The New York Rangers did not commit to a full rebuild, as general manager Chris Drury was trying to find a top player and difference maker to help out. The free agency class didn't feature any star power, which made the trade block their best chance at doing so,. They were trying to bring in the likes of Brady Tkachuk, Dylan Larkin, Bowen Byram, and Mason McTavish, but nothing came to fruition.
But in the opening moments of the NHL Draft, Drury and the Rangers made a gigantic splash to overshadow the selection of Ivar Stenberg to the San Jose Sharks at No. 2 overall.
TSN NHL insider Darren Dreger was first to report that the Rangers are acquiring forward and restricted free agent Pavel Dorofeyev from the Vegas Golden Knights. The New York Post's Mollie Walker provided additional trade details, saying the Rangers are sending the No. 26 and 92 overall picks and a conditional 2028 first-round pick. The Rangers are keeping the No. 5 overall pick.
#NYR acquiring Pavel Dorofeyev from Vegas in exchange for the No. 26 pick, the No. 92 pick and a conditional 2028 first-round pick (condition on the pick is top-10 protected), per source.
— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) June 26, 2026
Rangers provide much-needed scoring help with Pavel Dorofeyev trade
Dorofeyev is a restricted free agent this summer, and one has to wonder if there is a deal agreed upon by both parties. Considering what they had to give up, Rangers fans certainly hope for. AFP Analytics projects Dorofeyev to earn around $9 million per year, with a potential six-year deal.
Sportsnet NHL insider Elliotte Friedman reported that the belief is that the long-term extension between the Rangers and Dorofeyev could be for seven years, at approximately $11 million per year.
Believe there is a long-term extension coming for Dorofeyev w/NYR.
— Elliotte Friedman (@FriedgeHNIC) June 27, 2026
I think 7 years, approx $11M https://t.co/xAFmbYTErN
The Rangers desperately needed to add a scorer this offseason, as they averaged just 2.86 goals per game, 10th lowest across the league. With the top superstars like Tkachuk and Larkin having no desire to go to the Rangers, they decided to explore the restricted free agent market, and sure enough, were able to secure a trade for Dorofeyev.
Dorofeyev has been consistent during his time with the Golden Knights. Back during the 2024-25 season, Dorofeyev recorded 35 goals and 17 assists in 82 games. He managed to exceed those numbers this past regular season, scoring 37 goals and 27 assists in 82 games. In the playoffs, Dorofeyev didn't shy away from the spotlight, as he scored 12 goals and dished out four assists in Vegas' 22 game playoff run, which included a trip to the Stanley Cup Final.
The Rangers have their top line set with Mika Zibanejad, Alexis Lafreniere, and Gabe Perreault, who showed great chemistry late in the season. Adding Dorofeyev to the top six of their forward group would be tremendous, especially with Vincent Trocheck set to be traded at some point this offseason. The hope is that Dorofeyev can continue his production pace in New York, and that his numbers were not a product of playing alongside the likes of Mitch Marner, Jack Eichel, and Mark Stone.
It's hard to argue against the trade made by Drury. This is a Rangers team that desperately needed scorers, and they got one in the form of Dorofeyev, who is coming off of an incredible regular season and playoff run.
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