Kings practice ahead of Rookie Faceoff

EL SEGUNDO -- The Los Angeles Kings held a practice in preparation for the 2026 Rookie Faceoff today at Toyota Sports Performance Center.

The Rookie Faceoff is an annual event held every year before the start of the season for some of the top prospects on certain teams, and one of many such events held throughout the NHL. This year's Rookie Faceoff takes place from Sep. 12-15 in San Jose, and will feature the Kings, Anaheim Ducks, San Jose Sharks, Vegas Golden Knights, Colorado Avalanche and Utah Mammoth. Although many of the players involved will not play in the NHL this season, these events still unofficially kick off the 2026-27 campaign.

"There's definitely a feeling of, 'We're really representing the organization out of the gates to start the year,'" said Ontario Reign head coach Andrew Lord, who will lead the Rookie Faceoff team. "Yes, it's a rookie tournament … but we're representing the team."

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The Kings' roster is highlighted by a handful of players, including 2025 first-round pick Henry Brzustewicz, 2025 second-round pick Vojtech Cihar, and top goalie prospects Carter George and Hampton Slukynsky. While playing together as a team, each individual player is also looking to stand out and prove themselves to the front office and the coaching staff.

"You can't worry too much about that," Slukynsky said. "Just focus on yourself and doing what you can do and controlling what you can control. Obviously, we're all competing with each other, but it's good that we push each other and we support each other and help each other get better, but everybody wants to play and compete. So it's been good and it's fun to compete with all these guys."

Of the 26 players on the Kings' roster, Slukynsky is one of 12 and the only one of the three goalies with experience playing for the Reign.

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"It was huge," he said. "Coming out here last spring and getting to know everyone on the staff and getting familiar with the area. And obviously playing really high-level hockey was huge coming into this year, and I'll lean on that experience going into this season."

"It's gonna be a friendly competition all year," George said of his work with his fellow goalie. "Looking forward to it, excited about it … you're always looking over your shoulder, trying to do one more rep than him or just be that slight edge better than him. So I definitely think it's good for both of us just to push each other."

The next step for the Kings is to get into game action, beginning tomorrow at 5 p.m. against the Sharks.

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"It's been a full summer of training, three or four months," Slukynsky said. "This is why you train. This is why you work so hard all summer, so just getting going and playing some live hockey will be fun."

In addition to the Kings' game against San Jose, they will also play on Sunday against the Ducks and Tuesday against the Mammoth.