The New York Rangers have run into an obvious, avoidable problem. Dylan Garand is finally starting to feel the suffocating weight of an everyday NHL starting job.
It is not just the high-leverage nature of the games he is playing, it is the raw quantity of rubber he has had to face. Fortunately, President and General Manager Chris Drury stepped in before permanent damage was done, converting veteran netminder James Reimer from an AHL tryout into a one-year, $850,000 contract.
The move offers immediate relief, but the question remains: did the coaching staff wait too long and risk burning their rookie out?
Overworked already?
Since Igor Shesterkin went down with his season-ending leg injury on October 9 in Washington, Garand has started all seven games since. For someone who was anticipating another year in Hartford, after being placed on waivers, that is a very big jump in play time.
The sheer volume of games has taken an undeniable toll. Garand started the season on absolute fire, putting together a 2-2-0 mark that included a shutout over Detroit on October 2 and a gutsy relief effort against the Capitals. But over the last week, that early-season magic has hit a wall.
Sullivan confirmed that Reimer will start tonight. Made it sound like a big motivating factor is giving Garand a breather.
— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) October 26, 2026
"We're asking a lot of Dylan. He just had 7 starts in a row... I think there's a physical challenge to it, but there's also a mental challenge to it."#NYR https://t.co/cPgyB7tto4
Surrendering 10 goals on the last 47 shots he faced across back-to-back road losses in Toronto and Ottawa showed a young goalie struggling with rebound control and late reads through traffic.
His overall record on the season sits at 4-4-1 with a respectable .900 save percentage and a 2.65 goals-against average. On paper, those numbers look solid for a rookie backup thrust into the fire. But recent results and the defensive breakdowns in front of him show that relying on Garand every single night is no longer sustainable.
Reimer to the rescue
Recognizing that Garand could not survive the upcoming schedule alone, the Rangers signed the 38-year-old Reimer to an $850,000 deal.
The Rangers' newest backup goalie appeared in 14 games last season for the Ottawa Senators, with his last NHL start coming on April 15 against Toronto in a 3-1 victory. After pitching a 35-save shutout in his Wolf Pack debut on Friday, Reimer will make his Rangers debut on Monday night at Madison Square Garden against the Los Angeles Kings.
With Shesterkin out, the Rangers are committed to a tandem of Garand and Reimer for the foreseeable future of the 2026-27 season. Joonas Korpisalo will enter the picture at some point, but there's no telling when that will exactly be.
Sullivan said Joonas Korpisalo skated yesterday and today. He needed to double check if yesterday was his first day on the ice but his larger point is that he’s making progress. #NYR
— Vince Z. Mercogliano (@vzmercogliano) October 25, 2026
Losing a world-class goaltender is never an ideal circumstance, but rolling with a promising young starter and a veteran with 539 games of NHL experience is far from a death sentence.
Reimer enters the room fresh, motivated, and eager to make his mark with another Original Six franchise. More importantly, he gives Garand the mental and physical reset he needs. Garand has proved he can win games at the NHL level, but he won't win many more if Mike Sullivan continues to treat him like an iron man. Starting Reimer on Monday is the first step toward building a sustainable balance in net.
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