NY Rangers' Backup Goalie Competition Will Have Major Ramifications for Franchise

What will be the outcome of the New York Rangers' backup goalie competition?

Mar 27, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers goaltender Dylan Garand (33) during the third period against the Chicago Blackhawks at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Brad Penner-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Rangers are getting set for the start of training camp this week, and the team will have a few key battles to keep an eye on. 

Coming off a down season, the Rangers were extremely aggressive this summer in trying to get better. There were plenty of spots on the team that needed to be improved, and New York did a good job of addressing them. 

At forward, the team added a lot of help with Pavel Dorofeyev, Eeli Tolvanen and Oliver Bjorkstrand. These three should make the top nine a lot better, and Dorofeyev especially could be a key piece for years to come. 

On the blueline, the Rangers also made some notable upgrades. Bringing in Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson in trades will help revamp the second-pair. Furthermore, they also used the fifth overall pick on Alberts Smits. 

New York certainly didn’t have a shortage of moves that they made both at forward and on the blueline, but another significant one they made was the trade with the Boston Bruins that brought in Joonas Korpisalo. 

Following the retirement of Jonathan Quick after the season, there was a need for a new backup. While many thought it would be the talented Dylan Garand stepping into that role, the Rangers elected to bring in Korpisalo as well.  

Backup Goalie Competition Will Be Interesting 

Apr 7, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Boston Bruins goaltender Joonas Korpisalo (70) looks on against the Carolina Hurricanes during the third period at Lenovo Center. Mandatory Credit: James Guillory-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With Garand being viewed as a talented young player for the organization, the decision to bring in Korpisalo was a surprising one at the time. New York arguably should have given Garand more of a look last year in the NHL to see what he could do, but in a very small sample size, the results were good. 

However, the Rangers not only gave up draft capital for Korpisalo, but they are also paying him $3 million. As a proven backup, and based on the Rangers not only trading for him, but paying him well, it is safe to assume that he will have a leg up on the competition in camp. 

If it does end up being Korpisalo, the Rangers simply can’t move Garand back down to the AHL. He would have to clear waivers in order for that to happen, and he is the caliber of player that would likely get picked up by someone. 

The option to have three goalies on the roster is a possibility as well, but that seems far from ideal when one of them is Igor Shesterkin. Overall, this battle will be an interesting one to watch. While it appears that the competition should be an open one, Korpisalo has to be seen as the favorite for the backup role.