Cam Talbot knows exactly what Rangers’ Dylan Garand is going through

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Cam Talbot knows exactly what Rangers’ Dylan Garand is going through — and has some advice

An image collage containing 2 images, Image 1 shows Cam Talbot #33 of the New York Rangers waves to the crowd while receiving the Steven McDonald Award, Image 2 shows New York Rangers goaltender crouched in position in front of the net during a game against the New Jersey Devils

Andrew Crane · NY Post Sports

Sat, Oct 17, 2026 ·

4 min read

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For Talbot, it was 12 seasons ago, back in 2014-15 when Henrik Lundqvist missed two months after taking a puck to the neck in February and sustaining a vascular injury. He took over for a Rangers team in the playoff race and went 16-4-3 until Lundqvist returned to officially launch a career that has now reached the Blue Jackets in his 14th season. For Garand, that opportunity came earlier in his career and much earlier in the season than Talbot's did, with the 24-year-old making just his eighth NHL start — and fourth since Shesterkin's injury — Saturday in Game 10 of the season.

"You're never gonna replace Igor," Talbot told a pair of reporters, including The Post, of his advice to Garand after Columbus' morning skate. "Nobody really can in this league. You just have to go out there and be you, and the rest takes care of itself."

Talbot already had appeared in 11 games in 2014-15 and 21 the previous year to secure his spot as the Rangers backup before Lundqvist's injury. That was never in question. After taking over as the starter, he operated like he needed to replace Lundqvist and didn't have his best games, Talbot said. His save percentage after eight starts was .895, despite going 5-1-2.

Dylan Garand (33) of the New York Rangers defends the net during the third period of a preseason game against the New Jersey Devils at Prudential Center in Newark, New Jersey, on September 21, 2026. Getty Images

Benoit Allaire, the Blueshirts' former goaltending coach , pulled him aside after an early stretch of games and reset Talbot's mentality, helping him settle into a rhythm while navigating the pressure of replacing an eventual Hall of Famer.

"We don't need you to be Henrik Lundqvist," Talbot said of Allaire's message. "We need you to be Cam Talbot, the same guy that's been here for the last two years, and that's good enough."

Talbot finished with a .926 save percentage and a 2.20 goals against average the rest of the regular season, with Lundqvist returning March 31 and remaining the starter for a postseason run that reached Game 7 of the Eastern Conference final. The Rangers didn't acquire a goaltender at the trade deadline, a telling sign of belief from the organization given Talbot had never logged a stretch like that in the NHL before. They stuck with Talbot for 23 games and turned to 20-year-old Mackenzie Skapski — who never played in the NHL again after that season — for the two Talbot didn't start when Lundqvist was out.

He shut out the Blackhawks — the eventual Stanley Cup champions — in Chicago, and when the Blueshirts had a chance to clinch the Presidents' Trophy in April, then-head coach Alain Vigneault gave the start to Talbot — over a healthy Lundqvist — and told him he'd earned it. He responded with 19 more saves in the Rangers' 4-2 win.

Garand, who impressed during his first three starts of 2026-27 before getting pulled Thursday , has yet to reach Talbot's level of contributions. But with Shesterkin done for the year and Joonas Korpisalo still on long-term injured reserve with a lower-body injury, he has some runway to audition for the starting role, to carve out his place as an NHL goaltender — with the Rangers or another team — in the future.

Cam Talbot of the New York Rangers receives the Steven McDonald Award prior to the game against the Columbus Blue Jackets at Madison Square Garden in New York City on Monday, April 6, 2015. Getty Images

For Talbot, that meant four years in Edmonton following a trade in the 2015 offseason and — just last week — becoming the first goalie in NHL history to win a game with nine different franchises. Otherwise, he could've ended up with the label of being a career backup. He could've continued occupying the spot behind Lundqvist, never knowing if an opportunity as a No. 1 goalie would come.

Now, Talbot has become the blueprint for Garand.

"I take a lot of pride in a lot of the things that I've done over the course of my career," Talbot said, "but obviously that was a big one that jump-started it. Gave the other teams around the league an opportunity to see that I was able to perform as a starting goalie and carry the load for an extended period of time.

"Obviously never wanted to leave New York, but there's no room to move up there when the King's in front of you."