Connor Ingram, the goaltender who shared his battle with an undiagnosed obsessive-compulsive disorder that led him to drink to deal with anxiety and became a full-time NHL player, won the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy for perseverance, sportsmanship and dedication to hockey.
Ingram had a stellar performance for the Arizona Coyotes last season, years before he sought and received help from the NHL/NHLPA player assistance program, which is run jointly by the league and union and has been in the headlines lately for the participation of others .
“You don’t do these things for awards. I did it to get my life back together,” Ingram told The Associated Press on Wednesday. “The fact that you’re recognized for this is something that a lot of people putting their lives back together don’t understand.”
The other finalists were Calgary’s Oliver Kylington, who sat out more than a year and a half for mental health reasons, and Carolina’s Frederik Andersen, who missed several months this season while dealing with blood clotting issues. Masterton is voted on by members of the Professional Hockey Writers Association.
“These other two guys were more than deserving, so just to be in that group and be a part of it is really exciting,” Ingram said.
Ingram was on Nashville’s practice squad at the start of the pandemic-delayed and pandemic-shortened 2021 season when he entered the player assistance program and left the Predators in late January. He returned to play a few games for the American Hockey League’s Chicago Wolves that spring, but it wasn’t until he sold his house and cars and moved from his hometown of Saskatoon, Saskatchewan, to Nashville that summer that he met his fiancée and returned to his hometown. rails.
“I just reset,” he said. “It was good for me and it was good to reset.”
Ingram made his NHL debut on Oct. 24, 2021 — about nine months after joining the program — and appeared in four playoff games in the spring of 2022, when Juuse Saros was sidelined with injury and David Rittich faltered in the opener. of the first round. Claimed by Arizona in October 2022, he has since made 74 appearances, sharing the net with Karel Vejmelka, who became a friend and seatmate on buses and planes.
“Half the time when I have something I want to talk about, he wants to talk about it too,” Ingram said. “We’re very similar and think alike, so he’s a great guy to have around.”
Now 27 and with Utah after the franchise moved there to begin play in Salt Lake City in the fall, Ingram hopes his best hockey is ahead of him after taking advantage of the opportunities he eventually got to show what he could do. to do.
“I felt like a guy who never left,” he said. “I played seven years in the minors and slowly progressed until I got this opportunity. That’s all you can ask for is a chance, and when someone gives you a chance, you better be ready to take it, or else it won’t last long.”
Utah general manager Bill Armstrong said the organization was proud to be represented by Ingram.
“Connor’s journey through adversity and his unwavering commitment to the game of hockey truly embodies the essence of the Bill Masterton Memorial Trophy,” said Armstrong. “Since his return, Connor has not only excelled on the ice, but has also emerged as an inspiration to hockey players around the world as he continues to tell his story and emphasize the importance of seeking support during the darkest moments of life.”
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