Confirmed with Link: Weekesbomb: Palat to NJ for five-year deal

[OmNomNom]

Horrendous strategy. Sure, kick the can down the road and let future Devils worry about it.

what are we gonna do, cancel the contract? if it pays dividends, then great. if no, we'll see

 

[BananaGenetics]

Yeah I am just not a fan of this contract.

6mil a year for a 15 goals 40-45pt player with term is... yeah, kinda feels like the 'we missed out on Gaudreau so f*** it lets do this' deal.

Really would have preferred keeping my 6m and looking toward a trade. Paying players second line money who you expect to be on your third line playing third line minutes when things go well is..

Meh whatever, the contract wont be an issue (but it certainly will be attached to a pick come 2026). I like the player too. Hopefully he helps the kids begin to settle down in the ozone.

 

[Hisch13r]

Just very confused how he managed that contract. Way out of place vs rest of contracts handed out to forwards today when factoring in age/term/aav.

Who the hell else would be bidding up to that......rhetorical, piss off Lou.

Panic move

 

[Davegarri]

I'm just glad that scum bag Trouba missed that head shot on him

 

[Hisch13r]

It's fine to be concerned.

"THIS IS THE WORST CONTRACT EVER FITZ SUCKS THE OFFSEASON IS A FAILURE!"

is way WAY past that

It’s not.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Columbus swooping in on this might have driven the price up as it left us and the Isles bidding for him.

JG goes to LI and we most likely are bidding against ourselves for Palat.

You know Lou was offering up a comparable contract for him tonight. It's his kind of player.

 

[Peter Sidorkiewicz]

Do not like this deal at all. Too much term and too much money.

Last 2 years are going to be rough if Palat declines and becomes a 30 point winger.

Panic move by Fitz after missing Johnny Gaudreau.

 

[Unknown Caller]

what are we gonna do, cancel the contract? if it pays dividends, then great. if no, we'll see

If no, that’s called bad cap management and it kills teams chances to be great. It’s literally the entire purpose of team building.

 

[Bcap88]

But we can trade him when he craters just like we did with cammalleri and Schneider…..oh wait

 

[Nico Hischier]

Like this. Add a solid vet to the top 6. Would have done a higher aav for one less year

 

[Shakir ONeal]

What does your lineup look like with him?

Hope you guys enjoy Palat and he does well. Such a likable player the way he plays. Nothing brilliant about the skillset but he's got such high hockey IQ. #1 reason (along with work ethic of course) he's made it this far and is so consistent. Board battles, takeaways, backchecking. He does it all and all so well. Unsung hero of 2020.

How do you see his game aging?

 

[Devil X]

Panic move

You can’t classify it as that because we were rumored in on him last night. He was always plan B and so was this deal.

 

[Hisch13r]

This is also a deal you can absolutely make when you sign Hischier and Hughes to the long term deals the Devils have. Almost certainly Bratt’s upcoming extension is going to extend way past this too.

You also have three years till you need to worry about any Holtz/Nemec extension too. It’s more than likely you can buy an extra two years with a bridge on those too.

You shouldn’t be using those extra savings on average top 6 players.

 

[LoktionovMVP]

Good chance he ends up getting dumped right when we’re going to start contending

In the last year of the deal, at this rate

 

[Richer's Ghost]

Well we have quite a few blanks so I'm fine with this. Let the youth focus on what they're great at and he'll fill in the gaps when not on LTIR... jk.

 

[Jets012]

He is 100% right with that second point. Doesn't mean it will happen here, but immense risk

 

[NJDevs26]

Do people not get the Devils were going to have to throw some caution to the wind eventually? Either by trading assets or handing out a money/term contract that people aren't comfortable with? They weren't going to improve the team simply by having fifteen guys on ELC's within and never giving out any kind of decent-sized contract, it's not realistic.

 

[NjDevsRR]

Damned if you do.

Damned if you don’t.

 

[R8Devs]

this contract is probably going to age poorly, although it shouldn't really prevent the Devils from making some big moves in the future/re-signing their own guys. would have preferred a different route to get this kind of player tho

oh well

 

[Unknown Caller]

Honestly I can’t remember disliking a contract the Devils gave out this much maybe ever?

It’s a ridiculous AAV and term to an aging middle six forward because he scored some clutch goals surrounded by hall of famers.

 

[Emperoreddy]

Well we have quite a few blanks so I'm fine with this. Let the youth focus on what they're great at and he'll fill in the gaps when not on LTIR... jk.

Someone has to win board battles for Jack

 

[JimEIV]

Price is a bit high but these are precisely the kind of players we need to sprinkle throughout the lineup. Rather spend 11 on two Palat's than one Johnny.

 

[Unknown Caller]

Damned if you do.

Damned if you don’t.

No just don’t sign stupid contracts because you overvalue intangibles.

 

[Devils731]

I’d rather the Devils sign a helpful free agent to a mediocre contract than trade for a player and then also have to sign them to a mediocre contract.

 

[Saugus]

I don't think Palat will finish out this contract with the Devils.

I do however think he will be a very useful and versatile middle 6 forward for the 3-4 years of it he does complete. Very high motor, good on the boards, makes space for his linemates, veteran and proven winner. Lots to like.