World Juniors Bound – Dylan Garand
NAME: Dylan Garand
WHL CLUB: Kamloops Blazers
HOMETOWN: Victoria, B.C.
NHL CLUB: New York Rangers
Kamloops Blazers goaltender Dylan Garand has enjoyed a pretty exciting lead-up to the 2022 IIHF World Junior Championship.
The product of Victoria, B.C. signed an entry-level contract with the New York Rangers this week, then turned aside 14 of 15 shots against Russia in a pre-tournament game Thursday night in Edmonton.
Garand holds a WHL-best .932 save percentage and sits tied for the league lead in wins (with Canadian running mate Sebastian Cossa) with 15. Along with Canadian captain Kaiden Guhle, the 19-year-old is one of two WHL returnees from the squad that won a silver medal at the 2021 World Juniors.
The 6-foot-1, 181-pound netminder has also represented Canada at the 2018 World Under-17 Hockey Challenge and the 2019 Hlinka Gretzky Cup.
He made his professional debut with the AHL’s Hartford Wolf Pack during the 2020-21 campaign, appearing in two games.
Garand was also named the WHL’s Scholastic Player of the Year in 2020.