After playing junior ice hockey, Cranston moved to Europe to play for GIJS Groningen in the 1984–85 season of the Dutch Eredivisie. He then split the 1985–86 season between VEU Feldkirch in the Austrian Hockey League and Genève-Servette HC in the Swiss Nationalliga B. During the 1986–87 season, he again played in the Nationalliga B, but this time with EHC Basel, as well as playing for EV Füssen in the German 1.Liga Süd before he finished the season playing one game for Nova Scotia Oilers in the American Hockey League. Cranston returned to Europe and the Swiss Nationalliga B for the 1987–88 season to play for SC Herisau. He again split the 1988–89 season when he played for EV Duisburg in the German 1.Liga Nord and the Fife Flyers in the Premier Division of the British Hockey League. Remaining in the United Kingdom, Cranston then joined the Cleveland Bombers in Division 1 of the BHL for the 1989–90 season. A successful season saw Cranston named to the All Star team and promotion for Cleveland to the Premier Division. Cranston again played for Cleveland during the 1990–91 season before he moved to the Durham Wasps for the 1991–92 and 1992–93 seasons. During the 1991–92 season with Durham, he helped them to win the league championship and the playoffs. Joining the Sheffield Steelers for the 1993–94 season, Cranston remained in Sheffield for the next five seasons. A successful period for both Cranston and Sheffield, he helped them to win the league championship and the playoffs in the 1994–95 season, a of the Benson & Hedges Cup, the league championship and the playoffs in the 1995–96 season, and the playoffs in the inaugural season of the Ice Hockey Superleague, 1996–97. Cranston played his final season with the Edinburgh Capitals in the British National League during the 1998–99 season.
Off ice career
With ice hockey in the United Kingdom becoming more popular in the late 1980s and the influx of player's, Cranston, with Joanne Collins, formed the Ice Hockey Player's Association in 1994. He was the founding chairman and has remained the Association's legal adviser. During his time at Sheffield, Cranston married his English girlfriend, Anna, and he attended the University of Sheffield and obtained a law degree. He also opened a sports bar, The Player's Cafe, with Sheffield rock band, Def Leppard, members Joe Elliott and Rick Savage. Returning to North America in 1999 when he retired from playing, Cranston became a sports agent and formed his own company, Cranston Sports Management, with whom he has represented or trained such players as Sidney Crosby and Marek Svatos. He has also continued to work as a lawyer in the sports and entertainment industries.
