The Edmonton Oilers may have unearthed something special in Connor Ungar and the parallels to Washington Capitals netminder Logan Thompson are becoming impossible to ignore.
When the Oilers signed the undrafted 23-year-old out of Brock University, few outside the organization paid much attention. Fast forward to today and Ungar is turning heads across the hockey world with a developmental trajectory that mirrors one of the NHL’s most unexpected success stories.
The tale of two late bloomers
The statistical comparison between Ungar and Thompson at comparable career stages is striking. Both goalies took unconventional paths to professional hockey spending their age-21 seasons dominating the Ontario University Athletics (OUA) with save percentages north of .930. Neither were on the NHL’s radar as teenagers, yet both possessed something scouts initially missed.
The statistical parallels become even more remarkable when examining their performance year by year.
The OUA dominance (Age 21)
At 21, Thompson posted a .934 save percentage across 1456 minutes in the OUA, while Ungar put up an even more impressive .932 mark in 1561 minutes the following season. Both were clearly too good for that level with goals-against averages hovering around 2.15–2.22. The similarity in their statistical output at the same age and competition level is almost eerie.
ECHL proving grounds (Age 22)
Their ECHL campaigns reveal goalies ready for advancement. Thompson’s age-22 season saw him post a .929 save percentage with a 2.25 GAA across 1922 minutes.
Ungar’s journey through the ECHL at 22 was split with 664 minutes at .903 and 2078 minutes at a stellar .903 save percentage with similar goals-against numbers around 2.74. Both demonstrated they could handle significant workloads while maintaining elite performance.
The AHL leap (Age 23)
This is where the comparison gets truly fascinating. Thompson’s age-23 AHL campaign featured a .943 save percentage with a microscopic 1.96 GAA across 1350 minutes. Ungar is currently mirroring those results with a .944 save percentage and 1.54 GAA through 245 minutes, albeit in a much smaller sample size. If Ungar maintains anywhere near this level across a full AHL season, the Oilers will have a legitimate prospect on their hands.
Thompson even had a brief eight-minute NHL cameo at 23 that went perfectly with no goals allowed, 1.000 save percentage. It was a glimpse of things to come.
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The path forward for Connor Ungar in Edmonton
Right now Edmonton’s goaltending depth chart is considerably more crowded. With three established options ahead of him, Ungar would face a numbers game that has nothing to do with his performance.
The question becomes, can Ungar sustain his current .944 save percentage over a full AHL season? His 245 minutes are encouraging but the Oilers need to see Ungar maintain this excellence across 30–40 games before making any significant roster decisions.
There is also an elephant in the crease that can’t be ignored though. Ungar stands 6’0″ in a league that increasingly favors giants. Thompson’s 6’4″ frame did fit the modern NHL template perfectly while Ungar would be among the shortest goaltenders in the league.
But dismissing Ungar based solely on height feels shortsighted given his consistent performance across multiple levels. The statistical progression is undeniable as he has passed every test thrown his way, from the OUA to the ECHL to his early AHL work. The league has seen outliers before, goalies who succeed despite not fitting the physical prototype.
A development win regardless of outcome
What makes Ungar’s development particularly impressive is the consistency of his performance. Whether facing 60 minutes in the AHL or over 2000 minutes in the ECHL, he has maintained save percentages that suggest genuine talent rather than statistical noise. His goals-against averages have remained competitive at every level indicating strong positional play and decision-making.
Even if Ungar never becomes the next Logan Thompson, his emergence represents smart organizational depth-building. Finding quality goaltending outside traditional scouting channels, whether through undrafted free agency or late-round picks can provide competitive advantages in a salary cap era.
For now, Oilers fans can watch Ungar’s development with cautious optimism knowing that lightning has struck before in similar circumstances. Thompson’s journey from 1456 OUA minutes to Olympic selection proves that unconventional paths can lead to remarkable destinations.
Ungar is following the same map and so far, he is hitting every checkpoint right on schedule. The next 1000-plus AHL minutes will tell us whether this story has a Hollywood ending.
