Shaking Up First Line Could Give NY Rangers a Strong Group

Should the New York Rangers shake up their first line from the end of last season?

Apr 2, 2026; New York, New York, USA; New York Rangers center Mika Zibanejad (93) at Madison Square Garden. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

It has been a very busy offseason for the New York Rangers, and this is a team that has been completely revamped. Now, as the group starts to plan for next season, how they will structure their lines will be interesting to see. 

Coming off a bad campaign, the Rangers entered the summer hungry to improve their roster. New York has missed the playoffs for two straight seasons, and with a last-place finish in the Eastern Conference this past year, improvements needed to be made. 

With the franchise doing a bit of a retooling, getting younger has been a main goal for the team. In the NHL Draft, they had nine selections, including a selection at number five overall. 

Landing defenseman Alberts Smits with that pick could help the team right away. Many believe that he is an NHL-ready player, and he could make an impact right away. While the Rangers have been busy making additions, New York could still be looking to add a player or two this offseason. 

However, if the team is indeed set, figuring out what the lines will look like with a bunch of new players will be hard work for head coach Mike Sullivan. One of the major decisions he will have to make is what to do with new forward Pavel Dorofeyev. 

Adding Dorofeyev To First Line Could Create Elite Group

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. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The addition of the new forward for the Rangers was one of the most significant moves made by the team. With the Vegas Golden Knights in a bit of a cap squeeze, they elected to trade a 25-year-old who scored 37 goals last year. 

This deal worked out really well for the Rangers, who will be exactly what they needed to help the team. However, where they play Dorofeyev will be interesting. Talent-wise, he is a first-line forward. But for New York, they did see their first line of Mika Zibanejad, Alexis Lafreniere, and Gabe Perreault perform well together down the stretch. 

An argument can certainly be made that Sullivan shouldn’t mess with that line based on how they produced. However, getting Dorofeyev to the top group with players like Zibanejad and Lafreniere could be a really strong unit. 

Building chemistry is something that will be key, and the time spent together last season could result in Perreault staying on the top unit to start the year. However, if things aren’t going as well, Sullivan could make a switch and add Dorofeyev to the top line.