Kings sign Hampton Slukynsky to entry-level contract

One of the top netminders in college hockey is turning pro.

On Thursday, the Los Angeles Kings announced that the team has signed goaltender Hampton Slukynsky to a three-year, entry-level contract. The deal is set for next season, with Slukynsky joining the Kings’ American Hockey League affiliate, the Ontario Reign, for the remainder of the 2025-26 campaign on a professional tryout agreement.

The Kings also announced the signing of Hampton’s older brother, Grant, who led the Western Michigan Broncos in scoring this past season.

The signing comes just days after Slukynskys and the Broncos were eliminated from the NCAA Tournament, falling to NCHC rival Denver in the Loveland Regional Final on Sunday.

It was the end of a terrific season for the Warroad, Minn. native. Slukynsky was the uncontested No. 1 goaltender, starting every game for the Broncos this year, leading them to an impressive 27-11-1 record, finishing second in the NCHC during the regular season, and the program’s fifth consecutive NCAA Tournament appearance.

Slukynsky still leads the nation in wins, with his four shutouts placing him tied for seventh among backstops. He registered a 2.30 goals-against average and a .915 save percentage, and was named to the All-NCHC Second Team.

His strong sophomore campaign came after a memorable rookie season in Kalamazoo. After splitting the net with the veteran Cameron Rowe in the first half of the season, Slukynsky took over as the starter late in the regular season, helping push the team to its first regular-season championship in program history, upending Denver to win the NCHC title for the first time as well.

In the national tournament, he continued to excel. Slukynsky allowed just six goals, winning a pair of double-overtime games en route to helping Western Michigan capture the national championship, the team’s first in its long history. Slukynsky was named the tournament’s top goaltender.

Slukynsky, as well as his brother Grant, was originally committed to go play at Northern Michigan. However, after head coach Grant Potulny left the program to go coach in the AHL, the brothers decided to go elsewhere, joining Pat Ferschweiler’s crew at Western Michigan.

Across his two years at WMU, Slukynsky posted a record of 46-16-2, with a 2.14 GAA, a .918 SV% and five shutouts.

Internationally, Slukynsky has a solid trophy case. He was on the United States teams that won gold at the 2023 IIHF Under-18 Men’s World Championship and 2025 IIHF World Junior and Men’s World Championships. He also won bronze at the 2023 World Junior Challenge, later winning the United States Hockey League’s Clark Cup in 2024 with the Fargo Force.