The New York Rangers are searching for anything that can jolt them out of a skid, and Pavel Dorofeyev has started to look like one of the few bright spots worth tracking.
The team has dropped seven of its last eight, including a 1-5-1 stretch over the last seven games, and that slide has pushed them down the Metropolitan Division and Eastern Conference standings. What looked like early-season momentum has faded, with injuries beginning to bite.
For the Rangers to steady themselves, their top players have to deliver. Dorofeyev, one of the club’s big offseason additions, is a major part of that equation after a quiet start to his time with the team.
Lately, though, the winger has begun to heat up. He enters the matchup against the St.
Louis Blues riding a five-game point streak, with goals in two of his last three outings. The finishing touch has taken a while to arrive, but the chances have been there, and he has been firing pucks at the net.
That shot volume is starting to pay off. Dorofeyev’s shooting percentage sits at 9.3%, but his career mark is 14.4%, and his lowest single-season rate is 13.4%. Even a move back toward that range would give his goal total a meaningful lift.
The underlying numbers back up the eye test. Dorofeyev owns an Expected Goals Rate of 53.99%, which ranks sixth on the team and third among forwards.
J.T. Miller leads the forwards at 61.61%, followed by Oliver Bjorkstrand at 56.37%.
Only Scott Morrow, who has appeared in one game this season, Vladislav Gavrikov and Adam Fox sit ahead of him overall, and all three are defensemen.
Money Puck also has Dorofeyev leading the Rangers in Expected Goals with 6.7.
The point streak has not been built on goals alone. In the other three games during that run, he picked up an assist in each one, bringing his total to five. For a player known mostly for his heavy left-handed shot, that’s a sign he’s offering more than just finishing ability.
He may not be a perfect fit for the system Mike Sullivan wants to use, but Dorofeyev is beginning to settle in. Staying on the top line with Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafreniere after another round of line changes should only help.
That trio posted an Expected Goals Percentage of 72.7% in its first game together. Dorofeyev has also been part of line combinations with Miller and Tye Kartye or Bjorkstrand that have produced xG% of at least 60%.
Now the challenge is simple: the high-priced forward has to turn those chances into goals.
In Other News...
Rangers Just Took An Important Step Toward Goalie Relief
The Rangers have taken a meaningful step toward easing their goaltending squeeze by sending Joonas Korpisalo to the AHLs Hartford Wolf Pack on a conditioning loan as he works back from a lower-body injury and foot infection. The move is designed to get him back into game shape without taking him off the NHL roster, a small but important bit of roster management for a team that has been navigating life without Igor Shesterkin.
Under the NHL collective bargaining agreement, the loan can run for as long as 14 days while Korpisalo remains on the NHL payroll, giving the Rangers a short window to evaluate where he stands physically. His eventual return would offer some relief in net, but for now the bigger question is how quickly he can regain the form and availability New York needs from him. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers Trade Search Just Zeroed In On A Crucial Need
The Rangers search for help down the middle is starting to look like one of the more important items on their list as the season unfolds. Will Cuylle has been asked to bridge a gap at center, but that arrangement is viewed more as a stopgap than a long-term answer, which is why the front office is believed to be keeping a close eye on the market for younger options who could fit the roster better over time.
Among the names being floated are Ryan Hartman, Josh Norris and Cole Sillinger, a mix that reflects both the need and the uncertainty around what might actually be available. The Rangers are clearly trying to solve a real roster issue, but the challenge is finding a center who fits their timeline and can be pried loose without overpaying, which makes this one of those trade searches that could linger for a while before anything concrete happens. [Read more 🡒]
Rangers May Have Found An Unexpected Answer To Their Center Problem
The Rangers have spent much of the season searching for stability down the middle, and injuries forced them to try something a little off the board against the Blues. Will Cuylle was shifted to center for the first time in his professional career, a move born more out of necessity than design, with Eeli Tolvanen and Oliver Bjorkstrand flanking him on the wings.
The results were encouraging enough to keep the idea in the conversation. Cuylles line drove play well, posted strong expected goal numbers and helped the Rangers control key stretches in a 3-1 win over St. Louis, giving the club at least one plausible answer in a spot that has been a problem for much of the year. Whether the look sticks beyond one game is still the bigger question. [Read more 🡒]