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Golden Knights May Have Found Their Next Power Duo In Hertl And Dorofeyev

(Photo Credit: SinBin.vegas Photographer Brandon Andreasen)

For years, the Golden Knights have relied on pairs of forwards that work together to help drive lines. Reilly Smith and William Karlsson are one of the best duos ever to don the gold jersey, and they were able to rekindle their chemistry with Smith’s arrival back in Vegas this year. Jonathan Marchessault and Jack Eichel, Chandler Stephenson and Mark Stone, and even Tomas Nosek and Pierre Edouard-Bellemare were all excellent pairs as well over the past eight years.

Vegas’ forward lines were juggled a lot this year but it appears Bruce Cassidy has found another duo that could be massively beneficial moving forward for the Golden Knights.

Tomas Hertl and Pavel Dorofeyev played 47 games together in the regular season before being paired up for another seven in the playoffs. The duo generated an impressive 67 goals between them, including 40 at even-strength.

Sometimes it just works. He likes to shoot the puck and I know he has a great shot but at the same time he’s really strong on the puck for a smaller guy. -Tomas Hertl

The pair allowed Cassidy quite a few extra options for his forward lines and their success in the Minnesota series was crucial when Karlsson, Eichel, and Stone all played together on the top line. Hertl said you never know who you might find chemistry with, and while he and Dorofeyev clicked quickly, it got even better as the year went on.

I watch him, how he plays and he watches me and the longer you are together, you know what you can expect from him. I know when Pavel was in certain situations, he was probably going to shoot, so I would get to the front of the net rather than being behind it. -Hertl

The pair couldn’t find much success in the postseason and it ultimately was a big reason why Vegas’ scoring dried up. However, Hertl believes Dorofeyev learned a lot in his first full postseason and believes he’ll get better next year.

Pavel had an awesome year and I think he surprised a lot of people. He scored 35 goals which is not easy at all. He was getting better and better as we went along too. Playoffs obviously is tough but at the same time sometimes you just have tough timing. I wish we could have found a way to be better because our team needed us. But we will learn what we didn’t do and be ready for next season to do even better. -Hertl

As the Golden Knights spend the offseason looking to bolster their depth on the wing, Dorofeyev and Hertl will be a crucial pair next season both at 5-on-5 and on the power play. Their regular season dominance together should give all Vegas fans hope that the slow postseason was simply a product of small sample size and they’ll be a consistent duo in the biggest moments moving forward.

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26 Comments

  1. Jack Hammer

    The Hammer loves his fellow Golden Knights fans and appreciates their passion and comments in regards to continual roster improvement, but he disagrees with a Mitch Marner signing and does not believe that it has any even small chance that it happens.

    The Vegas Golden Knights face a pivotal offseason in 2025, with GM Kelly McCrimmon tasked with maintaining the team’s competitive edge after their 2023 Stanley Cup triumph and very good regular seasons since. McCrimmon’s track record demonstrates a calculated approach to roster management, prioritizing value and team synergy over splashy, high-risk acquisitions. His philosophy, as he’s publicly stated, hinges on players outplaying their contracts, a strategy that fueled Vegas’ championship success. Players like Chandler Stephenson, Michael Amadio, and Logan Thompson exemplified this, delivering elite performances on modest deals before earning 200-300% raises elsewhere. This disciplined approach underscores why pursuing an overvalued asset like Mitch Marner, with his $13 million cap hit, would be an egregious misstep.
    Marner’s hefty contract would force Vegas to shed key contributors like William Karlsson and Shea Theodore, or William Karlsson with Ivan Barbashev to stay under the salary cap. Losing two impactful players for one, even a talent like Marner, disrupts the depth that defines Vegas’ identity. Karlsson’s two-way excellence and Theodore’s puck-moving prowess are integral to the team’s structure, while Barbashev’s physicality and versatility are tough to replace on the forecheck. Marner, a skilled playmaker, would need to dramatically outplay his $13 million cap hit which is an impossible task given his inconsistent playoff performances and the loss of roster balance. The math doesn’t add up: one star, no matter how talented, cannot replicate the combined impact of two high-end contributors in Vegas’ system.
    McCrimmon’s history reinforces his aversion to such a move. When Vegas signed Alex Pietrangelo in 2020, they traded Nate Schmidt to make cap room, a tough but calculated decision, as Pietrangelo was a clear upgrade and a defensive cornerstone. McCrimmon’s payroll management has been lauded for its precision, avoiding bloated contracts that hamstring flexibility. While fans might clamor for a marquee name like Marner, their passion often overlooks the logistical fallout. McCrimmon, however, remains steadfast, prioritizing sustainable success over fan-driven hype. His proven formula—depth, value, and chemistry—ensures the Knights won’t gamble on a costly mirage like Marner.

    • Emmanuel

      Elite performers? Chandler Stephenson, Michael Amadio, and Logan Thompson?

      (LAUGH TRACK PLAYS)

      • JB

        He sad it n reference to their pay scale!

        • Emmanuel

          Um no, unless you go bananas in your 1st contract.

          • Emmanuel

            What I mean by this is an entry level contract player that performs at an all star level from thenget go. Thats the only underpaid elite level player. Thats why its important not to trade away lottery picks.

        • Rocco

          Correct JB. Emmanuel missed that. Those players are not worth what they are being paid now, (maybe Thompson) but they were are bargain when they played for Vegas. McCrimmon knows Marner at 13.5 million + subtracting two good roster players to make cap room is a ridiculous price to pay for Marner.

          Chandler Stephenson 2.75 million
          Michael Amadio 0.75 million
          Logan Thompson 0.8 million

          2nd line center, 3rd line winger and 1A or 1B goaile.

          4.3 million for those three that were on the Stanley Cup team. They now make a combined 14.7 million dollars against the salary cap. Thompson (5.85 million) + Stephenson (6.25 million) + Amadio (2.6 million)

          • Emmanuel

            Theyre not ELITE at any price or pay scale or bang for buck. They were bargains at the VGK price thats all. Bang for the buck is not elite, the use of that word is what I disagree with. Thompson is a replaceable goalie. Amadio is a spare part. No serious Cup contender would have Stephenson as a #2 C.

          • Rocco

            Vegas was unserious or just joking around when they had Stephenson as their 2nd line center playing with Stone and winning the cup in 2023. I hope they become unserious again as it won them the cup.

          • ThG

            Rocco with common sense post, pretty much sending PP and his wet dream to the cleaners.

    • Scott

      VGK have about $9.5 million in cap space. Barbashev makes $5M per year. He’s all you need to shed in order to pay Marner. If you also want to re-sign Reilly Smith and/or Brandon Saad, you will likely also need to shed a lower level salary, like Hague or Roy. That’s it.

      • Scott

        And don’t forget, McCrimmon is not shy about bringing in high salary guys. See Mark Stone and Jack Eichel, for example. The salary cap is going up significantly over the next two years, so the VGK will definitely have room for one more superstar. I don’t know if it will happen, I wouldn’t bet against it either.

    • Gaetano

      I agree with Jack Hammer

    • Richie-Rich

      Hold it right there Bucko! Bloated contracts? Indeed, the VGK is carrying a lot of bloat right now.

      Look, Barbashev out pointed Karlsson this year. Karlsson scored, what? 30 total points and he sustained a lot of injury during the regular season. Both of these players, including Hertl went invisible in the playoffs.

      I cannot think of any other off season in recent NHL history where an elite talent like Marner was going to be unrestricted free agent. He’s young and he’s a 100 point scorer.

      For certain, without a doubt, McCrimmon is looking at all of the possible scenarios that might wind up with Marner wearing a Golden Knights jersey next season. Will it actually happen? Who knows? There are rumors that Toronto will extend him and that Marner will waive his NTC for a trade. I am not sure if that is just a rumor or if it is an actual possibility. That scenario changes the entire landscape of the Marner bidding wars that are sure to follow.

      In any case, The Hammer is right. Signing Marner will be the end of at least several Golden Knight fan favorites. The consequences of such a move will be up to 3 or even 4 Henderson Silver Knights filling holes on lines 3 and 4 as well as defense.

      It’s definitely a high risk – high reward play. Many were against the Eichel signing, including myself. That turned out to be one of the better moves of the front office.

      I do wish, however, that the front office knew how to deal with goal tenders. It’s been pretty much a crapshoot since they signed year 1 Vezina winner, MAF.

  2. Emmanuel

    Games played/goals
    2016-17 Metallurg Magnitogorsk Russia 36 36
    2021-22 Henderson Silver Knights AHL 63 27
    2022-23 Henderson Silver Knights AHL 32 9

    Doros minor full season stats.

    I dont know if hell be a steady 30 goal scorer (thats a lot to ask).
    Im wondering why he lost his scoring touch from 2022 to 2024?

  3. Emmanuel

    Oilers lose their Hyman

  4. Im in no way a panthers fan though it is hard not to respect their team and the results on the ice, however I will be rooting for them regardless to who they face in the Cup Finals, especially against the %^&$%^ oilers!!

    • JB

      Yea, looks like those @#$&% oilers will advance too!

    • Larry – why the hate of Edmonton – as a hockey fan you should appreciate talent and they have one of the best.

      • Hd, plain and simple they are our main rivals and as such I dont wish for them to ultimately succeed.

        I was a Knicks fan growing up and as such hated the Celtics.

        I was a Mets fan growing up and hated the Yankees.

        I was a Jets fan growing up and hated the Giants.

        I was a USC fan growing up and hated Notre Dame

        All of that enmity holds true even all these years later though time has lessened it a little bit.

        I left off I was a Rangers fan growing up and first hated the Bruins and the Flyers, but my greatest loathing was for the Islanders because the Rangers were the second best team year after year during the Islander dynasty, and they simply could not beat them though the games were always close and contested. and therein lays my biggest reason why I dont want to see to see the team facing the Panthers in the Cup Finals win the ultimate prize, because my fear is if they win 1 they might reel off another and I will sadly be harkened back to those days where my teams biggest rival skated away with the trophy, hence I will continue to firmly hope the Panthers hoist the trophy again this year.

  5. Wingenter

    Emmanuel completely missed Jack Hammer’s point. Went right over his head. Great teams don’t overpay. Sam Bennett currently at 4.25 million and Stephenson at 2.75 million brought great value to Stanley Cup winners and neither were on entry level deals. You did not like his use of the word elite. Are you freakin William Shakespeare?

  6. Jose

    There are not any UFA’s on this years list that will sign reasonable contracts that will be huge difference makers for Vegas. Pietrangelo was perfect at the time and exactly what they needed.

    I’m thinking the McCrimmon playbook may be to do the same thing they did last year and bring in some wingers on one year contracts. It’s not exciting or sexy, but it keeps their cap situation flexible for the 2026 offseason.

  7. Donald J Trump

    Something smells wrong in the halls of government when the Social Security Administration thinks it’s still cutting checks to people born before electricity, microwaves… maybe even the American flag. If bureaucratic incompetence were an Olympic sport, Washington’s deep state might sweep every event.

    For decades, Americans have watched their hard-earned paychecks take a haircut thanks to mandatory deductions. The promise? “It’ll be there for you when you retire.” But what if the system meant to support modern seniors has been quietly hemorrhaging money to digital ghosts from generations past?

    Social Security’s zombie apocalypse—now with spreadsheets
    In a revelation equal parts disturbing and surreal, the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) just announced the removal of 12.3 million names from the Social Security database — all of whom had allegedly lived to see 120 or older.

    Let that sink in: Millions were listed as still “alive” in the federal system despite having outlived medical science and common sense. As of March 2025, the database still had 3.4 million people recorded between ages 120–129, another 3.9 million between 130–139, and over a million supposedly aged 150+. That’s not a typo. It’s a comedy of errors — though taxpayers probably aren’t laughing.

    From The Post Millennial:

    “After 11 weeks, Social Security has finished this major cleanup initiative: ~12.3M individuals aged 120+ have now been marked as deceased. Some complex cases remain, such as individuals with 2+ different birth dates on file. These will be investigated in a follow-up effort.”

    This colossal oversight raises tough questions: Were these just bad records—or worse, cases of fraud? Either way, one thing’s clear: it took a lot of years—and perhaps too many unchecked departments—for this mess to grow this big.

    Elon Musk’s February tweet about the matter summed it up best: “Maybe Twilight is real and there are a lot of vampires collecting Social Security.” Turns out, the Twilight saga might have more administrative truth than fiction.

    When bureaucracies feed themselves
    Now imagine you’re a retired American who worked 40+ years, paid into the system the honest way, and is trying to cover rising grocery costs on a fixed income. Meanwhile, your Social Security dollars may have been funding someone… who passed years before radio became a thing.

    This isn’t just an error—it’s emblematic of what happens when a government grows too big to be accountable. When layers of departments start reporting to no one in particular, half-century data ghosts don’t raise eyebrows — they just get pay stubs.

    It’s also proof that bloated bureaucracies excel at inflating paperwork and avoiding responsibility. We’ve seen this pattern in health care, the IRS, veteran services—now Social Security. And this audit is just the start. If 12 million errors were hiding here, what else is broken?

    Trump’s swamp-leveling continues
    Unlike his predecessors, President Donald Trump hasn’t turned a blind eye. In April 2025, the administration signed an executive order barring illegal immigrants from receiving Social Security benefits — a move widely applauded by conservatives.

    The order explicitly “directs the administration to ensure ineligible aliens are not receiving funds from Social Security Act programs.” It was a clear step toward recentering the program on its purpose: helping American citizens who paid into the system.

    Pair that with the DOGE-led purge, and a pattern emerges. Instead of chasing politically convenient goals, Trump’s team is targeting the infrastructure no one else wants to touch—the stuff rotting underneath.

    And in typical Washington fashion, it took Elon Musk and a spreadsheet to get the attention flowing.

    Time to protect what’s ours
    Social Security isn’t a luxury. It’s a responsibility—one built on decades of toil from honest Americans. When that system is overrun by ghost entries, bloated records, and fraudulent claims, it threatens more than just a dollar amount. It erodes trust.

    This reform effort is more than just administrative—it’s moral. Every dollar wasted on clerical zombies is a dollar denied to a veteran, a widow, or a small-town couple trying to survive on their end-of-life income.

    If 2025 is going to be the year we shake loose the dead weight buried in our databases, so be it. Drain the digital swamp and let’s return these programs to the people who built this country—not those gaming the system from the shadows, or worse, the grave.

    Key Takeaways:
    Over 12 million outdated Social Security records were purged after years of government inaction.
    Data errors revealed millions listed as alive despite being 120+ years old — some over 150.
    Trump’s administration launched reforms to stop fraudulent payouts and protect taxpayer funds.
    Conservative governance emphasizes accountability, limited bureaucracy, and stewardship of public resources.
    Sources: The Post Millennial

  8. Pistol Pete

    Possible sign and trade VGK with TOR for Marner. Interesting.

    https://youtu.be/Xx2jI7WKrDM?si=tG1cvVkazqv7fwd0

  9. Pistol Pete

    Stephenson was by far McCrimmon’s most undervalued acquistion with Amadio (claimed off waivers I forget?) and distant second. Problem with the 2023 Cup-winning undervalued player argument is that it sweeps under the rug the high salaries of Eichel, Stone and Pietrangelo not to mention Karlsson, Marchessualt and Smith who are/were not exactly bargain basement. Stephenson even though he can’t score to save his soul except in a few fortunate key situations was replaced by McCrimmon with Hertl for a lot more money and not much more than what Stephenson get from SEA. But yeah Stevie ended up a very good value. Remember, McPhee hand the inside track on him. All teams have undervalued assets. What else is new?

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