With the 2024 World Junior Summer Showcase just under one week away, it feels like the start of the 2025 draft cycle.
However, there are still several drafted players at this tournament and the Los Angeles Kings have four players representing their respective nations.
The lone Team Canada representative from the Kings is goaltender Carter George.
George has plenty of pedigree on the international stage already in his young career after a 6-0-0 performance in the U18 World Championships a few months ago.
He's likely Canada's number-one goalie in his age group and this could further cement him as the starter for the upcoming U20 World Championships in the winter.
He'll have to beat out a few 2023 draft picks to claim that starter position, but given his past success with Team Canada, it's a very achievable goal for him.
It will also be a first look at George in a game since being drafted by the Kings.
There are three Kings draft picks representing the USA at this tournament; goaltender Hampton Slukynsky, Defenseman Matthew Mania and forward James Reeder.
The pick of this bunch is Slukynsky. He's coming off a fantastic season where he was the USHL's best goalie and led his team to a championship and will be heading to Western Michigan this fall.
It feels like it's all coming up Hampton right now as he fights for the starting job for Team USA ahead of the U20 Worlds.
He'll have a tough task de-throning Trey Augustine as the starter, but if he continues his USHL play in the NCAA it's a possibility.
A strong showing at this showcase would also go a long way in boosting his chances.
One thing seems consistent with Slukynsky, he rises to the challenge and stops pucks at every level and I doubt that stops at this tournament.
Mania is a fellow 2023 draft pick representing the Kings here. A puck-moving right-hand defenseman, it will be good to see Mania against some top competition at this tournament.
He had a strong draft+1 season in Sudbury last season and will start this season with the Flint Firebirds after being traded over the summer.
Mania is on the outside looking in for the U20 tournament this winter, but a strong showing in this showcase and a hot start to life in Flint could put him in the mix.
Lastly, LA's most recent pick amongst the USA players, Reeder will be an interesting watch at this tournament.
For several Kings fans, this will be the first time watching Reeder in-game. A 2024 seventh-round pick, Reeder's an undersized player who plays with plenty of grit and energy.
It will be very interesting to see how he does against the top competition in his age group.