2026 Rangers Season Previews: Dylan Garand

This article is part of an ongoing series of New York Rangers Season Previews, taking a close look at what we can, and should, expect from each member of the 2026-27 New York Rangers. To read other articles in this series, go here.

On March 22, goaltender Dylan Garand finally achieved his dream. The 103rd overall pick in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft finally made his long-awaited NHL debut. Garand went on to play in three games with the New York Rangers to end the 2025-26 season.

Garand's debut came following four seasons of development with the Hartford Wolf Pack, honing his craft and becoming one of the AHL's best goaltending prospects. The former Kamloops Blazer earned a reputation as a playoff riser thanks to two brilliant playoff runs, and a dominant 2024-25 season saw him named AHL Goaltender of the Month in December and an AHL All-Star.

Now, Garand enters his fifth professional season aiming to break camp in the NHL. However, his spot isn't guaranteed.

Previous Performance

Garand played most of the 2025-26 season in Hartford and was expected to get the lion's share of starts for the Wolf Pack. He finally earned the starter's net after three seasons in a tandem with Louis Domingue, who signed in the KHL to begin the season.

Much like the Wolf Pack, Garand got off to a slow start. However, as the season went on, he found his footing and turned in another quality campaign. In a 12 game stretch from Jan. 31 to March 18, Garand didn't allow more than three goals in a game. He ended his AHL time with a 16-15-2 record, a 2.83 goals against average, and an .896 save percentage, while also logging a shutout, three assists, and four penalty minutes across 36 games.

Garand finally earned his first recall to the NHL on March 20 and made his debut two days later. He'd lose the game in a shootout against the Winnipeg Jets, but allowed just two goals and made some big stops to help the Rangers earn a point. Garand ultimately played in three games with the Blueshirts, going 2-0-1 with a 1.62 GAA and a .948 SV%.

Expectations

The expectation for Garand is to break camp with the Rangers. He's put countless hours into his development, grinding through four seasons in Hartford. In fact, Garand's 148 regular season games played for the Wolf Pack are second-most in franchise history, trailing only Jason LaBarbera (182 GP).

However, Garand's spot on the roster isn't a guarantee. Backup netminder and future Hall of Famer Jonathan Quick retired at the end of the 25-26 campaign, which seemingly opened a role for Garand in New York behind star Igor Shesterkin. However, a July 1 trade saw the Rangers bring in goaltender Joonas Korpisalo from the Boston Bruins, providing a veteran option for Garand to battle with in training camp this fall. The winner of the battle will earn the backup job, while the loser is destined for the waiver wire.

Predictions

27 GP | 14-9-4 | 2.70 GAA | .905 SV%

First things first—I predict Garand will win the backup job. He must be exposed to waivers in order to be sent to Hartford, and as I mentioned in my offseason column, Talking Pack, I believe Garand will get claimed if placed on waivers. He's simply too valuable to risk losing for nothing, whereas Korpisalo is very likely to clear waivers. Additionally, I believe Garand is simply a better option in net than Korpisalo, who has recorded a save percentage above .900 in just one of his last six seasons and in none of his last three. If you're still not fully convinced, the Rangers can save $350k in cap space by rostering Garand and assigning Korpisalo to the Wolf Pack, which you can read about in the aforementioned Talking Pack column.

Obviously, Garand won't retain the sparkling 1.62 GAA and .948 SV% over a larger sample size. However, Garand has posted a career 2.90 GAA and .901 SV% across his 148 AHL regular season games, and his numbers could take a slight bump up in a more polished and predictable environment. While Shesterkin will once again get a starter's workload, I predict Garand cementing himself as a strong backup option for the Blueshirts.

Conclusion

I've had the opportunity to watch Garand's entire professional career to date. In that time, I've seen him develop from an AHL rookie in a backup role to a legitimate NHL-caliber goaltender. He's put in the hours and paid all his dues during his time in Hartford, and his sensational cup of coffee proves he can hang in the world's top hockey league.

There's one last training camp battle between Garand and his dreams of earning an NHL roster spot. However, he's in great position to win that battle and finally secure his long-desired spot on the Rangers' roster.