Overview
- The trade, announced June 27, 2026, sent RW Pavel Dorofeyev to the New York Rangers in exchange for the No. 26 pick in this year’s draft, the No. 92 pick and a 2028 first-round pick that is protected if it falls in the top 10.
- The Rangers immediately signed Dorofeyev to a reported seven-year, $77 million contract with an $11 million average annual value, a deal Vegas chose not to match for cap and cost reasons.
- Vegas then used the acquired No. 26 pick in two follow-up swaps to move down slightly, add a 2027 third-rounder and a 2026 fourth-rounder, and ultimately selected defenseman Juho Piiparinen at No. 29.
- Dorofeyev was the Golden Knights’ top goal scorer over the past two seasons, scoring a career-high 37 goals in 2025–26 and finishing his Vegas career with 92 goals in 231 regular-season games, creating an immediate top-six and power-play scoring hole for the team.
- By trading his rights rather than risking an offer sheet or matching a large extension, Vegas gained multiple mid- and future-round assets and preserved cap room they can use in free agency, trades, or prospect development while holding a top-10-protected 2028 first.