Rangers Open Camp With Dorofeyev Fit and Center Depth in Focus

The New York Rangers opened training camp Wednesday and will hold their first on-ice session Thursday at the MSG Training Center. New York opens the regular season Sept. 29 in Boston.

Pavel Dorofeyev's fit is the biggest lineup question. The Rangers acquired the 25-year-old winger from Vegas on June 26 for three draft picks, including two first-round selections, then signed him to a seven-year, $77 million contract.

Dorofeyev scored 37 goals and 64 points in 82 games for the Golden Knights last season. He scored 15 of those goals at five-on-five, according to The Athletic, and now must adapt after playing frequently with Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner in Vegas. Coach Mike Sullivan can pair him with either Mika Zibanejad or J.T. Miller.

Miller enters camp as a primary center after New York traded Vincent Trocheck to Utah on July 1. The 33-year-old played through multiple injuries last season and finished with 53 points, his lowest points-per-game rate in seven seasons.

Zibanejad is coming off a team-leading 34 goals and 78 points. Noah Laba is expected to handle third-line duties after recording 24 points in 74 games as a rookie, but the depth behind Zibanejad and Miller remains thin. Prospect Cole Beaudoin is dealing with an undisclosed injury sustained in Saturday's rookie game against Philadelphia.

The wing combinations also need to be settled. Alexis Lafrenière recorded 25 points over New York's final 25 games last season, while Gabe Perreault had 19 in that span. Both are expected to compete for full-time top-six roles alongside Dorofeyev and whichever centers Sullivan chooses.

The Rangers finished last in the Eastern Conference in 2025-26 and missed the playoffs for a second consecutive season. Training camp gives Sullivan his first chance to test whether the reworked forward group can produce more consistently before the regular season begins.