What’s next for Rangers after stunning Pavel Dorofeyev trade with Vegas
Talk about a major misdirection play. With many questioning their inactivity during a League-wide trade frenzy leading up to the 2026 NHL Draft this week, the New York Rangers ended up stealing the show Friday, acquiring highly-skilled forward Pavel Dorofeyev in a stunning trade with the Vegas Golden Knights.
The Rangers shipped their second of two first-round picks (No. 26 overall) this year to the Golden Knights, along with a third-round selection (No. 92 overall), and a conditional first-rounder in 2028. In return, they received a 25-year-old elite goal scorer, who’s just entering his prime after netting 30+ goals each of the past two seasons.
Shortly after the trade was announced by NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman from the stage on the draft floor in Buffalo’s KeyBank Center, the Rangers reportedly agreed to a seven-year, $77 million contract with Dorofeyev, who was a pending restricted free agent with arbitration rights.
The Rangers entered the day with roughly $25 million in available salary cap room, and they weaponized that cap space, plus their draft capital, to swing this mega-trade with the Golden Knights, who are poushing up against the ceiling of the salary cap and still need to re-sign pending UFA defenseman Rasmus Andersson.
Dorofeyev is now the highest-paid skater on the Rangers roster, averaging $11 million per season. So, he, in essence, replaces Artemi Panarin in that area as well as on the top line. The Rangers traded Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings last February, to kickstart this retool that now has Dorofeyev front and center of the new-look Blueshirts. Only goalie Igor Shesterkin ($11.56 million AAV) makes more than Dorofeyev.
Last season, Dorofeyev led Vegas with a career-high 37 goals, and was second in the League with 20 power-play goals. In the postseason, he finished second among all skaters with 12 goals, helping the Golden Knights reach the Stanley Cup Final, where they lost to the Carolina Hurricanes in six games.
He also led Vegas with 35 goals in 2024-25.
The Dorofeyev trade capped a big first night at the draft for the Rangers, who selected Latvian defenseman Alberts Smits with the No. 5 overall pick. The Golden Knights ended up trading the No. 26 pick acquired from the Rangers to the Montreal Canadiens.
What’s next for Rangers after acquiring Pavel Dorofeyev in stunning draft-day trade
Rangers must decide who Dorofeyev’s linemates will be
This isn’t the most pressing thing on the Rangers’ to-do list, considering opening night of the 2026-27 season is three months away. But it’s the most fun to think about.
First instinct is to put Dorofeyev on a line with Mika Zibanejad. Coaches tend to seek out duos to stick together on a line, even if the third member changes from time to time. Think Zibanejad and Chris Kreider back in the day. So, you’d assume New York’s scoring leader from 2025-26 gets first crack at skating with Dorofeyev. Though it’s worth noting that Zibanejad and Panarin looked better on paper than together on the ice, where their chemistry 5v5 wasn’t always great.
Still, Zibanejad gets first look with the new star wing, and either Alexis Lafreniere or Gabe Perreault is on the other side. Of course, Mike Sullivan could keep that Lafreniere-Zibanejad-Perrault line intact since they were so good together down the stretch this past season, and pair Dorofeyev with J.T. Miller.
Of course, Vincent Trocheck had some sweet chemistry with Panarin, so maybe Dorofeyev lands on a line with him. Of course, that can only happen if Trocheck remains on the team. Leading to this question …
Does anything change in regards to Rangers plan to trade Vincent Trocheck?
Landing a young star sniper is exactly what this Rangers retool needed, and could change management’s outlook on the roster. It’s widely expected that the Rangers trade the 33-year-old Trocheck this summer to land younger pieces that better fit the retool, and perhaps the Dorofeyev trade doesn’t alter that plan.
But maybe Drury and Co. keep Trocheck with the thinking that this team has a better chance making the playoffs with Trocheck on it than without.
It feels more likely that the Rangers move forward with the original plan to trade Trocheck, especially since he hired powerful agent Pat Brisson to represent his interests and help facilitate the best deal for his new client.
But adding Dorofeyev really could cause each side at least a moment of pause.
Mason McTavish, we hardly knew ye
Speaking of misdirection, the Rangers reportedly were finalists to acquire center Mason McTavish from the Anaheim Ducks as late as Friday afternoon. Of course, that all dissipated when the Rangers acquired Dorofeyev instead.
The Ducks pivoted and later traded McTavish to the St. Louis Blues for two first-round picks, Nos. 15 and 29, this year.
Let’s simply agree that worked out well for the Rangers, no disrespect to McTavish, himself a former No. 3 overall pick.
Draft continues, then free agency, perhaps more trades
The 2026 draft continues Saturday, and the Rangers have eight picks remaining, including one in the second round and three in the third, even after sending one of those to the Golden Knights. These picks remain important for the Rangers, who are still trying to restock a very shallow pool of prospects.
Free agency arrives Wednesday, July 1, at Noon ET. The options are seriously thinned out with all the best players off the market, after re-signing with their current teams. Perhaps the Rangers land a bottom-six player, or a veteran depth defensemen, or even an AHL veteran goalie to provide insurance behind Shesterkin and Dylan Garand. Not sexy free agents. But ones that serve specific smaller roles.
Of course, the Rangers could still make another trade or two. Trocheck and Braden Schneider remain the two most likely players to be traded, if New York goes that route.
