From Waivers To The Rangers’ Starting Goalie: Dylan Garand’s Unexpected Opportunity Following Igor Shesterkin’s Injury

Less than two weeks ago, the New York Rangers placed Dylan Garand on waivers as the young goaltender’s future in the organization was completely up in the air.

Now, with Igor Shesterkin out for the remainder of the 2026-27 season, Garand has suddenly been thrust into the starting goaltending role.

From being placed on waivers to becoming the Rangers’ starter in less than two weeks, how did we get to this point?

Since the Rangers selected him in the fourth round of the 2020 NHL Draft, Garand has spent most of his time with the Hartford Wolf Pack of the American Hockey League, appearing in 150 AHL games.

He finally got his NHL opportunity toward the tail end of the 2025-26 season, starting three games and posting a 2-0-1 record, a 1.62 goals-against average, and a .948 save percentage.

Things were looking promising for Garand, who signed a two-year contract extension with the Rangers at the beginning of the offseason and was in line to replace the retired Jonathan Quick as Igor Shesterkin’s backup.

However, the Rangers acquired veteran goaltender Joonas Korpisalo from the Boston Bruins on July 1, and he ultimately beat out Garand for the backup spot.

The 24-year-old was placed on waivers before the regular season began. After clearing waivers and being assigned to the Wolf Pack, Garand was prepared to settle back into Hartford, where he had even bought himself an apartment.

Things changed quickly when Garand was recalled by the Rangers on October 1 after Korpisalo was placed on injured reserve with a lower-body injury.

Shesterkin’s season-ending injury has now opened the door for Garand to take over as the Rangers’ starter for the foreseeable future, with Korpisalo expected to remain sidelined for another month.

“You never want to see guys get injured, especially your best player in Igor,” Garand said on Saturday. “He means a lot to the guys in this room and a lot to me personally. At the same time, it’s just next man up, and that’s kind of my approach here. I’m excited for the opportunity, I’m gonna put my heart and soul on the line for these guys and this city every night.”

Garand recorded a shutout in the Rangers’ 2-0 win over the Detroit Red Wings last week. He also entered Friday night’s game against the Washington Capitals in relief of Shesterkin, stopping 11 of 12 shots in a 2-1 loss.

The Rangers are expected to call up goaltender Spencer Martin from the AHL, but Mike Sullivan confirmed that Garand will likely handle the bulk of the workload until Korpisalo returns.

“Dylan is a great kid,” Sullivan said. “He’s another fierce competitor, he loves hockey, and he has aspirations to play in the NHL. He’s a good goalie. Everytime we’ve put him in the net, certainly since I've been here, he's made timely saves. He's given our team a chance to win each and every time he's been in the net. We think he's very capable, and he's going to get an opportunity here.”

Although Garand has limited NHL experience, he has spent the past several seasons as Hartford’s starting goaltender, starting more than 35 games in each of the past three seasons.

“Very ready,” Garand said when asked whether he’s ready to take on the Rangers’ starting role. “I think I have a chip on my shoulder for how my past has been. I’m really excited for this opportunity and ready to battle for these guys.”

While expressing their empathy for Shesterkin during this difficult time, Rangers players have emphasized their belief in Garand and their readiness to “rally” around him.

New York has started the season strong, posting a 4-2 record, but Garand’s performance could play a significant role in determining the team’s trajectory.

After going from the waiver wire to the starting crease in less than two weeks, Garand has a unique opportunity to establish himself in the NHL and become a hero in New York.

“I'm excited,” Garand said. “Obviously it's a dream to play in the NHL. I'm just trying to embrace that mentality and have a lot of gratitude for this opportunity. I love being part of this group and I love the guys in this room. So I really just want to work my nuts off and battle for these guys and help the team keep winning.”