While Connor Ingram posted very average numbers last season when compared to his peers, you can still call it a career year. And if he repeats in 2024-25 for the Utah Hockey Club, this team should be fine as fa as netminders go.
Last year, Ingram posted a 0.907 save percentage and a 2.91 GAA, so you can see why I’m calling these numbers ‘very average.’ But here’s where it gets good: Ingram started 48 games and played in 50 of them, and he ended the year with a 0.563 quality starts percentage to go with six shutouts.
Yeah, you may point to his 11 ‘really bad starts,’ which isn’t a good number, but he still managed to be the 1A last season, with the potential to become a true No. 1. Just for context, I like to distinguish a true No. 1 from a 1A in that the former plays in at least 55 or so games while the latter essentially splits starts but sees a little more time in the net than the other goaltender.
Connor Ingram could enjoy a magical year for the Utah Hockey Club
I also continually ask myself what Connor Ingram could have done if he simply had a good hockey team to work with as opposed to what he had last year in Arizona. He posted excellent numbers with a bad team, and his overall play was one major reason why a poor team like Arizona played so well for a stretch before reality hit.
Now, give him that same team that’s got another season of experience plus a change of scenery to what could very well be an actual hockey town. Not saying the Phoenix, Arizona area wasn’t, as not only did the Yotes have a loyal fanbase - you HAVE to be loyal watching such a poor product on the ice for so long - but they also had a fair share of NHL-caliber talent hail from the region.
Still, you’re getting more of a hockey vibe in Salt Lake City with a fanbase that will undoubtedly be larger. Add in some much-needed talent like Mikhail Sergachev and John Marino, and your team has a chance to be halfway relevant with a goaltender in Ingram, who showed us he can be effective even with a ticky-tacky squad in front of him.
That said, I can see Ingram playing even better in 2024-25 in front of the new fans and an overall better team. So, if I were to give a preseason prediction for him, I’m thinking Ingram will fare rather well with at least a 0.910 save percentage, four shutouts, and a 2.75 GAA.