The New York Rangers are down to their final two preseason games, and the biggest question still hanging over camp is the one in goal behind Igor Shesterkin.
So far, the Rangers have split their exhibition schedule between the New Jersey Devils and New York Islanders, and they’ve come out of those two games at 0-2-0. The results haven’t been pretty, but there has been enough positive movement to keep things interesting: young players have flashed, and the team’s newest arrivals have already started to leave a mark.
The crease, though, is where the spotlight has settled. Dylan Garand got the first crack at the Devils and turned in a solid showing, stopping 28 of 31 shots against an NHL-caliber lineup. Even with that performance, he does not appear to be in line for the final two preseason assignments.
According to Vince Z. Mercogliano of The Athletic on X, the Rangers plan to start Joonas Korpisalo against New Jersey on Thursday night, and he is expected to handle the full game.
Shesterkin is slated to follow the same setup against the Islanders on Sept. 25.
With Spencer Martin waived on Sept. 23, Garand is the only other goalie left in camp. Based on the projected lineup for the Devils game, he would serve as Korpisalo’s backup.
That setup suggests Garand may have had just one real shot to make his case for the No. 2 job. In a condensed camp and preseason, the Devils game may have been his only meaningful audition.
“Sullivan says the plan is to play Korpisalo for the full game tonight. I would imagine Igor does the same tomorrow. #NYR”
Even after Garand’s strong start, the signs are pointing toward Korpisalo as Shesterkin’s backup when the regular season opens. That would be a tough call, and there’s a real argument that it’s the wrong one, especially if the Rangers try to expose Garand to waivers and send him back to the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL.
That kind of move would carry real risk. Claims are rare, with only 10 of 233 players being claimed last year, but goaltenders are a different matter when so many teams are searching for help in net. Garand would have a better chance of getting picked up than most skaters.
Losing the 24-year-old would be a major hit to the organization’s depth. He showed well in his NHL debut late in the 2025-26 season and still has room to grow, while the Rangers already know what they’re getting from Korpisalo and Martin, and it’s not exactly a comforting answer.
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