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2025 World Junior Championship Concludes; Development Projections for Kings' Prospects

keith fries
·8 min read

The 2025 World Junior Championship concluded on Sunday evening (January 5th, 2025). Los Angeles Kings prospects Jakub Dvorak, Hampton Slukynsky, and Carter George took part in the tournament, two medaling.

For information on the Preliminary Round games and an early Performance Analysis, check out our previous article.

JAKUB DVORAK

Record: 5-2-0

Statistics: 7GP-1G-0A-1P, +4, 1 GWG

Dvorak had a decent showing throughout the event, paired frequently with St. Louis Blues prospect Adam Jiricek. Dvorak assumed the role of a stay-at-home defenseman, allowing Jiricek to jump into the play.

When in the Defensive Zone, Dvorak mainly played in front of his own net, helping eliminate shooting lanes. In theory, it made sense—his big body eating up space. However, Dvorak hardly dropped to block shots and instead used his size against him by screening his netminder. Playing that close to his net could benefit a five-man unit where his Center lacks the size necessary to battle in the slot.

Dvorak has steam on both his slap shot and wrist shot.

He'd often use his long reach to bail him out of trouble. As the tournament continued, you could see Dvorak relying less on his stick, instead positioning his body to get wide and eat up space.

His backward skating stride is sound, and while he's not blazing quick, he had no trouble getting back on defense.

DEVELOPMENT PROJECTION

Dvorak could be seasoned enough to compete in the NHL for a couple more years. The Kings Development Staff will focus on his shot, particularly its accuracy. A reliable shot from a 6’5” Defenseman planted at the blue line is always a welcomed bit of offense. Additionally, they’ll use his size to his advantage – particularly taking the body. Timely checks and blocked shots are necessary at the pro level (NHL or otherwise).

NHL DEBUT

2027-28

HAMPTON SLUKYNSKY

Record: 2-0-0

Statistics: 1.50 GAA, .933 SV%

Despite only playing in two out of seven possible matchups, Slukynsky provided the US team with solid netminding and gave his team a chance to win.

He faced a total of forty-five shots, giving up just three goals.

Slukynsky showed a great deal of athleticism throughout the tournament. He's got a wide, planted stance and hunkers down to eliminate low shots. His positioning proved effective, with only two of the three goals scored up high (the other a poke check through the pads). It's an area he'll need to refine just a bit, defaulting to that stance quite often. For example, in his game against Switzerland, a shot was taken from long range right off the faceoff draw, and before the puck ever left the player's stick, Slukynsky was in his hunkered position. He may have stopped the shot going high if he had been upright a bit more.

His puck tracking through traffic is good.

Slukynsky has quick speed bursts that allow him to drop down and/or get to his feet promptly.

DEVELOPMENT PROJECTION

Depending on how long Slukynsky attends Western Michigan University is the determining factor in his development timeline. Recent Kings history suggests he'd start his professional career in the East Coast Hockey League (ECHL) if he turned pro today. So, I presume he'd rather continue his collegiate career for another year or two. LA's Development Staff will highlight and tap into Slukynsky's natural athleticism while teaching him the appropriate times to implement it.

NHL DEBUT

2028-29

CARTER GEORGE

Record: 2-2-0

Statistics: 1.76 GAA, .936 SV%, 2 SO, 1 A

Whether you got a chance to watch the 2025 World Junior Championship or not, social media let you know just how good George was.

In the Preliminary Round of the tournament, George stood on his head with a technique that I can only describe as lackadaisical (more in the lacking zest sense of the word, not lazy). He didn't bounce around the crease; he held firm and made each save look effortless.

As the tournament went on, Canada showed a lack of discipline up front, resulting in careless penalties. George began overexerting himself when that happened, displaying athleticism we hadn't seen in the early games. His athleticism was outstanding, but it came at a time when George had to do more than his share to make up for his teammates, ultimately getting him off his game. This was noticeable in the Quarterfinals against Czechia, with George giving up three goals in the first period, where Canada spiraled out of control early.

George has very good ice vision and positioning. When he's playing his brand of hockey, he's calm, cool, and collected.

He has good lateral movement and doesn't overskate the play.

DEVELOPMENT PROJECTION

With the recent ruling that Canadian Hockey League (CHL) players can transfer to the National Collegiate Athletics Association (NCAA), it wouldn't surprise me if George ends up playing a couple of years of collegiate hockey after next season. In George, the Kings' Development Staff have a solid piece of playdough they can mold and shape to their liking. Already very poised, they'll settle him into his game and bring out his character as a locker room leader.

NHL DEBUT

2029-30

PERFORMANCE ANALYSIS

JAKUB DVORAK

vs. Canada – January 2nd

Heads up play. Good backwards skating stride. Eliminating the opposition’s chances with timely poke checks and jabs. Playing down low on the penalty kill. Very long shift, didn’t give up on the play, held his position. Strength on his breakout pass. Taking risks but not necessarily risky. Caught a slew foot, should have drawn a penalty but nothing called. Loose puck hanging around his own crease, tried to bat it away but couldn’t get a stick on it. Stuck to his man more in this contest and trusted his teammates to do their jobs. - Keith Fries

vs. U.S.A. – January 4th

Good backwards skating stride. Used his size to press up on a skater, making it difficult for them to enter the Offensive Zone. Nice one-touch pass clearing the puck from his zone. Good positioning down low in front of his own netminder – keeping his head on a swivel, taking his man, pushing and shoving to create space. Long reach. Good heat on a pull and drag wrist shot from the point – kind of a muffin but shows his strength putting a little mustard on it. Goal against – his man delivered on a quick one-timer – Dvorak too concerned with taking two men rather than trusting his linemate to do their part, could have zoned in on the scorer and would’ve had time to block the shot. - Keith Fries

vs. Sweden – January 5th

Good awareness of the opposition’s position. Using his size to eat up space. Good job bodying out his man, pushing him off the puck. - Keith Fries

HAMPTON SLUKYNSKY

vs. Switzerland – January 2nd

Top of the crease, drop down pad save. Good vision down in the butterfly, torso leaning over the puck to eliminate any potential shots up high. Casual pad save from a shot long range. Goal against – slap shot connected right off the faceoff – Slukynsky set his frame low, trapper up – hard, accurate shot beat him above the glove. Good patience in the butterfly, sticking with the puck carrier coming across the crease. Athletic. Quick up-and-down stance. Challenges shooters to go high by spreading out his pads for less room down low. Fast reset to stop additional shot(s) after rebound. Goal against – made the initial save, stopped its motion but didn’t cover the puck – the opposition made a quick poke check through Slukysnky’s pads. - Keith Fries

CARTER GEORGE

vs. Czechia – January 2nd

Fly ball catch. Goal against – slid across, in the butterfly, to stop a streaking player down the middle who got a one-touch goal five hole. A bit more athleticism shown than in earlier in the tournament. Good positioning along the post to cut down a sharp angle shot. Nice vision and textbook pad save on a shot from long range, kept the puck moving. Quick shot reflexes. Likes to keep the play moving, avoiding whistles. Movements are more sporadic than usual, doesn’t seem settled into his brand of netminding. Goal against – rebound off the boards, came back out to the crease and his teammate tried to stop it with his glove but put it in his own net – can’t fault George for that one. Huge, stretched pad, save – excellent leg strength and poise. Goal against – in the closing seconds of the first period, George got beat back door on a fast pass across the slot for a tip-in goal. Really tightening up his positioning and decision making in the second period, more his style. Goal against – tight shooting window, shot from the left faceoff circle, stick side, George didn’t give him any room but the puck found a way in – dagger with only forty seconds left in the game. - Keith Fries

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