The Islanders may have landed Ondrej Palat, but the real question is whether they’ll get the version of him that shows up when the games get tight.
Palat is no longer the kind of forward who can carry a lineup shift after shift. At this stage, he fits best in a bottom-six role, where he can be a defensively responsible presence and still chip in the occasional 15-goal season if the puck breaks his way.
The Devils tried to force more offense out of him alongside Jack Hughes, and that was never a natural fit. What Palat still brings is feel: he knows where to be, he can jump passing lanes in the offensive zone, and he has enough savvy to set up players like Hughes and Jesper Bratt in big moments.
Those moments just don’t come as often now because his pace has slipped.
That’s what makes him tricky. The instincts are still there, but the legs aren’t always keeping up with them. By 2026 standards, he’s a player whose brain is often ahead of his body.
Still, there’s a reason teams keep betting on Palat in the spring. He has a track record of raising his game in the playoffs, and that showed again with New Jersey.
In 2023, he had seven points when the Devils beat the Rangers in the first round, and he was pivotal in Game 7 with the season on the line. Even against Carolina, when New Jersey was badly outgunned and dealing with a roster ravaged by injuries, he was at least decent.
Before that, he did the same thing with Tampa Bay, which is why the idea of Palat as a playoff performer has stuck.
The Islanders know this type of player. Josh Bailey and Anthony Beauvillier are two names that fit the mold.
The bigger issue is what comes before the playoffs. If New York gets there, Palat could be a useful piece. But he probably won’t be the reason they make it.
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