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

By Vancouver Television Sports Desk

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. Although 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.

Dorofeyev has rented an apartment in Connecticut each of the past four summers so he can work at Prentiss Hockey, an arrangement he said began through his agent, Rick Komarow. This familiarity, he said, has also helped him settle into the Rangers’ environment rather than arriving as a newcomer for pre-camp skates.

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

As training camp continues, Dorofeyev has been skating on the left wing with Miller in the middle and Oliver Bjorkstrand on the right wing.

The Rangers are also preparing to rebound after last season’s last-place finish in the Metropolitan Division, and Dorofeyev is expected to develop into a scoring role for the team.

Dorofeyev is a left-handed shooter, and he is expected to work on the right flank for his one-timer. The team’s power-play group includes other right-handed threats such as Mika Zibanejad, Artemi Panarin, Vincent Trocheck and Adam Fox.

New York’s preseason schedule includes a game against the Boston Bruins at TD Garden on Sept. 29 (8 p.m. ET).