NY Rangers’ Dylan Garand Surprisingly Left off Top 25 Goalie Prospects

Dylan Garand surprisingly falls off a top-25 goalie prospects list.

Sep 26, 2022; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers goaltender Dylan Garand (98) drinks water during a game against the New York Islanders at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: Jessica Alcheh-USA TODAY Sports / USA TODAY Sports

The New York Rangers are in as good a position as any team in the NHL when it comes to goaltending, where they have Igor Shesterkin locked in as their starter.

One of the best goaltenders in the league, Shesterkin has proven capable of carrying the team on his back when needed. He is good enough to push this team to another level, and if he can stay healthy, he will help get the Rangers back into the playoff picture.

Behind Shesterkin, New York has an intriguing option as their No. 2: Dylan Garand. He made his NHL debut this past season, appearing in three games, but that wasn’t enough to keep him on the list of top 25 goalie prospects in the NHL.

This is the fourth year that Daily Faceoff has compiled a list of the top goaltender prospects. After being featured in last year’s rankings, Garand was surprisingly left off the list, continuing a troubling trend in the eyes of some evaluators.

Dylan Garand falls off top 25 goaltender prospect list

Apr 15, 2026; Tampa, Florida, USA; New York Rangers goaltender Dylan Garand (33) looks on 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

Ahead of the 2024-25 season, Garand was No. 21 on the list. Last year, he dropped a few spots to No. 24. This year, he doesn’t have a number next to his name at all, landing in the section of players also considered along with Damian Clara of the Anaheim Ducks, Evan Gardner of the Columbus Blue Jackets, Marcus Gidlof of the St. Louis Blues, Love Harenstam of the Blues and Thomas Milic of the Winnipeg Jets.

A strong argument can be made that Garand was snubbed from this list based on some of his recent accomplishments on the ice. He participated in the AHL All-Star Challenge in 2025 and was the No. 1 goaltender for the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL this past season.

On top of that, his first impression in the NHL was an incredible one. Garand made three starts, going 2-0-1, allowing only five goals on 96 shot attempts, coming out to a save percentage of .948. Per MoneyPuck, he saved 3.9 goals above expected, which was 30th in the NHL.

Dylan Garand has a lot to prove this season

Mar 22, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers goaltender Dylan Garand (33) warms up before a game against the Winnipeg Jets at Madison Square Garden. Mandatory Credit: John Jones-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

He will be doing battle in training camp with veteran Joonas Korpisalo, who was acquired from the Boston Bruins in an offseason trade. Korpisalo finished 49th in goals saved above expected, registering -1.0.

That acquisition certainly put some cold water on Garand’s ascension to the No. 2 job, as the veteran Korpisalo likely has the inside track to being Shesterkin’s backup. However, Garand is no longer waiver-exempt, so if the Rangers don’t keep him on the roster and try to pace him through to the AHL, another franchise could claim him.

The strong finish to the campaign wasn’t enough for Garand to convince New York decision-makers that he was ready for the backup job or Ellis that he was still a top-25 goaltender prospect.