Nashville Predators: The Predators steal Connor Ingram from Lightning

The Nashville Predators might be busy this offseason with trades and they have just dealt their first trade for goalie Connor Ingram.

What is your favorite snack? Popcorn? Peanuts? Candy? Well, for some reason, the Tampa Bay Lightning traded goaltender Connor Ingram to the Predators for basically a bag of your favorite snack.

The Predators stole candy from a baby, then used that candy to trade for Ingram.

This could be one of many moves for the Predators this offseason, and it only cost them a 2021 seventh-round pick. This was a good trade but don’t expect the Predators to be this safe with possible future trades throughout the summer.

So who is Connor Ingram? What does he bring to the Predators when they already have Pekka Rinne?

Ingram was a third-round draft pick for the Lightning in 2016. He never made an appearance with the Lightning, but he has played 61 career games in the AHL including four playoff games.

He has also played in the ECHL for the Adirondack Thunder and Orlando Solar Bears. This past season he had a .922 SV% in 22 games and dressed as a backup for the Lightning but never made an appearance.

Ingram has had some issues with the Lightning management though. He was called up from the Solar Bears to the Syracuse Crunch which is the Lightning’s primary minor league team.

Ingram was called up to the Crunch but after having a discussion with Lightning General Manager Julien BriseBois Ingram was sent back to Orlando without playing a game for the Crunch.

None of the specifics of the issue ever were released, but some rumors were circulating around Ingram’s attitude and work ethic.

The rift between Ingram and the organization might have been what forced BriseBois to trade him for nothing.

The Lightning was forced to give Ingram up for nothing because they had no leverage. He was once viewed as one of the best upcoming goalies and could still be great, but the Lightning weren’t willing to deal with him, so they had to give him away.

If Ingram gets into the Predators organization and can work with the organization, he could work his way up to becoming Rinne’s backup for 2019-20. Predators General Manager David Poile would not have traded for Ingram if he didn’t think he could help get him right and onto the ice in the NHL.

If Rinne or Sarros ever decides to leave Nashville, Ingram could be the next guy up. He is now a valuable asset in the Predators organization. But that could be both good and bad for Ingram.

The Predators might not be done trading or moving players around, so Ingram isn’t guaranteed to be with the Predators at the start of the 2019 season.

But for now, Ingram could be Poile’s next project. I think Ingram has a ton of potential and could become a very good goalie in the right organization. Or maybe Poile is planning a bigger trade later this summer.