The New York Rangers have locked in one of their brighter young pieces. Goalie Dylan Garand agreed to a two-year contract extension, the team confirmed, keeping the 24-year-old in the organization as they try to retool after a disappointing season.
Garand made three NHL appearances for the Rangers in 2025-26, and they were not three quiet games. He went 2-0-1 with a 1.62 goals-against average and a .948 save percentage. For context, that save clip is absurd over a small sample. But the company he kept in the record book is what really stands out. Garand became the first Rangers rookie goalie to earn a point in each of his first three NHL appearances since Henrik Lundqvist in 2005-06. That’s not bad company.
Most of Garand’s season was spent in the AHL with Hartford. Across parts of five seasons and 148 games with the Wolf Pack, he put up a 65-57-18 record, a 2.90 GAA, a .901 save percentage and nine shutouts. Not overwhelming numbers, but steady enough that the Rangers clearly see him as a long-term piece in net.
A Rough Season for the Big Club
The Rangers finished 2025-26 with just 77 points. That’s not a typo. A team that was in the Eastern Conference Final a couple years back missed the playoffs entirely. So yeah, there’s work to do. Locking in a young goalie who showed he can handle a spotlight — even for three games — feels like a low-risk move with potential upside.
Garand knows what’s waiting for him. He’s hungry, and he said as much recently. “I’m definitely hungry to play in this league and for this organization,” he told The Athletic. “It’s very motivating for me going back into the summer. To be here and see what it takes, now I know. I know what I need to do this summer to come in and be prepared and put my best foot forward and execute.”
He was a fourth-round pick in the 2020 draft. Not a splashy pick at the time. But if he keeps trending the way he did in those three starts, the Rangers might have found a steal.
The last time New York won a Stanley Cup was 1994. That’s a long time. Every decision this front office makes from now on is measured against that drought. Garand’s extension is a small bet, but it’s a bet they needed to make. Whether he becomes the answer or just another name on the depth chart, that’s still to be determined. But for now, the kid gets a contract and a chance.
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