I don't know if it's sad, but I actually think this is a pretty exciting addition for the Coyotes. I think he instantly becomes the best goalie in their franchise. For the last few seasons, he was doing exceptionally well in the A. I am surprised Nashville couldn't trade him honestly. If he's just a late bloomer he's a steal and could legitimately become a starter, or if nothing else a solid bridge.
Take your grain of salts first, please. We haven't actually seen Ingram THAT much in Nashville.
But... he did pretty much crush the AHL at every step. He got the 1-way contract for this season for sound reasons, we really did project out that he'd be our backup this year, before we signed Lankinen.
My impression, based on admittedly limited viewing, is that Ingram is a "sound technical goalie", but doesn't have exceptional physical skills. He plays his angles well, he challenges and lets the puck hit him, he's a "smart goalie". He is not athletic or gymnastic in net. He's also not very big, although his intelligence seems to mask this fact. He manages to "look big enough" with smart positioning.
A lot of his AHL success has come behind some good teams. As long as teams are cleaning things up in front of him, his smart/stable play is going to stand out. I'm not sure how that is going to look when he has a weak D in front of him and he is facing more danger zone shots. I guess that is what we'll find out. It could go either way, IMHO.
But regardless, he has earned this challenge. 50/50 if he sticks or not. But really happy for him, he has gone through a lot on a personal level, and doesn't have anything left to prove outside the NHL. This is his chance, he put in the time and paid his dues to earn it, we are all rooting for him!