Pavel Dorofeyev has plenty to play for in the upcoming season. He's a restricted free agent after this season and is arbitration-eligible, giving him a chance for a big payday.
That's especially true after coming off a 35-goal season with the Vegas Golden Knights last season. He led the team in this regard and became a surprise winger for a surprise team. Therefore, it's time to pay the man.
With that comes a multitude of factors that will affect his next payday. One of those happens to be how many goals he'll score. Can he come back for an encore or will he wilt under the pressure of heightened expectations? Considering how calm and collected he plays with the Golden Knights, one would assume the latter won't happen.
With that, smaller factors could come in play. For example, will he play a full season in 2025-26? Last season, he played all 82 regular season games, putting together the best campaign for a 24-year-old. But can he repeat that success with another healthy season?
More importantly, this smaller factor could play an integral role in how he does this year. It could even affect his next deal and how much he makes.
Where Pavel Dorofeyev plays will indicate his goal output with the Vegas Golden Knights in 2025-26
Last season, Dorofeyev found massive success with Brandon Saad and Tomas Hertl. The trio was one of the better lines in the NHL, providing stability and scoring for the Golden Knights. In fact, MoneyPuck has a better idea of where that line was throughout the 2024-25 season (minimum 150 minutes).
Line | Games Played | xGoals % | xGoals For | xGoals Against | xGoals For Per 60 Minutes | xGoals Against Per 60 Minutes |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Saad-Hertl-Dorofeyev | 16 | 61.5% | 9.9 | 6.2 | 3.64 | 2.28 |
Mind you, all of this was on the second unit. He led the Golden Knights in goals thanks to a massive slot presence in Hertl. Add an aggressive attacker in Saad and the line was one of the toughest to defend.
Compare that to having Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner on the same line, where it's two-way prowess all the way. Eichel and Marner emphasize a rush-style attack where the opponents are constantly on their toes. While the second line focused on size and constricting the goaltender, the top unit's main focus is on keeping them off balance.
Can Dorofeyev adjust to that pace and develop his two-way game in the process? The good news is he has the shiftiness in his skating to make this happen. The Russian winger can move swiftly in transition and fool defenders with his handles.
Dorofeyev has a case for topping his total on the top unit
One thing to note is that Dorofeyev (253 shots on goal) and Eichel (233 shots on goal) were first and second in generating shots last season, respectively. Ironically, they don't get enough love from their peers in this regard, with some fans still yelling at their television screens to shoot the puck.
Adding Marner to the mix should create more creative scoring opportunities for Dorofeyev, especially in the aforementioned rush sequence. That's something that can rack up goals, toppling his career-high.
Still, one can't deny that the imposing size and aggressiveness will do wonders for the 24-year-old. He can fire a shot from afar and have Hertl or Saad pounce on the incoming rebound. Even having his linemates do the shooting can help him since opponents don't know who will attack.
Overall, the winger is in a tremendous spot. He can beat his 2024-25 total in either fashion, whether it's on the second line or the first. Dorofeyev has enough skills and offensive prowess to generate offense and become a threat. You can say that he's "money."