Gearing up for the 2026-27 NHL season, Mike Sullivan and the New York Rangers are staring at a pile of unresolved tasks. Many of them should virtually take care of themselves as training camp progresses. Others, like the goaltending dilemma in New York, will require some crucial decisions from the coaching staff.
On that note, Sullivan made something clear about how the Blueshirts plan to use Igor Shesterkin, Joonas Korpisalo, and Dylan Garand going into the new season. Most NHL clubs employ two goalies on their active roster, but the Rangers may not follow suit. In fact, Sullivan all but confirmed New York will resort to a rather uncommon option, at least to start the campaign.
“Sure. Is it ideal? My experience has been, in the long term, no. But… I’ve been in circumstances over the years where (keeping 3 goalies) has been the case. I think it’s very manageable in the short term,” Sullivan said after Day 1 of training camp, via Newsday Sports‘ Colin Stephenson.
Sullivan lets Rangers know right away
One thing Sullivan has clearly learned during his years in the NHL is that speaking candidly and straightforwardly may only hurt at first. In the long run, it’s always better than the alternative: straddling the fence. Thus, right from the get-go, he made the goaltenders at Madison Square Garden aware of what will go down during the 2026-27 season—or at least to start things off.
Igor Shesterkin, Joonas Korpisalo, and Dylan Garand.
Things might change, injuries may come up, and no one can tell what the future will bring. For now, though, Sullivan is inclined toward rocking a rare three-man goaltending room. He made that intention clear right away after Day 1 of the Blueshirts’ training camp. Don’t go crying to Sullivan later.
Sullivan (sort of) kept three goalies last season, too
Though in a slightly different context, Sullivan did roll with a three-man goaltending department in the final stretch of the 2025-26 NHL season. Shesterkin and Garand were part of the mix, with Jonathan Quick completing the trio. Following Quick’s retirement late last season, New York went after Korpisalo via trade with the Boston Bruins.
Things were different last season, however. Garand only played three games, too, so it wasn’t as if he was a main part of the rotation. Shesterkin will remain the starter. There’s no doubt about it. As for Korpisalo, he is expected to be the primary backup, filling in to give Shesterkin a rest. But Garand will compete for that role in a bigger capacity in 2026-27.
Contrary to last season, though, when Garand was a wet-behind-the-ears prospect who had yet to debut in the NHL, the 24-year-old netminder will now demand more responsibility, or so the Rangers hope. The former fourth-round pick’s development is a priority for the Broadway Blueshirts, so expect him to get more nods at the crease.
NY Rangers must develop Garand
As confident as they are in Shesterkin and that he’s in the Big Apple to stay, the Rangers must develop a young goaltender at some point. They need someone who can grow into a fringe starter, at least. If Garand doesn’t pan out, Callum Tung is next in line, but New York will first see how much juice it can get out of the Victoria, BC, native before moving on to the Port Moody, fellow British Columbian kid.
