New York Rangers goaltender roster changes and historic win

The New York Rangers' goaltending depth was tested early in the 2026-27 season when backup Joonas Korpisalo was placed on injured reserve with a week-to-week lower-body injury. To address the vacancy, the team recalled Dylan Garand from the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack to serve as the backup to starter Igor Shesterkin.

Garand, who was cleared through waivers prior to final roster cuts, may be called upon to start a game in the near future due to a heavy schedule, including back-to-back games against Tampa Bay and Detroit.

In their home opener at Madison Square Garden, the Rangers defeated the Tampa Bay Lightning 5-1. The victory was highlighted by a historic achievement from Shesterkin, who scored his first career NHL goal with 2:34 remaining in the third period by launching the puck from his crease into an empty net. This marked the first goal scored by a Rangers goaltender in franchise history and the 18th goal scored by a goaltender in NHL history.

Shesterkin recorded 24 saves on 25 shots during the win. Other scoring contributors included Mika Zibanejad, Pavel Dorofeyev, and Eeli Tolvanen.

Following a demanding stretch of three games in four nights, Dylan Garand recorded his first career NHL shutout in a 2-0 victory over the Detroit Red Wings at Little Caesars Arena. Garand made between 22 and 23 saves to secure the win, becoming the first Canadian goaltender to record a shutout this season. The Rangers' scoring was provided by a first-period power-play goal from Sean Durzi and an empty-net goal from Eeli Tolvanen.