Pavel Dorofeyev playing up to blockbuster expectations in preseason

The arrival of Pavel Dorofeyev already included plenty of expectations. There were the first- and third-round picks this year that the Rangers sent back to the Golden Knights; the top 10 protected first-rounder in 2026; and the seven-year deal with an average annual value of $11 million. 

But Dorofeyev, the left-handed forward who said he was comfortable skating on both wings and has featured on the right side of J.T. Miller in both of his preseason games, didn’t sound fazed about any of the stakes that’ll come into focus when the season begins Tuesday night in Boston. His potential was on display with a goal and three points in two preseason games. 

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“It doesn’t matter if it’s big contract or small,” Dorofeyev told The Post following the Rangers’ morning skate Friday. “I’m not gonna change my game, or I’m not gonna change myself. All I’ll do is just gonna work hard and enjoy the game and not try and focus on points and other stuff.” 

Dorofeyev added a pair of assists in Friday’s exhibition — a 6-1 Rangers victory, after flashing his trademark shot release Tuesday when he scored against the Islanders. While stuck in a cluster of traffic around the crease in the first period, Dorofeyev took possession and tried to maneuver around Islanders goaltender Semyon Varlamov before the puck slid to Oliver Bjorkstrand for the Blueshirts’ first goal. In the third period, Dorofeyev kept the puck in at the blue line before the sequence eventually ended with Mika Zibanejad’s power-play goal. 

That, more than anything, was the space where the Rangers could potentially benefit most from the arrival of Dorofeyev. Their power play — already a strength — added Dorofeyev’s 20 goals with the man advantage from last season, which anchored his 37 total from 2025-26. Over the last two seasons, the 25-year-old collected 72 total goals. 

But everything will flip to the regular season for Dorofeyev, who has skated on a line with Miller and Bjorkstrand throughout training camp, and the Blueshirts on Tuesday. All the potential with his release — something that he said has been a strength since he started listening to everyone who told him he had a good shot — and his presence will fade, with the need for tangible results to emerge. 

His flashes from the preseason captured that it might be a seamless process for him. 

“Just trying to be consistent as much as I can and be good for the team,” Dorfeyev said. 

The Rangers didn’t make any of their final roster calls Saturday as the group of NHL players on waivers didn’t include any of the possible Blueshirts names, according to PuckPedia. Rookie Alberts Smits, Matthew Robertson and Scott Morrow are competing for spots as the final defensemen. Matt Rempe, Taylor Raddysh and Jaroslav Chmelar are all in contention for the final forward spots. And Joonas Korpisalo and Dylan Garand, who each logged a full preseason game, are battling for the role of backing up Igor Shesterkin. 

Robertson, Morrow, Rempe, Raddysh, Korpisalo and Garand would all need to clear waivers before joining AHL Harford.

The Predators claimed defenseman William Trudeau — acquired from the Canadiens in the Brett Berard trade — off waivers, according to Elliotte Friedman. Trudeau, a 6-foot-1 prospect, is 23 years old and a former fourth-round pick. … Forwards Glenn Gawdin and Anton Blidh, as well as defenseman Marc Del Gaizo, cleared waivers and were assigned to the Wolf Pack.