The Edmonton Oilers are struggling to find their footing in the 2025-26 season. Just when the team tasted some success against the Florida Panthers at Amerant Bank Arena, snapping a three-game losing streak, the roof caved in again. An 8-3 drubbing by the Dallas Stars on home ice didn’t just add another loss to the column; it exposed a crisis in the crease that threatens to derail the entire season.
With a new goaltender sitting on the sidelines, fans are asking why the obvious solution hasn’t been tried.
Why Hasn’t Connor Ingram Played for the Edmonton Oilers Yet?
The showdown against Dallas made the team’s goaltending issues impossible to ignore. Stuart Skinner allowed four goals on just eight shots in the first period, forcing the coaching staff to pull him. Calvin Pickard stepped in to make 18 saves, but the damage was already done. The Stars cruised past the Oilers in a display of power that left captain Connor McDavid frustrated and the Oilers’ fan base searching for answers.
McDavid defended his teammates post-game, insisting that goaltending reflects the team’s overall failure, rather than just that of one individual. However, the numbers tell a brutal story. The team’s save percentage of .860 is now the worst mark in the franchise’s entire history. This historic low has turned attention to Ingram, the 28-year-old netminder acquired by General Manager Stan Bowman in October. Despite the team’s desperate need for stops, Ingram has yet to play a single minute for Edmonton.
So what is keeping the new acquisition on the bench? Insider Frank Seravalli recently came forward with the reason, and it has little to do with practice performance. According to Seravalli, the team’s leadership group intervened to keep the current tandem intact.
“I think they wanted to try and bring up Conor Ingram. I think Cal Pickard is such an immensely popular player in that Edmonton Oilers locker room that their top players went to bat for Cal Pickard, and that’s why they showed it how much he means to them with their game in Tampa last week,” Seravalli explained.
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This loyalty puts the coaching staff in a difficult position. While Pickard remains beloved in the room, the on-ice results are putting immense pressure on the entire organization to make a change.
Popularity won’t save pucks, and the clock is ticking on the current roster configuration. Seravalli noted that the Oilers’ goalie corps effectively has until Christmas to prove they can get the job done. The recent string of misfortune has taken a toll on the team’s confidence, and management needs to see a turnaround immediately.
If the numbers don’t improve in the coming weeks, the front office may be forced to act. Bowman has already demonstrated his willingness to acquire talent like Ingram. If the team is still searching for answers by the holiday deadline, significant roster changes could be on the horizon.