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Jesper Bratt and Ondrej Palat of the New Jersey Devils (Jess Starr/The Hockey Writers)

Devils 2025-26 Player Previews: Ondrej Palat

Originally posted on The Hockey Writers
By Donnah Campbell | Last updated Sep 24, 2025 1:27 PM ET

The wait for New Jersey Devils hockey is finally over, with the club returning to action for another five preseason matchups. The Oct. 9 season opener is right around the corner, where they will face the Carolina Hurricanes on the road. In just a few short weeks, the team will begin a critical 2025-26 campaign, where the Devils will have tough competition within the Metropolitan Division. As always, this series will serve as previews and predictions for what the upcoming season could look like for each member of the Devils’ roster.

This installment features Ondrej Palat, a veteran forward who is a strong candidate for a bounce-back season.

Ondrej Palat: At a Glance

Drafted: 208^th Overall (7^th Round) by the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2011

Contract Status: Year four of five, $6 million average annual value (AAV)

2024-25 Stats: 15 goals, 13 assists (28 points in 77 games)

Career Stats: 177 goals, 328 assists (505 points in 825 games)

2024-25 Season Recap

The Devils signed Palat as an unrestricted free agent in the summer of 2022, with the assumption that he could bring veteran leadership to the team. He served as a mentor to younger players, most notably Nico Hischier—especially toward the beginning of his captaincy. Although he has proven to be a beneficial presence in the locker room, his on-ice impact hasn’t quite reached previous heights. Throughout his ten seasons with the Tampa Bay Lightning, he crossed the 40-point threshold seven times. But with the Devils? Palat has only surpassed 30 points once, in 2023-24.

Last season featured a rocky start for Palat, who bounced between the third and fourth lines when head coach Sheldon Keefe struggled to find a place for him. Ultimately, he found a home on the Devils’ top line, alongside Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt. As a result, his numbers steadily increased, but at the expense of hindering two of their star players. For instance, he had a 28.57 goals for percentage (GF%) without Hughes, a number that nearly doubled when paired with the center. However, Hughes had a 17.11% decrease in GF% as a result, along with a 30.65% decrease in his high-danger goals for percentage (HDGF%).

Palat has a reputation for being a two-way player, but had some difficulties with puck possession throughout 2024-25. He recorded 30 more giveaways than the previous season, 33.9% of which were in the defensive zone. The Devils allowed more shots and goals against every 60 minutes with Palat on the ice, and the numbers only declined in 5-on-5 scenarios. They surrendered a rate of 62.51 shot attempts and 12.34 high-danger chances against, both of which were career worsts for Palat.

Not to say that there weren’t some positive aspects to Palat’s performance. Last season saw an increase in his physicality, with 33.7% more hits and 58 blocked shots. This increased toughness was a bonus surrounding the net and along the boards. Despite his offensive inconsistencies, he excelled at creating rebounds, which provided ample scoring opportunities for his linemates. Likewise, he was notably good at drawing penalties, paving the way for the Devils’ top-notch power play. Palat also looked solid in the playoffs, finishing with two assists and a plus-5 rating across five games. His postseason resurgence could not have come at a better time, particularly since Hughes couldn’t rejoin the lineup due to a season-ending injury.

2025-26 Expectations

Heading into his fourth season with the Devils, it’s clear that Palat has more to give, considering his status as a two-time Stanley Cup champion. He will most likely find a permanent role as a bottom-six forward. On Tuesday night against the New York Islanders, he was on the third line with Connor Brown and Luke Glendening, a trio that immediately delivered secondary scoring. During the second period, Brown scored his first goal as a Devil on a feed from Palat, and their line recorded a 98.56 expected goals for percentage (xGF%).

Palat could also find potential success on a third line centered by Cody Glass. They did not log significant ice time together last season, but the pair could make sense—mainly because two of Glass’s primary linemates (Erik Haula & Daniel Sprong) are no longer on the team. If Glass and Palat mesh well together, it could provide yet another opportunity to improve the Devils’ depth scoring.

In order to give Palat the best chance at having a bounce-back campaign, the Devils should play off of his strengths, instead of forcing him to fit a specific role. For example, his numbers on the penalty kill last season were promising. Not only did the team not surrender any goals with Palat on the ice, but they even scored two shorthanded goals.

One specific factor that raises concern is his cap hit. Palat currently has two seasons left on his current contract, which has an AAV of $6 million. Many fans believed that his recent performance has not warranted such a high price tag—certainly not while the organization has such limited cap space amidst ongoing negotiations with Luke Hughes. Palat was already on the trade block during the summer, so he must redeem himself before the trade deadline.

But fans should not count Palat out just yet. Having a clean slate to begin 2025-26 could be the perfect opportunity to refine his game, playing responsible hockey in a bottom-six role that reasonably complements his skill set. Only time will tell if he can turn over a new leaf and be exactly what the team needs this season.