Prediction #5: Ondrej Palat has his best season with Devils
The New Jersey Devils have not had their $6 million worth out of Ondrej Palat. They signed him to a massive contract after losing Johnny Gaudreau (rest in peace to the Jersey native) in free agency. In two seasons with New Jersey, Palat has been mostly ineffective, and he’s spent way too much time on injured reserve.
It’s clear those many runs with the Tampa Bay Lightning caught up to Palat, and the Devils were left to pay the tab. He put his all into those Tampa years, and now he’s paying the price.
However, something is different this season. Sheldon Keefe being on the bench is going to prove very fruitful for Palat and the Devils. He’s currently on the cusp of some big NHL milestones, including 500 points. He had to miss a game due to the birth of his child, but starting the season in Palat’s native land, and we think that and the Keefe addition hits at the same time, and we get the best out of him.
Keefe loves these times of players. Tom Fitzgerald already has a couple of grit-teethed monsters, but the Devils already had one with playoff experience. Palat will do very well, and this will be his best year of his Devils tenure.