ONDREJ PALAT - Left Winger - 28 - $5.3MM Cap Hit - UFA in 2022-2023
LAST UPDATED 8/21/19
While he used to be a sure thing for a 50-60 point scoring pace, those days seem to be over for Palat. Tampa Bay has gotten significantly more talented, and Palat's role has been diminished and his ice time has crashed. In the 2016-17 season, Palat averaged nearly 20 minutes of nightly ice time. This past season, he averaged under 15 minutes. That's quite the decline. So where is Palat now at this stage of his career? First and foremost, Palat is not the offensive producer he once was. His inability to stay healthy has cost him the ability to develop a real offensive rythm and the opportunity to hold down a spot next to one of Tampa's best offensive forwards. I don't think he'll score 60 points again, because I don't think he was ever a true play-driving offensive piece. He's got some strength and decent enough size, but he's not a fast enough skater nor a strong enough playmaker to drive his line's offense. Defensively, though, Palat is still quite strong. He's a diligent two-way winger who's an eager backchecker and a willing hitter. He's not shy to use his body and he has a strong defensive stick. He's much more of a defensive talent now, and I think that he's a far better fit on a third line than he is in a true top-6 role. The upside will always be there, but I'm not a big believer in his tools or his durability.
While he used to be a sure thing for a 50-60 point scoring pace, those days seem to be over for Palat. Tampa Bay has gotten significantly more talented, and Palat's role has been diminished and his ice time has crashed. In the 2016-17 season, Palat averaged nearly 20 minutes of nightly ice time. This past season, he averaged under 15 minutes. That's quite the decline. So where is Palat now at this stage of his career? First and foremost, Palat is not the offensive producer he once was. His inability to stay healthy has cost him the ability to develop a real offensive rythm and the opportunity to hold down a spot next to one of Tampa's best offensive forwards. I don't think he'll score 60 points again, because I don't think he was ever a true play-driving offensive piece. He's got some strength and decent enough size, but he's not a fast enough skater nor a strong enough playmaker to drive his line's offense. Defensively, though, Palat is still quite strong. He's a diligent two-way winger who's an eager backchecker and a willing hitter. He's not shy to use his body and he has a strong defensive stick. He's much more of a defensive talent now, and I think that he's a far better fit on a third line than he is in a true top-6 role. The upside will always be there, but I'm not a big believer in his tools or his durability.
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