The New York Rangers are enjoying a very positive start to the 2026-27 season. They are organized with key performances coming from up and down the roster, and it looks like President and General Manager Chris Drury's offseason plans are working out.
One of the bigger storylines of the summer was the Dylan Garand saga. Many wondered over the summer if he would back up starting goaltender Igor Shesterkin, but that hope came crashing down with the trade for Joonas Korpisalo.
Now, with Korpisalo on injured reserve, the Garand arc is being looked at in real time. It is a familiar story, and in a way, he just became the new “Matt Rempe” of this team.
Overnight sensation
Jeremy Lin, Jalen Brunson, Jaxson Dart, and Matt Rempe (to a lesser degree) are a few names of New York players who became overnight sensations. If you all remember, Rempe got his start at the Stadium Series game back in 2024 against the New York Islanders in MetLife Stadium. He was electrifying then and became a new player for this fan base to sink their teeth into.
This fanbase of New York sports loves you unconditionally, or hates you with every fiber of their existence. There is no in-between.
After a shutout performance against the Detroit Red Wings, you can add Garand to that list. There was a reason why he was announced during the Home Opener behind Shesterkin, to continued applause from the Madison Square Garden crowd. The Blueshirts faithful believe in No. 33, and want him to stay behind Shesterkin.
Living up to the hype
That opening win against Detroit was a masterclass. Now, the Red Wings are going through a bit of a rough patch right now, with Dylan Larkin pulling the focus away from hockey, but it should still be considered a solid 22-save shutout for the inexperienced goalie. He was comfortable in net, and all of this background noise of being waived and then promoted to backup due to injury seems to not be a factor.
Garand was great in his three performances last season with the Rangers, and that continued over the training camp and preseason. The idea of getting Korpisalo seems to be a bit sour as Garand continues to improve. The fans are not going to be happy if this new fan-favorite is sent back down to Hartford.
One game is a small sample size, but it is a nice preview of what is to come. The Rangers have themselves a solid goaltending tandem, but Drury has to make sure he can fix his past mistake.
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