The New York Rangers on Friday acquired forward Pavel Dorofeyev, the Vegas Golden Knights' leading goal scorer last season, and immediately agreed to a long-term deal with the restricted free agent.
The trade, announced by NHL commissioner Gary Bettman at the podium of the draft in Buffalo, New York, gave Vegas the No. 26 pick Friday as well as No. 92 overall in the third round. New York also shipped its 2028 first-round selection, which is top-10 protected, to land Dorofeyev, a 25-year-old winger who had 37 goals and 27 assists in 82 games last season.
The Rangers then agreed to a seven-year contract with Dorofeyev at $11 million per season, sources confirmed to ESPN.
Dorofeyev led Vegas in goals the past two seasons, having scored 35 times in 2024-25. And this past postseason, when the Golden Knights lost in the Stanley Cup Final, he had 12 goals and 16 points in 22 games, though he had only two goals in Vegas' final eight games.
Dorofeyev, who would have had arbitration rights in restricted free agency, said his next contract wasn't on his mind during the postseason.
"My job is to just go there and play hockey," Dorofeyev said. "I'm not thinking about it. My parents, my agent, everybody around me? That's their job, not mine."
Dorofeyev gives the Rangers some additional scoring on the wing as they seek to bolster a team that finished 23rd in goals per game last season (2.87).
On the Vegas side, in a flurry of moves late into the night in Buffalo, the Golden Knights eventually moved the Rangers' No. 26 pick to the Montreal Canadiens. Vegas landed the No. 28 pick in return as well as a 2027 third-round selection. The Golden Knights then acquired No. 29, along with No. 117 this weekend, from the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for No. 28.
Ultimately, at No. 29, Vegas chose defenseman Juho Piiparinen from Finland.