NY Rangers Pull Off Blockbuster Trade With Golden Knights for Pavel Dorofeyev

The New York Rangers have landed an impact player in a massive trade with the Las Vegas Golden Knights.

Jun 4, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Vegas Golden Knights right wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) warms up before a game against the Carolina Hurricanes in game two of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center. / James Guillory-Imagn Images

The offseason has been a wild one so far in terms of player movement, and just before the New York Rangers were on the clock with the fifth overall pick, the team made a massive splash. 

Over the last couple of days, there has been no shortage of big trades around the league. A few players who figured to be good trade targets for the Rangers were sent elsewhere, and New York was left empty-handed. 

Coming into the summer, the Rangers were a team that was expected to be aggressive. On Friday night, they were able to accomplish a major goal for the team, and they should be really pleased with the move that they made. 

New York was able to trade for Las Vegas Golden Knights forward Pavel Dorofeyev, who could be exactly what the team was looking for to help improve the team right away, while keeping an eye on the future. 

Rangers Land Dorofeyev

Welcome to the Rangers, Pavel! pic.twitter.com/giF1upjowZ

— New York Rangers (@NYRangers) June 27, 2026

Due to New York seeking to have a balance of building for the future and competing now, the addition of Dorofeyev checks those boxes. The 25-year-old is coming off a fantastic season with the Knights, but as a restricted free agent who is set for a nice payday, Las Vegas moving him with a tight cap situation makes sense for them. 

For the Rangers, being able to hold on to the fifth overall pick and get this deal done appears to be a strong move early on. New York will be sending the 26th overall pick, a 2028 Top 10 protected pick, and a third-round pick to Las Vegas for the talented forward. 

The type of player that Dorofeyev is fits exactly what the Rangers needed this offseason, with him being a first-line-caliber player on the right side. Last season, he totaled 64 points with 37 goals and 27 assists. 

It was the second straight year in which he was able to hit the 30-goal mark, and he is going to be an impact player for New York. Furthermore, based on what the market has looked like, the deal appears to be a strong one for the Rangers. Not having to give up their fifth pick is massive, and so far Friday night has been a really successful one for the franchise. 

Now, with a new budding star coming to town, New York will be focused on locking him up long-term, and the retool all of a sudden is really starting to take shape.