In season 11 for Connor McDavid, the Edmonton Oilers may finally have their solution between the pipes. It’s been a long and gruelling process for this organization to find a true number-one goaltender they could rely on.
The Oilers have tried plenty of options over the years, including the likes of Mikko Koskinen, Mike Smith, Jack Campbell, and Stuart Skinner, all of whom failed to be consistent enough to be fully relied upon. The only true number-one option they’ve had during McDavid’s career was Cam Talbot, who was one of the better goalies in the NHL during the 2016-17 season.
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In an attempt to rectify their goaltending situation, general manager (GM) Stan Bowman made a trade with the Pittsburgh Penguins which saw Skinner head out the door while Tristan Jarry came aboard. The Oilers have also since waived Calvin Pickard in favour of Connor Ingram. That, however, isn’t the potential solution this article is suggesting.
Jarry has been anything but a saviour in between the pipes. Through 11 appearances with the Oilers, he’s sporting a 3.64 goals against average (GAA) along with a .870 save percentage (SV%). Ingram has been the better of the two, albeit far from perfect, with a 2.67 GAA and a .897 SV% through 13 games.
Oilers’ Answer May Be in the AHL
Neither Jarry nor Ingram line up as the long-term solution for the Oilers between the pipes. Jarry will be around for some time due to his contract, which carries a $5.375 million cap hit through the 2027-28 season. Ingram, however, is set to become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) at seasons end.
Ingram’s uncertain future in Edmonton could pave the way for the Oilers to make room for a young goaltender in Connor Ungar. Fans may not have known much about the 24-year-old heading into the season, but have undoubtedly heard of him now.
Ungar, who was undrafted after spending parts of five seasons in the Western Hockey League (WHL), chose to suit up with Brock University in 2023-24. His performance in that lone season was so exceptional that the Oilers chose to sign him to a two-year, entry-level contract.
Ungar’s first season of pro hockey in 2024-25, which he spent in the ECHL, was rather unremarkable. However, a hot start in the ECHL to kick off the 2025-26 season has quickly put a massive spotlight on a goalie many are hoping can serve as the long-term solution for the Oilers.
Thanks to his hot start in the ECHL to begin the 2025-26 campaign, Ungar was called up to the Bakersfield Condors of the American Hockey League (AHL) in mid December. It’s with the Condors where his stock has risen at an incredible rate.
Ungar has suited up for 10 games with the Condors. He’s not only gone 8-2-0 over that stretch, but has posted a 1.99 GAA along with a .939 SV%. Those numbers are made even more significant when reminded of the fact that Ingram had a 4.04 GAA and a .856 SV% through 11 games with the Condors before being recalled to the Oilers.
Ungar Deserves a Look
Many will point at the fact that Ungar’s success this season has come in an extremely small sample size. That certainly is true. It also can’t be ignored that the NHL is a significantly better league than the AHL, and more often times than not, making the jump can take some time for players to get a hang of.
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That said, the Oilers don’t have a ton of room to be patient. They are once again in a win-or-bust season, and there has been nothing to suggest that Jarry or Ingram can get them further than Skinner did in each of the past two years. At the very least, Ungar is red hot right now, and the Oilers would be wise to give him an opportunity in hopes that he can continue this play at the NHL level. There’s no risk with giving it a try in the short term, and is a move that could wind up paying off in spades should he excel.
