The Edmonton Oilers are on the verge of losing their starting goaltender this offseason. Connor Ingram took over the Oilers’ starting goaltender job from Tristan Jarry late in the season and into the playoffs. He is set to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) on July 1st.
Other teams are already showing interest in Ingram. Edmonton hasn’t committed to anything, and its cap situation complicates things. Overall, it was not a good season for Oilers’ goaltenders. However, Ingram was the team’s best goaltender this season. He finished the season with a 16-10-3 record while posting a .899 SV% and a 2.60 GAA, the best GAA of his career.
Ingram’s contract, a three-year deal (signed with the Utah Mammoth in 2023), is set to expire. His cap hit was $1.95 million, with Utah retaining $800,000 of that when Edmonton acquired him in October. So, the Oilers were getting him for about $1.15 million. That’s a bargain for how he played for them during the regular season. Unfortunately for Edmonton, that deal is done.
Oilers Goaltender Drawing Interest from Atlantic Division
According to Ottawa insider Bruce Garrioch of the Ottawa Citizen, the Oilers will likely try to keep Ingram before July 1st. However, the goaltending situation in Edmonton is under the microscope, and other teams are showing interest. Garrioch specifically noted that several teams see Ingram as a reliable, affordable option in what is a very thin UFA goalie market this summer.
The Ottawa Senators have been directly linked to Ingram as they need a backup for Linus Ullmark. Ingram fits their budget and the role required. Ottawa is not the only team in the Atlantic Division reportedly doing homework on him. The Oilers might lose Ingram to a bidding war between Atlantic Division teams.
Where Does Edmonton Go From Here
The Oilers still have Jarry, who has two years left on his contract at $5.375 million per season. He was awful in Edmonton after being acquired from Pittsburgh for Stuart Skinner, Brett Kulak, and a second-round pick. He lost the starter’s job to Ingram and became the most expensive backup in the NHL by the end of the season.
Without moving Jarry, the Oilers have $7.975 million tied up in goaltending next season between Jarry and Jack Campbell (Buyout). Signing Ingram or any Goaltender will likely push the Oilers over $9 million in goaltending for next season.
The ideal situation in Edmonton is to blow the whole thing up and start fresh. However, that requires moving Jarry, which won’t be easy. Moving him almost certainly means retaining some cap space or attaching picks or prospects to make it happen.
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Tagged: Connor Ingram, Edmonton Oilers, Jack Campbell, Stuart Skinner, Tristan Jarry