Is the 23-Year-Old Rookie Goaltender the Rangers’ Next Answer in Net?
As long as Ranger fans can remember, goaltending has been the last thing to complain about. With only eight games remaining for the Blueshirts, a rookie goaltender looks to make the most of his time in the NHL. With Jonathan Quick still recovering from his upper-body injury, their newest goaltender has the opportunity to solidify his spot in this team's future. The playoff picture has long been lost for these Rangers, meaning the 23-year-old goaltender may find himself between the pipes more often than fans think. Based on what the goalie prospect has shown fans, a case could soon be made for his role in the coming seasons. Though far too early to tell, can Dylan Garand make himself a case for his role with the Blueshirts?
There's no doubt fans like what they see in Dylan Garand from his first two NHL games. Despite ending his first NHL game in a shootout loss, the young prospect turned aside 35 shots to bring the Rangers to a shootout. An impressive debut, and it makes for a good sign for what's to come. It was the 23-year-old's second start that earned him his first career win, turning aside 27 of the Chicago Blackhawks 28 shots in a 6-1 win. Two games in the book and the Canadian prospect has himself a GAA of 1.44 and a save percentage of .954. Again, it's way too early to make any bold statement on Garand's potential, but he's certainly off to an impressive start. As Jonathan Quick continues to skate, the rookie's time in the NHL could be over any day now. Though only two starts into his NHL career, is it too early to consider the young prospect's future with the Rangers?
There's no doubt Jonathan Quick played his role as a backup beautifully. As the Rangers look to move forward in their retooling, there may be little need for Quick to continue playing as backup to Igor Shesterkin. As the rookies continue to invade the Blueshirts' lineup, all signs may just point to Garand beginning next season as a backup. There'll be positive nights as well as negative nights, but all the experience with these rookies is essential if this team is to return as contenders within the next few seasons. A decision like this may be difficult, though, considering the rookie goaltender only has two games under his belt, which is an even better reason to keep throwing him between the pipes in these remaining games. There's really no reason not to give him these starts, considering the Rangers have been eliminated from the playoffs; it's really just decisions like this that are best for a serious and successful retool. Eight games remain in the Rangers' 25-26 campaign, and with nothing to play for, can the Blueshirts keep Dylan Garand between the pipes and help solidify a key role for him in the seasons to come?
