The 6’0,” 194 lbs. winger has played 876 games over 14 seasons and has recorded 515 points (181G, 334A) over that span with a career plus-133 rating. That experience can go a long way in the Isles locker room, making a push toward the playoffs with 30 games left in the regular season.
Palat also brings a winning pedigree with two Stanley Cups with the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2020 and 2021. His track record in the playoffs is impressive – the winger recorded 103 points (51G, 52A) through 155 career Stanley Cup Playoff games, which includes 10 trips to the postseason.
Islanders General Manager and EVP Mathieu Darche, who was the Director of Hockey Ops with the Lightning during their cup years, described Palat as a low maintenance guy who isn’t a vocal leader, rather he leads by example.
“He’s a competitor, he’s an awesome person and an awesome teammate,” Darche said. “I didn’t make the trade because, oh, I love him so much because we had him in Tampa… he can help us. He’s a real pro. He’s got great leadership, he competes every game.”
Palat went to battle with the Islanders in three playoff runs, dating back to the second round of the 2016 postseason. Palat also played a key role in the Islanders-Lightning third round series in 2020 and 2021, respectively. Palat, who scored the game-winner in Game Four of the ECF in 2020 to take a 3-1 series lead, remembers the Islanders as a tough adversary.
“It was always one of the hardest playoff rounds,” Palat recalled. “This team was so close to beating Tampa and I believe they would go all the way, at least one of the years. They were always hard to play against. Great organization.”