It's no secret that the Vegas Golden Knights want to keep Pavel Dorofeyev around for the long term. The Russian winger led the Golden Knights in goals scored this season (37) and had a record-breaking 20 power play goals in a single season. Imagine what you could get from the 25-year-old in the long term.
However, there's a price to pay. After all, Ted DiBiase once said that everybody's got a price. That happens to be Tomas Hertl, according to Nick Kypreos, who was on Sportsnet to discuss the issue.
"They...want to take a run at re-signing RFA Pavel Dorofeyev, which might cost them Tomas Hertl."Nick Kypreos on Sportsnet
Ironically, Hertl was the guy whose record Dorofeyev broke in power play goals. The former San Jose Shark scored 14 power play goals the season prior, following that performance up with 13 power play goals in 2025-26.
What could be an obstacle or two for the Vegas Golden Knights trading Tomas Hertl?
Hertl's power play acumen sounds nice and all. However, there are some catches with Hertl here. For one, he's owed $6.75 million per season by the Golden Knights until 2030. Not only that, but he only has three teams approved on his trade list for the next two seasons.
Additionally, he's... 32 years old. That could cause problems for the Golden Knights in looking for a trade partner. There are only so many teams like the Calgary Flames and the Chicago Blackhawks that are looking to go above the salary floor. Who else could take Hertl off the Golden Knights' hands?
On top of that, nearly half of his goals came on the power play in the past two seasons. We're talking about 27 goals on the unit from 56 total. Who's willing to take a risk on an aging player stuck in a power play niche? Perhaps teams like the Winnipeg Jets could take a flyer. But that's an uphill battle.
One name that could be a viable alternative is none other than Adin Hill. The former Stanley Cup hero has suffered from bad play and numerous lower-body injuries, leading to the goaltender being shown the door.
Still, don't underestimate Kelly McCrimmon's abilities as a general manager. He's known to swing a big deal or two to free up cap space. It's part of what's made him an exceptional general manager, leading the Golden Knights to two Stanley Cup Final appearances and a Stanley Cup.
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