NHL: Pavel Dorofeyev’s Connecticut training to ease transition to New York Rangers

Pavel Dorofeyev says his offseason routine in Connecticut has made his transition to the New York Rangers smoother. Dorofeyev, 25, was acquired in a June 26 trade from the Vegas Golden Knights, and while he considered making New York City his home, he remained connected to Connecticut, where he has spent summers for four years training at Prentiss Hockey in Stamford.

According to the report, Dorofeyev has rented an apartment in Connecticut each of the past four summers so he can work at Prentiss Hockey, an arrangement that began through his agent, Rick Komarow. This offseason, the familiarity has also served a practical purpose by helping him settle into the Rangers environment rather than arriving as a newcomer for pre-camp skates.

The NHL report says Dorofeyev trained alongside Rangers forwards J.T. Miller, Matt Rempe and Gabe Perreault, and defenseman Adam Fox. He also skated with defenseman Scott Morrow, and he has gotten to know goalie Igor Shesterkin because Shesterkin and his family also returned to their Connecticut home after spending the summer in Moscow.

As training camp continues, the report states Dorofeyev has been skating on the left wing with Miller in the middle and Oliver Bjorkstrand on the right wing. New York is preparing to rebound after last season’s last-place finish in the Metropolitan Division, and the report frames Dorofeyev as a scoring addition as his time with the team develops.

The report also notes Dorofeyev’s fit on the Rangers power play. It describes the Rangers’ power-play output from last season and says Dorofeyev, a left-handed shooter expected to work on the right flank for his one-timer, would join other right-handed power-play threats such as Mika Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck and Adam Fox. The article further says the Rangers are in practices ahead of opening night versus the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Sept. 29 (8 p.m. ESPN).

Written by Vancouver Television Sports Desk