Connor Ingram has been widely regarded as a talented goaltender ever since his days in the Western Hockey League. Playing for the Kamloops Blazers, Ingram was consistently spectacular, impressing fans across the league.
Ingram signed with the Blazers on August 29, 2014, and made his WHL debut later that same year. From the start, the young goaltender turned heads, playing in 52 regular-season games and recording an overall 2.96 GAA and .904 save percentage his rookie season.
He had a larger role in his second season, appearing in 61 games and helping lead his team to the WHL playoffs. His save percentage of .922 broke a franchise record, previously set by Kamloops goaltender Corey Hirsch during the 1991-92 season. He went 35-15-5-4 with a GAA of 2.61, one of the best seasons by a goaltender in Blazers history. He was named Goaltender of the Week and Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week in December 2015, and at the conclusion of the season was awarded the title of Most Valuable Player for the Kamloops Blazers.
In 2016, Ingram participated in Hockey Canada’s Program of Excellence goaltender camp. He was also one of four WHL goaltenders to be invited to Canada’s National Junior Team Sport Chek Summer Development Camp in August. That same summer, he was drafted 88th overall by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the NHL Draft.
He continued to impress going into his third and final season with the Blazers. After going 3-0-0-0, with a 1.66 GAA and .950 save percentage, he was once again named Goaltender of the Week and nominated for Vaughn CHL Goaltender of the Week. His first game that week had a 52-save performance against the Seattle Thunderbirds, earning first star. He posted one shutout that same week.
After such a stellar performance that season, Ingram signed with the Tampa Bay Lightning on April 4, 2017, jumpstarting his professional career.
He again led his team to the WHL playoffs in 2017, where he had a 2.18 GAA and an incredible .946 save percentage. His regular-season boasted a .927 save percentage, leading the league’s goaltenders. He was again named Most Valuable Player for the Blazers, and went on to play for Team Canada in 2017, winning two games, one of which was a shutout and helping Canada to the Silver Medal.
Ingram played with the Kamloops Blazers for three seasons, appearing in 158 regular-season games. He had an overall 81-50-9-9 record, 12 shutouts, a .918 save percentage, and 2.16 GAA. His performance in the Western Hockey League was an impressive one, and he still holds the title of one of the best goaltenders to play for Kamloops.