Ex-Steelhead goaltender Jacob Ingham excelling at LA Kings rookie camp
GLENDALE, AZ — This weekend, those NHL teams based in the southwestern United States are participating in the 2021 Rookie Faceoff. The event, hosted by the Arizona Coyotes, is a rookie camp showcase featuring five NHL teams: the host Coyotes, the Colorado Avalanche, the Las Vegas Golden Knights, the Anaheim Ducks, the San Jose Sharks, and the Los Angeles Kings.
In regard to the latter team, they have one of the most promising prospect pools in the entire National Hockey League. Among those prospects is goaltender Jacob Ingham, who played for the Mississauga Steelheads from 2016-2019.
Drafted in the sixth round (175th overall) by the Los Angeles Kings in 2018, Ingham boasts plenty of size in goal at 6’4”, registered an OHL career-high 27 wins with the Steelheads in 2018-19. Prior to the 2019-20 season, though, Ingham was traded to the Kitchener Rangers where he finished his OHL career.
Last season, the native of Barrie, Ont., got his first taste of the professional ranks, suiting up for 13 games for the Greenville Swamp Rabbits of the East Coast Hockey League. Ingham also played one game in the American Hockey League for the Kings’ main minor-league affiliate, the Ontario Reign. This season, he hopes to become a full-time member of the Reign.
At rookie camp this weekend in Arizona, Ingham excelled in his first start of the fall. After a convincing 4-0 win on Friday against the Avalanche, the Kings were involved in a much tighter game on Sunday before prevailing in the shootout by a 2-1 count. En route to the victory, Ingham was stellar, stopping 32 of 33 shots and paving the way for the Kings to tie the game before ultimately winning in the shootout.
Following the win, Ingham addressed shaking off the rust of not playing a game for months.
“Yeah, it’s tough, especially your first game in a couple months,” admitted the former Steelheads netminder. “You play those exhibition games or those intrasquad games in [Kings’] development camp, and they’re good and all, but nothing can recreate an actual game until you get into one. So, not having much action in the first period is pretty tough. I mean, they tested me just probably once or twice, and that got counted in the first, but then in the second period, it was just kind of resetting in the room and doing what I normally do. That happens, so there’s nothing to get nervous about or fray away from the game plan, so you just keep working and you’re ready when you are.”
In Arizona this weekend, Ingham is sharing the goaltending duties with fellow OHL alumni Matt Villalta, formerly of the Soo Greyhounds.
Villalta, who was drafted by the Kings in the third round (72nd overall) in 2017, posted a shutout on Friday versus Colorado. Entering what will be his third season with the Reign, Villalta is the veteran presence helping Ingham along at camp. The two have developed a rapport thus far and for the former Steelhead, he hopes that continues well into the new season.
“He set a great tone for our team,” Ingham said of Villalta’s performance on Friday. “And, you know, everyone played well. It was awesome. It was really fun to watch on the bench and, you know, just being really close with Matty. I was just talking to him yesterday and just going to ask him how he felt in the game, what were a couple of things to look for, and he was just trying to give me a couple of pointers, keep my feet under me and that. All those things were really helpful just to think about and just kind of keep in the back of your mind. I haven’t played for a while and to watch him go out there and get a shoutout, so there’s obviously no issues when he’s doing it really well. So it’s always nice to have that camaraderie between goaltenders.”
For Jacob Ingham, he is poised to make the next step of his career. While he does hope to crack the Kings’ roster eventually, there’s no urgency to do so just yet. Until then, Jacob Ingham plans on further evolving his game with the Kings’ development staff, who happen to be one of the best in the business.
So, while he may no longer be a member of the Mississauga Steelheads, Jacob Ingham’s impact on the organization has — and will continue to — make him a fan favourite for years to come. His quest to the professional ranks alone makes his journey an inspirational one, so be sure to keep an eye out for Jacob Ingham and what he has in store this coming season. Whether he’s in Ontario, back in Greenville, South Carolina, or even somewhere else, it will be fascinating to follow Mr. Ingham’s progressing career.
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