RALEIGH, N.C. — Pavel Dorofeyev produced one of the postseason’s more unlikely finishers when he swatted a puck out of midair for an overtime goal in a conference playoff game, then downplayed it afterward, saying, “It’s what I gotta do. It’s just my job,” according to ESPN. The goal came in Game 5 against the Anaheim Ducks and pushed Vegas one win from the conference final.
At 25, Dorofeyev does not have the profile of linemates such as Jack Eichel, Mitch Marner or Mark Stone, but he has been the Golden Knights’ most prolific scorer in this run, with 10 goals entering the Stanley Cup Final and more goals than any of those stars on Vegas over the past two regular seasons (72), according to ESPN. That production has also put him in position for a notable restricted free-agent market this summer.
Beyond scoring, Dorofeyev’s overall game has drawn attention. ESPN reports he was a plus-5 entering the Final and that Vegas allowed 1.46 goals per 60 minutes with him on the ice. Eichel, who centers a line with Dorofeyev, said the winger has rounded out his game, highlighting defensive attention to detail and competitiveness in addition to a lethal shot.
Dorofeyev’s path was far from straightforward. Drafted 79th overall in 2019, teams were wary of his KHL commitments with Magnitogorsk Metallurg and the uncertainty surrounding his move to the NHL, according to ESPN. Vegas persisted despite earlier rocky experiences with other Russian imports, such as Vadim Shipachyov, and Dorofeyev eventually ended his contract with Traktor Chelyabinsk in 2021 after limited opportunities in the KHL.
After signing an entry-level deal with Vegas, Dorofeyev quickly outpaced his KHL scoring totals in the AHL with Henderson, reaching those numbers in 24 games and following with a 27-goal season that led to a brief NHL call-up. General manager Kelly McCrimmon called him a goal scorer, and teammate Kaedan Korczak recalled some of his AHL strikes as the kind of unpredictable finishes — backhands and deflections — that forecast his current scoring touch, according to ESPN.
