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Ondrej Palat shows he’s got plenty to give Islanders — even without scoring

Ondrej Palat delivered what is shaping up to be his strongest performance since joining the New York Islanders, contributing significantly to a 4-1 victory over the Toronto Maple Leafs on Saturday despite recording no points. The 35-year-old winger logged 13:01 of ice time, during which New York out-attempted Toronto by a 19-1 margin, a testament to his effectiveness in winning battles and executing breakouts.

Coach Pete DeBoer praised Palat's renewed engagement and readiness, noting that the veteran has come into the season with a clear desire to prove his value.

Palat has primarily served on the fourth line in six of the team's first eight games, but he is positioned to move up the lineup if Calum Ritchie or Matias Maccelli miss time due to lower-body injuries sustained in the same game. Teammate Kyle Palmieri, who was recovering from an injury when Palat was acquired last season, observed that the forward arrived at camp in excellent physical condition, a result of adjusted offseason routines.

While Palat is not expected to resolve the Islanders' scoring deficiencies, his two-way play and forechecking have become a stabilizing force for the group.

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