Building a reliable NHL roster is rarely about the biggest splash. Sometimes, the decisions that draw the most attention are the quieter ones, especially when a proven player is still on the open market.
That is exactly where the Ottawa Senators now find themselves after adding a backup goaltender while another experienced option remains unsigned.
The move has prompted one Edmonton insider to openly question whether Ottawa overlooked the better fit, raising doubts over a puzzling free agency decision.
Goalie Connor Ingram has become the centerpiece of that discussion after longtime Edmonton Oilers insider Jim Matheson criticized the Senators' decision to sign Samuel Ersson instead of pursuing the former Oilers netminder.
Posting on X, Matheson wrote , "Are teams sleeping on Oiler UFA G Connor Ingram? I remain skeptical that Samuel Ersson is a better signing by Ottawa than Ingram. Ersson was .870 last season in Philly and sat on bench in playoffs while Ingram was .899 and played 5 Oiler playoff games while Jarry was No. 2."
Matheson's argument centered on recent results rather than reputation. Ingram handled a meaningful workload for Edmonton during the 2025-26 season, appearing in 32 games while compiling a 16-10-3 record, a 2.60 goals-against average, and a .899 save percentage.
When the playoffs arrived, he earned the starting role in five of the Oilers' six postseason games, moving ahead of Tristan Jarry on the depth chart.
Ersson's season unfolded very differently. After posting a 14-11-5 record with a below-average .870 save percentage with the Philadelphia Flyers , he did not appear in the playoffs before eventually signing a two-year, $4.4 million contract with Ottawa.
From Matheson's perspective, these contrasting resumes make the Senators' decision difficult to justify, particularly with Ingram still sitting on the unrestricted free-agent market.
The discussion arrived weeks after the Oilers signed Stanley Cup champion goalie Frederik Andersen and moved on from Ingram, despite him reportedly wanting to remain in Edmonton. Negotiations with general manager Stan Bowman failed to produce a new contract, leading the Oilers to explore the trade market and free agency instead of bringing him back.
While Matheson's criticism has resonated with many Oilers fans, Ottawa's decision also shows broader roster planning.
The Senators already have Linus Ullmark entrenched as their No. 1 goaltender, making cost efficiency an important part of the equation. By signing Ersson to a modest $2.2 million average annual value, Ottawa kept its total investment in goal near $10.45 million while preserving roughly $4.2 million in cap space to strengthen other areas of the roster.
Even so, Ingram remains one of the most accomplished goaltenders left on the market. Among the available unrestricted free agents, few can match his combination of regular-season workload and recent playoff experience.
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Although Ottawa has already committed to its path, Ingram's market is far from quiet. Until he signs, Matheson's criticism is likely to remain part of the conversation whenever the Senators' free-agency strategy comes under the microscope.
