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Victoria native Dylan Garand adjusting to life as Rangers’ sudden starting goalie

Photo credit: Wendell Cruz-Imagn Images

By Lachlan Irvine

Nov 13, 2026, 13:00 ESTUpdated: Nov 13, 2026, 12:54 EST

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Friday night against the Vancouver Canucks will be a homecoming for New York Rangers goalie Dylan Garand that few expected to arrive so soon.

A native of Victoria, BC, Garand’s hockey career has taken him throughout the province, from the Delta Hockey Academy to the Kamloops Blazers. He grew up idolizing recent Hockey Hall of Fame inductee and Anahim Lake legend Carey Price. But this will mark his first time playing in the province as an NHLer, and while he doesn’t have an exact number, he expects around 50 friends and family to be in attendance at Rogers Arena on Friday.

“It’s cool just to be back in the province. Obviously I spend my summers here, so close to home, and yeah, I’ve got a lot of family that I can visit with,” Garand told CanucksArmy.com/Daily Faceoff Vancouver on Thursday after the Rangers’ practice. “Just to be back on the Pacific time zone feels nice, and I’m pretty excited.”

It’s been a whirlwind start to the season for the 24-year-old goalie.

When the Rangers wrapped up their preseason, they made the surprising decision to send Garand to the Hartford Wolf Pack and risk losing the young netminder on waivers. Garand made it through unclaimed, but he wouldn’t stay in Hartford long; Joonas Korpisalo got hurt after the team’s home opener, so Garand quickly returned to the big club.

And when Blueshirts star Igor Shesterkin suffered a devastating season-ending injury a couple of weeks into the season, Garand was suddenly thrust into the spotlight as the Rangers’ starting goalie.

Garand is very aware he’s filling a superstar goalie’s skates. But he’s stepping into that massive challenge with confidence in his skill set.

“Obviously, it’s tough for us to lose our best player in Shesty, but it’s sports. Injuries happen, and you know when that happens, guys got to step up, and it was my turn to do that,” Garand said of his sudden promotion. “I just tried to embrace the challenge and work my butt off for the guys… it’s just cool to get that full taste, full experience, get thrown in the fire a little bit, and learn a lot of things through that, and I feel like I played pretty well.”

‘Pretty well’ would be an understatement. Garand started the season by rattling off three straight victories, including a 6-2 win against the Canucks on October 11 immediately after becoming the starting goalie. Even as the Rangers have cooled off from their hot start, Garand has given them solid puck-stopping, posting a .905 save percentage and the 12th-best Goals Saved Above Expected in the league at 4.81.

Even with the veteran Korpisalo back, the Rangers have still given Garand the keys. But he knows the importance a reliable goalie tandem can bring for both netminders. “It’s exciting to get Korpi back here, and I think we can help each other and push each other, and I’m feeling good about my game for sure.”

Working in the shadow of Shesterkin and even Korpisalo might seem like a high-pressure situation for a young goalie, but Garand sees it as an invaluable learning experience.

“It’s great. Obviously, they’ve got a ton of experience. I think Korpi’s played in the league 12 years, and Shesty is the best goalie in the world. So yeah, two really good guys to learn from,” Garand said before breaking down his battery mate. “[Korpisalo] honestly compliments me a lot on my game, which makes me feel really good. So yeah, he’s a great guy, I love being around him, and you know he’s going to be huge for our team moving forward.”

Garand is already looking like a seasoned pro, but he’s very much still adjusting to the life — and grind — of an NHL starter.

“I think you just get a little more comfortable with the more experience you get, the more games you play, and the more you learn. And yeah, I definitely went through some ups and some downs, and some learning experiences,” Garand said about the roller coaster his year has already been. But it’s hockey at the end of the day. It’s the same game. You’ve definitely got to learn the ropes of the NHL and the schedule, and getting ready to play so many games so often, stuff like that. But yeah, it was a really good experience.”

Garand’s friends and family will get a first-hand look at the progress he’s made when he’s expected to get the start against the Canucks on Friday night.

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