Spencer Martin was sensational for the Hartford Wolf Pack in their come from behind victory against the Cleveland Monsters on Saturday, and he is now getting a promotion to serve as a backup to Igor Shesterkin.
UPDATE: Spencer Martin has been recalled from the Hartford Wolf Pack and Dylan Garand has been assigned to the Hartford Wolf Pack.
— NY Rangers PR (@NYR_PR) November 30, 2025
Rangers will lean on Martin's experience to serve as backup while Jonathan Quick is sidelined
The Rangers previously recalled Dylan Garand to serve as a backup, and he is headed back to Hartford where he will reclaim the starter's crease. He has yet to appear in an NHL game, and with a busy schedule facing the Rangers they need a goaltender who can make spots stars for Igor Shesterkin.
Martin has appeared in 82 games across five NHL seasons, and has a record of 30-37-10 in 73 career starts with a .883 save percentage and a 3.56 goals against average. They aren't the flashiest of numbers, but he's a known quantity who has been able to play well enough to win games.
Martin was playing in the KHL before the Rangers signed him to a two-year deal, and Saturday's game against the Monsters was his season debut for Hartford. Last season he appeared in 31 games for the Chicago Wolves in the American Hockey League, and he finished with a 20-8-2 record, a .909 save percentage, and a 2.34 goals against average.
What does this move say about Rangers' faith in Garand?
It is curious that the Rangers haven't felt confident enough in Garand for him to make his NHL debut yet, although they did take their time with Matthew Robertson who finally got a chance last season, and has been given a bigger role this season.
The Rangers picked Garand in the fourth round of the 2020 draft, and felt he was a goalie with upside. He ended his WHL career with a record of 89-31-7 in the regular season and posted a .918 save percentage and a 2.34 goals against average. In 20 playoff games he had a .927 save percentage and a 2.08 goals against average.
His AHL career to date has been a bit of a journey, and in 123 games across five seasons he is 52.48-19 with nine shutouts, a .902 save percentage, and a 2.93 goals against average. Garand has been good in the playoffs, and has posted a .927 save percentage, and a 2.21 goals against average with an overall record of 10-7-0.
You'd think it would be worth the team's while of getting a sense of how Garand does against actual NHL action, and if it goes well it helps them think about their backup plan for the future. The Rangers need to win as many games as they can, so there's an understanding about why they might not want to experiement, but it isn't like Martin is a world beater to the point where he's an obvious better fit than Garand.