New Jersey Devils GM Tom Fitzgerald is no longer sitting idle. With the team languishing in 13th place in the Eastern Conference, the “working the phones” phase has officially begun, and a familiar name is surfacing in trade chatter: Ondrej Palat.
Despite his pedigree as a two-time Stanley Cup champion, the reality of Palat’s tenure in New Jersey has hit a breaking point. Fitzgerald recently admitted that while Palat is a “great pro,” his production simply isn’t where anyone envisioned it would be when he signed that hefty contract. With just 10 points in 46 games and his ice time dipping below 13 minutes a night, the Devils are looking for a way out. If you were waiting for a sign that the Devils are ready to retool, this is it. The veteran winger, signed through next season at a $6 million cap hit, is officially a candidate to be moved.
Why the Devils Are Ready to Move On from Palat’s $6M Contract
Let’s be honest—this writing has been on the wall for a while. When you sign a player like Ondrej Palat, you are paying for the “intangibles”—the grit, the playoff experience, and the leadership that helped the Tampa Bay Lightning build a dynasty. But in a salary cap world, intangibles can’t cost you $6 million against the cap when the tangible production has evaporated.
From an expert perspective, Fitzgerald is in a tough spot. He has taken full accountability, stating, “This is on me,” regarding the roster construction. But accountability needs to be followed by action. Moving Palat won’t be easy. He is 34 years old, his role has shrunk to bottom-six minutes, and opposing GMs know New Jersey is desperate to shed salary. We might be looking at a scenario where the Devils have to retain salary or attach a sweetener just to get that cap space back.
It’s not just Palat, either.
Can Fitzgerald Unload Dougie Hamilton’s Contract Too?
Reports indicate that Dougie Hamilton and his massive $9 million AAV are also being shopped. This signals a much larger philosophical shift in New Jersey. They aren’t just tweaking; they are trying to correct major financial missteps to open a window for their younger core.
However, Palat remains the most intriguing piece because of his pedigree. He showed a flash of his old self recently, scoring twice to beat the Wild and snap a four-game skid. That is the “Palat Paradox”—he can still come up clutch, but can a team justify $6 million for 10 points in half a season? Fitzgerald seems to think the answer is no, and for the sake of the Devils’ future, he’s absolutely right.
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