Connor Ingram is poised to guard the Edmonton Oilers' net for the first time in nearly a year, receiving a strong endorsement from the man who has overseen his recent development in the American Hockey League.
Gretzky's Vote of Confidence
With Oilers goaltender Tristan Jarry placed on injured reserve after a leg injury in Boston, the call has gone out to Ingram. Keith Gretzky, General Manager of the AHL's Bakersfield Condors, firmly believes the 28-year-old netminder is prepared for the challenge, despite unflattering numbers on the farm.
"Ingram’s worked hard to get his game in order, mentally he’s ready," Gretzky stated. He emphasized Ingram's experience edge, noting the goalie has 102 NHL games under his belt compared to just six for Bakersfield's other goalie, Matt Tomkins. Ingram's last NHL appearance was on February 2 with the Utah franchise, prior to entering the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program.
Context Behind the AHL Statistics
Ingram's performance with the Condors since being acquired in an October 1 trade shows an 4.04 goals-against average and an .856 save percentage in 11 games. Gretzky contextualized these stats, attributing them partly to the team's style of play.
"Ingram’s stats haven’t been great but we’re not the best defensive team, we’re young and we think offence. That’s our motto," Gretzky explained. "Stats aren’t everything for me." He pointed to a recent 8-7 overtime win against Tucson as an example, where he felt only one goal against was Ingram's fault, and the goalie made a critical save in the extra frame to secure the victory.
The Road Back to the NHL
Ingram's path to this recall has involved rebuilding his game after a significant time away from competition. The Oilers organization acquired him with Utah retaining $800,000 of his $1.9 million contract, viewing him as a potential NHL asset.
"We’ve tried to get him up and running just in case the Oilers needed a goalie," Gretzky said, detailing the process. "It was everything he had to work on, the timing, being big in the net... There’s been no issues with him, at all."
Ingram's most recent full NHL season was 2023-24 with the Arizona Coyotes, where he played 50 games and recorded six shutouts. The Oilers will now rely on that experience as he steps back into the league's spotlight, whether his debut comes in Minnesota or at home against the Vegas Golden Knights.
