The NY Rangers pulled off one of the biggest trades of the 2026 NHL Draft. The Blueshirts sent a 2026 and 2028 first-rounder, plus a 2026 third-rounder, for RFA forward Pavel Dorofeyev.
The trade made sense as it was becoming increasingly clear that the Vegas Golden Knights were going to be unable to re-sign him this offseason. So, the Golden Knights cashed in on his 37-goal season to net two first-round picks.
On the surface, the deal looks good for the NY Rangers. They get a 25-year-old winger who could be on the verge of a 40-goal season. He doesn’t seem to be a flash in the pan, as Dorofeyev now has back-to-back 30-goal seasons.
The Blueshirts, unfortunately, did not learn their lesson from the Artemi Panarin era. The club ended up committing to a long-term deal to Dorofeyev, signing him to a seven-year, $77 million contract.
These are not the deals that rebuilding clubs make. Rebuilding clubs don’t dump first-round picks for a guy that commands this much money. The move signals that Chris Drury has succumbed to pressure to make this “rebuild” a quick one.
That’s why the club got out of one long-term relationship to enter another one. The NY Rangers went through the entire saga that was moving Panarin’s contract for a less-than-stellar return. And now, the organization has turned around and gotten back into the same situation.
Some teams just never learn.
NY Rangers Risk Dorofeyev Not Panning Out
So, the NY Rangers are definitely pushing the envelope with this move. When looking at the deal at face value, New York got one of the top two RFA wingers out there.
The issue with this situation, however, is that Dorofeyev put up these numbers while playing with Jack Eichel in Vegas. Needless to say, Dorofeyev won’t have Eichel in New York. And with the NY Rangers purportedly trying to trade Vincent Trocheck, who is Dorofeyev going to play with?
That’s the biggest question that fans should have in mind. The Russian sniper will have to find new ways of making his goal-scoring talents shine on Broadway. Otherwise, this deal could pretty much set the team back considerably.
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Could Dorofeyev Lead to Trocheck Staying?
Another significant question that arose when news of the trade fell on Friday night was the potential permanence of Trocheck with the NY Rangers.
On the whole, the Blueshirts will need a playmaking center to play with Dorofeyev. That’s Trocheck. Plus, the seeming shift in philosophy likely indicates that the NY Rangers will be looking to contend next season.
If that wasn’t the case, then why make this trade now?
Yes, Dorofeyev is still young, and he certainly fits the mold of a team looking to contend long term. The issue here is the amount of money committed to him over the long haul.
The ultimate likelihood of this deal working out is much higher than others in the past. If Dorofeyev follows Panarin’s trajectory, he should be very good in the first half of the contract. The problems, nevertheless, are likely going to come in the back half of this deal.
Then again, Chris Drury might not even be around by then.
NY Rangers Repeat Panarin Mistake with Dorofeyev