Could Connor Ungar Be the Oilers’ Goaltending Answer They’ve Spent a Decade Searching For?
Eleven seasons into the Connor McDavid era, the Edmonton Oilers may finally be closing in on something they’ve lacked for far too long: a reliable No. 1 goaltender. It's been a carousel of stopgaps and short-term fixes in net, with names like Mikko Koskinen, Mike Smith, Jack Campbell, and Stuart Skinner all taking their turns-none able to consistently hold down the crease. Cam Talbot came the closest during his standout 2016-17 campaign, but since then, it’s been a revolving door.
This season, the Oilers made another move to try and stabilize the position. General Manager Stan Bowman pulled the trigger on a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins, sending Stuart Skinner out and bringing Tristan Jarry in.
Shortly after, the team waived Calvin Pickard to make room for Connor Ingram. But despite the shakeup, neither Jarry nor Ingram has provided the kind of performance that inspires long-term confidence.
Goaltending Carousel Continues
Let’s start with Jarry. In 11 appearances since joining the Oilers, he’s posted a 3.64 goals-against average (GAA) and an .870 save percentage (SV%).
Those numbers simply don’t cut it for a team with Stanley Cup aspirations. Ingram, while slightly better, hasn’t exactly locked things down either-his 2.67 GAA and .897 SV% through 13 games are serviceable, but far from game-changing.
The challenge for the Oilers is that Jarry isn’t going anywhere anytime soon. He’s signed through the 2027-28 season with a $5.375 million cap hit. Ingram, on the other hand, is a pending unrestricted free agent, which opens the door for Edmonton to explore other options-possibly from within.
Enter Connor Ungar
That brings us to Connor Ungar, a name that’s quickly gaining traction in Oil Country. The 24-year-old wasn’t drafted, despite five seasons in the Western Hockey League (WHL), and instead made his mark at Brock University in 2023-24. His stellar season there was enough to earn him a two-year, entry-level contract with the Oilers.
Ungar’s first pro season in 2024-25, spent in the ECHL, didn’t turn many heads. But this year, he came out of the gate firing. A strong start in the ECHL earned him a call-up to the Bakersfield Condors in mid-December, and that’s where things have really taken off.
In just 10 games with the Condors, Ungar has gone 8-2-0 with a sparkling 1.99 GAA and an eye-popping .939 SV%. Those aren’t just good numbers-they’re elite, especially when compared to Ingram’s stint in Bakersfield earlier this season, where he posted a 4.04 GAA and .856 SV% over 11 games.
Time to Take a Shot
Sure, it’s a small sample size. And yes, the jump from the AHL to the NHL is significant-especially for goaltenders.
But the Oilers aren’t in a position to wait around. This is another win-now season, and the current tandem of Jarry and Ingram hasn’t shown they’re capable of backstopping a deep playoff run.
Ungar is red-hot. He’s confident. And most importantly, he’s earned a look.
There’s no long-term risk in giving him a shot. If he struggles, the Oilers can reassess.
But if he holds his own-or better yet, thrives-it could be the kind of in-season pivot that changes the trajectory of Edmonton’s year. And maybe, just maybe, it could be the start of finally solving the position that’s haunted them throughout McDavid’s prime.
For a team that’s been searching for answers in net for over a decade, Ungar might just be the unexpected solution they’ve been waiting for.