In The Pipeline - March 2025

After previously serving up videos that each dove into a trio of LA prospects – starting with goaltenders and then moving to defenseman - we return this time around with the first of a two-part series focusing on several forwards in the Kings pipeline. As always, this edition of "In The Pipeline" also features written notes to go along with the video embedded below. This helps us share all the latest info on a myriad of prospects playing in leagues across the globe.

Unlike our other articles that began with goaltenders, we’ll start out with forwards this time around and then work our way back down the ice. It’s also worth noting, any commentary about a player’s future is purely speculative based upon current information available. Things are always subject to change based upon individual performance and/or future organizational needs.

In part one of our two videos where we’ll shine a heavy spotlight on the forwards, we’re looking at Liam Greentree (OHL), Ryan Conmy (NCAA), and Koehn Ziemmer (WHL), a good cross-section of players of various ages and playing in different situations. Greentree was the club’s first-round draft pick last summer and he’s exceeded expectations for his D-1 season (i.e. draft year plus one, or simply the first year after being selected at the NHL Draft) by nearly every measure and his season isn’t even over yet. He’s already achieved new career bests in goals (43) and assists (62), plus he recently cracked the century mark in points for the first time as an OHL player. Also featured in the video is the University of New Hampshire’s leading goal scorer in Conmy, along with Ziemmer, who is playing his final season of junior hockey before turning pro at the end of his WHL season.

More on that trio below in video form!

FORWARDS

Martin Chromiak – After not being featured in one of earlier reports, Francesco Pinelli went on to crank out six goals in six games just after that article went to print. Maybe, just maybe, Chromiak decided to follow a similar pattern. We didn’t share any notes on the 22-year old Slovak in February. Then, he recently scored four goals in six games and is quietly on pace to establish new career highs in goals and assists at the AHL level. His three-year entry-level contract also comes due at the end of this season, so now is as good a time as any for a player in that situation to really heat up. Not for nothing, he also has the second most power-play goals on the Reign (5) and holds the lowest penalty minutes per game among all Ontario forwards (.15). Need another stat? Chromiak’s .46 points-per-game sits No. 1 among all Kings prospects playing in the AHL this season. Unfortunately, he was also injured last week and has missed the past few games. He is expected to return imminently so his absence from the lineup should be short.

Kenny Connors – While not a player who is ever expected to put up eye-popping stats, he’s one of those players that all teams desperately crave when they’re trying to win a championship (just go back and look at his contribution to Team USA at the World Junior Championship a few years ago). Thus, it isn’t that surprising that Connors has saved some of his best hockey of the season for when it matters most. The Minutemen are in a dog fight to qualify for the NCAA Tournament and Connors has taken his game to a new level since late January. He capped off his Valentine’s Day by setting a new school record, scoring in six straight games, with the latest coming against No. 1 ranked Boston College no less.

After recently reaching the 100 collegiate games played milestone, Connors has been coming up clutch at the most crucial time of the year. He had points in three of his team’s final four games of the regular season, including game-winning goals against UMass-Lowell and Maine. In total, he recorded four game-winning goals in his last eight contests. All of this came while UMass is trying to keep their playoff hopes alive. We’ll be keeping a close eye on the Pennsylvania native over the next few weeks as he and his teammates first turn their attention to the Hockey East Conference Tournament, beginning Wednesday. Even though UMass has their sights set on further postseason action, things could quickly pivot for Connors immediately following the eventual end to his 2024-25 campaign. Depending how things turn out, it’s not inconceivable to see a scenario where the 6-foot-1 forward turns pro soon thereafter and joins the Ontario Reign just in time for their playoff run. First things first, though. We’ll wait for it all to play out.

Aatu Jamsen – Only a brief update this time around, as Jamsen has only suited up for 10 games since mid-December. He’s been in and out of the lineup for a variety of reasons, yet there’s been nothing to really worry about. When he draws into coach Marco Sturm’s lineup, he can be creative with the puck. However, he’s still in the process of making that difficult transition of coming to North America and adjusting to a new way of life both on and off the ice. His best offensive game of late came at San Jose in mid-February, where the AHL rookie posted his first multi-goal game this season.

James Reeder and Jared Wright – Both of these guys play at the Denver University, which is currently ranked No. 6 in the country and are the defending national champions. Reeder, a freshman, has already worked his way up to the second line, leading all first-year Pioneers in goals as he sits fourth among the entire team in power-play goals. He ended the season as one of the NCAA’s best freshman, with a plus-15 rating and managed to go the whole year without taking a penalty. By contrast, Wright is a junior and could potentially earn a pro contract once his season is over. We’ll feature the Denver Duo in part two of our video series coming up in a few weeks, just prior to college hockey’s 16-team playoff format getting underway.

DEFENSEMEN

Angus Booth – Unfortunately, this is the first of two Reign-related injuries included in our report. Booth has been out since mid-February and it’s been a noticeable absence from Sturm’s blueline group, as evidenced by the team’s 1-3 record without him. Despite being a first-year pro, the QMJHL product has been one of the most trusted rear guards in Ontario. For more on the 20-year-old defenseman who has been moving up the Kings prospect rankings, be sure to check out last month’s “In The Pipeline” episode HERE.

Jakob Dvorak - One man’s tragedy can often lead to another’s opportunity and that’s pretty much the case with Dvorak. Still a first-year player on Ontario’s blueline, the Czechia native continues to grow into his 6-foot-4 frame and hone the skills that made him LA’s top draft selection in 2023. A rare 19-year-old in the AHL, Dvorak has seen increased playing time of late, somewhat tied to the absence of Booth. Although they don’t play the same style of game, it created an opening for more minutes among all defensemen. And the results are starting to come together, something even Reign assistant coach Chris Hajt has been impressed with in 2025.

Kirill Kirsanov and Otto Salin – There isn’t much of an update on either player from last month, other than both are nearing the ends of their respective seasons in Russia and Finland. For those unfamiliar, hockey typically starts and ends about a month earlier than in North America (which also helps explain why so many non-NHL players are available for the World Championships at the same time as the Stanley Cup Playoffs are going on). At this time, neither player is signed to an entry-level contract just yet. Thus, that would be step one in the process towards their potential transition to playing in North America. With Kirsanov a left shot and Salin a righty, they really won’t be competing for the same spot in Ontario’s lineup next season should they sign and join the Reign.

Jack Sparkes – Looking further down the road quite a ways, Sparkes is about to put a bow on his freshman season at Clarkson. Standing 6-foot-8 and 243 pounds, he’ll be easy to spot when he returns to LA in early July for Development Camp. Patience is the key here, as it will likely be a slow and steady progression over the next few years for Sparks. Hope remains high he’ll continue to evolve as a player, eventually rounding into a player capable of reaching his full potential, with his frame and workability a positive for the Kings with a longer-term projection.

Jared Woolley – If you watched last month’s “In The Pipeline” video, it was likely crystal clear what’s going on with Woolley - it’s becoming more and more difficult to find new ways to praise him. After being a late-round selection by Los Angeles last June, the 19-year-old defenseman continues to earn a bigger role with OHL-London. With a short-handed goal in early February, he helped the Knights secure their 40th win of the season and they’ve since gone on to become the league’s first (and only) team to eclipse the 100-point mark. He’s third among all defensemen in goals on a loaded London team and isn’t playing on the first pair. As good of a season as he’s having, Woolley is likely just beginning to scratch the surface of what’s to come when he returns to the OHL next year. He’ll be one of the key players to pay attention to at Development Camp.

Even for those who may discount the importance of a player’s plus-minus stats, there is at least a trend here that can’t be denied. Wooley was a minus player in six of his first 10 games this season and then over his last 49 games, he ended the night with a minus rating just twice. He also was whistled for at least one penalty in 11 of his first 20 games. How about more recently? Over his last 10 games, he’s only been called for an infraction once over that stretch (a reduction of greater than 50%). He’s also had streaks of six and seven games where he was penalty free, all speaking to the defensive discipline he’s finding in his game, to go along with his dramatic increase in offense.

GOALTENDING

Carter George – Somehow, some way, George is keeping Owen Sound in the OHL playoff race. After looking outstanding for Team Canada at the World Juniors, he’s returned to his junior club and given local fans reason to believe. In our last report, we noted, “we'll check back in on him next month to see if he's found his rhythm again coming off the typical WJC hangover.” Needless to say, he’s getting more than a passing grade in 2025. George recently won four of five starts and has looked like that big-game goalie who has shown up at several international tournaments the past few years. Holding the OHL’s fifth-best save percentage this season (.906), here’s where things get a little wonky -- he’s faced the second-most shots of any goalie (1,517) despite only playing only the ninth most minutes (2,465). That’s a lot of rubber.

Erik Portillo – He’s the other injured Reign player and it likely couldn’t have come at a worse time (truth be told, there really is never a good time to get injured, but you get the point). After winning four of six starts beginning in late January, the 24-year-old netminder was then banged up during a start in Calgary and hasn’t returned to the lineup, thus there is no timetable for his return at the time this article is publishing. With the possibility of becoming a full-time NHL player next season, this was to be a big test for Portillo, as Sturm and Co. were looking to once again lean on him heavily heading into the Calder Cup Playoffs. During one of our previous "In the Pipeline" articles (linked HERE), we did a deep dive on all three goalies mentioned here – with quite a few important nuggets on Portillo.

Hampton Slukynsky – What a year it’s already been for the 19-year-old netminder. After earning a gold medal with Team USA at the World Juniors, Slukynsky recently backstopped his college team to their first-ever Penrose Cup (awarded to the NCHC’s top regular season team). Ranked in the top three for most of the season, Western Michigan will soon turn attention to their conference tournament and then the NCAA Tournament. Last month, Slukynsky made his first Friday start of the season (usually reserved for a team’s No. 1 goalie). He’s essentially worked his way into the being the starter – as a freshman on one of the top teams in the country. Word is, the coaching staff will now rely on him to be the go to guy from here on out. Putting his bow on his regular season, Slukynsky finished the campaign with a .920 save percentage and had a goals against average of under 2.00 for nearly the whole year. Earlier this week, he was named to the NCHC’s All-Rookie Team. None of this really comes as a surprise; it follows being named Minnesota’s top High School player in 2023 and the USHL’s Goaltender of the Year in 2024.