Dylan Garand is ready to end the Rangers’ search for a veteran backup

After four seasons as the backbone of the Hartford Wolf Pack, Dylan Garand finally took his solo lap at Madison Square Garden this season. It was fitting that the youngster took the ice during a "Kids Day" matinee against the Winnipeg Jets, and the moment was everything he ever dreamed of. The 23 year old stepped into a high-pressure spot with the Rangers on a three-game skid and immediately proved he was more than ready. Although his debut ended in a shootout loss, his performance sent a loud message, and one that creates a situation worth monitoring this summer.

Expectations

Coming off an AHL All-Star campaign in 2024-25 (20-10-9, 2.73 goals against average, and .913 save percentage), the bar for Garand was set as NHL ready. The expectation was that he would spend one final year as the workhorse in Hartford before transitioning to the big club in 2026. While the Rangers initially leaned on veteran insurance like Spencer Martin earlier in the season when Igor Shesterkin went down with an injury, the mid-season Letter 2.0 shift meant the organization could no longer justify keeping their top goalie prospect in the minors once Jonathan Quick was sidelined.

Performance

Garand’s AHL numbers this season (16-15-2, 2.83 goals against average, and a .896 save percentage) were a victim of a porous Hartford defense, but his NHL audition told a completely different story. In his brief 2-0-1 stint, Garand was extremely efficient. Garand had a stellar 1.62 goals against average, a .948 save percentage, and courtesy of Evolving-Hockey he posted a 4.88 GSAA (goals saved above average) and a 5.38 GSAx (goals saved above expected).

He looked steady, poised, and tracked pucks with a veteran’s calmness. There were some brief jitters after making his debut, but that subsided early. Following breakup day, Garand was vocal about his intent: "I'm hungry to be here and it's an exciting opportunity moving forward."

The Rangers rookie netminder didn't just fill a gap, rather, he forced an important conversation about the roster's future that has been years in the making. That Garand wasn't called up sooner remains a point of contention, and that will subside if he's back with the team next year. If the Rangers get too cute and send him back to Hartford, that's a situation that will require further discussion.

Garand's overall AHL body of work tells a story of a goaltender who has been doing the best he can with a flawed roster. That he looked the way he did with the Rangers, a team with a different kind of flawed roster, should inspire confidence amongst the fans.

Grade: B

Where do they go from here?

With Jonathan Quick officially retired, the backup position is Garand’s to lose. While Chris Drury has been typically guarded, stating he is looking at Garand "among other options", the financial and developmental logic is clear.

The Rangers are entering an offseason where they are flush with cap space, but with their sights set on improvement, they should save money where they can. They are already paying Shesterkin a great, and fair, amount of money to be their starter, so why not go for a value at backup?

Garand provides a low-cost, high-upside alternative to a pricey veteran free agent. He also brings a lot of competitive fire, and that type of energy is important for a winning team. There are some teams where the backup plays, and the rest of the group knows it could be a bit of a rough night. In Garand's case, he's looking at each game as an opportunity to show he can be an NHL starter, and that type of energy can be infectious. His passion was evident despite just being around the team for a short while, and it is a vibe worth keeping around.

Even if Drury signs a veteran to act as third-string insurance, Garand has earned the right to be the nightly No. 2. He is a former CHL Goaltender of the Year and World Junior gold medalist who has nothing left to prove in the AHL. It's time to let him be the goaltender he was drafted to be.

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