Vegas Golden Knights Face Salary Cap Crunch to Re-Sign Pavel Dorofeyev

LTIR loophole may be the only way to retain Dorofeyev and Rasmus Andersson

Mar. 29, 2026 at 4:20am

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The Vegas Golden Knights are in a difficult salary cap situation as they look to re-sign 25-year-old winger Pavel Dorofeyev, who is coming off a breakout season. Dorofeyev's camp is reportedly seeking an 8-year, $8 million per year contract, which would be a challenge for the cap-strapped Golden Knights to fit under their current constraints. The team may need to utilize the LTIR loophole by keeping veteran defenseman Alex Pietrangelo on long-term injured reserve in order to create enough space to re-sign both Dorofeyev and recently acquired defenseman Rasmus Andersson.

Why it matters

The Golden Knights have built a roster designed to win now, but their heavy investments in top-tier talent have left them in a difficult salary cap situation. Retaining young, rising stars like Dorofeyev is crucial, but doing so while also re-signing other key players like Andersson requires some creative maneuvering by the front office.

The details

Dorofeyev, a versatile 25-year-old winger, is coming off a breakout season and has arbitration rights, giving him significant leverage in contract negotiations. The Golden Knights are reportedly considering a two-year bridge deal at $5.6 million per year, but that would walk Dorofeyev straight to unrestricted free agency in the prime of his career. Alternatively, Dorofeyev's camp is rumored to be seeking an 8-year, $8 million per year contract, which would be extremely difficult for the cap-strapped Golden Knights to accommodate given their existing commitments to other high-priced forwards.

  • Dorofeyev is a restricted free agent this offseason.

The players

Pavel Dorofeyev

A 25-year-old winger for the Vegas Golden Knights who is coming off a breakout season and has arbitration rights, giving him significant leverage in contract negotiations.

Rasmus Andersson

A defenseman recently acquired by the Vegas Golden Knights who is set to become an unrestricted free agent this offseason.

Alex Pietrangelo

A veteran defenseman for the Vegas Golden Knights who could be placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) to create salary cap space.

Kelly McCrimmon

The general manager of the Vegas Golden Knights who is tasked with navigating the team's difficult salary cap situation.

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What they’re saying

“The Golden Knights rarely let elite talent walk for nothing. They operate with a ruthless efficiency, prioritizing the best players and figuring out the math later.”

— Dave Jenkins, NHL Insider

What’s next

The Golden Knights will need to decide whether to sign Dorofeyev to a long-term deal or a shorter bridge contract, while also determining if they can fit both Dorofeyev and Andersson under the salary cap. Utilizing the LTIR loophole by keeping Pietrangelo on long-term injured reserve could provide the necessary cap relief, but the team may also need to shed additional salary via trades.

The takeaway

The Golden Knights' aggressive roster-building strategy has left them in a difficult salary cap situation, forcing the front office to get creative in order to retain their top young talent like Dorofeyev while also re-signing other key players. This offseason will test the team's ability to navigate the NHL's complex financial rules and regulations.