Connor Ingram’s path to becoming the Coyotes’ No. 1 goalie

There are times when it feels like Arizona Coyotes goalie Connor Ingram materialized out of nowhere, breaking through at 26 years old to become one of the NHL's top netminders this season. "You get the guys who are just pure hype machines that go straight to the NHL. And then there's the guys like us, who grind away for several years before we get an opportunity. I think there's something to be said for them," Ingram told ESPN. "Some guys get their opportunities early. Some guys take a couple tries before they figure it out." It's taken seven professional seasons for Ingram to figure it out on the ice, through multiple AHL and ECHL stops, stints with the Nashville Predators and the Coyotes, and nine games in Sweden he'd actually rather forget about. "Our team over there got accused of throwing games," said Ingram. "It's actually a crazy story." Ingram has also had to figure things out off the ice, where an undiagnosed obsessive-compulsive disorder and lingering depression nearly had him retire from hockey in 2021 -- before he sought help. "I tried to white knuckle it through that kind of stuff. And you can't," he said. EDITOR'S PICKS How is Connor Bedard this good as a rookie? Here's what previous NHL phenoms say 21hRyan S. Clark and Greg Wyshynski 'Gold is absolutely on our minds': What Tkachuk, Hughes, Matthews, other U.S. stars are saying about the Olympics 2dGreg Wyshynski NHL Awards Watch: Will a defenseman win the Hart? 9dGreg Wyshynski Ingram started the season with an 11-5-0 record and a .920 save percentage through 17 games. ESPN analyst and former NHL goalie Kevin Weekes called Ingram "the most underrated goalie" in the NHL this season, and a "top-tier candidate for the Vezina Trophy." Arizona GM Bill Armstrong called him one of the most important reasons why the Coyotes were a surprising playoff contender two months into the season. Armstrong claimed Ingram on waivers in Oct. 2022. It was out of necessity, given how thin the team was at the position. But the team's scouts had also identified Ingram as having all the attributes they were looking for in a goaltender. The Coyotes felt Ingram played well last season, with a .907 save percentage in 27 games and analytics showed he was above replacement level. Armstrong said Ingram returned this season "in great shape, mentally and physically," having slimmed down a bit in the offseason. Armstrong has always seen a similarity between hockey goalies and baseball pitchers. "As they mature, it comes together at a certain age. Then everybody says, 'Oh my God, who knew the 26-year-old goaltender could stop the puck?'" he said. "The right opportunity appears and they blow it out of the water." Armstrong has a theory that goalies, like pitchers, can get stronger mentally as they improve physically. "They sometimes have to go through all these different ups and downs in their life to learn a little bit at each time," he said. Like that situation in Sweden. "The hockey itself was great," he said. "But the end of it wasn't fantastic." THE NHL WAS DARK in the fall of 2020, with the COVID-19 pandemic forcing a delay in the start of the 2020-21 season. Ingram was coaching a youth hockey team in Saskatoon, where he grew up. After being drafted 88th overall in 2016 by the Tampa Bay Lightning, he had been traded to the Predators in 2019. The Predators informed him that they had found a place for Ingram to play ahead of the NHL season. Goalie Kevin Poulin had been injured while playing for Björklöven, a Swedish pro team. They were looking for a quick fix in goal. Ingram took the offer and traveled overseas. It was December 2020. Björklöven was second in the league standings for Swedish Allsvenskan, a second-tier league. They were playing a lesser opponent in Mora and built a 3-0 lead during the game. But something odd was happening in the betting markets during the game. While Björklöven opened on one sportsbook as a -130 favorite, they were only a -150 favorite having built that considerable lead. Normally, the money line remaining that low would indicate that significant money was being placed on the underdog to rally in the game. But logic dictated they would not. So, it was curious. Very curious. It got to the point where some sportsbooks were taking the game off their boards because of this seeming inexplicable wagering pattern, given the circumstances of the game. Mora would, in fact, rally. They scored eight straight goals to win 8-4. Six of the goals were scored on the power play. Ingram gave up five goals on 14 shots in the game before being pulled. As Sportsnet noted at the time, it was Ingram's final start for the team before his loan agreement to the club expired.