Knoblauch’s Not Sure How Oilers Will Use Three Goalies

The Edmonton Oilers have three goalies that they trust. When Kris Knoblauch talked about Connor Ingram filling in for Tristan Jarry, there was no overanalysis—just a coach who likes what he’s seeing. He didn’t sell it or dress it up. He just said what coaches say when they mean it: he’s been solid.

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Ingram Has Made the Most of His Chances in the Oilers’ Crease

Since getting his chance, Ingram hasn’t tried to steal the net. He’s steadied it. Knoblauch pointed out that all but one of Ingram’s starts have been strong, and a few have been better than that. Knoblauch called the most recent one against Chicago Ingram’s best. He wasn’t giving out flashy praise, just his honest assessment.

Good goalie play is what the Oilers have needed. Not nightly heroics. Just saves when they matter, calmness when things get loose, and a goalie who doesn’t look rattled when the game goes south for a minute. Ingram’s given them that. Big saves at key moments. No panic. No drama. For a team that’s been through enough of both, that’s no small thing.

The Complication Is that the Oilers Now Have Three Goalies

What complicates all of this, of course, is that Edmonton suddenly has three goalies to think about. Tristan Jarry is working his way back from injury, and Knoblauch was clear about one thing: they’re not rushing him. This was a game Jarry could have started, but the Oilers chose patience over impulse. Extra rest now might mean fewer problems later.

And here’s where it gets interesting.

Knoblauch admitted this is new territory for Edmonton. Three goalies. And he doesn’t have a clear blueprint or a fixed rotation yet. Is this a short-term situation? A few weeks? Longer? The Oilers’ coach didn’t pretend to know. The word he kept coming back to was day by day. That’s not indecision — that’s flexibility. It’s a coach reading the room, reading his players, and refusing to lock himself into a plan just to sound decisive.

The Bottom Line Is that Knoblauch Isn’t Worried

What stands out most is this: Knoblauch isn’t worried. Not about Ingram. Not about Jarry’s return. He wasn’t worried about Calvin Pickard. Not even about the awkward math of three goalies. Because when a backup steps in and plays like someone who belongs, it buys everyone time. It lowers the temperature. It lets the coach think rather than react.

Connor Ingram hasn’t solved Edmonton’s season. But he’s given them something just as valuable right now — options. And in this league, calm options are hard to come by.

Related: Oilers Dodged Goaltending Bullet By Bowing Out of UFA Bidding