In a deal that went slightly unnoticed, the Nashville Predators acquired Connor Ingram for a seventh-round pick in 2021 on June 14th, 2019.
This is a trade that I clearly see the Nashville Predators coming out on top of because Ingram is a solid goaltending prospect that adds depth to the Predators minor league system, which desperately needs it at the position.
Ingram was drafted in the third round of the 2016 draft by the Tampa Bay Lightning, as the 6’2 goaltender, looking very promising in his years in junior hockey, including two seasons with a save percentage above .920 for the Kamloops Blazers.
In his last season, Ingram posted an impressive save percentage of .927 and a goals against average of 2.44, then transitioning to the AHL.
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Ingram kept his numbers up in the AHL, as he posted a slightly lower .914 save percentage in his first season with a 2.33 goals against average, but he kept steadily improving, having stints down in the ECHL from time to time.
The 22-year-old looked like he was on pace to be a solid NHL back up, at the very least, in the very near future, but it seems like the Tampa Bay Lightning have given up on him already and it seems like a very unwise decision to me.
The Lightning seemed to have some issues at the backup goaltender position, with Louis Domingue being their backup for the past two years, and if developed correctly, Ingram could’ve taken that job easily.
He could’ve been the safety net backup that Andrei Vasilevskiy needed, but alas, the Nashville Predators might’ve struck it rich here.
With Pekka Rinne getting up there in age, Juuse Saros will have to take the full starter role at some point and with Pekka being close to retirement, the Preds will need a new backup goaltender, and while the Predators wait for Ethan Haider to develop, Connor Ingram could take the opportunity and run with it.
Connor Ingram could eventually prove himself to be that guy, especially keeps up his solid numbers when he serves as the Milwaukee Admirals starting goaltender over the next few seasons.
This trade might not look like much in the short term, but the Nashville Predators might’ve acquired their backup goaltender of the future for a seventh-round pick, and that is pretty good for a random offseason trade.