year entry-level contract (2014-2015 to 2016-2017). Crisp is embracing his role of enforcer for the Canadiens’ AHL affiliate, the St. John’s IceCaps. With 25 penalty minutes already under his belt, he’ll be looking to start building on his point totals.
