Connor Ingram already looks like a name to watch again, with one insider pointing his next stop toward the Pittsburgh Penguins.
This week, The Hockey Writers floated Ingram as a fit in Pittsburgh's crease, replacing a departed Stuart Skinner who signed with Winnipeg as a free agent.
Edmonton originally picked Ingram up from the Utah Mammoth on October 1 for nothing more than future considerations, making this a low cost swing from the start.
Ingram's exit from Edmonton wasn't really about performance. He went 16-10-3 with a 2.60 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage in his lone Oilers season.
The rough stretch came in the playoffs, where Ingram posted a 3.86 goals-against average and a .895 save percentage as Anaheim eliminated Edmonton in the first round.
For his career, Ingram sits at 55-54-18 with a 3.01 goals-against average, a .901 save percentage and nine shutouts, numbers that still play as a legitimate backup or stopgap arm.
Why Edmonton is fine rolling with three goalies instead
In Pittsburgh, the pitch is simple. Slot Ingram in alongside Arturs Silovs while prospect Sergei Murashov keeps developing toward a full-time NHL job.
Back in Edmonton, general manager Stan Bowman already has his answer. The Oilers are rolling with Andersen, Jarry and Levi as a three-goalie mix into camp.
Andersen finished last season at 12 wins over 35 games with an .874 save percentage. Jarry added 16 wins over 33 games at an .882 clip of his own.
Bowman confirmed the plan directly, saying the club will roll forward with all three, and that Jarry is sticking around too despite his inconsistent numbers.
Carrying three legitimate NHL goalies works fine in September. Whether Edmonton can actually manage workload, waivers and egos through eighty-two games is another story entirely.
For Ingram, a fresh start in Pittsburgh might be exactly the clean slate his numbers already argued for. Whether that trade actually happens is still just a prediction on paper.
Would Connor Ingram in Pittsburgh be a smarter fit than staying buried in Edmonton's crowded crease?
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