​Unrestricted free agent Connor Ingram has become an intriguing name to watch as NHL teams continue to evaluate their goaltending depth. Building a dependable roster is not always about making the loudest move in free agency. In many cases, the quieter decisions can prove just as important, especially when an experienced player with recent playoff action remains available on the open market.
That is the situation now surrounding the Ottawa Senators after they added Samuel Ersson to support Linus Ullmark in goal. While the move gave Ottawa a clear backup option, it also raised questions because Connor Ingram, a proven NHL goaltender with stronger recent numbers, remains unsigned.
The decision has drawn attention from longtime Edmonton Oilers insider Jim Matheson, who openly questioned whether the Senators made the right choice by signing Ersson instead of targeting Ingram. His comments have added more fuel to the discussion around one of the more curious goaltending decisions of the NHL offseason.
Matheson took to X to question whether teams are overlooking Ingram, who spent last season with the Edmonton Oilers. He wrote, “Are teams sleeping on Oiler UFA G Connor Ingram? I remain skeptical that Samuel Ersson is a better signing by Ottawa than Ingram. Ersson was .870 last season in Philly and sat on bench in playoffs while Ingram was .899 and played 5 Oiler playoff games while Jarry was No. 2.”
His argument is based largely on recent performance. Ingram appeared in 32 games for Edmonton during the 2025-26 NHL season and posted a 16-10-3 record. He also finished with a 2.60 goals-against average and a .899 save percentage, numbers that made him a useful and reliable option for the Oilers during the regular season.
More importantly, Ingram was trusted when the games mattered most. During the Stanley Cup Playoffs, he started five of Edmonton’s six postseason games and moved ahead of Tristan Jarry on the depth chart. That type of usage suggests the Oilers coaching staff had confidence in him in high-pressure situations.
Ersson’s season, by comparison, was far less convincing. With the Philadelphia Flyers, he recorded a 14-11-5 record but finished with a disappointing .870 save percentage. He also did not appear in the playoffs before signing a two-year, $4.4 million contract with the Senators in free agency.
From Matheson’s perspective, the comparison is difficult to ignore. Ingram had better statistics, more playoff responsibility, and recent experience in meaningful games. Ersson, meanwhile, is coming off a weaker season and did not see postseason action. That has made Ottawa’s decision harder to justify for some observers, especially with Ingram still available as an unrestricted free agent.
The situation is also notable because Ingram reportedly wanted to remain with the Oilers. However, Edmonton ultimately went in a different direction after signing Stanley Cup champion Frederik Andersen. Negotiations between Ingram and general manager Stan Bowman did not result in a new contract, forcing the Oilers to move on and explore other options in goal.
For Ottawa, the decision to sign Ersson may have been about more than simple statistics. The Senators already have Ullmark locked in as their clear No. 1 goaltender, so they were not necessarily looking for someone to challenge for the starting job. Instead, they needed a backup who could fit their salary structure and provide enough support behind their top option.
Ersson’s $2.2 million average annual value gives the Senators a manageable cap hit. With Ullmark already taking up a major portion of Ottawa’s goaltending budget, keeping the backup role affordable was likely a priority. The move leaves the Senators with roughly $4.2 million in cap space, giving management some flexibility to address other needs on the roster.
Still, the debate will not disappear quickly. Ingram remains one of the more accomplished goaltenders left in NHL free agency, and his combination of regular-season experience and playoff trust should make him attractive to teams still searching for depth. In a league where injuries and inconsistent goaltending can quickly derail a season, having a dependable option like Ingram can be extremely valuable.
For now, Ottawa has made its choice with Ersson, while Ingram continues to wait for the right opportunity. Whether the Senators made a smart cap-conscious decision or passed on the better goaltender will only become clear once the season begins. If Ersson rebounds in Ottawa, the move could look wise. But if he struggles and Ingram lands elsewhere and performs well, Matheson’s criticism may prove difficult for the Senators to ignore.