NY Rangers Rightfully Receive Excellent Grade for Pavel Dorofeyev Trade

What grade should the New York Rangers have received for the Pavel Dorofeyev trade?

Jun 2, 2026; Raleigh, North Carolina, USA; Carolina Hurricanes defenseman Jalen Chatfield (5) reaches for the puck a- Vegas Golden Knights right wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) during the first period in game one of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at Lenovo Center. / Nathan Ray Seebeck-Imagn Images

With free agency right around the corner, the New York Rangers were able to put the final touches on a successful couple of days at the NHL Draft. 

Coming off a year in which they had the worst record in the Eastern Conference, the Rangers knew that they needed to make some moves to improve this summer. There was a lot of uncertainty about whether or not the Rangers would be going into a true rebuild this offseason or perhaps trying to continue with their retooling. 

However, just prior to making the fifth overall pick, they were able to pull off a blockbuster trade with the Vegas Golden Knights for a very talented forward. New York was in need of making a splash following a lot of ideal trade targets coming off the board for them before the draft. However, it appears like the team got the guy that they were looking for, and most reactions have been positive. 

ESPN contributors recently handed out grades for some of the biggest moves made this summer. Following the Rangers trading for Pavel Dorofeyev, they received a very strong grade of a B+. 

New York Makes a Great Move

May 8, 2025; Tarrytown, NY, USA; New York Rangers president and general manager Chris Drury speaks during a press conference to introduce new head coach Mike Sullivan at the MSG Training Center in Tarrytown, New York May 8, 2025. / The Journal News-Imagn Images

The Rangers being able to acquire Dorofeyev really does appear to be a perfect move for the franchise. Due to this still being a retool, the expectation that they will be a real contender next year is still a bit unlikely. However, adding someone who is 25 years old coming off a 37-goal campaign certainly makes the team better. 

Help in the scoring department was arguably the biggest need for the Rangers and them being able to land Dorofeyev helps solve that. Furthermore, due to him being a restricted free agent, New York was able to lock him up long-term to a seven-year, $77 million deal. 

The young forward is going to be spending his prime years with the Rangers and will be an important piece of turning this thing around. Furthermore, what also helps with the grade for the team is that they were able to hold on to the fifth overall pick. New York did send two first-round selections to the Golden Knights, but it was the 26th overall pick and a top-10 protected pick in 2028. 

With Dorofeyev meeting a lot of the needs that the Rangers were seeking this offseason, this is a great move. Now, it will be interesting to see what will be next for the franchise with free agency set to kick off.