Golden Knights prospect makes NHL debut against Kraken
The Golden Knights played seven games in the preseason, and forward prospect Pavel Dorofeyev didn’t appear in one of them.
But that didn’t stop the 20-year-old from being part of opening night against the Seattle Kraken.
Dorofeyev made his NHL debut Tuesday at T-Mobile Arena after some “cap gymnastics,” as termed by coach Pete DeBoer, that kept him on the Knights’ initial roster. The 2019 third-round pick got a moment he will remember forever, even if his stint ends up being short-lived.
“He’s a young guy that has a good reputation in the organization,” DeBoer said. “However a young guy gets in the lineup, it’s an opportunity to make a statement.”
Dorofeyev is a scoring winger with plenty of offensive flash. He scored nine goals in 24 games with the Silver Knights last season and added four assists. He then had two goals in five playoff games.
“A lot of skill,” captain Mark Stone said. “Shoots the puck well. Scores a lot of goals in practice.”
Those traits alone didn’t land him on the roster, however. Dorofeyev and right wing Jack Dugan were in the Golden Knights’ initial 23-player group in part because they had the highest salary-cap hits among the players on the Silver Knights. Calling them up gave the Golden Knights extra cap flexibility once they put right wing Alex Tuch on long-term injured reserve.
That’s how Dorofeyev went from not appearing in a preseason game to playing opening night. It was an unconventional path to take to the NHL, but it counts all the same.
Krebs sticks around
Left wing Peyton Krebs said he was “kind of nervous” Sunday waiting to learn if he made the Knights’ roster.
By the time Monday came around and he was still practicing with the NHL group, the 20-year-old was pretty sure he was sticking with the team. The 2019 first-round pick played in his fifth NHL game Tuesday and was eager to contribute to a contending team.
“I haven’t played in the playoffs in four years because of COVID and just our team wasn’t great the first few years back in junior,” Krebs said. “To be on a team that’s contending here and look forward to have a really good season, it’s exciting. It’s obviously just the start. I’m looking forward to getting going here.”
Coghlan moves up
Defenseman Dylan Coghlan’s second NHL season is already off to an interesting start.
The Knights’ roster situation meant the 23-year-old started Tuesday’s game at forward. Coghlan played forward for multiple games in April last season.
“It’s not optimal,” DeBoer said. “That’s how our roster is tonight.”
Odds and ends
■ Knights prospect Brendan Brisson was named the Big Ten’s first star of the week Tuesday. The 2020 first-round pick had three goals and two assists in Michigan’s first two games of the season against Lake Superior State.
■ Montreal Canadiens center Nick Suzuki signed a eight-year, $63 million contract extension Tuesday. The Knights selected him 13th overall in 2017 but traded him, left wing Tomas Tatar and a second-round pick for left wing Max Pacioretty.
■ Left wing Mattias Janmark remained in the NHL’s COVID-19 protocols Tuesday after entering Monday.
■ The Knights’ opening-night roster was the 16th oldest in the league, according to the NHL. It was also the fifth heaviest, according to Sportsnet.
Contact Ben Gotz at bgotz@reviewjournal.com. Follow @BenSGotz on Twitter.