Oilers’ Goalie Ingram Finds Balance And Success - Beritaja

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EDMONTON – Connor Ingram went from being told not to study to Utah Mammoth training campy to starting successful extremity for the playoff-bound Edmonton Oilers.

His capacity pinch the Oilers, wherever he seized the No. 1 goaltending occupation aft 3 others grounded to clasp it, earned him the team’s information for the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy connected Wednesday.

The trophy is awarded annually to the NHL subordinate who “best exemplifies perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.” It is named aft Minnesota North Stars guardant Bill Masterton, who died pursuing an on-ice wounded successful 1968.

The Oilers are 1 of 8 teams that person ne'er won the award. Ingram won it successful 2023-24 pinch Arizona aft overcoming intelligence wellness struggles and tying for the convention lead pinch six shutouts.

“It’s been a whirlwind,” the 29-year-old Saskatoon autochthonal said of this season’s journey. “I ne'er heard of personification not being invited to campy before. They put it successful penning for maine that they had asked that I not be camp.

“At that point, it was just, immoderate came adjacent was what you were gonna woody with. And luckily it was present successful Edmonton and (general manager) Stan (Bowman) gave maine a chance, and I’ll beryllium everlastingly grateful.”

Ingram was drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning successful 2016, but ne'er played for them and was traded to Nashville successful June 2019. He recorded his first NHL triumph Oct 24, 2021, 9 months aft entering the league’s subordinate assistance programme to woody pinch obsessive-compulsive disorder, slump and alcoholism.

In October 2022, he was claimed disconnected waivers by Arizona and spent 2 seasons location earlier the franchise moved to Utah.

Ingram was traded to Edmonton past September and called up from Bakersfield connected Dec. 19 erstwhile Tristan Jarry, recently acquired from Pittsburgh, was injured.

“There’s a batch of things that hap successful lucky that, arsenic a quality being, I understand,” he said of the Utah situation. “It’s erstwhile you get into really you dainty group that bothers me. I’m an athlete, but I’m still a quality being, and that’s what brothered maine much than anything.”

The boy of parents who were some teachers and first responders, Ingram struggled successful Bakersfield, but credited the coaching unit location for giving him the chance to resettle his life and career.

“They ne'er gave up connected me. They kept letting maine play,” he said of Bakersfield caput coach Colin Chaulk and goaltending coach Kelly Guard. “A quote I ever spell backmost to is, ‘sometimes stone bottom’s a awesome spot to build a foundation.’ That’s what it was. Nobody told maine to quit, truthful I conscionable kept playing, and present we are.

Ingram still deals pinch immoderate intelligence wellness issues, but gets done those days pinch the thief of his wife, Sarah, and elemental walks.

“She sees it coming earlier I do about days,” Ingram said. “She takes attraction of maine much than a woman about apt should. I’ll beryllium everlastingly grateful for everything she does for me.

“I spell for walks immoderate days conscionable to get immoderate sunlight, but I mean, there’s thing that I could do that’ll threat maine retired of it immediately. There’s nary 1 hole for each of this.”

Regaining his position arsenic a starting NHL goaltender helped reconstruct his belief successful himself.

“You person to judge successful yourself,” he said. “There’s a batch of extracurricular noise. You know, could you, could you not? If you judge you can, you’re gonna beryllium conscionable fine.”

The Masterton winner, which is voted connected by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association, will beryllium announced astatine the league’s yearly awards celebration.

This study by BERITAJA was first published April 8, 2026.

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