The New York Rangers are still waiting for answers on two Opening Night names, and the latest update from head coach Mike Sullivan didn’t bring much comfort.
Goaltender Joonas Korpisalo and center Joe Veleno both remain out after landing on injured reserve with lower-body injuries, and neither player has resumed skating yet, according to Sullivan via Mollie Walker of the New York Post on X. No timeline was offered for either return.
Korpisalo’s situation has been the more puzzling one. He was placed on IR just a few days after the season-opening loss to the Boston Bruins, and even Sullivan said he wasn’t sure when the injury actually happened. Veleno’s setback came shortly after that, when he went down in the first period against the Utah Mammoth and was later put on IR as well.
For now, Dylan Garand continues in the backup role behind Igor Shesterkin, while Cole Beaudoin is filling the spot left open by Veleno. Beaudoin, a 2024 first-round pick who was acquired from the Mammoth in the Vincent Trocheck trade this summer, made a strong first impression in his debut.
That matters for the Rangers, because losing Veleno hits a thin area of the roster. He was the No. 4 center in the lineup, and the organization’s depth down the middle was already its weakest position. Any absence there is a problem, and this one leaves New York hoping Veleno can get back soon.
Korpisalo’s injury also raises questions in hindsight. Since there was no clear explanation for the issue, the Rangers could have potentially handled his IR move earlier rather than placing Garand on waivers when the roster was cut down for the regular season. That risk ended up working out, though, because Garand cleared waivers, just as defenseman Matthew Robertson did when a spot had to be opened for Beaudoin.
The Rangers were fortunate on that front. Garand has already shown he can handle NHL work, and in his 2026-27 season debut he posted a shutout against the Detroit Red Wings on the second night of a back-to-back, coming after New York beat the Tampa Bay Lightning in its home opener.
In Other News...
Rangers Suddenly Face A Brutal Igor Shesterkin Question
Igor Shesterkins night against the Capitals ended abruptly when the Rangers No. 1 goaltender had to leave with a lower-body injury and did not return, a scary development for a team that has leaned heavily on him. Dylan Garand stepped in and handled the workload after Shesterkin exited, giving New York at least a steady stopgap while the bench waited for word on the starters condition.
The concern goes beyond one game because the Rangers are already dealing with injuries in goal, which has thinned out their options at a position that rarely allows for much margin. New York is still waiting for a fuller update on Shesterkin, and with another game looming, the teams depth chart could be pushed into uncomfortable territory if he is not available. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Affiliate Is Building Early Momentum Behind An Intriguing Goalie Start
The Hartford Wolf Pack kept their early-season roll going with a 2-0 win over the Providence Bruins, giving the Rangers AHL affiliate three straight victories to open the year. Glenn Gawdin supplied one of the goals, and the result continued a start that has put Hartford in a good place before the calendar really settles into the grind of the season.
Callum Tung was at the center of it, turning aside 28 shots to give Hartford the kind of steady goaltending every affiliate hopes to find early. The Wolf Pack now head toward their home opener against the Wilkes-Barre/Scranton Penguins on October 10, with the early question being whether this start is the beginning of something more substantial. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Goalie Surge Suddenly Feels More Real Than Expected
The Hartford Wolf Packs fast start kept rolling with a 2-0 win over the Providence Bruins, another encouraging sign for a Rangers organization watching its goaltending depth closely. The Wolf Pack opened the 2026-27 season at 3-0-0-0, and the latest result came with the kind of steady, low-event hockey that can make an early run feel more legitimate than decorative.
Callum Tung was the biggest reason it held together, turning aside all 28 shots he faced for his first AHL shutout. In a development system, those are the kinds of nights that matter because they hint at more than a clean sheet in October, especially when the results keep stacking up and the crease picture in the organization starts to look a little more interesting. [Read more 🡒]