The Nashville Predators announced on Monday the team signed goaltender Connor Ingram to a three-year contract worth $2.2 million. The contract carries an annual average value of $750,000.
Nashville Signs Connor Ingram
Even with the NHL paused for the moment, teams are still able to sign players. The Predators remain active during this time signing Ingram to a new contract. Ingram will see an increase in salary over his next contract. He will make $700,000 at the NHL level and $120,000 at the AHL level in 2020-21. In 2021-22, he will make $750,000 at the NHL level and $125,000 at the AHL level. Then Ingram will make $750,000 at the NHL level during the 2022-23 season. The Predators feel by the end of the third season, Ingram will be in the NHL permanently and feel no need for an AHL salary.
Ingram posted the best statistical season of his professional career during the 2019-20 season with the Predators AHL minor league team the Milwaukee Admirals. He appeared in 33 games recording a 21-5-5 record with a 1.92 goals-against average and .933 save percentage. Ingram ranked among the AHL’s best goaltending leaders and set career bests with wins, goals-against average and save percentage. He was selected to represent the Admirals at the 2020 AHL All-Star Game this past January. This was his second appearance at the AHL All-Star Game. His first appearance coming in 2019.
Originally drafted by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the third round (88th overall) of the 2016 NHL Draft, Ingram spent time with the Syracuse Crunch before making his way to Nashville’s minor league system. Ingram has played three seasons as a professional suiting up for 90 career AHL games, 57 with Syracuse and 33 with Milwaukee. Over that time he has a record of 55-23-7 with a 2.16 goals-against average, 9.23 save percentage with 11 shutouts.
Prior to that Ingram spent three seasons from 2014-17 playing junior hockey with the WHL’s Kamloops Blazers. Ingram also represented Canada at the 2017 World Junior Championship, posting a 2-1 record, a 2.57 goals-against average and one shutout en route to a silver medal.
Going Forward
With Pekka Rinne getting older and Juuse Saros taking over the reins at the number one goalie, the Predators are grooming Ingram to be the next backup goalie for the big club. If Ingram keeps performing at this high level, he has the potential to see time with the big club during the 2020-21 season.
Main Photo:
Embed from Getty Images
