2025 World Juniors Preview – 3 Kings Prospects Set for U-20 Championships

The Kings have one more day of holiday break before returning to the ice tomorrow but three of their prospects get right back on the grind here this morning in Ottawa.

After having just one representative last season, the Kings will have three this year, as the world’s top players under the age of 20 gather for the annual midseason tournament. The 2025 World Junior Championships get underway here this afternoon in Ontario, with ten teams in total vying for three medals. The tournament runs through January 5, when the bronze and gold medal matches will be played. All games this season will be held in Ottawa, split between the Canadian Tire Centre, home of the Senators, as the TD Place, home of the OHL’s Ottawa 67’s.

The ten teams will be split into two groups, with Group A playing their games at Canadian Tire Centre and Group B at TD Place. The groups for this season are as follows –

Group A: United States, Finland, Canada, Latvia, Germany
Group B: Sweden, Czechia, Slovakia, Switzerland, Kazahkstan

A number of Kings prospects have played in the tournament in recent seasons and many have found success along the way. Defenseman Brandt Clarke was a part of the gold-medal winning Canadian squad in 2023 while forward Kenny Connors was on Team USA that season, winning bronze. Forward Samuel Helenius won silver with Finland in 2022 and going back to 2021 and 2020, a current member of the Kings scored the tournament-winning goal, with Alex Turcotte in ’21 for the United States and Akil Thomas in ’20 for Canada.

Looking to this year, three LAK prospects will be representing their countries – Carter George (Canada), Hampton Slukynsky (USA) and Jakub Dvorak (Czechia).

For organizational insight on all three prospects, hear from Kings Director of Goaltending Bill Ranford on George and Slukynsky, as well as Ontario Reign Assistant Coach Chris Hajt below. Ranford had a huge hand in drafting both George and Slukynsky and as a part of his new role with management, has a pulse on how both are developing. Hajt is responsible for working with the defensemen in the AHL and has had a hands-on approach in coaching Dvorak this season, his first at the AHL level. Some good insight on all three prospects –

Carter George
George is expected to be the starting goaltender for Team Canada entering the tournament. Based on his most notable play from the 2024-25 season to date, he might even be the team’s leading scorer as well.

George played the most of Canada’s three goaltenders in pre-tournament action and was very sharp, stopping all 11 shots he faced in 40 minutes of action during a 7-1 win over Switzerland before going the distance, making 21 saves on 23 shots in a 3-2 win over Czechia in Canada’s final pre-tournament game. George was the starting goaltender during the 2024 U-18 IIHF World Championships before the Kings selected him in the second round of the 2024 NHL Draft. George, by all accounts, is built for tournaments like this. Kings Director of Scouting Mark Yannetti said that George has “the it factor” and thrives on the biggest stage, in the biggest moments. For young, Canadian players specifically, this is that moment.

While you never know for sure, sounds like George could get the starting nod in Game 1 today against Team Finland. From there, it’s likely his net to lose across the three remaining games in pool play, before the knockout round begins next week.

George/Canada Group Play Schedule –
December 26th vs. Finland, 4:30 PM Pacific
December 27th vs. Latvia, 4:30 PM Pacific
December 29th vs. Germany, 4:30 PM Pacific
December 31st vs. United States, 5:00 PM Pacific

Photo by Dennis Pajot/Getty Images

Hampton Slukynsky
Slukynsky is the second goaltender representing the Kings organization here at the 2025 World Juniors. Equally impressive to George, the main difference is that Slukynsky is unlikely to be the Game 1 starter, due to the presence of returning goaltender Trey Augustine, who was the starter in net for the United States last season, winning a gold medal with a .936 save percentage and a 1.75 goals-against average.

Doesn’t mean he won’t feature, though. With a back-to-back set of games in group play, it could be a prime opportunity for Slukynsky to get a game and if Augustine struggles, Slukynsky will be ready. Slukynsky was the starting goaltender during last season’s World Junior-A Challenge in Truro, NS, winning a bronze medal at that tournament. He’s also been one of the top goaltenders in all of NCAA hockey this season, ranking inside the Top-5 in the country in save percentage (.941) and the Top-10 in the country in goals-against average (1.84) as a freshman at Western Michigan.

Hopefully we get to see Slukynsnky in action and, barring results, hopefully we get to see him a few times. In 50 minutes of pre-tournament action, Slukynsky allowed two goals on 21 shots faced, playing parts of wins against Slovakia and Finland.

Slukynsky/USA Group Play Schedule –
December 26th vs. Germany, 11:30 AM Pacific
December 28th vs. Latvia, 12:30 PM Pacific
December 29th vs. Finland, 11:30 AM Pacific
December 31st vs. Canada, 5:00 PM Pacific

Photo by Michael Miller/ISI Photos/Getty Images

Jakub Dvorak
Dvorak is the only skater representing the Kings at this season’s tournament and he should be one of the most experienced players at the entire event, playing a prominent role for Team Czechia.

Dvorak is in the midst of his first professional season in North America, following a season split last year between professional hockey in Czechia and the junior hockey in Canada, playing his second half in the WHL. As a result of the massive change, Dvorak did not play in last season’s tournament, when he would have been an important player for the Czechs. He’ll be exactly that this season, alongside St. Louis prospect Adam Jiricek, with both players expected to log big minutes on the blueline. Dvorak is the most experienced in the group, however, as he’ll take a step down in competition for this tournament, coming from the AHL, where he’s played 14 games this season with the Ontario Reign. For most, this tournament will be a step up, giving Dvorak what will hopefully be a chance to impose his game.

Dvorak has taken some nice strides this season playing in the AHL. He’s got a big frame and the Kings like his combination of skating, size and defensive ability. He’s never been a high point producer, but he can move pucks and contribute a bit at that end of the ice as well. A good test for Dvorak against players of his own age before he’ll return to the Reign to continue his development in the second half of the season.

Dvoraky/Czechia Group Play Schedule –
December 26th vs. Switzerland, 2:00 PM, Pacific
December 28th vs. Kazakhstan, 10:00 AM Pacific
December 29th vs. Slovakia, 2:00 PM Pacific
December 31st vs. Sweden, 2:00 PM Pacific

CZECHIA REPRESENT‼️ 🇨🇿

Defenseman Jakub Dvořák has been loaned to Team Czechia for the 2025 IIHF World Junior Championship beginning December 26! 🙌

📰 https://t.co/rMwmObCrfJ pic.twitter.com/zwihlqF6sc

— Ontario Reign (@ontarioreign) December 11, 2024

All games featuring Kings prospects will be aired live on NHL Network in the United States. A full NHL network schedule is available HERE.

Following the group stage, the top four teams in Group A and Group B will advance to the knockout rounds, which will be single elimination. All four quarterfinals matchups will take place on January 2, followed by the semifinals on January 4 and the gold/bronze medal matches on January 5. Expecting all three Kings prospects to advance at least to the quarterfinals stages, with a good chance at multiple medals in total. Will follow up with additional coverage throughout the tournament as games are played!