Podcast Episode

Dan D'Uva Breaks Down What the Rangers Are Getting in Pavel Dorofeyev

Rink Rap | A New York Rangers Podcast from Forever Blueshirts·Forever Blueshirts·28 August 2026·47 min

About this episode

Jim Cerny is back from a week off and welcomes Dan D'Uva, the radio voice of the Vegas Golden Knights, for an in-depth look at the Pavel Dorofeyev trade. D'Uva breaks down why Vegas moved on from their leading goal scorer, what he brings to a Rangers lineup starved for scoring, how he compares to guys like Nikita Kucherov in adjusting to a new language and market, and whether he can produce without setups from Jack Eichel and Mitch Marner. Along the way, Jim and Dan swap stories about broadcast booths and arenas around the league (catwalks, gondolas, and the infamous Johnstown press box), and Dan reflects on growing up a Devils fan in Jersey, chasing Doc Emrick and Mike Miller with a tape recorder, and how the 1994 Rangers-Devils series shaped his hockey fandom.Chapters:00:00 – Cold open / intro  00:15 – Jim welcomes listeners back from vacation, brings on Dan Duva  00:48 – Dan Duva introduced, voice of the Vegas Golden Knights  01:02 – Jim's Canadian Rockies trip and the new Calgary arena  01:45 – Catwalk vs. no-catwalk broadcast booths  02:35 – Ranking arenas by broadcast position (Islanders, old vs. new buildings)  04:16 – Edmonton's gondola/press bridge that never got built  04:56 – T-Mobile Arena vs. Little Caesars Arena, hopes for new Calgary arena  04:57 (5:00ish) – Saddledome and the gondola view of warmups  05:31 – Johnstown, PA and the Slap Shot broadcast booth story  06:59 – Wrapping up the arena talk, back to hockey  07:12 – Dan's Jersey/Devils roots growing up in Nutley  08:22 – The 1994 Rangers-Devils series and Stefan Matteau/Seinfeld reference  09:11 – The '95 lockout and Devils' Stanley Cup win  09:39 – Broadcasting practice tapes as a teenager, Ridgewood high school hockey  10:22 – Pestering Devils broadcasters (Mike Miller, Randy Velischek, Chico Resch)  14:52 – Transition into the Pavel Dorofeyev trade discussion  15:36 – Did Duva see the trade coming / draft-day reaction  17:01 – Salary cap situation and why Vegas moved on from Dorofeyev  19:22 – Dorofeyev's power play production and Viktor Olofsson's arrival  21:16 – Playoff scoring surge and comparison to Brett Howden  23:33 – White House visit story and Dorofeyevs drive to be a champion  26:00 – Comparing Dorofeyev to Nikita Kucherov's English/language journey  30:00 – Ivan Barbashev's influence and personality contrast  33:00 – Igor Shesterkin comparison and "I don't speak English" bit  34:33 – What Dorofeyev brings on the power play and even strength  36:35 – Can Dorofeyev be trusted in all situations (Mike Sullivan's demands)  42:39 – John Tortorella's role in Dorofeev's late-season push  47:54 – Whether Dorofeyev needs elite setup men (Eichel/Marner) to produce  52:17 – Reily Smith's "buy stock in Dorofeyev" story  56:17 – Handling the pressure of a big Rangers contract and market  1:00:20 – Comparing Dorofeyev's stage experience to Jack Eichel's Vegas arrival  1:03:23 – Ryan Craig named new Golden Knights head coach, background  1:05:10 – John Tortorella's arrival in Vegas, building early rapport  1:07:00 – The Cape Cod/Maine connection that broke the ice with Tortorella  1:11:16 – What Tortorella hates: the "non-question question"  1:16:33 – How Tortorella made Duva a better interviewer, contrast with Bruce Cassidy  1:20:33 – Tortorella's return to MSG and the "family" story with Jim's son  1:23:24 – Carter Hart's relationship with Tortorella from Philadelphia  1:25:57 – Closing thanks and sign-off