Connor Ingram’s NHL career always carried a certain kind of grit. You don’t spend 134 games as a goaltender in this league without signing up for bruises, pressure and a whole lot of chaos. Ingram did it for 32 games in Edmonton alone, and for a stretch, he became a surprisingly important part of the Oilers’ season.
He arrived in Edmonton as a longshot, buried behind Stuart Skinner, 2024-25 playoff hero Calvin Pickard, and later Tristan Jarry too. But injuries and performance problems opened the door, and Ingram walked through it.
The results may not have looked overwhelming on the surface, but his run helped keep the Oilers in the fight after the All-Star break, especially once Leon Draisaitl went down with a lower body injury. At that point, a playoff spot was anything but guaranteed, and Ingram’s stretch of play helped lift Edmonton above the crowded group of Pacific Division teams battling for the top three.
The Oilers came close to taking their first divisional title since the 1980s, and Ingram’s work was a big reason the season stayed alive. That effort also gave him his first playoff win. He finished the series against the Anaheim Ducks with a 2-3 record, and while his goals against numbers against Anaheim weren’t clean, the broader defensive problems on the 2025-26 Oilers meant plenty of blame had to be spread around.
Now Ingram is stepping away at 29. His career took him from the Oilers to the Utah Mammoth and their previous version, the Arizona Coyotes, with earlier stops in the Tampa Bay Lightning and Nashville Predators organizations as well. He never cracked the NHL lineups in Tampa Bay or Nashville, but he still carved out a meaningful career at hockey’s hardest position.
His next move is into psychology, a field that clearly matters to him. Ingram has been open about his battles with depression and obsessive compulsive disorder, and retirement gives him a chance to help others dealing with similar struggles.
His final NHL shutout came on March 31st, 2026, against the Seattle Kraken - on his 29th birthday.
In Other News...
Podkolzin Gives The Oilers Something Their Top Six Really Needed
Vasily Podkolzin turned a strong 2025-26 season into a real foothold with the Oilers, giving the club the kind of dependable top-six presence it had been looking for. After posting 19 goals and 37 points in 82 games, he showed he could bring more than energy and straight-line pressure, adding a physical edge and steady production that fit neatly alongside Edmontons established stars.
Podkolzins appeal is bigger than the numbers, though, because he can handle different spots in the lineup without losing his effectiveness. Edmonton now has a forward who looks built to keep supplying secondary scoring while doing the gritty work that helps a top group stay productive, and the next question is how high the Oilers are willing to lean on him as his role continues to grow. [Read more 🡒]
Former Flames Goalie Finally Lands Amid NHL's Late Goalie Scramble
The late-summer goalie market finally found a landing spot for Cam Talbot, who is expected to join the Columbus Blue Jackets on a one-year deal after their need at the position became more urgent. The 39-year-old veteran brings a long NHL resume, with 567 games under his belt, and he most recently saw action in 34 games for the Detroit Red Wings.
For Edmonton fans who remember Talbot from his days with the rival Flames, the move is another reminder of how quickly goaltending depth can become a priority. Columbus had to adjust after Elvis Merzlikins underwent shoulder surgery, and Talbot now steps into a backup role as the Blue Jackets navigate the early part of their season with a patched-together crease. [Read more 🡒]
Oilers Blue-Line Rumors Just Raised A Bigger Question Than Fans Knew
The blue-line buzz around Edmonton got a reality check this week, with Nikita Zadorov never coming close to changing teams despite the trade chatter that had him linked to the Oilers. The defenseman reportedly declined to waive his no-trade clause, shutting down a path that had briefly looked like a possible fit for a club still tracking every angle on its back end.
For Edmonton, the bigger takeaway is how quickly these rumors can grow around a team that is always being monitored for defensive help. And in the same stretch of league news, Ottawa is trying to lock up Drake Batherson on a long-term extension before the new CBA closes the door on eight-year deals, while Montreal rewarded Martin St. Louis with a multi-year commitment through 2029-30 after the Canadiens rise under his watch. [Read more 🡒]