One week before the opening of the free agent market, hockey forward Ondřej Palát knew that he would not continue his engagement in Tampa Bay, with which he won the Stanley Cup twice and advanced to the NHL playoff finals this year. The Lightning management presented him with a contract offer, which he could not accept.
On Thursday, he agreed to work with New Jersey and is already looking forward to his new place of work. The 31-year-old Czech representative believes that the Devils have a successful future ahead of them.
“Of course I was going to end up in Tampa, it was about a week before the market opened. I got an offer, just one, and it wasn’t good at all. It wasn’t even worth considering. So I understood from that that Tampa didn’t want me and wanted to go another way. to sign younger players, which I understand. It’s business and that’s how I took it,” Palát said in a recording by the Sport Invest agency, which represents him.
The Frýdek-Místek protege, who has spent his entire NHL career with Tampa Bay, had to wait until Wednesday, when the free agent market opened. “I have to admit that I was a little nervous because I was on the free agent market for the first time and I didn’t know what to expect. But it’s a business and sometimes it happens. I was in one team for a long time and suddenly I didn’t know where I would end up.” said the Palace.
Finally, he signed a five-year contract for 30 million dollars (roughly 730 million crowns) with New Jersey. “I am very satisfied. It is always great when you sign a contract for such a long time. You are at least sure that you will stay in the team,” noted Palát.
Several clubs showed interest in his services, but he had information about the possibility of going to the Devils even before the market opened. “Then there were only a few teams left that would be able to give me a five-year contract, and New Jersey approached it in such a way that it accommodated me. I decided to go with them also because they have a young and promising team. They just need a little older, more experienced players , who would complete it,” explained Palát.
That he made the right decision was confirmed by the interview with general manager Tom Fitzgerald, he also spoke with Czech club legend Patrik Eliáš or Slovakian representative Tomáš Tatar. “I felt that they really wanted and needed me. Tom Fitzerald told me what their plans were for the team and everything made sense,” said Palát.
The participant of the Olympic Games in Sochi 2014, who competed two years later in the World Cup and also in the 2019 World Championship, is preparing for a big life change. “I’m leaving Florida for the winter, to a big city. To the suburbs of New York, so me and my family will have to get used to it. But it’s our job and I believe we’ll find a nice place where we’ll all be happy,” Palát said.
In New Jersey, he will miss his compatriot Pavel Zacha, who was traded to Boston, but just like in Tampa Bay, he can look forward to Czech and Slovak teammates. The Devils acquired goalkeeper Vítek Vaněček in the summer, Slovakian Tatar works for the club, New Jersey acquired Slovakian fullback Šimon Nemec as the No. 2 pick in this year’s draft. “I’m sorry that I’ll miss Pavel Zacha. But there are still other guys with whom I can chat in Czech or go to dinner. That’s always nice,” said Palát.
After sorting out his hockey future, he’s looking forward to a vacation. “The last two weeks have been a blast. You lose the final and you immediately go to the free agent market, so you don’t know what will happen to you. We are looking forward to some time off and rest,” he admitted. Then he and his wife are going to New York for a few days. “To look at kindergartens for the little one and housing. I will start training in Ostrava at the beginning of August,” Palát added.
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