There is a growing sense that Connor Ingram can be more than just “insurance” for the Edmonton Oilers. Ingram, brought in as a backup for the backup, is suddenly the starter for the Oilers after an unexpected trade and injury left the team in trouble before it was arguably ready.
With two straight wins, he was handed the net, with head coach Kris Knoblauch noting that he wanted to see Ingram build some momentum heading into the holiday season. The Oilers play Calgary on Saturday and while Calvin Pickard will likely start, that’s not a certainty given the team’s well-rested status.
No one would argue if Ingram were back. When you watch him play, there is a calmness to his playing that is immediately noticeable. He is calm in the crease, follows the pucks cleanly and doesn’t waste any movement. Nothing looks rushed or erratic. That’s not an opportunity for Stuart Skinner or Calvin Pickard – they’ve had their moments – but with Ingram everything feels calmer and more controlled. He’s playing like an NHL veteran and in his two outings so far, the early returns have been encouraging. A save percentage of 0.920 is a small example, but it’s a strong start.
That timing is important because the Oilers suddenly need answers.
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Where is Tristan Jarry?
No one is suggesting that Ingram is prioritized over Edmonton’s newest goaltender. It seems clear that the Oilers have bet on Tristan Jarry and they are willing to go all-in. However, after Jarry left Thursday’s game against Boston with a lower-body injury and was placed on injured reserve, Edmonton recalled Ingram from Bakersfield. The timing was not planned; it was necessary.
Jarry returned to Edmonton for evaluation and was expected to be out for at least two weeks. The news raised concerns that he will miss more time, or that this is a netminder whose injuries will be an ongoing problem. If Ingram can step in and show he’s capable of giving the team quality starts, there’s no reason for the Oilers not to ride the hot streak or momentum he can provide.
The recall made sense. Edmonton didn’t acquire Ingram to stash him. While his AHL numbers weren’t awe-inspiring, he feels his game is better suited for the NHL. He might be right, and if true, that’s good news for the Oilers. Meanwhile, if Jarry is sidelined for an extended period of time, the Oilers need to know how far they can push Ingram without overloading him.
Conditions in Edmonton have changed… and continue to change
What’s striking is how quickly circumstances have changed and how many rumors continue to surround the Oilers and their goaltending. When the Oilers acquired Ingram in a trade with Utah, General Manager Stan Bowman and head coach Kris Knoblauch framed him as depth — an insurance policy. “If we need to call on him, he can do it,” Knoblauch said at the time. The plan was to send him to Bakersfield and relieve him there.
Suddenly that’s not an option. That is, unless they bring in someone like Marc-Andre Fleury. Even if that happens, Fleury is a question mark. He has the kind of resume that suggests he can be a game-changer, but he’s also older and possibly coming into retirement, and he hasn’t really been an NHL starter for a while. Even if the Oilers land him, they need to know what Ingram is… or better yet, what he isn’t.
Bowman called the move low risk, but he figures Ingram could also be a high-reward addition. “If he plays well and is at the top of his game, he can be a very good goalkeeper,” he said. So far, so good.
The Oilers may be about to find out how much more he has to offer.
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