NY Islanders' Veteran Forward Has Horrible Contract

Which player on the New York Islanders has a terrible contract?

Feb 26, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; View of a New York Islanders logo on a jersey worn by a member of the team during the third period at Bell Centre. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

The New York Islanders have had a busy offseason, and with things starting to settle down, looking forward will be what’s next. 

After a surprisingly good year in which the team exceeded a lot of expectations, the Islanders will be a team hoping to make the playoffs next season. New York did just fall short last year, but this offseason has been a bit uninspiring. 

Of the moves that the team made, arguably the most notable was the addition of Matias Maccelli. This is a move that has been seen as one of the best so far this summer based on his age, production, and the amount that he signed for. 

A savvy addition like this was needed, especially considering that the cap situation for the Islanders is far from ideal. One of the reasons for the cap situation not being great was because of a couple of trades that the team made at the trade deadline. 

One of those deals that they surely regretted was the acquisition of veteran forward Ondrej Palat. However, while he didn't help the team on the ice last year, his contract has also had an impact on the team this summer. 

Palat's Contract Is Poor

Mar 21, 2026; Montreal, Quebec, CAN; New York Islanders left wing Ondrej Palat (81) looks on during warm-up before the game against the Montreal Canadiens at Bell Centre. / IMAGN IMAGES via Reuters Connect

With the veteran forward expected to be a fourth-line player making $6 million this coming season, it is not good. While the league is going to be seeing an increase in contracts with the salary cap going up, this is still a tough one for the Islanders. 

After being acquired by the Islanders from the New Jersey Devils at the trade deadline, Palat totaled just five points with one goal and four assists in 29 games. The offensive numbers for him were really poor, and the Islanders have to be concerned about what he’s going to provide next season. 

Furthermore, while at least he is on an expiring contract, that six million could have been spent elsewhere this summer. New York is a team that has their flaws, and that is a significant amount of money that could have brought in a good player. 

Overall, the decision to trade for Palat has certainly been a regrettable one so far for general manager Mathieu Darche. Fortunately, while the contract is certainly not a good one, it is one that will be done at the end of the year. Hopefully, he will be a bit more productive for the team this coming season, but this will likely go down as a poor trade for the team.