What impact does Jonathan Quick’s extension have on Dylan Garand’s growth?
The Blueshirts will start the upcoming season with the same goaltender duo that has led them this year thanks to Jonathan Quick’s one-year deal with the New York Rangers. This has caused some concern about the future of Dylan Garand, a goaltender prospect who many believed would start to take over as backup next season once Quick retired. Garand will probably play for the American Hockey League’s Hartford Wolf Pack for another season, though, thanks to Quick’s deal.
This season, Garand has a 2.77 goals-against average and a.913 save percentage in the AHL. He has performed well with the Wolf Pack, and many believed that he would soon get an NHL opportunity. But this season comes after a year in which Garand’s save % was a meager.898, which was built upon a year in which he had a.894. The Rangers want to make sure they get the most out of him, and he’s gradually moving in the right way.
Does Garand benefit from spending an additional year in the minors? The team and the athlete will undoubtedly argue over it. The Rangers have attempted to develop Garand, a young goalie with promise, through the system to be Igor Shesterkin’s long-term partner. Another year probably won’t hurt Garand because he’s still young, but he must be the backup goalie.
The goalie had remembered for a few years that Louis Domingue had been right-handed while Quick or Igor were injured. Although that goalie isn’t awful, Garand has never played for the Rangers and has instead been a bench warmer. To determine if he can bridge that gap in the upcoming years, he has to start getting exposed to NHL shooters. Since Quick has another year left, it may be a growth step.
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