After a great season with a tough playoff exit, the Ontario Reign are hopeful this is the team that breaks through and makes a run at the Calder Cup.
Last season was a fun, special, and even magical one for the Ontario Reign, as they secured the best record in the Pacific Division. It’s why their early playoff exit felt like the rug was pulled out from underneath them. The Reign were expected to make a deep playoff run. They didn’t win a playoff series as the Coachella Valley Firebirds upset them in a hard-fought five-game series.
The team is different but it’s that defeat that leaves a bitter taste in their mouth. With a core and coaching staff back, the Reign are eager and hopeful that this is the season they can break through, and there’s plenty of reason to believe they can do so.
Stats from 2025-26:
Record: 47-20-3-2 (1st in the Pacific Division, 2nd in the Western Conference & 4th in the AHL)
Offense: 3.29 goals per game (tied for 8th in the AHL)
Defense: 2.59 goals per game (tied for 4th in the AHL)
The Burning Question: How Will The Reign Handle Their Goaltending?
The Los Angeles Kings have three prospect goaltenders in their farm system who are slated to start the season in the AHL. Usually, that’s a good thing but for the Reign, they must figure out what to do with three great options and who they’ll either bench or leave off the roster altogether.
Erik Portillo was the primary starter for the Reign last season, boasting a .907 save percentage (SV%) and a 2.45 goals-against average (GAA). He’ll be 26 when next season starts and either the number one in Ontario or pushing for an NHL spot (the Kings duo is on the older side and susceptible to injury).
Then there’s Carter George, a standout in the Ontario Hockey League in recent seasons who is expected to join the Reign this season. George is 20 years old and the next goaltender on the way, looking to make a splash from day one.
Hampton Slukynsky is the wild card of the group. He came up through the USA development program and made his mark in college in recent years but he is the technical goaltender who can be the best of the three.
Right now, this is a good problem for the Kings to have. In the long run, they must address this. They don’t want to end up in the same spot as the Detroit Red Wings and Grand Rapids Griffins were this season, where they had three goaltenders at the AHL level and had to move one because of it. The Kings might get ahead on this and trade one or make a move to help the NHL team out.
Why The Reign Are Optimistic
The Reign enter this season with fewer questions than they did a season ago. They have the same head coach behind the bench, with Andrew Lord ruling over the team. Plus, the roster has a similar core, while the players they added will only make them better.
All the signs point to another successful season where the Reign can win the division or at least be one of the best teams. It starts with goaltending but the same blueprint that won them the division last season is in place.
The Reign also had a strong offseason where they brought in elite veteran talent. Scott Perunovich and Erik Gustafsson will maintain stability on the backend while Lane Pederson is a top-six center who will be a constant scoring threat.
What puts this team over the top are the borderline NHLers who might start the season with the Reign and work their way towards the Kings lineup. Andre Lee is a power forward who is developing into a complete player, while Nikita Alexandrov, whom they acquired last season, looks ready to take that next step as well.
Prospects To Watch
As mentioned above, the trio of goaltenders are the prospects to watch. Portillo is on the older side for a prospect but the Reign know what they are getting from him, while George and Slukynsky are the wild cards of the group.
It will also be interesting to see how Henry Brzustewicz looks in a Reign uniform. The 2025 first-round pick signed his entry-level contract late last season, and the defenseman looks like a game-changing talent for the team.
Speaking of defensemen, Jakub Dvořák adjusted to the AHL last season and is now ready to be a key part of the blue line. The 21-year-old Czech is a bigger defenseman who can turn into that shutdown option for the Kings down the road.
The forward to watch is Kenny Connors, who burst on the scene as a rookie for the Reign last season, scoring 41 points in 63 games. Connors has all of the skills to make the Kings out of camp but if he doesn’t, he’ll be a driving force for the Reign’s top six.
