Edmonton Oilers acquire rumoured goaltending target Connor Ingram from Utah

The Edmonton Oilers announced on Wednesday that they have acquired goaltender Connor Ingram from the Utah Mammoth. Ingram was recently put on waivers and sent down from the National Hockey League (NHL) to the American Hockey League (AHL).

The team received the Mammoth goaltender with $800,000 retained from his $1.95 million Average Annual Value (AAV) for Future Considerations. Ingram struggled last year, having to spend a period of time in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program but was cleared to play in August, allowing him to rejoin the Mammoth.

Afterwards it was announced that the two parties had agreed to seek out a trade destination for Ingram with Mammoth general manager Bill Armstrong saying “We had a mutual agreement where we said, ‘Hey, listen, we have our goaltenders,’” continuing “It’s probably best for him not to come to camp and put himself in a (tough) situation.”

Ingram cleared waivers last week, allowing him to be acquired and assigned to the AHL without having to pass through the waiver wire again. The Oilers announced in their press release that he will report to the Bakersfield Condors.

The 28 year old Saskatoon, Saskatchewan native was originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning with their third round pick, 87th overall at the 2016 NHL Draft. He spent last season with the then Utah Hockey Club posting a 9-8-4 record with a 3.27 Goals Against Average (GAA) and a .882 save percentage.

He joins the Oilers organization with a record of 39-44-15 and a 3.14 GAA and .902 save percentage through 102 career games with the Nashville Predators, Arizona Coyotes, and Utah HC.

Ingrams helps solidify goaltending depth

The Oilers were set to enter this season with major question marks between the pipes, ones that presumptive starting goaltender Stuart Skinner has not done well at suppressing with his struggles so far this preseason.

The club had been rumoured to be in on Ingram since it was known he would not play for the Mammoth this upcoming season. This caused many to question why the club would allow him to slip through their fingers when he passed through waivers last week.

He joins the Oilers organization now and will be heading to the Condors, likely splitting the crease with goaltender Matt Tomkins and prospects Connor Ungar, Nathaniel Day, and Samuel Jonsson. Also putting pressure on the goaltenders currently above him on the depth chart in backup, Calvin Pickard and starter, Skinner.

Overall, Ingram helps to solidify a position of weakness for the Oilers and helps to give them the possibility of quality NHL goaltending should either goalie face injury or struggle in their game.