The Edmonton Oilers find themselves in an unexpected, yet enviable, position with prospect Connor Ungar. The 24-year-old goaltender has been turning heads with his stellar performance in the AHL with the Bakersfield Condors, forcing the Oilers to re-evaluate their plans for their goaltending depth.

Ungar's journey to this point has been anything but conventional. Drafted by the Western Hockey League (WHL), Ungar played with Red Deer, Moose Jaw, and Brandon, earning the league's Goaltender of the Year honors in 2022–23 after leading the WHL with a .925 save percentage. Following his junior career, Ungar signed his first professional contract with the Oilers in March 2024 after completing his U Sports career with Brock University. He began the current season as the third goalie in the ECHL. The Oilers had to find a team for him to play for, because they didn't want to carry three goalies in Fort Wayne. Besides their ECHL affiliate Fort Wayne Komets, the Oilers also loaned Ungar to the Greensboro Gargoyles and the Orlando Solar Bears.

However, Ungar's path to the AHL wasn't exactly smooth. Due to an injury, he couldn't participate in training camp and didn't get an opportunity to compete. At the time, this placed him seventh on the Oilers' depth chart. Despite these initial setbacks, Ungar has been nothing short of impressive this season.

Called up to the Bakersfield Condors, Ungar has seized the opportunity, posting a 6-0-0 record in his first six AHL starts. More impressively, he has allowed only eight goals in those six games, boasting a 1.32 goals-against average and a .955 save percentage, including his first AHL shutout.

Ungar's outstanding performance has not gone unnoticed. His stellar play has coincided with a strong run for the Condors, who have been dominant, allowing just one goal in their last four games. Over this stretch, the team has a +23 goal differential (37-14).

The Oilers now face the challenge of figuring out how Ungar fits into their long-term plans. With Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard currently holding down the NHL roster spots, and other prospects like Matt Tomkins also performing well in the AHL, the Oilers have a logjam in their goaltending pipeline.

Several options are available. The Oilers could choose to keep Ungar in Bakersfield, allowing him to continue his development and provide depth in case of injuries at the NHL level. Another option might involve exploring trade possibilities, leveraging their goaltending depth to address needs in other areas of the team.

Whatever the Oilers decide, Connor Ungar has undoubtedly made a name for himself and has put the organization on notice. His performance has turned what was once a position of organizational uncertainty into one of surprising strength, forcing the Oilers to adjust their plans and consider the possibilities that Ungar's emergence presents.