The Edmonton Oilers have stumbled out of the gate in the 2025-26 NHL season, dropping consecutive games, including a hard-fought 4-3 overtime loss to the Vancouver Canucks after rallying from an early 2-0 deficit. The previous night, they fell 3-2 to the Seattle Kraken, highlighting their ongoing struggle for consistency. With a 4-4-2 record, Edmonton currently sits fifth in the competitive Pacific Division.
Despite advancing to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals, only to fall short against the Florida Panthers both times, the Oilers are still searching for the championship edge that made them contenders. Next up, Edmonton looks to reset at home against the Utah Mammoth on Tuesday, aiming to rediscover their winning formula and climb the standings in the tough Western Conference.
Could the Oilers Turn to Connor Ingram Next?
In October, the Oilers acquired goaltender Connor Ingram from the Utah Mammoth for future considerations. Since then, fans have been waiting to see his debut. For now, he’s getting game action with the AHL’s Bakersfield Condors.
Ingram last played in February, taking time away after the passing of his mother from breast cancer and later entering the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program for support.
According to The Athletic’s Daniel Nugent-Bowman, “Ingram was excellent in his first start (one goal on 22 shots), but not nearly as good in his next one (five goals on 29 shots)… Ingram is certainly someone to keep an eye on. But barring an injury or something completely unforeseen, don’t expect him with the big club soon.”
Meanwhile, starting goaltender Stuart Skinner has had an up-and-down season. He sat out Sunday’s game against Vancouver, and Calvin Pickard got the start. In his previous outing, Skinner drew criticism after a miscue on a 2-on-1 play against Seattle, where he dove headfirst to make a save but missed the puck, which frustrated fans.
“Goaltending was the biggest issue entering the season. Skinner has calmed the noise a bit, but the position remains a hot-button topic.” Wrote Nugent-Bowman.
Nugent-Bowman pointed out that Skinner has shown flashes of his best. He recorded a shutout against the Rangers and earned a solid win over Ottawa. But inconsistency continues to haunt him.
As for Pickard, his numbers haven’t inspired much confidence either. He got a win in his first start against Vancouver on Oct 11, allowing one goal on 15 shots as the team dominated. But since then, his save percentages have dipped .818, .815, and .852 in his next three games. “A small sample size to be sure, but that’s not great.” Nugent-Bowman added.
The Oilers will need more dependable goaltending if they hope to steady their season into playoff form.