Analysis: Why Hampton Slukynsky Was Loaned to the Greenville Swamp Ribbits (ECHL)

The Ontario Reign’s three-goalie rotation appears to be no more.

Yesterday morning, the LA Kings reassigned rookie goaltender Hampton Slukynsky to the ECHL’s Greenville Swamp Rabbits. For those who don’t follow the Reign, they wanted to know why when the news broke. Was it performance? Was it because the organization views Carter George as the better goalie?

The answer: neither.

How did we get here?

The logjam in net dates back to the summer, a quiet problem that didn’t get much attention. That left the door open for many ideas, and one that would trickle down to the Ontario Reign, depending on what general manager Ken Holland did in net for the Kings.

Holland elected to roll it back with Darcy Kuemper and Anton Forsberg, leaving a decision on what to do with the three remaining goalies in Ontario. Ultimately, the organization did a three-goalie rotation in Ontario with Erik Portillo (26), Carter George (20), and Slukynsky (21).

One net. Three goalies. The challenge is balancing playing time and development in a league that supports it. Given the AHL’s funky schedule, one goalie might go a week or two without starting. However, the Reign are in the midst of playing three times a week, allowing each goalie to start once a week. Still, neither goalie in this rotation gets in a rhythm, as they have to adjust from being the number one at their previous stops (NCAA and OHL) to playing once a week.

The decision

I presented five options in the summer: we could have the Reign carry three goalies, or send George or Slukynsky to Greenville, being one of them. Both scenarios have now come to life, so seeing the Kings loan Slukynsky to Greenville doesn’t come as a surprise. In fact, the idea came up months ago, before the offseason, when I spoke with someone in the organization.

George was set to turn pro after his OHL season ended last year; Portillo was already in the mix, and they planned to convince Slukynsky to sign after his collegiate season. Speaking with a source from the organization, I asked what would happen if Forsberg or Kuemper (this is the final year of their contracts) isn’t moved and the team has all three goalie prospects in the fold at once after the arrival of George and Slukynsky.

That’s when the person I spoke to said they could use the option of having one of George or Slukynsky in the AHL and the other in the ECHL, and rotate them at some point. An odd idea that is now real life.

My final thoughts

In my opinion, I was never in favor of a possible three-goalie rotation. Neither goalie finds a rhythm. Portillo needs to start and get reps, being the organization’s number-three goalie. He needs to be ready and in rhythm when called upon. George and Slukynsky, meanwhile, need games to keep developing. So, the rotation was never a viable solution for either of those two things on the checklist.

Look, a possible George-and-Slukynsky tandem on the Reign would’ve been cool. Unfortunately, there are too many goalies and one net. All three need playing time, and the three-goalie rotation wasn’t consistently providing that. Having two goalies on the Reign (Portillo and George for now) is more ideal, while Slukynsky will get his playing time with the Swamp Rabbits. I do think we’ll see him and George rotate in the ECHL down the road.

Also, remember that guy, Jonathan Quick? He played in the ECHL at one point, although he was lower on the depth chart, but he turned out to be a franchise goalie. I’m not saying that will happen here, but it’s just the only solution the organization has for their net logjam.

Featured image credit: Jon Huerta/Ontario Reign