The Sky’s the Limit for Prospect Hampton Slukynsky

Cary Eades speaks highly of LA Kings prospect Hampton Slukynsky, who is coming off a USHL season for the ages.

The goaltending pipeline for the LA Kings is once again promising. From Erik Portillo and Jacob Ingham in the AHL to Carter George in the OHL, fans of the silver-and-black have ample reason to feel excited for the future. But that future in between the pipes doesn’t end there. In fact, Kings prospect Hampton Slukynsky has turned such a significant corner in recent years that he just may be a front-runner in net.

About to begin his collegiate career at Western Michigan, Slukynsky spent last season in the USHL with the Fargo Force. His lone season in North Dakota was a magical one.

In 2023-24, Slukynsky, nicknamed “Hammer,” went an incredible 28-3-0 with a 1.86 GAA. He even went 9-3 with a 1.69 GAA in the playoffs, leading Fargo to the USHL’s Clark Cup championship. In the Final, Slukynsky and the Force defeated fellow Kings prospect Jay Reeder and the Dubuque Fighting Saints.

I recently had a chance to speak with Force GM and Director of Hockey Operations Cary Eades, who had plenty of superlative things to say about his now-former netminder.

“Well, he’s got a lot of [strengths in goal],” Eades emphasized. “Focus, competitiveness, flexibility, understanding the game. He reads the play better than most goalies I’ve seen. And he has a lot of strength mentally, which you need to be a great goaltender.

New Challenges Ahead

Slukynsky’s USHL numbers, which included a league-best 9.31 save percentage, were incredible to say the least. However, like any athlete’s ascension through the ranks, big numbers do not guarantee success moving forward. Still, there is a palpable sense of confidence when discussing Slukynsky’s career trajectory.

“Each level that you move up is a challenge,” Eades said. “I remember saying repeatedly last summer when our staff was going about having Slukynsky, I said, ‘Well, he hasn’t stopped the puck in USHL yet,’ and he ended up stopping a lot of them. He also had a better [save] percentage than anybody else in the league. So, you’ve got to prove yourself and he’s going to have that opportunity at Western Michigan this year. Maybe there’ll be some things that their staff and goalie coach works him on, but far as I’m concerned, it’s just general overall maturity and continuing to improve his overall game.

Cool as a Cucumber

There’s a belief that the calmest goaltenders are usually the best ones. That’s subjective, of course, but a legitimate belief nonetheless. In fact, one goalie of yesteryear nicknamed “Cucumber” was Hockey-Hall-of-Famer Georges Vezina – the namesake of the NHL’s top goaltender award. While in no way am I suggesting that he will become the next Mr. Vezina, Slukynsky does have some promising attributes nonetheless.

“That’s one of his strengths as a goaltender,” Eades noted. “He has a really calm presence about him, as fiery as a competitor as he is. I can’t recall him yelling at somebody, not taking coaching with a, ‘Yes, sir. Thanks, coach.’ He’s just always looking to get better. Obviously, there’s no goaltender with 1.000% save percentage, so you’re not going to be perfect. But I think that’s probably one of his strengths. Well, I know it is.”

“I think he’s very hard on himself. He doesn’t show it. But he has high expectations. He has a real, game day routine, practice day routine that he sticks to. But again, he is able to take the puck out of the back of his net when he’s scored upon and focus on the next shot. I think that’s the case for any successful goaltender.

Bound for Kalamazoo

As promising as his 2023-24 campaign was, Hampton Slukynsky’s tenure in Fargo is in the books. He now embarks on the next level – the college ranks – in Kalamazoo, MI, where he will suit up for the Western Michigan Broncos. Still, Eades was mesmerized by Slukynsky’s stellar tenure as brief as it was.

“How many are sitting in stands? How many are part-time players?” he asked rhetorically. “We try to encourage players to make an impact as freshmen, and he’ll need to do that by showing up in tremendous shape, which I’m sure he will.

Eades had more advice for his protege.

“Soaking everything in and adjusting to that level as quickly as he can because having coached one level prior at the University of North Dakota, you’re evaluating goalies day one, first shot,” Eades elaborated. “Every day is an opportunity to prove or improve yourself and you need to be ready for that. You don’t have the availability and extensive exhibition game schedule like you do in junior hockey and intrasquad scrimmages. So, I’m not really worried about that. Hampton prepares daily, Whether it’s game day or practice you do the best you can. So, biggest advice [is to] just be himself, keep doing what you’re doing, and try to make a good first impression.”