Insurance? Replacement?

Another shoe to drop?

We’ll find out soon enough after the Edmonton Oilers pulled the trigger on a goaltending move, acquiring Connor Ingram from the Utah Mammoth for future considerations.

The Mammoth will retain $800,000 of Ingram’s $1.95 million contract.

The Mammoth had originally placed Ingram on waivers, but there were no takers and he passed through the league. The Oilers wanted to go the trade route so Utah could eat part of the salary.

Ingram is coming out of the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program and didn’t participate in Utah’s training camp. Edmonton is sending the 28-year-old to AHL Bakersfield for now, but it definitely adds a wrinkle to their current NHL goaltending situation.

Stuart Skinner, in the final year of his contract, remains a polarizing and embattled figure in Edmonton. It’s no secret the Oilers have been looking for ways to improve their goaltending and this might be a step in that direction, although Ingram had an .882 save percentage last year compared with Skinner .896, so the difference, if any, might be marginal.

Calvin Pickard, meanwhile, remains one of the best bargains in hockey with a $1 million salary as a backup who can step in and win clutch playoff games.

Ingram is a veteran of 102 career NHL games over four seasons with the Nashville Predators, Arizona Coyotes, and Utah registering a 39-44-15 record, 3.14 goals against average, .902 save percentage and seven shutouts.

“We would like to thank Connor for everything he has done for the organization,” said Bill Armstrong, general manager of the Utah Mammoth. “He is a class act, great teammate, and we wish him nothing but the best.”

E-mail: rtychkowski@postmedia.com

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