On the first day of October, a time when NHL rosters are solidifying and the focus is squarely on the opening night puck drop, Edmonton Oilers GM Stan Bowman executed a move that flew slightly under the radar but speaks volumes about his team-building philosophy. The Oilers acquired 28-year-old goaltender Connor Ingram from the Utah Mammoth for the ever-ambiguous “future considerations.” On the surface, it’s a simple depth transaction. But when you peel back the layers, this deal reveals itself as a shrewd piece of salary cap wizardry, a low-risk bet on a high-upside player, and a fascinating human-interest story all rolled into one.
The Art of the Deal: A Masterclass in Cap Management
For the knowledgeable fan, the true genius of the Ingram acquisition lies not in who was acquired, but how. This wasn’t a simple waiver claim or a standard hockey trade; it was a calculated financial maneuver designed to give the Oilers maximum flexibility.
First, the Utah Mammoth, in a move to facilitate the deal, agreed to retain $800,000 of Ingram’s $1.95 million average annual value (AAV). This immediately dropped his cap hit for the Oilers to a much more palatable $1.15 million. That number isn’t arbitrary. It’s the magic threshold that allows a one-way contract to be fully “buried” in the American Hockey League, meaning Ingram can play for the Bakersfield Condors without a single dollar of his salary counting against Edmonton’s NHL salary cap.
The second piece of savvy was the timing. Utah had already placed Ingram on waivers, and he cleared, unclaimed. Had the Oilers simply put in a claim, they would have been on the hook for his full $1.95 million salary—a non-starter for a cap-crunched team. By waiting for him to clear and then swinging a trade, Bowman got his player and the crucial salary retention. This process also grants the Oilers roster flexibility; they can call Ingram up for a cumulative 10 games or 30 days before he would need to be exposed to waivers again. It’s a textbook example of leveraging the CBA to add a quality asset at virtually no cost to the big-league roster.
Depth, Not Disruption: The Plan for the Crease
Despite the cleverness of the acquisition, both GM Stan Bowman and Head Coach Kris Knoblauch were quick to manage expectations and reinforce the existing hierarchy in the Oilers’ crease. The message from the organization is clear: Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard are the NHL tandem. This move changes nothing—for now.
“This is a great depth option for us,” Bowman stated. “You get into the season and injuries happen, or guys run into issues, and when you need organizational depth, it’s really difficult to find it.”
Ingram, who missed training camp and hasn’t seen game action since February 2025, will report directly to the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors to get his legs under him and find his rhythm. Knoblauch doubled down on the “insurance policy” angle, emphasizing that “something drastic” would have to occur for the Skinner-Pickard duo to be broken up. The hope, as he articulated, is that the two NHL goaltenders view this not as a threat, but as the front office simply shoring up the organization from top to bottom.
Also on the EDGE – Stuart Skinner’s Transformation and the Quest for Redemption
Still, the move introduces a fascinating dynamic. With Skinner, Pickard, and now Ingram all in the final year of their respective contracts, the Oilers’ goaltending situation for the next ten months becomes a high-stakes, open audition. Internal competition is rarely a bad thing, and Edmonton has just ensured that every single save made at both the NHL and AHL level this season carries significant weight for the future.
The Man Behind the Mask: A Story of Perseverance
To understand the potential reward in this low-risk move, you have to understand Connor Ingram. This isn’t just any goaltender; he is the 2024 winner of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy, awarded to the player who best exemplifies the qualities of perseverance, sportsmanship, and dedication to hockey. And he earned it.
Ingram has been remarkably open about his battles with debilitating obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and depression, a struggle that led him to enter the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program in 2021 while with the Nashville Predators, a time when he nearly walked away from the sport entirely. He re-entered the program this past March following the tragic death of his mother, only being cleared to return in August. The Oilers, Bowman noted, are fully committed to providing him with the support system he needs to get his career back on track.
When he’s on his game, Ingram is more than just a depth piece. In the 2023-24 season with the Arizona Coyotes, he posted career highs across the board with a 23-21-3 record, a 2.91 GAA, and a .907 SV%. He also tied for the league lead with six shutouts in 50 games. Hockey fans might also recall a bit of trivia: Ingram was the winning goaltender in a 5-2 victory over the Oilers on April 17, 2024—the final game in Arizona Coyotes history. He has a pedigree of success, including a WHL save percentage record and two AHL All-Star selections. This is a goalie who knows how to stop pucks at a high level.
Old Friends and New Beginnings
For Ingram, this “fresh start” in Edmonton will be cushioned by some familiar faces. He’ll be reuniting with former teammates in defenseman Mattias Ekholm (Nashville) and Troy Stecher (Arizona). Ekholm reportedly gave a glowing review, calling Ingram a “great guy” who “could be lights out” when he’s playing with confidence.
Perhaps the most significant connection is with his new head coach. Both Ingram and Kris Knoblauch hail from Imperial, Saskatchewan, and their families are friends back home. That pre-existing relationship can only help ease his transition into a new organization.
Ultimately, Stan Bowman’s acquisition of Connor Ingram is a multi-faceted win. It’s a financially astute move that adds a proven NHL-caliber goaltender to the system at no cost to the current cap. It provides a crucial safety net for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations. And it offers a talented, resilient player who has faced immense personal adversity a chance to reignite his career in a supportive environment. While he may start his Oilers tenure in Bakersfield, don’t be surprised if the story of Connor Ingram becomes a significant subplot in Edmonton’s season.
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