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Crutchfield Still Progressing
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Chuck Crutchfield heads off the ice during a Texas Renegades off-season practice.

Crutchfield Still Progressing

Dallas, TX - With the end of the SHL Playoffs looming, and another season approaching, it is soon coming time for the Texas Renegades to analyze their roster and after the expansion draft, see where they stand in terms of picks and prospects making the team. Chuck Crutchfield, son of Hall of Pretty Good defenceman Chris Crutchfield, is one of those prospects.

"Obviously it's good to get on the ice, getting bumped out of the SMJHL playoffs so early this year was definitely disappointing, but what can you do?" Chuck Crutchfield was saying in a post-practice scrum, "I'm open to playing anywhere in the SMJHL next season, whether that be Montreal or somewhere else, I'm open to experiencing any locker room in that league. I feel like I'm getting closer and to a point where I'm going to be ready to play in the SHL and be able to contribute at the professional level, but I don't feel like I'm there yet."

Crutchfield has been quietly turning into a solid prospect for the Texas Renegades. His development is a little slower than his father, but his game is a lot different too.

"People compare me to my dad all the time, right?" Crutchfield says in another post-practice blurb/ "Obviously it's in our blood to play hockey, and everyone knew him as this hard-hitting well rounded defenceman. I like to think that we're similar in that vein, but when it comes to how we see the game, it's a lot different."

If anybody would know that, it would be the man himself, Texas Renegades Co-GM Chris Crutchfield.

"Obviously I still think that I'm a better player than Chuck," Chris Crutchfield laughs in an interview, "he's still got a long way to go before he is on the same level as me, but I think he has the skills to be able to do it. Obviously he is taking a bit longer to hone his skills in with playing in the SMJHL for an extended amount of time, but there is also nothing wrong with that."

This will be Chuck's 4th season down in the SMJHL, currently with the Montreal Militia who utilized him as their number one defenceman throughout the season.

"Obviously it's nice to be able to walk into a team and be a #1 defenceman right off the bat, they were desperately looking for a guy on the back end to shoot and put the puck in the net and I like to think that I'm that guy. We came up a little short in the playoffs but that's the way the cookie crumbles. CAn't let it get a guy down, and all we're going to do is bounce back next season if I'm still with the Militia and push for another cup. If I'm somewhere else, then so be it as well."

Crutchfield's name has recently come up in trade rumors in the SMJHL once more, since his mutual departure from the Detroit Falcons last season.

"It doesn't bother me, hearing my name bouncing around as a guy that might be leaving. I know that I have a skill set that a lot of teams covet, and I'm willing to play anywhere that a team is willing to give me ice time to do what I am here to do. Put the puck in the back of the net and run a power play. I think that's the most effective way to play the game." Chuck laughs, "Obviously, I don't think I'm ready to do that at the SHL level yet. The competition jump is supreme and I don't think that there is a way for me to efficiently make that jump quite yet. But when I'm ready to play in the SHL, I feel like I will be a solid player to help compliment this Renegades line up.

Chuck's game is not similar at all to any defenceman in his pedigree or through his player agent. Chris Crutchfield was a well rounded, physical defenceman. Connor Blackwell was a physical center who burned out far before his prime. And now, Chuck Crutchfield is an offensive dynamo from the back end, with a lethal shot, but also the vision to effectively quarter back a power play - a skill that has been seemingly lost in the SMJHL nowadays.

"It seems like everybody thinks that they have a vision to run a power play in the SMJHL. There's a lot of good players in the SMJHL, don't get me wrong, but I feel like I'm one of the best power play defencemen in the league."

Crutchfield might be. With a strong legacy to follow, it's really up for him to make his own mark in the SMJHL and the SHL.

"Obviously doing drills with the Renegades players and alumni who still come out to these skates, you really see how far off you are from making the team. There's still big gaps between where I am now and where I want to be when I come into the SHL, so talking to management it was unanimous that the best decision is for me to continue my career in the SMJHL at this point. As much as I'd like to come up and play in the SHL, at this time it just doesn't seem like that is the best option for me as a player, and I don't want to be a detriment to the team when I'm playing in Texas either."

Crutchfield notes that he doesn't want to just make the SHL based on his heritage, but he wants to make it based on the high level of his play. The Renegades currently have a stacked top 4 on defence, through The Dude leading the charge to Harvey Danger in the 4th spot, the Renegades are completely set on the back end. That's a hard top 4 to crack.

"I have no qualms with coming in and playing on the third pairing for Texas - I love being a Renegade and will continue to love being a Renegade for as long as they will have me on the squad for." Crutchfield laughs, "I haven't played a game up yet but I'm guessing that chance will be coming for me after this season. I think that even with the Expansion Draft happening shortly and one of the teams being in our division, we still stand a solid chance of coming out of the West and pushing for that Challenge Cup."

The Renegades are an extremely tough team - they lost to the eventual Challenge Cup Champions, the Edmonton Blizzard this season in 7 games, pushing them to the very brink.

"Obviously it was a great series to watch, just good hockey all around. It's always great to see two teams loaded with superstars go head-to-head. The fans love it, and it's good for the league in my opinion. Going back and watching it, I think that the Renegades stand a solid chance to go through the same style of season through their young players developing extremely strongly and the SHL game changing as a whole."

The Texas Renegades look to better their quest for the Challenge Cup this season. Come down to the Renegades practice facility in Dallas, TX tomorrow for autographs following practice at 12 pm central time!!

Renegades


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#2

If he's anything like his dad he's gonna be a bussst.



Jusy kidding, nice to see these type of articles from you again. Look forward to the SMJHL next season and following your career.

Cheers

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#3

02-11-2019, 03:17 AMvbottas17 Wrote: If he's anything like his dad he's gonna be a bussst.



Jusy kidding, nice to see these type of articles from you again. Look forward to the SMJHL next season and following your career.

Cheers

thanks bud

i'm broke as f u c k so keep peeled for more

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#4

Ol Chucky ticking away

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#5

Gonna be a big part of the USA wjc squad!

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UsaScarecrowsBlizzardSpecters | [Image: specterspp.png][Image: spectersupdate.png] | TimberArmadaSpectersFinland

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#6

that man gonn yeet
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