Saturday night saw Pavel Dorofeyev continue his upward ascent with the Vegas Golden Knights. The Russian winger scored two goals on the power play, bumping his total up to 34. Now, that number is significant for many reasons, starting with Dorofeyev inching closer to his career-high of 35.
Everyone loves seeing a Golden Knight topple any career-high, whether that's goals scored or assists. But there's more to the story than merely breaking personal highs. It also highlights a sacred single-season record for most goals scored. The holder? Dorofeyev's teammate, William Karlsson.
If you remember, in the inaugural season, the Original Misfit had a team-record 43 goals. It propelled the Golden Knights to a Pacific Division title and a Stanley Cup Final berth. In turn, that single-season record put Vegas on the map as a bona fide hockey team and one of the fastest-rising brands in sports.
However, Dorofeyev could break that record with a little push down the stretch. That means banking on his obvious power play talents and continuing to excel as a sniping winger. Let's dive into the optics here and see how things can suddenly swing in the 25-year-old's favor.
Look at Pavel Dorofeyev's chances at breaking William Karlsson's single-season goals record
Currently, Dorofeyev is on pace for 42 goals this season, falling just a goal shy of the record. He's already snagged the single-season power play goals record this season, sitting on 18 goals. But that power play will come into play for many reasons, starting with Mark Stone's return.
The Captain had assists on both Dorofeyev goals on Saturday, giving him prime opportunities to finish. It's not talked about enough how much he matters to the entire offensive apparatus. That especially applies to the man advantage, where the Canadian Olympian thrives on picking apart the penalty kill.
Considering that Dorofeyev specializes in said man advantage, it's paramount to keep Stone upright for the rest of the season. Here, he can create rebounds and feed his fellow winger crashing downhill. The more he does this, the more likely the Russian forward is to break that record.
Of course, it also helps to have him in the overall structure, where he creates all sorts of scoring opportunities. Here, he can break down opposing defenses with consistent offensive zone time and entries, leaving the door open for Dorofeyev. Still, the main focus is—and will be—on the efficient power play (25.1%, tied for fourth with Montreal).
The power play isn't the only place where Dorofeyev can get his goals from
Many people have lauded the line of Tomas Hertl, Pavel Dorofeyev, and Mitch Marner throughout the season. It's been known as the line that unlocked Marner on the Golden Knights, giving him scoring options in many spots. However, that line has also benefitted Dorofeyev in many ways, leading to countless goals.
In fact, the Dorofeyev-Hertl-Marner line has been one of the Golden Knights' best units this season. The stats don't lie, either (stats courtesy of MoneyPuck, minimum of 150 minutes).
Line | xGoals % | xGoals For Per 60 Minutes | Goals % |
|---|---|---|---|
Dorofeyev-Hertl-Marner | 61% (first) | 2.69 (fourth) | 64.7% (second) |
While the group has shown more proficiency on the defensive end, their offensive capabilities can't be denied, either. You're looking at Marner finding Dorofeyev crashing the net on an even-strength opportunity, among other possibilities. If done right, this could unlock more chances that lead to the Russian winger breaking the record.
Personally, the 25-year-old is in a great spot to surpass Karlsson's 2017-18 mark. He's on arguably one of the team's best lines and he gets Mark Stone back for the long haul. That should be great news for his prospects on shattering the 43 goals scored in the inaugural season... and Pavel Dorofeyev is quietly inching towards a heralded Golden Knights single-season record... and possibly a new contract (maybe? Will you think about it, McCrimmon?).