Rangers Stash Joonas Korpisalo on IR, Call Up Dylan Garand

The New York Rangers are already testing the structural integrity of their goaltending depth chart, placing backup Joonas Korpisalo on injured reserve.

According to Daily Faceoff, the move clears the way for prospect Dylan Garand to step up. If you thought the Rangers were going to ease into the season with a comfortable veteran safety net behind Igor Shesterkin, the hockey gods have politely declined that request.

"Daily Faceoff reported the IR placement and Garand's involvement."

Korpisalo was supposed to be the reliable insurance policy. Instead, he is hitting the shelf just as the schedule starts getting crowded. Relying on a veteran backup in the modern NHL is like buying a used luxury car. It looks great in the driveway until the check engine light comes on during week one.

This is not just a minor paperwork shuffle. The Rangers are staring down a brutal back-to-back slate, hosting the Tampa Bay Lightning on Thursday before flying out to face the Detroit Red Wings on Friday. You do not need an advanced analytics degree to know Shesterkin cannot play 120 minutes of hockey in 24 hours.

That means Garand is going to get thrown right into the fire. Bettors looking at those upcoming moneylines suddenly have to factor in an unproven kid guarding the net against some heavy-hitting Eastern Conference offenses.

We will see exactly how much trust the coaching staff has in Garand by Friday night in Detroit. Until then, Rangers fans can go back to holding their breath every time someone skates too close to Shesterkin's crease.