Confirmed Signing with Link: [NJD] F Ondrej Palat signs with the Devils (5 years, $6M AAV)

[HeavyHammer]

Really disappointing to see some bolts fans in here trying to short change Palat. What an awesome player, if we could have afforded this cap hit I would have loved to have him back on this contract.

 

[Stammertime91]

Really disappointing to see some bolts fans in here trying to short change Palat. What an awesome player, if we could have afforded this cap hit I would have loved to have him back on this contract.

Same. Will miss Pally a ton. We are f***ed on the left wing.

 

[VinikToWinIt]

Frank Saravelli said Palat went to the Bolts and told them he's willing to sign the same contract as Nick Paul to stay with the team. I find that a bit hard to believe but that's what he said and he's pretty credible.

If that's true, I'm f***ing livid. I don't care if he would be a $3M anchor in 5 years when all of our stars are past their prime anyways. The guy is a Bolts legend and was incredibly important to the team. $3M would be highway robbery for the next 4-5 years.

We wouldn't have made the SCF without him, and he still has a lot of good hockey to be played. Feels like we did him dirty if that's the case.

 

[Voight]

Frank Saravelli said Palat went to the Bolts and told them he's willing to sign the same contract as Nick Paul to stay with the team. I find that a bit hard to believe but that's what he said and he's pretty credible.

I really can't see cap strapped Tampa turning that down, that would've been almost 2 million less than his previous cap hit.

 

[clmetsfan]

I don’t know why people are acting like NJ lost out on Gaudreau. They made him a good offer and he chose a city he likes for more money.

That's literally losing out on him.

 

[TGWL]

I don't buy it. I can't see Palat taking that little even to stay with Tampa. Playoff performers get paid.

 

[My3Sons]

It's amazing how many fans view something like this from an ill informed perspective. NJ isn't signing Palat to provide top line points. They have enough skill to score. Hughes, Hischier, Bratt, Mercer, Sharangovich, Hamilton, Severson and maybe even a Miles Wood if he is healthy will all create offense. Palat is a guy to show the young players what is needed to win. NJ doesn't really have that veteran voice of been there and done that the way Palat has. NO, Palat will not score enough to justify his contract. I have no doubt his play will decline to some extent over the course of it. NJ doesn't need him to and with the continued influx of young ELC and RFA players and other contracts for players ending it's hard to see NJ running into a real cap problem for the next few years. If NJ gets to the point where Palat is playing on the third line that's a good problem for NJ to have and maybe at that point they are actually competitive. If you look at a contract like this in the abstract or assume how it fits on a team in general you are missing the point. It's not a great contract but it's exactly the player this team needs. He's not redundant and if he can play as a second line guy for two seasons a third line guy for two seasons and a fourth line guy the last year that's fine. He's just got to be the veteran voice that shows the way forward to a very young team.

 

[HugeInTheShire]

I like how vocal Palat has already been in regards to playing the game the right way and creating a winning environment. This contract may be too much money for too many years but he's the exact kind of guy they need in that locker room.

 

[sr edler]

Palat's an excellent player, only risk here is if he falls off a cliff due to mileage, or if the coach mishandles him, but that's probably a fairly small risk.

Tampa on the other hand, if Kucherov injures himself early next season yet again, I can see them potentially getting into some problem. A lot of mileage on some key guys now, and who're you going to move up the line-up if injuries happen? Namestnikov? Lol. And they play in a strong division too.


(now Namestnikov will score 40 goals next season with Kucherov just because I wrote that)

 

[Baby Punisher]

Great signing. Give him the C. This makes the Devils legitimate, and almost guarantees that they won't be the doormat of the East this season.

 

[jaric1862]

This is an absolutely terrible signing

 

[BeingTheThunder]

This is a solid signing for the Devils. Palat will bring effort every night and is great on the PK. Very solid 2-way player. NJD fans are going to love this guys work ethic. He'll likely miss some games each season due to the beating he takes from the style of play he has but he's definitely a good signing for a young team in need of leadership.

 

[Xirik]

This is a solid signing for the Devils. Palat will bring effort every night and is great on the PK. Very solid 2-way player. NJD fans are going to love this guys work ethic. He'll likely miss some games each season due to the beating he takes from the style of play he has but he's definitely a good signing for a young team in need of leadership.

Wish you guys could have kept Coleman. He was such a fan favorite in NJ and seeing him in the middle of the Calgary s#%t storm is very saddening.

I see Palat on a line with Hischier and Holtz, I think having Hischier and Palat doing the heavy lifting will allow Holtz to make the next step and be able to fire off those bombs of a shot.

 

[BeingTheThunder]

Wish you guys could have kept Coleman. He was such a fan favorite in NJ and seeing him in the middle of the Calgary s#%t storm is very saddening.

I see Palat on a line with Hischier and Holtz, I think having Hischier and Palat doing the heavy lifting will allow Holtz to make the next step and be able to fire off those bombs of a shot.

Believe me, we HATED losing Colesy...we hated losing ALL THREE of those guys on that line, Coleman, Goodrow, and Gourde were an incredible 3rd line...

Anyway, losing great players is often the price of success I suppose. You guys will return to experiencing that yourselves pretty soon..

 

[Xirik]

Believe me, we HATED losing Colesy...we hated losing ALL THREE of those guys on that line, Coleman, Goodrow, and Gourde were an incredible 3rd line...

Anyway, losing great players is often the price of success I suppose. You guys will return to experiencing that yourselves pretty soon..

Getting back to playoff hockey every may would be nice after all these years. And hopefully beating the Rangers while doing it.

Does the Lightning really have a hated rivalry yet?

 

[HugeInTheShire]

Believe me, we HATED losing Colesy...we hated losing ALL THREE of those guys on that line, Coleman, Goodrow, and Gourde were an incredible 3rd line...

Anyway, losing great players is often the price of success I suppose. You guys will return to experiencing that yourselves pretty soon..

Never heard him called Colesy, we always called him Pickles.

 

[BeingTheThunder]

Never heard him called Colesy, we always called him Pickles.

He was called Pickles in Tampa too... I called him Colesy because I'm a moron and forgot that...

 

[Rynewed]

His contract projection was 5.6, but I'll admit that it's weird that he gets more than burakovsky?

Because he does a lot more for Jack outside scoring than Burakovsky would, along with the veteran leadership that comes with a guy who grew playing with Sttamkos and helped grow Kucherov to what he is

 

[Neutrinos]

7 goals, 16 points in 30 games this season

1 goal, 2 assists in his last 10, playing less than 15 minutes per game

He'll be 32 in a few weeks, and is taking up 6 million in cap space through the 2027 season on a team that will soon be looking to re-sign Bratt, Meier, and Mercer to long term deals before the next waive of youngsters like Nemec and Holtz are due for theirs


I was very critical of the deal, and thought it was a shortsighted move for a team built for the long term

So, to those of you who applauded or defended this signing, do you still believe it was a good move by the Devils? Would you sign Palat to the same contract if he were a UFA today?

 

[67 others]

Never heard him called Colesy, we always called him Pickles.

Funny. That's what we call Vlasic

 

[Omar Little]

7 goals, 16 points in 30 games this season

1 goal, 2 assists in his last 10, playing less than 15 minutes per game

He'll be 32 in a few weeks, and is taking up 6 million in cap space through the 2027 season on a team that will soon be looking to re-sign Bratt, Meier, and Mercer to long term deals before the next waive of youngsters like Nemec and Holtz are due for theirs


I was very critical of the deal, and thought it was a shortsighted move for a team built for the long term

So, to those of you who applauded or defended this signing, do you still believe it was a good move by the Devils? Would you sign Palat to the same contract if he were a UFA today?

It's one year too long for $1m too much. It's not the end of the world given NJ's cap position. Let's see how he does in the playoffs. Obviously his off-ice contributions can't be measured but I would like to think he has been helpful in teaching NJ's young players how to play more structured hockey.

 

[Brodeur]

7 goals, 16 points in 30 games this season

1 goal, 2 assists in his last 10, playing less than 15 minutes per game

He'll be 32 in a few weeks, and is taking up 6 million in cap space through the 2027 season on a team that will soon be looking to re-sign Bratt, Meier, and Mercer to long term deals before the next waive of youngsters like Nemec and Holtz are due for theirs


I was very critical of the deal, and thought it was a shortsighted move for a team built for the long term

So, to those of you who applauded or defended this signing, do you still believe it was a good move by the Devils? Would you sign Palat to the same contract if he were a UFA today?

I didn't love the deal when it was made, but it's easier with hindsight knowing we would land Timo Meier.

Palat got a lot of time with Hughes in preseason, so that early season injury was a monkey wrench in his season. With the team rolling well, it's not a huge problem and Palat's just a luxury on the 3rd line.

Tatar might be a salary cap casualty, so we'll see if Palat lands back into the top 6 next season. The hope is the cap will go up by the team the next wave of kids will need their next contracts.

 

[Ruutu Tootoo]

It's one year too long for $1m too much. It's not the end of the world given NJ's cap position. Let's see how he does in the playoffs. Obviously his off-ice contributions can't be measured but I would like to think he has been helpful in teaching NJ's young players how to play more structured hockey.

To me it’s not the $ value, it’s the term. Agreed 1 year too long. But I’m happy what the Devils did to get him. Would make it a whole lot easier to eat that last year if they got a cup in the next 3-4 years.

 

[Vukotal Recall]

7 goals, 16 points in 30 games this season

1 goal, 2 assists in his last 10, playing less than 15 minutes per game

He'll be 32 in a few weeks, and is taking up 6 million in cap space through the 2027 season on a team that will soon be looking to re-sign Bratt, Meier, and Mercer to long term deals before the next waive of youngsters like Nemec and Holtz are due for theirs


I was very critical of the deal, and thought it was a shortsighted move for a team built for the long term

So, to those of you who applauded or defended this signing, do you still believe it was a good move by the Devils? Would you sign Palat to the same contract if he were a UFA today?

"Just wait until the playoffs" is an excuse for a lot of meh overpaid players. But if anyone deserves the benefit of the doubt, it's Palat. Amazingly clutch.

 

[Neutrinos]

I didn't love the deal when it was made, but it's easier with hindsight knowing we would land Timo Meier.

Palat got a lot of time with Hughes in preseason, so that early season injury was a monkey wrench in his season. With the team rolling well, it's not a huge problem and Palat's just a luxury on the 3rd line.

Tatar might be a salary cap casualty, so we'll see if Palat lands back into the top 6 next season. The hope is the cap will go up by the team the next wave of kids will need their next contracts.

I would've thought it looked worse in hindsight specifically because the Devils are now facing a 9 million or so extension for Meier