Rangers at a Crossroads: Is It Time to Give Dylan Garand His Shot?
Three months ago, if you had suggested the Rangers might be debating whether to start Dylan Garand over Jonathan Quick in mid-January, it would've sounded like a stretch. But here we are. The Rangers are reeling, their goaltending is shaky, and with Igor Shesterkin sidelined, the questions are getting louder.
Let’s start with the facts. The Rangers are in a tailspin.
They’ve lost four straight games in regulation, getting outscored by a staggering 27-10 margin in that stretch. That’s not just a slump - that’s a full-blown crisis.
And the timing couldn’t be worse, with Shesterkin on injured reserve due to a lower-body injury and Adam Fox also out of the lineup. Two of the most important players on the roster are watching from the press box, and the team’s structure has unraveled without them.
Jonathan Quick, in his 800th NHL start, was pulled after allowing six goals on just 17 shots. It was a tough milestone moment for the 39-year-old veteran, who’s struggled noticeably of late.
His positioning has looked frantic, his reactions a step slow - especially on glove and blocker side plays. It’s not all on Quick, but it’s clear he’s pressing, and it’s costing the Rangers.
Which brings us to Garand.
The 23-year-old is the organization’s top goaltending prospect and currently playing with the Hartford Wolf Pack in the AHL. The question now is whether it’s time to give him a shot - not because he’s expected to save the season, but because the Rangers need to know what they have in him.
With Quick nearing the end of his career and Shesterkin cemented as the No. 1, the Rangers have to start thinking about who’s going to back him up next season. Garand, now in his fourth year as a pro, needs NHL reps if he’s going to be in that conversation.
Calling him up now would be more about the long-term picture than the short-term fix. But let’s be honest - the short term could use some help too.
Quick looks like he could use a mental reset, and the Rangers are desperate for anything that might stabilize their situation. Maybe giving the net to a young, hungry goaltender would jolt the team into playing tighter defensively.
Sometimes, knowing there’s an untested kid behind you is enough to get everyone to lock in.
But there are real risks here.
Garand hasn’t exactly been lighting it up in Hartford this season. His numbers - a 2.99 goals-against average and a .898 save percentage through 19 games - don’t scream “ready for the show.”
He’s also coming off two rough outings where he gave up 11 goals combined. So if the Rangers are looking for a goalie playing out of his mind, Garand isn’t that guy right now.
And then there’s the timing. The Rangers are in last place, the fanbase is frustrated, and the pressure is mounting.
Is this really the moment to throw a rookie into the fire? It’s a fair question.
But if they’re going to do it, the upcoming road trip might be the best window. The Rangers have been better away from Madison Square Garden this year, with 15 road wins compared to just five at home.
Less spotlight, less noise - maybe that’s the right environment for a debut.
There’s also the locker room dynamic to consider. Quick is a respected voice in that room.
He’s a three-time Stanley Cup champion and the winningest American-born goalie in NHL history. Benching him for a rookie could create some tension, not just for Quick but for the veterans who’ve gone to battle with him.
The Rangers have mishandled similar situations before - think Barclay Goodrow, Jacob Trouba, Chris Kreider - and those decisions didn’t exactly go over smoothly. If they’re going to make this move, they’ll need to manage it carefully.
So what’s the right call?
There’s no easy answer. The Rangers are in a tough spot, and there’s no silver bullet. But if they believe Garand has a future in New York, they need to start finding out what that future looks like - and that means giving him a chance at the NHL level, even if the timing isn’t perfect.
One bright spot in all this? Gabe Perreault.
Amid the chaos of an 8-4 loss to the Ottawa Senators, Perreault gave Rangers fans something to smile about. It wasn’t enough to change the outcome, but it was a reminder that there’s still talent in the pipeline.
The challenge now is developing it - something the Rangers haven’t done well enough in recent years.
The path forward isn’t clear, but one thing is: the Rangers can’t afford to keep doing the same thing and expecting different results. Whether it’s Garand or something else, change has to come - and soon.