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Goal scoring is not what earned Ondrej Palat a $30 million contract back in the summer of 2022, but his recent contributions on offense certainly help.
During his tenure as a Devil and throughout most of this season, Palat has drawn the ire of some fans. This is largely due to his lack of flashy offensive numbers given his $6 million per year cap hit. However, that’s not his bread and butter.
Where Ondrej Palat makes his money is as a support player. It’s a role that head coach Sheldon Keefe feels he excels at, particularly since being moved to Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt’s wing earlier this season.
“To me, he’s been impressive for a long while. Since I moved him up on that [top] line, it doesn’t always go his way offensively, but he’s serving a very important role,” Keefe told New Jersey Hockey Now. “Gives those guys [Jack Hughes and Jesper Bratt] confidence that he’s going to be there for them.”
READ: Devils Head Coach Compares Evolving Jack Hughes to Maple Leafs Superstar
Keefe is right. Palat has done a tremendous job doing the dirty work for Hughes and Bratt, opening up the ice for the speedy duo to create offense in bunches.
They have been the longest-tenured line this season and have put up phenomenal numbers. Through 26 games, they have over twice as many Goals For as the second-best line with 14, generate the highest volume and highest quality shots, and are second on the team in Goals For % at 58.1%.
For comparison, the only other linemate Hughes and Bratt have played with for at least 50 minutes this season was Timo Meier. With Meier on their wing, they scored just four goals, had a 52 % expected Goals For, and had a Corsi % of five percentage points less. So even despite Meier’s superior offensive abilities, it’s Palat and his support play that Hughes and Bratt benefit the most from.
Keefe understands that Palat isn’t there to make “wow” plays and generate tons of scoring chances. Instead, Keefe knows that what’s best for his two young superstars is to partner them with a player who can get in on the forecheck, pin the puck along the boards and win those battles, as well as get to the net and get in front of the goalie’s eyes.
“He’s going to do the work… he does a lot of hard things for us. He’s an important player for us, with the experience he has, championship pedigree, and just the style of game he plays,” Keefe continued to New Jersey Hockey Now.
After going long stretches without much offense, it’s nice to see his name pop on the scoresheet lately. He has begun to get rewarded for his hard work, recording five points in the last six games, including goals in back-to-back contests against the Toronto Maple Leafs and Los Angeles Kings.
READ MORE: New Jersey Devils Face Challenges with Lack of Depth Scoring
Most of Palat’s hard work goes unnoticed by the casual fan, which means he’s doing his job. His role on this team lacks flash but is built for the home stretch of the season and the playoffs. In 150 career playoff games, he’s scored 101 points, including seven points in 12 postseason games for the Devils back in 2022-23.
As the season goes on and games get tighter, Keefe will lean heavily on Palat’s experience and championship pedigree to help this group fight their way to the playoffs and beyond.
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