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

[WeDislikeEich]

Nice signing for NJ. Palat is just so damn clutch and adds a lot of value outside of just the points he produces. I’ve always wanted him in Buffalo.

 

[KovalchukFistPump]

Palat is what the Devils need, more so than Johnny Hockey. Still though-would’ve liked to see less term or a lower AAV.

 

[The Marquis]

Palat is what the Devils need, more so than Johnny Hockey. Still though-would’ve liked to see less term or a lower AAV.

I was thinking this same thing last night. It's a great move. I mean, everybody needed Johnny Gaudreau, but a guy like Palat is what the Devils specifically needed.

 

[KirkAlbuquerque]

Yup. If a guy like Gaudreau or Panarin wants to join your team, you find a way to make it work. There will be other Palat's out there.

and Gaudreau just had a better season than Panarin has ever had (maybe his 19-20 was on par) and makes less money than him. Columbus got a discount ffs.

 

[The Macho King]

Palat is what the Devils need, more so than Johnny Hockey. Still though-would’ve liked to see less term or a lower AAV.

Eh it never hurts having more talent, and Gaudreau is clearly the more talented player. It's not like NJ is scoring 350 goals a season to where adding more offensive players creates diminishing returns.

Palat is probably the second choice here. But I think he's a pretty f***ing good consolation prize.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

Eh it never hurts having more talent, and Gaudreau is clearly the more talented player. It's not like NJ is scoring 350 goals a season to where adding more offensive players creates diminishing returns.

Palat is probably the second choice here. But I think he's a pretty f***ing good consolation prize.

Don’t disagree at all, but what I’d say is there’s a lot of runway on this team when your top scorers are all sub-23 and especially a guy like Hughes. Do they hit that ceiling? Probably not, but organically you’ll get some level of growth. So a guy like Palat becomes that much more valuable even getting into his term a bit more, provided his play stays mostly level.

 

[983 others]

people are too obsessed with entire rosters being on the same timeline

you need balance and experienced, professional vets, this is exactly the type of player the devils needed quite frankly

maybe a year or two too long idk, but thats the cost of free agency

 

[T REX]

Palat has to be the consistent 5v5 scoring rates in the history of the league. This is his 5v5 P/60 over the past 7 years:

1.94
1.88
1.82
1.83
1.90
1.85
1.96

I've never seen anything like that...

Guy just turned 31, and was on pace for 65 points last year when Kucherov was out and he was able to take his PP spot.

With the opportunity he's going to get in NJ, I think he'll be a 60-70 point pace over the next 3 years.

He hasn't hit 50 points in 6 years.

He looked awful this year in the regular season.

Pucks died all year on his stick.

Too much and too long for a guy who can't hit 50 points

 

[PizzaAndPucks]

I would have preferred him to be a 4 year deal for 5 million a season but it is what it is. 5 years at 6 million a year isn't terrible. I hope he can be a contributor all 5 seasons but worst comes to worst he get bought out if he declines badly the last year or so. The upside of signing him is big as he can play in our top 6 with Hischier or Hughes as his center. He will bring some physicality to our top 6 to help win battles down low along the boards and in front of the net. That's something we lack in our top 6 and something Palat should be good at. He's also a great playoff performer so hopefully if we make it there this soon than we can see that extra value he brings. Alot of teams slightly overpaid their free agents today like every summer , Palat just happens to be a big need for the Devils so I'm glad we brought him into the fold.

 

[WhiskeyYerTheDevils]

He hasn't hit 50 points in 6 years.

He looked awful this year in the regular season.

Pucks died all year on his stick.

Too much and too long for a guy who can't hit 50 points

He had 44 points in 55 games last season, but yeah let's hold it against him that COVID happened.

In those 6 years he's averaged a 53 point pace.

 

[Hunter Gathers]

Panic move.

Pure panic move. Sheesh.

Palat is the exact type of guy you pay until he hits his early 30s and you let him walk after.

 

[UrbanImpact]

Horrendous signing by the Devils.

Palat is the type of player you sign when you are a cup team needing him for playoffs,

Palat has a tonne of mileage on that body and is already trending down and showing signs of breaking down. He has played something like 70 hard playoff games the last 3 years.

to give him 5 years at 31 yrs old is baffling.

This has a chance to go bad real fast.

 

[Jerzey Devil]

NJ would have had to pay Gaudreau over 11 million per season to make Johnny happy. This probably has a little to do with Gaudreau choosing Ohio over NJ/NYI.



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.

Horrendous signing by the Devils.

Palat is the type of player you sign when you are a cup team needing him for playoffs,

Palat has a tonne of mileage on that body and is already trending down and showing signs of breaking down. He has played something like 70 hard playoff games the last 3 years.

to give him 5 years at 31 yrs old is baffling.

This has a chance to go bad real fast.

You’re just salty you won’t be getting any of NJ’s high end assets for Miller. Devils will be a playoff team by 23/24 at the latest.

 

[Neutrinos]

people are too obsessed with entire rosters being on the same timeline

you need balance and experienced, professional vets, this is exactly the type of player the devils needed quite frankly

maybe a year or two too long idk, but thats the cost of free agency

Teams can balance their lineup with experienced, professional vets by targeting the ones who are willing to sign 1 or 2 year deals for around a million or less like Perry, Maroon, and Bogosian in Tampa, Spezza in Toronto, Helm in Colorado, Schenn in Vancouver, Johansson in Washington, Staal in Florida, and Edler in L.A.

And if you're unable to attract these types of veterans, it likely means your team isn't close enough to contention, which is all the more reason not to be signing 30+ year old middle 6 talent to long term deals at full market value

 

[UrbanImpact]

NJ would have had to pay Gaudreau over 11 million per season to make Johnny happy. This probably has a little to do with Gaudreau choosing Ohio over NJ/NYI.



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.


You’re just salty you won’t be getting any of NJ’s high end assets for Miller. Devils will be a playoff team by 23/24 at the latest.

Why would i be Salty about what an Eastern Conference team choose to do with their free agency? ITs not like the Canucks were in the running for Palat.


The fact you arent even confident that the Devils are a playoff team this years makes the Palat signing even worse.....by the time they are are, Palat will be 32-33 yrs old and even more wear and tear on that beat up body. I just dont get. Palat cashed in and im happy for him.

Its funny though that some Devils fans claimed they didnt want to pay the price for Miller because he was too old at 29 yr old....lmao

 

[CupsOverCash]

Palat will be missed in tampa. They werent wanting to go that long and look like they are going youth cycle route now, hope it pays off for another good few runs down the road. Good luck Palat in NJ!

 

[Xirik]

Can a Bolts fan explain why Palat seems to have an extra level for the playoffs but seems to not show it much during the regular season? From the outside looking in the obvious answer is that he is lazy but that doesn't seem right.

Has Palat himself ever said why there is such a difference?

 

[Jerzey Devil]

Why would i be Salty about what an Eastern Conference team choose to do with their free agency? ITs not like the Canucks were in the running for Palat.


The fact you arent even confident that the Devils are a playoff team this years makes the Palat signing even worse.....by the time they are are, Palat will be 32-33 yrs old and even more wear and tear on that beat up body. I just dont get. Palat cashed in and im happy for him.

Its funny though that some Devils fans claimed they didnt want to pay the price for Miller because he was too old at 29 yr old....lmao

Thanks for proving my point. You’ve been trying to get Devils assets since the draft lottery.

I said 23/24 at the latest. I do think they’ll be a wild card team this year,

 

[Forge]

Palat has a tonne of mileage on that body and is already trending down and showing signs of breaking down. He has played something like 70 hard playoff games the last 3 years.

The guy who just played in the most games of his career since his second season and put up a points per 60 right in line with the majority of the rest of his career?

I mean, I find it hard to justify the term of this contract given his age even if it's what I expected he would get, but that comment largely just makes it seem like you're really trying to push a narrative to strengthen your point.

Everything else you said was fair though.

 

[Szechwan]

Palat is a good player but this is too much for too long and NJ is going to regret it.

 

[Unpredictable1]

This board would have crashed if the Rangers signed him to that.

 

[NiagaraKraken]

people are too obsessed with entire rosters being on the same timeline

you need balance and experienced, professional vets, this is exactly the type of player the devils needed quite frankly

maybe a year or two too long idk, but thats the cost of free agency

Literally. He’s signed for 5 years not 1.

 

[TheUnusedCrayon]

About a mill overpaid but you won't hate it too much for majority of the contract. Those players are valuable but just based on production I don't think he deserves more than 5.

 

[Jerzey Devil]

Honestly how many sweetheart deals were given out so far? It’s free agency. Most contracts given out at free agency are a little too long and s little too expensive.

Also as I pointed out on the tweet above the state tax in NJ is high. 6 million in NJ is the equivalent or close to 3-4 million per in a non tax state.

 

[Jersey Fresh]

This board would have crashed if the Rangers signed him to that.

The Rangers can’t even fit his $6M in their cap lol

Even with Palat the Devils have nearly $18M in cap space.