Rangers Playing a Dangerous Game of Chicken With Goaltending Depth
AI-generated image · US National Wire
By waiving Dylan Garand to make room for roster additions, New York is risking the loss of a promising young asset for nothing.
The New York Rangers are entering the regular season with a gamble in the crease that feels unnecessarily risky. In a bid to square away their 23-man NHL roster, the organization has placed goaltender Dylan Garand and Taylor Raddysh on waivers, as Sports Illustrated first reported, according to reporting from Mollie Walker.
While the move allows the team to retain Matt Rempe and Jaroslav Chmelar, it leaves the Rangers vulnerable. By waiving Garand, the front office is essentially playing a game of chicken with the rest of the league, risking the loss of a 24-year-old prospect for zero return.
**Opinion:** This is a short-sighted approach to asset management. Garand has shown he can handle the pressure of the big stage, and casting him into the waiver wire just to shuffle the deck is a dangerous play that could leave the team stranded if their primary options falter.
According to Walker, the Rangers' logic is that Garand needs continued development and the experience of being a No. 1 goalie. However, the numbers suggest he was already making an impact. In three games during the 2025-26 season, Garand posted a 1.62 goals against average and a .948 save percentage over a 2-0-1 record. He also made history as the first Rangers rookie goaltender since Henrik Lundqvist in 2005-06 to earn at least one point in each of his first three NHL games.
Garand's trajectory has been steady since being drafted by New York in 2020. He has spent five seasons in the AHL, appearing in 148 games with a 65-57-18 record and a 2.90 goals against average. Most recently, he stopped 28 of 31 shots in a Sept. 21 preseason game against New Jersey.
With Jonathan Quick having retired in April 2026 after 19 seasons, the Rangers are now relying on veteran Joonas Korpisalo to serve as the backup to starter Igor Shesterkin. If Garand is claimed by another team before the 2 p.m. EST deadline on Sept. 28, the organization's AHL depth is gutted, leaving them with only Callum Tung and Spencer Knight.
For a team preparing to open their season against the Boston Bruins on Sept. 29, relying on the hope that no other team wants a productive 24-year-old goalie is a precarious strategy. The Rangers are betting that Garand will clear waivers and return to the Hartford Wolf Pack, but in the NHL, betting against your own depth is rarely a winning move.