Ontario Reign

Lore & Background

The Ontario Reign were established in 2015 when the Los Angeles Kings moved their AHL affiliate, the Manchester Monarchs, to Ontario as one of five charter members of the AHL's new Pacific Division. The team retained the Reign nickname from its ECHL predecessor, which moved to Manchester and took on the Monarchs moniker in a franchise swap. The Reign's AHL logo, based on the Kings' late 1980s-early 1990s 'Chevy' logo, was unveiled on February 11, 2015. The franchise retained head coach Mike Stothers during the move from Manchester.

In its inaugural season, the Reign won the first Pacific Division regular season title with a 44–19–4–1 record. Goaltender Peter Budaj was named to the 2015–16 AHL First All-Star Team and received the Baz Bastien Memorial Award as the league's top goaltender. Sean Backman led the team in scoring with 21 goals and 34 assists while playing all 68 games. The Reign also won the division in the playoffs, defeating the San Jose Barracuda three-games-to-one and the San Diego Gulls four-games-to-one, before being swept in the conference finals by the eventual Calder Cup champion Lake Erie Monsters.

During the 2016–17 season, due to goaltender injuries and call-ups for the Los Angeles Kings, the Reign used a Canadian father-son duo, Dusty and Jonah Imoo, during a game in October 2016. Dusty Imoo (age 46) was a goaltending consultant with the Kings, and Jonah (age 22) made his AHL debut on a tryout contract. The team qualified for the playoffs in third place, losing in the first round to San Diego. The 2019–20 season was curtailed by the COVID-19 pandemic. Stothers' contract was not renewed, and John Wroblewski became head coach. For the delayed 2020–21 season, the Reign temporarily relocated to the Kings' practice rink, Toyota Sports Center, in El Segundo, playing home games closed to spectators. Marco Sturm was named head coach prior to the 2022–23 season and led the team to three consecutive Calder Cup Playoff appearances before being hired as head coach of the Boston Bruins on June 5, 2025. Andrew Lord succeeded Sturm and coached the Reign to a first-place finish in the Pacific Division in 2025–26. On June 13, 2026, the Reign unveiled a new logo and jerseys, moving from black-and-silver to purple ('Inland Blue') and gold ('Empire Gold'), with motor motifs paying tribute to the Ontario Motor Speedway on which Toyota Arena was built.

Reader's Guide

The Ontario Reign represent a significant relocation in AHL history, moving the Manchester Monarchs franchise to California as part of the league's Pacific Division expansion in 2015. The team's identity is tied to its predecessor ECHL club, which swapped markets and names with the Monarchs. The Reign quickly established success, winning the Pacific Division regular season and playoff titles in their inaugural season, though they fell short of the Calder Cup. The franchise has been a developmental pipeline for the Los Angeles Kings, with notable events including the use of a father-son goaltending duo in 2016 and multiple coaching changes. The team's temporary relocation to El Segundo during the pandemic and its subsequent rebranding in 2026, which incorporated local motorsports history, highlight its adaptability and community connection. The Reign have consistently qualified for the playoffs under various coaches, including a first-place finish in 2025–26 under Andrew Lord.

Did You Know?

• The Ontario Reign replaced the ECHL team of the same name, which moved to Manchester, New Hampshire, to play as the Manchester Monarchs.
• In October 2016, the Reign used a father-son goaltending duo, Dusty Imoo (age 46) and Jonah Imoo (age 22), during a game.
• The team's 2026 logo and jersey rebrand featured purple ('Inland Blue') and gold ('Empire Gold') with motor motifs honoring the Ontario Motor Speedway.
• Marco Sturm coached the Reign to three consecutive Calder Cup Playoff appearances before becoming head coach of the Boston Bruins on June 5, 2025.