The New York Rangers are halfway finished with their preseason schedule, as there are just two games remaining. Then, it's onto Sept. 29, where they go on the road to take on the Boston Bruins for the first game of the regular season. Before that, the Rangers will have to see what the final roster will look like.
There is one question heading into the regular season, and that's whether or not the Rangers will carry three goaltenders on the roster. It is an odd strategy for any NHL team, especially when the Rangers have one of the top goalies in the game in Igor Shesterkin. The thing is, New York has a promising goalie prospect in Dylan Garand, who played well through three starts last season. But, the Rangers traded for Joonas Korpisalo from the Bruins.
Considering the Rangers traded assets for Korpisalo, it seems unlikely he'll get cut from the roster. However, sending Garand down to the AHL if that's the route they want to go in isn't easy. Garand has run out of options, meaning that if the Rangers try to send him down to the Hartford Wolf Pack, he will be subject to waivers. With Garand playing well last season, it's hard to imagine a team with goaltending needs not putting in a claim for him.
Now, there is more fear for Rangers fans about the potential of the team losing Garand for nothing.
New reporting indicates that teams will be interested in Dylan Garand if Rangers waive goalie
The Athletic's Peter Baugh and Vince Mercogliano discussed the Rangers' upcoming waiver decisions before the start of the season. While speaking with two NHL scouts and an agent, Garand was one of three players on the Rangers who were expected to "tempt opposing front offices if they hit the wire." The other two players are forward Matt Rempe and defenseman Scott Morrow.
And there you have it. The Rangers fanbase's fear of losing out Garand if they try to send him down to the AHL is valid. We see just how teams' seasons can sink if they don't have the proper goaltending. Even entering this season, there are teams that don't have great goaltending depth.
If Garand were to hit the waivers, it's entirely possible that teams that need a goalie will jump at the opportunity to claim him. It is simply a risky move for the Rangers to do so, especially with how he's played for them.
In three starts last season, Garand posted a .948 save percentage, a 1.62 goals allowed average and a 2-0-1 record. Then, in Monday night's preseason game against the New Jersey Devils, Garand stopped 28-of-31 shots faced in a 3-2 loss.
Rangers three-goalie system could be an option to avoid losing Dylan Garand
The way for the Rangers to avoid a situation in which they lose Garand is to keep him on the roster. But thus far, Korpisalo has yet to play in a preseason game, and the fact that they gave up a 2028 fourth-round draft pick and a player, means it's unlikely he's on the chopping block. So, that would leave the door open for a potential goaltending trio on the roster.
Head coach Mike Sullivan sounded open to the idea of keeping Korpisalo and Garand on the roster to start the season. However, he did mention that it wasn't the most ideal scenario in the long-term. That does make sense, considering it would prevent the Rangers from rostering an extra forward or defenseman. So, that would potentially be a scenario where the Rangers kick the can down the road in terms of deciding who stays between Korpisalo and Garand to be the main backup to Shesterkin for the majority of the season.
If the Rangers expected that sneaking Garand back down to Hartford through waivers, it sure sounds like there will be a team interested in swiping the goalie away from them.
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