Last time, we talked about who had the most regular season goals in Vegas Golden Knights history. That honor went to the Original Misfit, known as William Karlsson. He scored 43 goals in 2017-18, which was a fitting record for the Stanley Cup Final team.
However, that was nearly a decade ago. Times have changed and there are only four Original Misfits left on the team. You only have Shea Theodore, Karlsson, Brayden McNabb, and Reilly Smith sticking around.
Still, one Misfit has the all-time goals record with the Golden Knights. His name? Jonathan Marchessault. He holds numerous records with Vegas and is the OG goal-scorer (192).
But somebody must break that record sometime. They must have a breakout season and surpass the Misfit at some point. That person must be fairly young and have the potential to take over the NHL.
That man? Pavel Dorofeyev? Yes, him. Pavel Dorofeyev.
His breakout 2024-25 campaign of scoring 35 goals was only the start. Now, he can go even higher and prove he should hold the Golden Knights' franchise record. Let's explore why he (and only Dorofeyev) will be the one to break Marchessault's all-time goals record.
Why Pavel Dorofeyev will break Jonathan Marchessault's all-time goals record with the Vegas Golden Knights
First, let's look at the record itself. Marchessault's 192 goals might seem like a lot to a mere mortal. However, it's obtainable for someone of Dorofeyev's age. Scoring 35 goals at the age of 24 is certainly an accomplishment.
It's also notable that you lead the team in this category. Of course, one can point to Tomas Hertl and say he's got a legitimate case. However, he's 31 years old. Some people are predicting he'll fall off eventually, leaving him just short of the goal.
It's also noteworthy that Dorofeyev isn't tied to a specific role on the team. Marchessault was limited in what he could do based on his size. Being 5'9" and weighing 185 lbs. doesn't help a man in the NHL. All he can do is snipe pucks.
Compare that to Dorofeyev, who does this and more. He scored 13 power play goals last season with Vegas and touched double digits. That's something the Misfit never did once in his career.
Dorofeyev will be aided by his teammates
Of course, he's not going to do this alone. Having someone like Hertl in the slot helps take space away from the goaltender. You can't see where the next shot's coming from and must heavily rely on your instincts.
With a powerful shot, the Russian winger can capitalize on this and make his opponents pay. It also helps to have a premier puck-moving center like Jack Eichel in the mix. His offensive instincts and hockey IQ make life easier for his teammates, including Dorofeyev.
It also helps that having Mitch Marner on board will make him better. Marner plays a similar two-way style to Eichel and believes in complementary hockey. You can already tell that the 24-year-old is licking his chops at shooting more pucks.
All of this will help the youngster break the all-time goals record and surpass Jonathan Marchessault. Of course, that starts with sticking around longer and getting a shiny new contract (Dorofeyev is a restricted free agent after this season). But he can shatter that mark if he can repeat his performance from 2024-25 consistently.