Oilers Taking Page From Golden Knights Playbook
Edmonton Oilers may have gotten inspiration from the Vegas Golden Knights with their most recent signing.
EDMONTON -- The Edmonton Oilers might be on to something with their latest university signing.
Connor Ungar was signed to a two-year ELC contract yesterday - a deal that kicks in next season. According to Bob Stauffer on Oilers Now, Ungar will agree to an AHL tryout deal. From there he will more than likely join the ECHL to get a look for a few games to end the season.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD3UIMQmegU[/embed]
The Oilers look to have a solid goaltender on their hands - with Ungar coming off of a 20-win season where he posted a 2.15 goals against average (GAA), a .932 save percentage (SV%) and three shutouts.
Looking around other teams in the Pacific Division, one team stands out as having a goaltender who may have served as inspiration for the Ungar signing.
Logan Thompson
Logan Thompson isn't the biggest name among NHL goaltenders. Injury issues aside - he's provided the Vegas Golden Knights with incredible goaltending over the past few seasons.
In 93 regular season NHL games Thompson is sporting a 2.72 GAA and a .911 SV%. His first two years were nearly identical in terms of stats - 2.68 & 2.65 GAA to go with .914 & .915 SV%. Thompson has seen a slight dip in those stats this season (2.82 GAA & .904 SV%) but the Golden Knights are still winning games when he is in net for them.
Ungar and Thompson Have Similarities That Are Hard to Ignore
We've established that Thompson is a good NHL goalie. Now, we can look at some remarkable similarities between the two goalies.
Thompson played one season in the AJHL and three seasons in the WHL before joining the Usports league for one year. At the end of that year he got a short stint in the ECHL, that included a one game taste of the AHL.
Ungar split two seasons between the AJHL and WHL. He followed that up with two seasons strictly in the WHL - culminating in the season he just finished for Brock University in the Usports league.
Both goalies played for the same team, the Brock University Badgers. Here are the stat lines for both goalies in their one-year stint with the Badgers:
- Thompson: 24 GP, 18-6-0, 2.22 GAA, .934 SV%, 0 SO
- Ungar: 26 GP, 20-6-0, 2.15 GAA, .932 SV%, 3 SO
Those are remarkably similar stat lines - although Ungar has the edge with three shutouts to Thompson's zero.
Only time will tell if both goaltenders are cut from the same cloth. Judging from early observations, that might be the case.
[embed]https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nLj9H_EzNk8[/embed]
Subscribe to Inside the Locker Room for exclusive interviews, as well as sights and sounds from Oilers practices.
Bookmark The Hockey News Edmonton Oilers team site to never miss news, interviews or any other updates on the Oilers.