When Pavel Dorofeyev weighed moving to Manhattan after being traded to the New York Rangers, he ultimately chose familiarity over the allure of the city. The 25-year-old forward, signed to a $77 million contract spread across seven seasons, has spent each of the last four summers renting in Connecticut so he could train at Prentiss Hockey in Stamford. This year that pattern grew into a more permanent plan.
Staying where training works
Dorofeyev said the arrangement was first arranged by his agent, Rick Komarow, and that he embraced it each offseason because it allowed him to prepare in a setting that he knows. The repeated choice to rent in Connecticut has provided continuity in his training routine and served as a bridge to life with his new team.
"I was thinking about it," Dorofeyev said about living in New York City, referencing the typical attractions of Manhattan with his wife, Valeria. But rather than uproot his training base, he opted to remain in the state he has used as a summer home. He described Connecticut as "just a great place to live," pointing to familiarity with the area and local amenities.
Acclimating to the Rangers
For a player joining a new club, especially one under a long-term contract, off-ice familiarity with teammates can accelerate on-ice cohesion. Dorofeyev used his Connecticut presence to train alongside several Rangers, turning strangers into familiar faces before the shortened training camp began.
He skated with forwards J.T. Miller, Matt Rempe and Gabe Perreault, and defenseman Adam Fox. He also skated with defenseman Scott Morrow. That exposure, teammates said, has smoothed his transition into the locker room and on-ice systems.
"Obviously, with a shortened training camp you only have so many times on the ice with someone, so many times around them to know their tendencies, know what they like, what they don't like," Fox said. "Just getting to know him a little bit being around the area has been good. … Obviously, the talent he brings is a big help too, but that familiarity helps a lot just having him in the area."
Local ties among Rangers players
Connecticut's appeal for Rangers players goes beyond Dorofeyev. Goaltender Igor Shesterkin and his family returned to their Connecticut home after spending summers in Moscow, and Dorofeyev said that has given him another familiar connection in the community. The proximity has allowed regular on-ice work and informal time together that might be harder to find if players were scattered between New York and other locations.
Stamford's Prentiss Hockey — where Dorofeyev trained each summer — has become a hub for NHL players seeking a private training environment away from the city. For Dorofeyev, that setting helped him maintain a consistent regimen and build rapport with teammates before the season's first camp skates.
What this means for Connecticut
While the trade that brought Dorofeyev to New York was executed in late June, his decision to continue basing himself in Connecticut underscores the state's role in the professional hockey ecosystem. Repeated visits and now longer-term residency by NHL players can bring measurable benefits to local training facilities, sports service providers and regional visibility.
For local fans, the choice also means increased opportunities to spot high-level players at private ice sessions and in community settings. It may also add to the informal network of Rangers personnel who spend part of their offseasons in the state, further integrating the team into Connecticut’s sporting landscape.
Training partners and residency details
The summer training lineup in Connecticut included several established Rangers and prospects. The following table summarizes known on-ice partners Dorofeyev worked with this offseason:
| Position | Teammate |
|---|---|
| Forward | J.T. Miller |
| Forward | Matt Rempe |
| Forward | Gabe Perreault |
| Defenseman | Adam Fox |
| Defenseman | Scott Morrow |
Dorofeyev has rented an apartment in Connecticut each of the last four summers specifically to train at Prentiss, and that pattern continued after the trade from the Vegas Golden Knights on June 26. The familiarity with the state and the training routine appears to have been an important factor in his decision not to relocate immediately to Manhattan.
As the Rangers move toward the regular season, those who watched Dorofeyev work through summers in Connecticut say the combination of his skill set and the built-in familiarity with teammates will help the club integrate him more quickly. For Stamford and the surrounding communities, the continued presence of NHL talent highlights a niche that has quietly become part of the state’s sports identity.
