Kelly McCrimmon has a funny way of making Vegas Golden Knights fans feel at ease. This past summer saw a controversial back-and-forth between the general manager and Jonathan Marchessault. The result was the "Original Misfit" heading to Nashville to become an SEC football fan.
In his place came Pavel Dorofeyev, who has 12 goals this season. He's projected to score 31 goals, which won't net him the single-season franchise record in 2024-25 (William Karlsson scored 43 goals in 2017-18). However, it's a good start for the 24-year-old, who's evolving into a quality goal-scoring winger.
Suddenly, fans forget about Marchessault and wonder if he's working at a local McDonald's in Nashville. After all, he only has seven goals and 11 assists, a far cry from his stellar 42-goal season in 2023-24. What's more, he has as many goals as Victor Olofsson... who's played 11 games.
Life has a funny way of working its magic. You're getting a five-year deal worth $27.5 million, only to be demoted to the second line. Meanwhile, Dorofeyev and his $1.835 million cap hit are thriving in Las Vegas, boosting his stock to get some playing time on the top line.
But let's look at the realistic chances of the Russian winger breaking the single-season goals record set by Karlsson. Can Dorofeyev catch the other "Original Misfit's" mark and put himself at the top of the mountain? What qualities make him the perfect candidate to do so?
Why Pavel Dorofeyev will break the single-season goals record
Part of Pavel Dorofeyev's goal-scoring success comes from the power play. The 24-year-old has five goals on the man advantage, bringing life to the second unit. While names like Jack Eichel and Tomas Hertl are buoying the first group, Dorofeyev and William Karlsson have also made their mark.
The Russian forward has developed a hard shot that can blaze past any defender and goaltender. It's the type of quality Olofsson also has on the unit, which has been the fourth-best in the NHL (27.6%). Take this goal against the Tampa Bay Lightning on October 17 as a perfect example.
Pavel Dorofeyev on the power play 🎯#VegasBorn pic.twitter.com/ttCs7gOEfT
— Hockey Daily 365 l NHL Highlights & News (@HockeyDaily365) October 17, 2024
Dorofeyev blasts a one-timer from inside the faceoff circle to give the Vegas Golden Knights a 2-1 lead. He's aided by Mark Stone and Tomas Hertl creating traffic in front of Andrei Vasilevisky and capitalizing on that opportunity. This has been the motif for the former 79th-overall pick, where he's jumped on excellent scoring chances.
The Russian native can also protect the puck, using his shiftiness and body to maintain possession. He's also hard to take the puck away from with his handles, where he can deceive defenders. That's despite playing on a line that hasn't benefited him much (46.67 GF%, 46.72% Corsi in 114:15 TOI with Brett Howden and Hertl as his linemates).
Without his two current linemates, he's scoring seven goals with a GF% of 63.64% and a Corsi of 48.81% (138:39 TOI). The adaptability and flexibility of Dorofeyev in these situations will also propel him to the single-season goals record. He can find scoring opportunities on his own, whether it's with Eichel or on an odd-man rush. That quality will also help him become one of the most underrated wingers in the NHL in the future.