Ingram Thanks Mystery Oilers Teammate for ‘Taking Care of Him’

Connor Ingram just delivered a powerful reminder of why the Oilers’ locker room is special right now. The on-ice results haven’t always been what they’ve wanted, but this is still a team that genuinely cares about the players in it. There’s no better example than the way a new goaltender has been embraced — welcomed into a group that goes to war for one another just as fiercely as they chase wins.

In a recent interview (via Sportsnet), Ingram— who came to the Oilers after the Utah Mammoth placed him on waivers and wanted to give him a fresh start — had been open about his battles with OCD, depression, and two stints in the NHL/NHLPA Player Assistance Program. He isn’t ever really out of the woods.

His struggles are topics he doesn’t shy away from discussing, but he still has tough days where he’s battling to get through it all. In times like those, he’s already learned his new teammates are there for him.

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“Luckily for me, I’ve built a network of people that I can rely on. There are guys in this room that I know, if I’m having a bad day, I can go talk to. Two or three days ago, I found a guy in here. I said, ‘Man, I’m struggling right now.’ And, he knows what it’s like. He took care of me, and I’ll always appreciate that.”

He added, “There’s guys around here that know what you’re going through. You don’t have to do it alone.”

This hits hard given Ingram’s history. He entered the NHL’s Players Assistance program twice (2021 for undiagnosed OCD/depression, early 2025 after his mother’s passing), describing moments that were extremely dark in his life. “For guys like me who don’t feel good some days, I mean, it’s hard to keep it between the lines,” he said after picking up an 8-1 win over the Los Angeles Kings.

Ingram Is Taking It One Day at a Time

Following his trade to Edmonton, his stretch with the Oilers has to be a welcome surprise. Perhaps both for the team and the player. GM Stan Bowman was taking a bit of a low-cost gamble on Ingram, and it’s paid off. The challenge will be maintaining those good days as he inevitably takes on more responsibility.

“Some days you feel like garbage. That’s half the battle: just putting a face on and being the same person every day. It’s hard to do. But as I’ve started to feel better and gotten older, I think it’s gotten easier.”

Now, as he’s pushing for the Oilers’ No. 1 job, it’s clear he’s got some additional support in the locker room. It’s support he’s happy to have and not afraid to ask for.

Next: Insider Weighs In on Jordan Binnington–Oilers Buzz