Dylan Garand is living every goalie's NHL dream, but he admits he hates how it started and wonders how quickly it could end. The 24-year-old spent his past four professional seasons with the Hartford Wolf Pack, the AHL affiliate of the New York Rangers. Heading into 2026-27, the Rangers had star goalie Igor Shesterkin ready to play at least 65% of their games, with veteran backup Joonas Korpisalo filling in the rest. Garand was placed on waivers and sent down to Hartford, where he got an apartment and spent three nights in a hotel while it remained unfurnished.
His chance came quickly. Korpisalo suffered a lower-body injury, and Garand became Shesterkin's backup. He made the most of it, recording a 22-save shutout of Detroit in his first NHL start on Oct. 2. The Rangers' season changed on Oct. 9, when Shesterkin injured his right knee during a loss to the Washington Capitals. It was announced the next day that the Vezina-winning goalie would miss the rest of the season.
Garand didn't initially know the severity of Shesterkin's injury. He had entered the game and stopped 10 of 11 shots, and he learned the news only after media asked him about it. "It's an unfortunate circumstance with Shesty, but now I'm just trying to help the team any way I can," Garand said. Through six appearances, he is 5-3-1 with a .927 save percentage and a 1.82 goals-against average.
His rise has been rapid, moving from apartment hunting in Hartford to starting for the Rangers at Madison Square Garden. Garand, a native of Victoria, British Columbia, was drafted 103rd overall by the Rangers in 2020. Whether his success lasts will depend on how he performs without the team's star in net.
Source: ESPN NHL · Summarized by HeadlinesBriefing