NY Rangers' Dylan Garand Should Be in NHL Following Impressive Preseason Game

Did the performance by Dylan Garand do earn to earn him a spot on the New York Rangers?

Apr 15, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Rangers goaltender Dylan Garand (33) makes a save against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the third period at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Rangers opened up their preseason on the road against the New Jersey Devils, and while they were unable to come away with a win, there were some bright spots in the game. 

Following a really busy summer, the Rangers were back in action on Monday night playing the Devils. With it being the first preseason game and with some of the new rules in terms of how much veterans can play in the preseason, New York went with a mostly younger lineup, and one that didn’t feature too many expected NHL players. 

On the flip side, it was the second game for the Devils, who featured a lot of their NHL talent and, as expected, were able to come away with the win. 

For New York, there were some bright spots in the game considering the Devils dominated for most of it. Liam Greentree, who is a top prospect in the franchise, was able to record an assist in the 3-2 loss. Furthermore, goalie Dylan Garand was able to perform well despite being under a ton of pressure most of the night. 

Garand Earning a Spot

Apr 15, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Rangers goaltender Dylan Garand (33) controls the puck against the Tampa Bay Lightning in the first period at Benchmark International Arena. Mandatory Credit: Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

Even though New York might have fallen short, Garand showcased some of his abilities in this game. The 24-year-old was impressive in a small sample size in the NHL last year, and the battle between him and Joonas Korpisalo for the backup goalie spot is one of the more interesting battles for New York heading into the season. 

On Monday, he recorded 28 saves on 31 shots. Considering the zone time that the Devils were able to accumulate, this was never going to be an easy game for Garand right from the start. 

If not for a Jack Hughes goal with just over two minutes to play, the Rangers and Garand were nearly able to play them even for 60 minutes. 

Now, as Mike Sullivan and the coaching staff start to look at what the roster is going to look like, carrying three goalies has to be a realistic option. The Rangers can send him to the AHL, but it would require him going on waivers. As a young goalie with a lot of upside, it seems it’s hard to imagine that he could clear. 

With training camp and the preseason being condensed, there isn’t a lot of time to showcase what players can do. However, it was an impressive performance for Garand on Monday and should help his case for making the team.