Connor Ingram vs. Karel Vejmelka: Breaking Down The Goaltender Battle

NHL Goalie Week is coming to an end, but the positional duel between Utah's two rising goaltenders is just starting.

NHL history has a long list of legendary goaltenders.

Even we at The Hockey News love those who protect the net, as you can tell from our epic issue on building the perfect NHL goaltender, which released this week.

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But the Utah Hockey Club has an internal goalie battle brewing on their hands between Connor Ingram and Karel Vejmelka, who both are coming into their own.

Ingram has been improving every year since he entered the league with the Nashville Predators in 2021, winning the Masterton Trophy for perseverance last season.

The 26-year old from Saskatoon had a career-best 2.91 goals against average and 23 wins in 48 appearances last year and is could be on track for a breakout year, as most of the Utah HC players are.

Vejmelka has made his name as a solid backup goaltender, as well. The 28-year old from Czechia had a career-best 18 wins in 2022-23 as the primary starter before Ingram took over full-time last year.

His save percentage hovers around .900, while Ingram's hovers around .910, which is essentially a dead heat, though Ingram has a much better goals against average.

Vejmelka has been the subject of trade rumors over the summer, especially with the recent signings of Matt Villalta, Anson Thornton, and Jaxson Stauber to two-way deals, but it would be hard not to see him as the backup to Ingram heading into the season.

These two are entering their prime, as well, so perhaps we could see two number ones battle each other throughout the season, just as Cam Talbot and Henrik Lundqvist did in New York in 2015.

Training camp can't come soon enough.