Connor Ingram’s future with the Edmonton Oilers remains one of the team’s biggest questions as NHL free agency approaches. Ingram is reportedly eager to return to the Oilers after enjoying his time in Edmonton, but an NHL insider says the team isn’t ready to make that commitment just yet.
Oilers Yet to Make a Decision on Connor Ingram
The biggest obstacle isn’t Connor Ingram; it’s Tristan Jarry.
When the Oilers acquired Jarry from the Pittsburgh Penguins, they expected him to stabilize the crease. Instead, he struggled throughout the season, eventually losing the starting job to Ingram and finishing the year as an expensive backup.
That leaves Edmonton in a difficult financial position. Jarry has two years remaining on his contract at $5.375 million per season, while Jack Campbell’s buyout continues to count against the salary cap. As a result, the Oilers already have close to $8 million committed to their goaltending without a clear No. 1 starter for next season.
Unless GM Stan Bowman can move Jarry’s contract, finding room for a new deal with Ingram will be a major challenge.
Speaking on the situation, Oilers insider Mark Spector said: “I would say the July 1st deadline, it is a deadline in the Conor Ingram situation because I think that Stan Bowman has his eye on a few goalies around hockey. And I think there might be others he’d rather get, frankly, but he doesn’t probably want to lose Ingram either.”
Spector believes Ingram’s first choice is to stay in Edmonton, but he expects plenty of interest from other teams if the goalie hits the open market. He also noted that Babcock’s history has not affected Ingram’s desire to return.
“If the owners want to pay him, they could have him tomorrow. The question would be in my eyes, I sense Stan Bowman has got his line in the fishing lake here and he’s not ready to sign Ingram at this point,” he added.
Ingram was a fantastic regular-season story, putting up a solid 16-10-3 record with a 2.60 GAA after starting the year in the minors. He earned the Game 1 playoff nod, but the first-round exit against the Anaheim Ducks exposed some cracks.
Ingram posted a tough .876 save percentage in five playoff games. While the defense in front of him struggled, management isn’t entirely sold that Ingram is the definitive No. 1 anchor.
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For now, Bowman is keeping his options open. Rather than rushing into a deal, the Oilers GM is reportedly exploring the trade market in search of another goaltending solution before making a final call.
The interest between Ingram and Edmonton is still there, but the timing isn’t. Until the Oilers resolve Jarry’s contract situation and determine whether a better option becomes available, Ingram’s return will remain in limbo.
