The New Jersey Devils have begun their busy offseason by parting ways with veteran players who didn’t quite pull their weight. The team did not choose to re-sign forward Tomas Tatar, who agreed to a two-year deal with the Swiss National League’s EV Zug. Then last week, they traded Erik Haula to the Nashville Predators in exchange for defenseman Jeremy Hanzel and a fourth-round pick in the 2025 Draft.
The Devils’ next move should be trading Ondrej Palat. His underwhelming performance does not align with his current salary, and getting rid of him would free up much-needed cap space to bolster their bottom-six. There’s no denying that the Devils deserved more from their alternate captain this season, so it’s imperative that they make a move.
Palat’s Ever-Declining Performance
The Devils acquired Palat in 2022, after he played 10 seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning. General manager Tom Fitzgerald believed that having a two-time Stanley Cup champion on their roster would be beneficial. The result was a five-year, $30 million contract, but it quickly proved to be a poor decision. During his first season in New Jersey, Palat suffered a groin injury that required surgery, playing just 49 games in 2022-23. He finished the season with eight goals and 15 assists, averaging 1.6 shots on goal per game. However, one bright spot was his 2023 Stanley Cup Playoff performance, where he notched three goals and four assists.
This season, instead of proving his worth as a veteran leader, Palat looked out of place and volatile more often than not. For example, his shots for and expected goals percentages have been steadily declining since 2022. In 5-on-5 scenarios, his high-danger goals for percentage (HDGF%) has decreased 14.26% within the last three seasons, and he’s also generated 17.72% fewer high-danger scoring chances. He also recorded more than double the number of giveaways than he had last season, along with a minus-3.8 on-ice expected goal differential. His playoff performance this year was also underwhelming, with just two points in five games.
Consistently Inconsistent 2024-25 Season
Palat’s inconsistencies were evident from the start of the 2024-25 season, which is why head coach Sheldon Keefe demoted him to the fourth line after only a handful of games. He recorded the highest ice time with Nico Hischier and Timo Meier, but the numbers reflected minimal results. For example, when paired with Hischier, Palat’s Corsi for percentage (CF%) increased by just 3.68%, while his scoring chances for percentage (SCF%) only rose by .56%. Not only did Palat end the season with a .36 point per game pace (his lowest since 2012-13), but he also finished with a minus-5 rating. Overall, his performance this season was disappointing, especially from an alternate captain.
Ondrej Palat, New Jersey Devils (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)
During the playoffs, he moved between the first, second, and third lines, with little to no success. His ice time also greatly varied, beginning with 12:30 in Game 1 and ending with 24:33 in Game 5. And according to MoneyPuck, he averaged 1.36 points per 60 minutes and had an underwhelming .6 expected goal total. Essentially, his performance and limited role do not justify his average annual value (AAV), especially with such a small amount of cap space left for the offseason.
Trading Palat: Best Case Scenario
Palat has served as a veteran presence in the locker room for the last three seasons, but the Devils have significantly matured since then. Hischier and Jesper Bratt are both headed into their ninth season in the NHL, not to mention they already have a tried-and-true veteran leader in Dougie Hamilton. Instead of making a positive impact, Palat’s mileage he’s accumulated throughout 13 seasons is starting to show. He might have been a crucial roster piece when the team was still young and developing, but now the Devils need to do what’s best to ensure long-term future success.
Related: The Unlikely Redemptive Arc of Devils’ Simon Nemec
After their disappointing first-round playoff exit, the Devils’ main priority should be acquiring secondary scoring. It makes sense for the team to trade Palat to bring in younger players who can add depth. His point production, age, and contract terms are all factors to consider. Palat’s contract will expire at the end of the 2026-27 season, where he’ll become an unrestricted free agent (UFA) at age 36. However, his no-move clause will shift to a 10-team trade list once free agency begins. Trading him would give the Devils an extra $6 million in cap space, making the team free to sign players that can improve their bottom-six.
Palat’s Uncertain Future
It’s high time that the Devils moved on from Palat, for a multitude of reasons. His numbers have taken a downward spiral for the last three seasons, and trading him would provide additional cap space to improve their roster during the offseason. His offensive production is not worth maintaining such a steep contract for two more years, so it makes more sense for the Devils to try and send him somewhere else. Not having enough scoring capacity was what caused the Devils’ demise this season, so moving Palat would be the best-case scenario for all parties involved.
