The New York Rangers overhauled their roster in an effort to improve their chances of not only having a better performing team than last year, but one that can make it back into the playoffs for the first time in three years. General manager Chris Drury wanted to replenish the prospect pool, but also wanted to bring in players that he felt could contribute and help the team win now. It was a gamble that he will be judged for once losses pile up this season. One of his big moves was to acquire Pavel Dorofeyev from the Vegas Golden Knights and signing him to a seven-year, $77 million contract extension, with the expectation that he'll be their leading scorer for years to come.
On Tuesday night, the Rangers fell 3-0 to the Boston Bruins in the 2026-27 season opener. It was a game in which goalie Igor Shesterkin did his best to keep the Rangers in the game, which he did so until with under four minutes left in regulation. It certainly didn't help that the Rangers allowed countless odd man rushes.
Obviously, the offense didn't make the impact fans had hoped, considering they couldn't get a single puck past Jeremy Swayman (besides a Tye Kartye poke checked puck after the referees blew the whistle). But there were positives to the offense, and one of them was Dorofeyev.
Pavel Dorofeyev was top offensive player for Rangers despite shutout loss to Bruins
It's one thing to get shut out, it's another if one of the highest paid player on the team is a non-factor. Luckily for the Rangers and the fans, Dorofeyev was not a non-factor. In fact, even with the offense being, overall, lackluster, he was their biggest threat to Swayman and the Bruins defense.
Dorofeyev was on the second line with J.T. Miller and Oliver Bjorkstrand, and they were the most effective among the forward group. According to Natural Stat Trick, via The Athletic's Peter Baugh, the Dorofeyev-Miller-Bjorkstrand line led the team with 16 shot attempts for and 11 shots on goal for. The line also had eight high danger chances for with eight, as opposed to the Bruins' one high danger chance.
Dorofeyev led the team with five shots on goal in Boston. The second-most shots on goal on the team? Bjorkstrand. Simply put, the line was working out well.
It will only be a matter of time until Pavel Dorofeyev scores first goal for Rangers
The Rangers adding Dorofeyev was a bit of a gamble, considering the circumstances.
After Drury sent out the letter informing the fanbase and the league that they were retooling, one of the first moves they made was trading away Artemi Panarin to the Los Angeles Kings. Even though he was set to be a free agent, moving on from Panarin was a risk, considering how effective he was since joining the team in 2019.
So, to replace Panarin, the Rangers traded away their 2026 and 2028 first-round picks, and a 2026 third-round pick to the Vegas Golden Knights for Dorofeyev. They also signed Dorofeyev to a new deal that pays him $11 million annually over the next seven seasons. By giving him that contract, the Rangers were expecting Dorofeyev to be their top scorer throughout the duration of that contract.
There were question marks entering this season about whether putting Dorofeyev on the top line was the right decision. One game in, and it looks like Dorofeyev lining up alongside the captain in Miller and fellow offseason addition Bjorkstrand is panning out well. If they continue at that pace, it will only be a matter of time until they do put the puck in the back of the net.
Perhaps that could happen as early as Thursday night, where the Rangers host the Tampa Bay Lightning in their home opener.
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