Rangers Coach Shuffles Lines Again, Places Dorofeyev on Top Unit

Rangers coach Mike Sullivan has made another adjustment to the team's lineup, moving forward Pavel Dorofeyev to the top line alongside Mika Zibanejad and Alexis Lafrenière. This marks the latest attempt by Sullivan to unlock Dorofeyev's offensive potential, as the winger has struggled with consistency this season.

Dorofeyev has recorded three goals in 14 games, a performance that has led to him frequently shifting between the top two forward lines. Sullivan acknowledged the ongoing effort to find the right fit for the player, stating, "We’re trying to find a way to capture Pav’s best game, create some balance through our lineup." He noted that the team had not yet experimented with this specific top-line combination.

The move comes after Dorofeyev was part of a lineup that fell to the Los Angeles Kings on Monday. While Dorofeyev has seen time on the third line previously, Sullivan suggested that his skill set is best suited for the top six.

Despite the numerous scoring chances Dorofeyev has generated, his low goal total has added to the Rangers' challenges. His three goals this season include one in the home opener against the Lightning, another during a large margin of victory against the Devils, and a late goal that narrowed the deficit in a recent game.

Sullivan indicated that the swap involving Dorofeyev and Gabe Perreault was the only change made to the forward lines. Defense pairings remained consistent, with the combination of Vladislav Gavrikov and Adam Fox continuing their established partnership. However, Sullivan expressed concern about a perceived drop in performance from the pairings of Sean Durzi and Marcus Pettersson, suggesting that adjustments may be considered if their play does not improve.

"It’s a conversation that we’ve had here over the last couple of days," Sullivan said regarding the defensive pairings. "This isn’t etched in stone by any stretch. We’ve really liked the Vladdy-Foxy pair for a long time. We think that’s a strong No. 1 D-pair for us. They play important minutes. They have complementary skill sets. We’ve liked that pair."

Sullivan added that the decisions on future lineup changes will largely depend on performance, emphasizing that the current configurations are not permanent. He also noted the team's past success with the Durzi-Pettersson pairing and expressed a desire to recapture that effectiveness.