Early Ondrej Palat destinations before 2026 NHL Trade Deadline

The NHL trade deadline is nearly two months away, but the New Jersey Devils should already be working the phones. Dougie Hamilton should be on the move, considering the recent drama about playing time. But there are plenty more bad salaries for Tom Fitzgerald to move off the books to try to save his job. Devils forward Ondrej Palat should be on the trade block before the upcoming deadline.

The Devils reportedly tried to trade multiple players to facilitate a Quinn Hughes deal with the Vancouver Canucks. Despite the interest in the final Hughes brother, Fitzgerald could not clear enough salary. But that should not stop him from trying to get rid of the bad salary heading into an important offseason. Palat has no trade value, so Fitzgerald may have to attach a pick to get rid of him.

Which teams should call the Devils and use their cap space to add Palat and a draft pick before the deadline?

The Chicago Blackhawks could actually use Ondrej Palat

Even with Connor Bedard coming back, the Blackhawks are in the basement of the Western Conference. They should be on the doorstep of contention, but could use some depth to help them out. Palat is due $6 million for the 2026-27 season and then will be a free agent. They have a ton of cap space and have some money coming off the books this offseason, where Palat could be worth the investment.

The Blackhawks could use more scoring on the wings, but should not be trading picks to get it at the deadline. Taking a low-risk bet on Palat, and maybe getting a mid-round pick to facilitate it, could help them raise their floor. Palat has not been a great scorer in his run with the Devils, never cracking 15 goals in four seasons.

Palat as a 10-team trade list, meaning the Devils have to work around the list to facilitate the deal. But the up-and-coming nature of the Blackhawks could entice Palat to waive the clause for this deal. The other two teams on the list do not have that in their favor.

The Canucks have cap space, ironically enough

It would be pretty believable to debunk this possibility with one fact. If Palat was willing to go to the Canucks, he may have been a part of the Quinn Hughes trade. Palat’s $6 million is nearly all the salary they needed to clear to land the defenseman. If he was willing to waive the clause, or Vancouver wanted Palat, he would probably already be there.

The Canucks should be trading more players at the deadline, which could change their need for Palat. Kiefer Sherwood and Evander Kane will probably be gone by the time the deadline comes, and getting another pick to take on Palat could be enticing. The Devils were trying to add Palat to the package for Hughes, which is different than attaching a third-rounder to take him on.

The same is true for the Calgary Flames

The Flames are heading downhill fast, with plenty to change at the trade deadline and this offseason. Palat would be a nice piece to replace Nazem Kadri and Blake Coleman, who could both be gone by the time the deadline comes. They can fit his salary under the cap, which makes the deal possible.

The Flames are heading into a rebuild despite their near-playoff appearance last season. Dustin Wolf has not been great this year, and his greatness was part of the reason they were solid last year. But, just like every team, they need some big salaries to get to the cap floor and fill out the roster. With Rasmus Andersson likely on the move as well, Palat could be a place-holder.

The Devils should be actively trying to trade Ondrej Palat before March’s deadline. While his value is at an all-time low, they have mid-round picks to attach to make the deal more palatable. They should try to clear the space not only to get pieces at the deadline, but they need to prepare for the offseason.

Tom Fitzgerald is on a hot seat as the Devils general manager. Moving Palat sets him up to make a bigger move in the coming months. These are the three teams most likely to take on Palat at his full salary.

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