With the AHL’s 2025-26 season about to get started this Friday, it’s never too early to start looking a further down the road. Widely regarded as a league full of the best players not currently in the NHL, it’s also the pond most often fished in when NHL general managers go looking for roster reinforcements. On any given AHL roster, there is usually a good mix of seasoned hockey players and young prospects just breaking into the pro game. Each has there own story to tell, along with their own timeline or possibility of a future NHL call-up.
Which three Ontario Reign skaters have some potential for a promotion at some point in the coming months? Well, look not further than what happened Wednesday night in Vegas.
Kings forward Jeff Malott recorded his first career NHL goal in the team’s 6–5 victory over the Golden Knights. Malott is already a familiar name to many Kings fans, having been summoned from Ontario late last season to fill in for the injured Tanner Jeannot. Since then, he’s established himself as a reliable contributor in LA’s bottom six — and has routinely earned praise from coach Jim Hiller over the past month or so.
This information is particularly noteworthy given Malott’s under-the-radar presence during his time with the Reign last season. While much of the attention in 2024-25 centered on guys like Andre Lee and Sammy Helenius — both of whom earned NHL opportunities — Malott quietly impressed, emerging as a pleasant surprise and earning his shot at the next level later in the season.
When asked on X recently, Mayor’s Manor founder John Hoven gave the names of three prospects he believes have a chance to get called up if (and when) injuries happen this season:
Forward: Jared Wright
It’s hard to overlook Wright, especially when it comes to his smooth skating. He’s noticeable on the ice because of his blazing speed. He can accelerate from zero to full stride in an instant, something that also makes him a bit of an X-factor for Ontario this season. Where exactly will he slot in? That remains a bit of a mystery at the moment.
Wright isn’t just fast, though, he’s powerful. Standing at 6-foot-3, he brings a combination of size and strength that NHL organizations covet. His ability to pressure opponents on the forecheck, force turnovers, and create disruption across all zones makes him a dynamic presence on the ice.
After concluding an impressive collegiate career at the University of Denver – where he captured a National Championship in 2024 – Wright wasted no time making an impact at the professional level, recording an assist in his first game with Ontario late last season. He’ll likely get a look at both wings, up and down coach Andrew Lord’s Reign lineup this season.
Defense: Angus Booth
For those paying attention, Booth’s rise should come as no surprise. Former Reign head coach Marco Sturm frequently drew comparisons between Booth and Kings defenseman Mikey Anderson during his tenure as the bench boss in Ontario.
If not for an untimely injury, Booth’s trajectory last season might have looked very different. Before being sidelined, he was turning heads and generating legitimate buzz as a potential call-up to the NHL.
A fourth-round selection in the 2022 NHL Draft, Booth plays a composed, understated, yet highly effective game. He may not light up the scoresheet on a nightly basis, but his reliability and low-error play make him stand out in his own right.
He’s currently sidelined with an injury that occurred during training camp (and is expected back in about a month). If he returns at the same level displayed last season, expect Booth to be knocking on the door for an NHL opportunity once again.
Wild Card: Kenny Connors
Much like Wright, Connors plays with speed and physicality. However, his game differs in that he isn’t as offensively driven, despite posting career highs in both goals and assists during his junior season at UMass. While Wright is more likely to kill a penalty during a big moment late in a game, Connors is the guy who can score you a greasy goal.
Connors brings a gritty, hard-nosed style that makes him an impact player in all the small areas that matter. He’s the kind of reliable, high-effort role player every winning team needs — and every coach values. With his already mature frame and physical edge, Connors knows how to use his size effectively to create space, win battles, and make his presence felt on the ice.
Hoven has often referred to Connors as Alex Laferriere. That sort of praise makes it easy to understand why the first-year pro is on this short list of potential NHL call-ups.
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