Let's get one thing straight: Connor Ingram is a good story. The journeyman goaltender who battled through OCD and anxiety to find his footing in the NHL deserves respect. But if you're an Oilers fan hoping he's the answer to Edmonton's perpetual goaltending question, we need to have a hard reality check.
The Oilers have been searching for reliable goaltending since the days when Dwayne Roloson was stealing playoff games. Every season brings new hope, new names, new "this could be the guy" energy. Ingram's name has floated around in trade speculation, and some fans see his .907 save percentage from last season as a potential upgrade.
Here's the problem: it's not.
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Let's start with the facts. In 2023-24, Ingram posted a .907 save percentage across 47 games with the Utah Hockey Club (formerly the Arizona Coyotes). That's not terrible, but it's also not moving the needle for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations.
Ingram's goals-against average of 2.91 tells a similar story. Yes, he was playing behind a weaker defensive structure in Arizona/Utah, but the Oilers need someone who can elevate the team, not just maintain the status quo. When you're trying to win a Cup with Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl in their prime, "pretty good" doesn't cut it.
Here's what really concerns me about Ingram as a potential solution: consistency. 2023-24 was his first as a legitimate NHL starter, and while he showed flashes, he also showed why he'd spent years bouncing between the AHL and NHL. He had stretches where he looked confident and capable, followed by games where he looked completely overwhelmed.
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The <a href="https://x.com/EdmontonOilers/status/1973442260076470308">Edmonton Oilers</a> traded for Connor Ingram on Wednesday, but head coach Kris Knoblauch confirmed this trade was not done to push either Stuart Skinner or Calvin Pickard out. The Oilers have their goaltenders, and Ingram's arrival alone won't change that.
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Let's talk about something that doesn't get enough attention: Ingram's injury history. He's dealt with various ailments throughout his career, and durability has been a question mark. Last season was actually his healthiest and most productive, which is great, but it's also a single data point. The Oilers need ironman reliability in net, especially if they're going to make a deep playoff run.
The harsh truth is that the Oilers need elite goaltending, or they need to be comfortable with what they have. Ingram represents neither option. He's a lateral move at best, potentially a downgrade depending on which version of Stuart Skinner shows up—or frankly, which version of Connor Ingram shows up.
If the Oilers are going to make a move in net, it needs to be for someone proven. Someone with playoff experience. Someone with a track record of stealing games when their team needs it most. Ingram might develop into that player someday, but "someday" isn't in the Oilers' championship window timeline.
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The other option? Commit to Skinner and actually build a defensive system that supports him. Skinner has shown he can be good when he remains calm in net—or just in net—and when the Oilers play structured hockey around him.
The solution might not be swapping out goalies like they're interchangeable parts—it might be finally addressing the defensive zone chaos that's plagued this team for years.
Connor Ingram is a fine NHL goaltender who earned his spot in this league. But fine doesn't win Stanley Cups, especially not when you're icing the two best players in the world. The Oilers need to either go big on a proven commodity or commit to developing what they have with better defensive structure.
Ingram isn't the savior. He's just another name in a long line of "maybe this guy" conversations that Oilers fans have been having for two decades. And until management recognizes that band-aid solutions won't fix a systemic problem, we'll keep having the same conversation next season too.
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