When Igor Shesterkin went down, every New York Rangers fan was rightfully worried about the team’s outlook.
After all, Shesterkin is the key variable for the Rangers when all things remain equal in the Metro Division.
And while there has been an outcry for Chris Drury to acquire Connor Hellebuyck or even Jordan Binnington, the fact of the matter is that the Blueshirts have much more runway than most fans believe.
The reason is Dylan Garand. The 24-year-old has proven capable of holding the fort. Sure, he hasn’t been lights-out. But with the way the Rangers have been playing, he hasn’t needed to steal games.
Plus, there is Joonas Korpisalo’s return looming on the horizon. When the veteran goalie returns, Mike Sullivan will have an experienced netminder who can support Garand. Sullivan could even split the starts 50/50, giving both goalies a chance to remain as fresh as possible.
There is a need for more organizational depth, of course. The fact that Spencer Martin is the next guy up right now has to be mildly concerning. But then again, the fact that Garand has played well thus far makes Martin relatively moot. And it also buys Korpisalo time to recover.
If Garand wasn’t around, or if he had faltered, the story would be different. Fortunately, that has not been the case.
Rangers can take their time to figure out next move in the crease
At the moment, there is no real need to panic for the Rangers. Yes, there is the temptation to push the button.
But let’s be realistic for a minute. The Blueshirts are coming off two playoff misses and a significant rebuild. It would be unreasonable to imagine they would be Stanley Cup contenders this season. And yes, the strong start has been encouraging.
Nevertheless, does it really make sense to surrender major pieces for a guy like Hellebuyck or Binnington?
Darren Dreger reports that there have been “conversations” between the New York Rangers & Winnipeg Jets regarding Connor Hellebuyck.
— The Mug NHL (@TheMugNHL) October 14, 2026
However, Dreger claims the Rangers “flat-out don’t wanna pay the hefty asking price” for Hellebuyck.https://t.co/yebLiBXboh
That’s why the silver lining in this entire discussion is Garand. He’s bought Drury enough runway to make a calm decision. Even if the bottom fell out of the Rangers in the coming games, would anyone really blame the team for not winning the Presidents’ Trophy with Garand in net?
I will say this: If Garand goes on a mind-bender, that situation would preclude the need for a goalie trade even more. The only real argument for a goalie trade would be if the Rangers found themselves on the fringes of the playoff race, with Garand just not quite being enough to put the Blueshirts over the top.
That point, nonetheless, is still a ways off. That juncture may become apparent by the time Thanksgiving rolls around.
Add us as a preferred source on Google