Is the 25-Year-Old Former Vegas Winger Just What the 26-27 NY Rangers Needed?
From the end of their season to the day before the 2026 NHL Draft, the New York Rangers remained on the bench for much of the trade frenzy. Fans all around couldn’t tell whether GM had something brewing or just flat out slept through his alarm. A small move that sent Brett Berard to the Montreal Canadiens, other than that, barely any moves in sight. It’s amazing how much can change in 24 hours. One night, you go to sleep the night before the draft, disappointed in the lack of aggression from your favorite team, and just 24 hours later, you need time to process one of the biggest moves of the offseason. As the draft commenced, Ranger fans were treated to a trade that many were thrilled about, as Pavel Dorofeyev makes his way to the Big Apple next season. Is this exactly what the Rangers need?
Entering the draft with two first-round picks, fans looked to what the Blueshirts would be doing with those picks ever since the lottery. Hoping to move up from fifth overall, fans were disappointed to find that a deal was unlikely to be made as each day passed. Locked in with fifth overall, the draft commenced, and the trade was shown moments later. Fortunately for Ranger fans, the fifth pick was untouched, choosing Alberts Šmits, though it was the 26th pick, along with a third-round pick and a 2028 first-round pick that’s top-10 protected, that were given to the Vegas Golden Knights. No doubt this trade was worth it for the Blueshirts, but what exactly does Dorofeyev bring to New York?
Hitting the 35-goal mark in the last two seasons, Dorofeyev is a talented winger who fits well with a team trying to improve while getting younger. With how much of an issue it was scoring last season for the Rangers, the 25-year-old winger provides a load of offense that will be fun to watch this coming October. Not only was it a trade worthy of high praise, but the Russian winger has also been locked up, agreeing to a seven-year, $77 million contract. With how disappointing free agency has been compared to how it looked before the 2025-26 season, a player like this seems close to a perfect fit. Let’s not forget a playoff performer as well, recording 12 goals and four assists in his last postseason, helping Vegas reach the 2026 Stanley Cup Finals, where they lost to Carolina in six games. A shining light in a rather dark time for the Blueshirts, so where does the former Golden Knight slot in?
Ending the season with a productive first line of Mika Zibanejad, Alexis Lafrenière, and Gabe Perreault, there’s a chance that line remains untouched. That leaves the second line, which Dorofeyev could fit nicely into. When it comes to players most likely to remain for opening night, the 25-year-old Russian could be paired with J.T. Miller and Will Cuylle. Moved or not, Vincent Trocheck could very much be slotted in there if a good deal fails to present itself this offseason. Either way, an anxious top-six player, but it’s the power play that may be much more fun to watch. Dorofeyev will surely slot in on the first unit, along with Adam Fox, Lafrenière, Zibanejad, and Perreault. With a pretty one-timer on the right side and Mika’s on the other, a big bounce back on the power play may be coming. A huge trade for the Blueshirts, looking committed to accelerating this retool. It may not look like a bright future, but a move like this puts them, no doubt, on the right track.
