It’s not the first time Kelly McCrimmon has put it this way, and it won’t be the last.
“This is the business of hockey,” he said.
There’s some organizational sting losing a homegrown player that developed in an organization not known for doing such. Even one who has shown continuous growth as Pavel Dorofeyev.
But with Dorofeyev reportedly cashing in on a seven-year, $77 million deal with the New York Rangers that proved to be too rich for the Knights’ blood, McCrimmon moves forward trying to replace the team’s leading goal scorer the last two years.
“We’re tremendously proud of him,” McCrimmon said Saturday. “(The contract) is well-earned, but it just puts us in a situation where it can’t be accommodated here.”
The Vegas Golden Knights were on one end of one of the more surprising moments of the NHL draft, with Dorofeyev — a third-round pick of the organization from the 2019 draft — being traded to the Rangers on Friday.
The Knights have some work to do heading into free agency on Wednesday. They’ll need to make decisions on at least three forward spots and two defensemen. They’re going to have just over $13 million in cap space to work with once defenesman Alex Pietrangelo goes on season-ending long-term injured reserve.
Between $8 million and $9 million of that will go to re-signing defenseman Rasmus Andersson.
The decision was solely for salary cap purposes. McCrimmon said while negotiations with Dorofeyev’s representation never went sour, it was clear the asking price to re-sign was going to be out of the Knights’ comfort zone.
“We had engaged with Pavel’s representation, and had a sense of where it was going,” McCrimmon said. “We’re not caught off guard or surprised by the contract that appears he will be signing with New York.
“It was just a case where that wouldn’t fit with our salary cap at this point in time.”
The Knights could have taken this into free agency and see if a team would’ve presented Dorofeyev with an offer sheet. McCrimmon said he wouldn’t anticipate an offer sheet coming in at $11 million average annual value.
That number would’ve given the Knights two first-round picks, a second and a third. They were able to get all but a second-round pick in the trade.
The Knights took the 26th pick from the Rangers and traded down twice. They got a third-round pick next year from Montreal, and a fourth-round pick from Anaheim in this draft.
“I think that we did better with the trade the way that it unfolded than it would have to wait,” McCrimmon said. “The other aspect of that is we’ve gained a year. We had a first-round selection on Friday, and we turned that into a couple more picks. We’re on our way with that process.”
Dorofeyev, 25, scored a career-high 37 goals last season and has 72 in the past two seasons. The Knights now have to find a way to replace that.
They have eight unrestricted free agents — including Andersson — that they will have to tend to before free agency opens at 9 a.m. on Wednesday. There are also decisions that need to be made in the goaltending department, like restricted free agent Akira Schmid, and if they are going to move on from Stanley Cup champion Adin Hill.
Dorofeyev was the first domino to fall in what will be an eventful offseason for the Knights. Or, in this case, just another July.
“We wish (Dorofeyev) the very best,” McCrimmon said. “I think he’s going to do great in his new opportunity in New York.”
Contact Danny Webster at dwebster@reviewjournal.com. Follow @DannyWebster21 on X.
