NY Rangers 2023 prospect rankings: No. 6 elevated his game in AHL playoffs

Beginning Aug. 28, lohud.com and the USA TODAY Network will release our fifth annual ranking of the top 10 prospects in the New York Rangers' organization.

These prospect profiles, with one set to be revealed each weekday through Sept. 8, are based on conversations with over 20 sources in total. They include coaches, trainers and executives who have worked closely with these young players, pro and amateur scouts from around the world and many of the prospects themselves. Any players who are eligible for the Calder Trophy − 25 or younger and have not played more than 25 NHL games in a season, nor six or more games in any two preceding seasons − are up for consideration.

No. 6: G Dylan Garand

There are two ways you can evaluate Dylan Garand’s first professional season.

A pessimist would focus on a shaky first 32 games with the New York Rangers’ AHL affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, and scoff at his underwhelming .894 save percentage.

But an optimist would point to how he finished as a sign of a prospect on the upswing. The 2020 fourth-round draft pick (No. 103 overall) took off as Hartford’s No. 1 netminder in the playoffs, guiding the Wolf Pack into the third round while registering a .935 SV% and 1.76 goals against average – both of which ranked second among all AHL goalies in the postseason.

“Playoffs is all about winning,” Garand said in a phone call back in May. “I’m a pretty competitive guy, so when I was given that opportunity, I wanted to go in there and give the guys a chance to prove that we are a really good team.”

The 21-year-old is proving to be a player who remains calm in big moments.

He showed that as the starting goalie for Canada’s gold-medal winning team at the 2022 World Juniors, then bolstered his clutch reputation on Hartford’s run last season.

“I wasn't really sure if I was going to get to play in the playoffs,” he said. “Ultimately, I did, and it was just about keeping it simple. It's not about putting too much pressure on yourself.”

That advice also applied in the regular season, but there was an understandable adjustment period for the Victoria, British Columbia native.

It's a long way from western Canada to Connecticut, particularly when it requires living on your own for the first time. On top of that, he was adapting from being the CHL Goalie of the Year and clear-cut starter for the Kamloops Blazers to a backup role behind veteran Louis Domingue with Hartford.

Like most goalies, Garand thrives on routine and rhythm − and it took time to rediscover that in such a foreign environment.

"The first three quarters of the year were pretty tough," he said. "Adjusting to this new life where I’m in a new city with a new team and a new league in a new role – new teammates, new coaches − everything was different. There was a little bit of a learning curve."

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He showed signs of turning things around in late February, posting a .910 SV% in his final nine appearances of the regular season. Then came word that the Rangers were recalling Domingue for their playoff run, leaving Garand to slot in as the Wolf Pack starter for the playoffs. He proceeded to win each of his first four postseason starts, then turned in his best effort with a 32-save shutout to eliminate the Providence Bruins in the second round.

Throughout the pressure-packed month, he found comfort by immersing himself in preparation.

"It just gets back to the work that you put in," he said. "When I watch my games at the start of the year compared to now, I think I’ve improved a lot. It’s been a grind, but I’ve definitely gotten to where I knew I could have been coming into the season."

"From watching the (regular) season to watching the playoffs, I saw a lot of growth," added Dan De Palma, who was Garand's goalie coach with Kamloops and now serves as one of his trainers during the offseason. "I think the guys in New York – (goaltending consultants) Jeff Malcolm and Jean-Ian Filiatrault, specifically, that have their hands on him regularly – did a great job. … He looked confident, which is a big part of that job. You’ve got to believe in yourself."

Scouts took notice, too, with one remarking, "He's such a gamer. His character is off the charts."

"He didn’t have a great regular season," said another. "Domingue kind of drove the bus, but Garand was good in the playoffs. He carried them, not too far, but through a couple of rounds. I think there’s upside there. He’s obviously their top goalie prospect."

At 6-foot-1, 176 pounds, Garand doesn't fit the trend of the larger goalies who fill the net. His success is based on quickness − "He's fast," said one scout from a rival team − technique and feel.

Above all, it's his tracking of the puck that allows him to react without overthinking. De Palma called it "a major foundational part of his game."

"I’m a lot more patient and I'm a lot more focused on the puck," Garand said. "I'm really in control of that, and then also just my skating and my movement. I'm not ripping around the crease or overusing my speed kind of thing. I'm not opening up holes. I'm just kind of staying calm and in position, and I think that all stems through tracking. That's definitely something that I've really been focusing on."

How far those skills can carry him is the intriguing part.

He was one of the youngest goalies in the AHL last season but will return with an important year of experience under his belt. His next test will be proving he can sustain his playoff level over a longer period of time.

Two Northeast scouts believe Garand can turn into a solid No. 2 goalie at the NHL level, which would work out well with Igor Shesterkin entrenched as the Rangers' undisputed starter. There's also a chance, both scouts noted, he could develop into more.

"The goalies show you who they are when they’re 23 years old," one said. "Not when they’re 20."

What's not up for debate is his commitment to his craft.

Those who have worked with Garand rave about his meticulous nature and believe he has the proper mindset to maximize his potential. His perseverance through the ups and downs of his first pro season provided further evidence of that and fueled his hunger for an expanded role in Year 2.

"His habits and his work ethic are without question," said De Palma, who's worked with Garand a few times a week this summer. "I hear that (from the Rangers) and I see it from a distance, and then he comes home and he’s aggressive. He’s aggressive in making sure that he gets what he needs out of his summer to make himself better. … He takes the initiative, and I feel strongly that he's going to do everything he can to be successful. He's not going to leave any stone unturned."

Vincent Z. Mercogliano is the New York Rangers beat reporter for the USA TODAY Network. Read more of his work at lohud.com/sports/rangers/ and follow him on Twitter @vzmercogliano.

This article originally appeared on Rockland/Westchester Journal News: Dylan Garand: NY Rangers prospect No. 6 in system rankings