What makes Rangers new sniper ‘well-rounded offensive player’ explained
A quick look at the stats and game highlights show you what a big deal it is that the New York Rangers acquired Pavel Dorofeyev in a draft-day trade with the Vegas Golden Knights two weeks ago.
The 25-year-old is the in-his-prime goal scorer the Rangers desperately needed after finishing 23rd among 32 NHL teams in scoring (235 goals) last season. Dorofeyev combined for 72 goals the past two seasons, leading the Golden Knights with 37 in 2025-26 and 35 the year prior. He added 12 goals this past postseason, a big reason why the Golden Knights reached the Stanley Cup Final before losing in six games to the Carolina Hurricanes.
That he’s productive on the power play and at even strength is a major plus, too. Dorofeyev was second in the League with 20 power-play goals last season, In 2024-25, 22 of his 35 goals were at even strength, with 13 more on the power play.
“He’s the type player, you don’t get him to help your power play, you get him for the well-rounded offensive player that he is,” MSG Networks studio host Steve Valiquette explained Thursday on The Rangers Offseason Special. “He’s not a play-driver as a play-maker, but he’s a sniper and one of the League’s best.”
Clearly the Rangers agree. They traded two first-round picks, including No. 26 overall this year, and a third-rounder to acquire Dorofeyev. Then they signed him to a hefty seven-year, $77 million contract.
But what makes him so well-rounded, Steve?
“He’s a very varied shooter,” Valiquette explained. “He had 10 goals off a snap shot, 10 off a wrist shot, he had four back-hand goals, he had five off a slap shot. He was one of four player in the NHL last year that had that variability in his arsenal. So, he’s somebody you really can’t get a bead on and that’s why he’s had so much success the past couple of years.”
With Artemi Panarin traded away in February, Dorofeyev slots into New York’s top-six as their most dangerous goal scorer. He’ll also fill a void on New York’s top power-play unit, especially following the departures of Panarin and recently traded Vincent Trocheck.
“He’s definitely going to help the power play, and the power play was already quite elite. Last year, the Rangers did finish fifth in power-play goal percentage,” Valiquette noted.
Though Vally stressed the varied game of Dorofeyev, who scores from distance and beneath the circles in equally effective fashion, typically there’s one side of the ice he dominates.
“When you see the right-side acumen of this player, you’re going to notice that 26 of the goals he scored last year were from the right side of the ice. His one-timer off the left-hand shot is elite,” he pointed out.
It’s a detailed scouting report like this which should generate even more excitement about Dorofeyev’s addition to the Rangers next season.
