When you work hard enough in your job, you get a promotion. You should be compensated for your dedication to your craft, whether it's a raise or more responsibilities. Sure, the gig might be more stressful. But you've earned it.
That's where Pavel Dorofeyev stands after an excellent season with the Vegas Golden Knights. He leads the team in goals (33) and has 13 power play goals in 2024-25. What more can be said about the 24-year-old winger other than, well, he's awesome?
That also goes with being the team's primary shooter (team-best 236 shots on goal), along with having an accurate shot (shooting percentage of 14%). Yep, this kid is striving for bigger and better things. Could a goals record be in his future? Who knows?
One thing's for certain: It's time to give him that promotion. A growing player of his caliber deserves recognition for his hard work in 2024-25. He's already gotten first-unit responsibilities on the Golden Knights' power play. So why not give him an additional duty that'll bolster his team?
Pavel Dorofeyev should be given the bump to the Vegas Golden Knights top line
The top unit of Mark Stone, Jack Eichel, and Ivan Barbashev has been solid throughout the season. They've scored 27 goals together and have exceeded expectations (xGF of 20.64). But goal-scoring hasn't been the unit's only strength, though (stats courtesy of Natural Stat Trick).
Unit | Corsi For% | Fenwick For% | Shots For% | Goals For% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Stone-Eichel-Barbashev | 50.47% | 50.82% | 51.05% | 58.70% |
The shot selection has blossomed for the Vegas Golden Knights, giving them a solid scoring unit. Barbashev's sharp shooting, along with Eichel and Stone's offensive acumen, has led the sixth-best attack in the NHL (3.32 goals per game). Not bad, eh?
But why not give Pavel Dorofeyev a shot at the top unit? Here, you have two terrific shooters on the top line. The 24-year-old can play either wing position, adding to that flexibility. Plus, he's done terrific with Eichel on his power play unit.
Pair of Golden Knights on the power play | Corsi For% | Fenwick For% | Shots For% | Goals For% | Goals For | Expected Goals For |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Dorofeyev-Eichel | 88.89% | 88.75% | 89.73% | 96.97% | 32 | 21.25 |
The duo has exceeded expectations on the power play, making Eichel and Dorofeyev a deadly pair. In 145:01 of TOI, they've anchored the man advantage and led them to the second-best group in the league (29.1%).
Why not try him out now?
Given that Eichel's out on a day-to-day basis with an upper-body injury, you might think that now isn't the best time. But why not test him with his fellow Russian? The duo had limited time in even strength situations, playing only 153:34 of TOI together. But the results have been satisfactory.
Pair | Corsi For% | Fenwick For% | Shots For% | Goals For% |
|---|---|---|---|---|
Dorofeyev-Barbashev | 53.27% | 53.53% | 55.06% | 54.55% |
When you put two solid skaters on each wing, magic can happen. It bolsters the transition game and makes teams think twice about turning the puck over. On top of that, it makes life easier from a forechecking standpoint. The more pressure you put on your opponent, the better.
The common complaint about Mark Stone has been that he's not aggressive with his shooting. He waits too long to take a shot and will pass the puck anyway. With Dorofeyev, the Golden Knights don't have that problem. He'll fire the puck at will with blistering speed. Plus, the rest of your regular season games are against non-playoff teams. Why not test him on the top unit and see how he does?
The Stanley Cup playoffs are coming up. It's a time where you put everything on the line and do whatever it takes to win. That includes taking daring dives into the lineup and moving some pieces. That could warrant a sudden promotion with your star winger, Pavel Dorofeyev. Hey, Las Vegas is known for gambling. It's crazy enough to work.