There’s one week left until the NHL Olympic Break, and the trade market seems to be heating up. Earlier this evening, the New Jersey Devils acquired Maxim Tsyplakov from the New York Islanders in exchange for Ondřej Palát and a couple of draft picks. Here are the full details:
Devils Receive:
Islanders receive:
- Palát
- 2026 third-round pick
- 2027 sixth-round pick
The Devils have needed to free up cap space for months. It took longer than expected, but they finally shed some salary. As for the Islanders, this is a curious trade on their part. Palát isn’t the player he used to be, and he has an extra year on his contract, which could cause the Islanders headaches more than anything else.
Devils Did Well, Given Circumstances
You rarely come out on the better side of a cap dump, but that’s what may have happened here with the Devils. Palát has struggled this season, and his underlying numbers have cratered as the season has progressed. He was an anchor, and the Devils needed to move on.
Sure, they gave up a couple of draft picks to clear Palát’s contract, but Tsyplakov is an intriguing player. He had a strong rookie season in 2024-25, totaling 10 goals and 35 points in 77 games to go along with impressive underlying metrics. He was one of the Islanders’ better players, but he has struggled this season, totaling just one goal and one assist in 27 games.
Still, it’s worth the flyer if you’re the Devils. Tsyplakov is only 27, and the Devils do need to get younger. If he can return closer to how he played a season ago, this will be an easy win for the Devils, even if he’s just a bottom-six winger.
The downside for the Devils is giving up those picks to move Palát’s $6 million cap hit. However, a 2026 third-round pick and a 2027 sixth-round pick don’t have much value. If they want to make other moves to improve their roster, they certainly still have their best assets.
Another key for the Devils is not having to retain any salary on Palát’s contract. With Tsyplakov signed through next season at a cap hit of $2.25 million, the Devils save just under $4 million on their books for this season and next. General Tom Fitzgerald has come under plenty of scrutiny lately, and rightfully so, but he navigated this about as well as he could have.
Devils grade: A-
A Curious Trade for the Islanders
The Islanders have been active this week. Barely 24 hours ago, they acquired defenseman Carson Soucy from the New York Rangers. Soucy is a rugged defenseman who doesn’t provide much offense. Rugged might not be the right way to describe Palát, but his defensive game is his strong suit at this point in his career. It sure seems the Islanders have a certain fix on their mind.
They have not been a great defensive team this season, as they’ve consistently been around the bottom five in expected goals allowed per 60 minutes at five-on-five. They fortunately have Ilya Sorokin to cover that up, but it’s clear GM Mathieu Darche is looking to shore up the team’s defense ahead of the playoffs.
Related: Devils’ Ondrej Palat Traded to New York Islanders
Still, I’m not sure Palát is the answer. Even though defense is the better part of his game at this point in his career, I would not call him a shutdown forward in the least bit. Perhaps they want the veteran experience for a young team that could be playoff-bound, but I think that tends to get overrated by NHL GMs.
I’m also not sure Palát is an upgrade over Tsyplakov. I understand the counting totals have not been there for Tsyplakov, but he has not been a liability at five-on-five like Palát. The Islanders also took on Palát’s full cap hit, which makes this trade even more curious for them. I’m not sure I understand the rationale because they add more money to their cap sheet, and I don’t think they improved their team. Expecting Palát, who’s been declining for a few seasons, to bounce back at his age seems unreasonable.
Islanders Grade: C+
