Islanders add Stanley Cup winner Ondrej Palat in trade with Devils

Like lightning, Mathieu Darche struck twice. 

And, like the Tampa Bay Lightning, Darche is now reunited with Ondrej Palat. 

Less than a day after trading with one crosstown rival for Carson Soucy, the Islanders completed a deal with their other crosstown rival to bring in Palat. The full deal saw Palat, New Jersey’s third-round pick in 2026 and its 2027 sixth-round pick go to the Islanders in exchange for Maxim Tsyplakov. 

The third-round pick essentially gives the Islanders back the pick they gave to the Rangers for Soucy, and came as the cost of taking on Palat’s $6 million annual cap hit, with the Czech winger’s contract expiring in 2027. Tsyplakov, who looked in need of a fresh start having struggled to crack the Islanders lineup, will get just that in New Jersey. 

Tsyplakov also has another season left on his deal at a $2.25 million annual cap hit, so the net add to the Islanders books is $3.75 million. If they max out their long-term injured reserve space, the Islanders still have a hair over $6 million available, so by no means does this trade indicate they are done adding. 

Palat, who has 10 points in 51 games this season, struggled for much of his 3¹/₂- year stint in New Jersey, but looks likely to slot into the Islanders lineup as a middle-six winger.