Connor Ingram making a good first impression with Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers want to get a good, long look at Connor Ingram before the holiday break.
With Tristan Jarry injured for the next few weeks, the buck has been passed on to backup Calvin Pickard and the recently called-up Ingram. The latter made his Oilers debut over the weekend, turning in a solid performance to help Edmonton defeat the Vegas Golden Knights by a score of 4-3.
You would think that head coach Kris Knoblauch would go back to Pickard for the team’s final game before the break, but that isn’t the case. Instead, the Oilers will once again turn to Ingram against the Calgary Flames on Tuesday night, marking consecutive starts for the 28-year-old.
This comes as the two goaltenders will be battling it out to remain with the Oilers once Jarry comes back. So far, it looks like Ingram has made a good first impression with the club.
“We thought he was solid in the game against Vegas,” Knoblauch said pre-game. “Played well, and hopefully he can build some momentum before we take this break before Christmas.”
Coach Knoblauch shares lineup updates & pre-game thoughts as the #Oilers host Calgary at @RogersPlace ahead of the holiday break.@Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/9YhkwDx3tQ
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 23, 2025
The journey back to the NHL has been a tough one for Ingram, who admitted after Sunday night’s victory that he thought it might never happen. He lost his mother last year and had to step away from the game with a stint in the NHL’s Player Assistance Program.
Further to that, he got off to a turbulent start in the AHL this season, which could have easily sunk his chances of an NHL return. Now that he has made it back here, he’s laser-focused on staying in the big leagues.
The win against Vegas went a long way in impressing his Oilers teammates.
“I thought he was outstanding early. Just solid. Got in front of everything,” Ryan Nugent-Hopkins said after the win. “Really good at handling the puck too, so that goes a long way… He gave us a chance early, and we kind of fed off that.”
“We found a way.”
After scoring twice in tonight's 4-3 #Oilers victory over the Golden Knights, Ryan Nugent-Hopkins chats with the media. @Enterprise | #LetsGoOilers pic.twitter.com/J09OIVobI1
— Edmonton Oilers (@EdmontonOilers) December 22, 2025
Every game will be critical for Ingram moving forward. The Oilers will undoubtedly give Pickard some more starts during this stretch, but if Ingram can put in some solid performances, he is going to put the team in a position to make a tough decision once Jarry is healthy.
It’s off to a good start for the Saskatchewan native, but there is plenty of work left for him to do if he wants to stick around.