The Hartford Wolf Pack needed a win on Wednesday night, more so than usual. They entered the game 0-3 and looked like one of the worst teams in the American Hockey League (AHL). The Wolf Pack needed a star to save a team that was playing awful hockey. It’s what Dylan Garand did in the net.
The starting goaltender stopped all 28 shots he faced, including 13 in the first period against the Springfield Thunderbirds. Garand was the star who gave the Wolf Pack a 3-0 win. The key for a team that’s struggled elsewhere is whether he can will this team to a successful season. The recent game suggests he can.
It was the first game where Garand looked like himself. “I thought he was outstanding, and I think that’s what we’ll see from Dylan,” head coach Grant Potulny noted after the game. After two rough starts where he was outdueled by the Wilkes-Barre Scranton Penguins goaltender Sergei Murashov, he reminded everyone what he can do. The recent game was a hopeful sign of what’s to come as Garand can save the Wolf Pack season.
Why Garand Stands Out
Garand is a smaller goaltender yet athletic goaltender. It’s why there are inconsistent nights, including a start against the Penguins where he allowed four goals in a 5-2 loss. It also explains how Garand, who is great at the AHL level, hasn’t made it to the NHL yet. At 23, he’s still a prospect and a developing goaltender. That said, he’s no longer playing on an entry-level contract and instead must prove it every year.
His athleticism allowed him to take over the game against the Thunderbirds. It’s also the ability to see the puck and read the play that helped him in the latest win. “You can see when a goalie is tracking the puck well,” Potunly noted after the game, adding, “I thought he was seeing the puck well,” which allowed Garand, who usually has players in his sightlines, to carry the team.
At this point, Garand is a veteran in the AHL and knows where the puck is heading. His understanding of the league and the game is helping him put together lights-out performances, like the shutout against the Thunderbirds. On top of that, he knows how to stop the puck with the defense in mind. “Anything that hit him went out,” Potulny noted about Garand’s ability to cover up the initial shot or send it away from dangerous ice to help the defense.
The Wolf Pack are asking a lot from Garand, starting him in three of the first four games. This season, they’ll ask more of him than usual, something he’s on board with based on his postgame availability (whenever a goaltender is asked if they can start a full season, they don’t hesitate and say that they can start whenever). The Wolf Pack aren’t great, and he’s the primary starter as well.
Garand As The AHL Veteran
The Wolf Pack had a tandem in the past with Garand and veteran Louis Domingue. Domingue wasn’t the better goaltender but he was a veteran, someone who could reliably split starts. It’s what he did to help the Wold Pack make the playoffs in 2023-24, with his empty net goal being an iconic moment in the team’s history.
Garand’s shutout was his 50th win at the AHL level. It’s a sign that he’s starting to become an older goaltender in this league, a league where youth is everywhere. With Domingue gone, a younger option, Talyn Boyko, is the backup. It’s made Garand the veteran and leader of the group.
There’s always a chance that Garand makes it to the NHL. The New York Rangers need a backup for Igor Shesterkin, and the long-time goaltender Jonathan Quick isn’t a viable option, especially after this season. Garand can become that but until then, he’s the goaltender the Wolf Pack will lean on.
He Can Win a Game; The Season is an Issue
Garand played well and stole the Wolf Pack a game they probably should have lost. A team that commits nine penalties deserves to lose the game, and instead, they won 3-0. The win came against a team that might be the worst in the Atlantic Division. The losses have come against the great teams in the Wolf Pack division, and they’ve exposed Garand.
Not every team will be the Thunderbirds. Likewise, not every team will be the Penguins. It’s why Garand will have a season somewhere in between what his three starts have looked like. He’ll raise the Wolf Pack floor but can’t raise their ceiling. He’ll win them a game or two but he can’t save their season.
The Wolf Pack need the rest of the roster to deliver to turn the season around. That hasn’t happened so far. They have some players who can flip a switch and turn things around, whether it’s last season’s 20-goal scorer, Dylan Roobroeck, or the prospects at the forward position. However, this season, it’s only been the goaltender saving the day thus far. They’ll need more than him moving forward. “There are still some things we have to fix,” as Garand stated after the win.
