Why Positional Flexibility of Pavel Dorofeyev Will Be Major Luxury for NY Rangers

Pavel Dorofeyev being able to play both wings will be a major luxury for the New York Rangers.

Jun 14, 2026; Las Vegas, Nevada, USA; Vegas Golden Knights right wing Pavel Dorofeyev (16) reacts during the third period against the Carolina Hurricanes in game six of the 2026 Stanley Cup Final at T-Mobile Arena. Mandatory Credit: Stephen R. Sylvanie-Imagn Images / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Rangers are getting set for the start of the regular season in less than two weeks, and that means it will be a condensed training camp and preseason. 

Considering all of the new faces joining the team over the summer, the Rangers certainly would have liked to have some more practices and preseason games to work on some things. 

Mike Sullivan will be challenged trying to figure out, firstly, what the roster is going to be for Opening Night and then working on the line pairings. Expect to see a lot of different combinations over the next couple of weeks, both in practice and in games. 

The final line pairings could remain fluid heading into the regular season, as this will be a challenge for Sullivan and the coaching staff. Fortunately, they do have some players with positional flexibility, and one of the most important ones will be Pavel Dorofeyev, who they acquired from the Vegas Golden Knights in the offseason. 

Dorofeyev's Positional Flexibility Will Be Interesting to See

#NYR head coach Mike Sullivan says he knows Pavel Dorofeyev can play both right and left wing. As for where he'll begin the season:

"I think a lot of it's going to come down to what we think is the best fit based on the combinations that we put together. We're going to explore…

— Mollie Walker (@MollieeWalkerr) September 16, 2026

With Sullivan stating that he is comfortable playing Dorofeyev on either the right side or the left side, it will be interesting to see what that could mean for their lines. 

The new forward from the Golden Knights will certainly be in the top six for New York, but whether that is on the first line or second line has yet to be determined. 

While it might not have been a great season for the team last year, they did find some nice chemistry on their first line with Gabe Perreault, Alexis Lafreniere and Mika Zibanejad. 

Perreault was able to showcase what he could do on the first line and looks like a building block for years to come. Furthermore, the last two months were some of the best hockey that Lafreniere has played in New York. Also, Zibanejad had a really productive season up the middle and played well with the two young wingers. 

There is certainly a possibility that Sullivan will keep this group together to start the season. However, the flexibility that Dorofeyev will provide can have him on the left side or right side if they want to slide Perreault or Lafreniere down to the second line with J.T. Miller. 

Overall, the Rangers are expecting a lot from the talented winger, and they will want to put him in the best position to succeed. Over the next two weeks, Sullivan will surely be experimenting with some different line combinations, and he could build things around Dorofeyev.