Ondřej Palát

Ondřej Palát
Palát with the Tampa Bay Lightning in December 2014
Born March 28, 1991
Frýdek-Místek, Czechoslovakia
Height 5 ft 11 in (180 cm)
Weight 174 lb (79 kg; 12 st 6 lb)
Position Left Wing
Shoots Left
NHL team
Former teams 		Tampa Bay Lightning
Norfolk Admirals
Syracuse Crunch
National team  Czech Republic
NHL Draft 208th overall, 2011
Tampa Bay Lightning
Playing career 2011–present

Ondřej Palát (born March 28, 1991) is a Czech professional ice hockey player, who is currently playing with the Tampa Bay Lightning of the National Hockey League (NHL).

Playing career

Junior

Palat started his career in his native Czech Republic with HC Frýdek-Místek.[1] Prior to turning professional in North America, Palát played major junior hockey in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League with the Drummondville Voltigeurs. He was selected by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 7th round (208th overall) of the 2011 NHL Entry Draft.

Norfolk Admirals

On October 10, 2011, the Lightning signed Palát to a three-year entry level contract.[2]

Palat began his professional career playing for the Norfolk Admirals, Tampa Bay's American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate in 2011. While a member of the Norfolk Admirals, the club would set a professional hockey record by posting twenty-eight consecutive wins.[3] The Admirals would go on to capture the Calder Cup as champion of American Hockey League.[4]

Syracuse Crunch

Palat would play one more season in the AHL with the Syracuse Crunch before being called up by the Tampa Bay Lightning. Palát scored his first NHL goal on March 16, 2013, against Justin Peters of the Carolina Hurricanes.[5] Palat would be returned to Syracuse for the AHL playoffs. Prior to the season Tampa Bay Lightning had changed their AHL affiliate to the Syracuse Crunch. Palat and his teammates had a chance at back to back championships despite playing for a different hockey club.[6] However, the Crunch would fall to the Grand Rapids Griffins in the Calder Cup final.[7]

Tampa Bay Lightning

Palat would make the Lightning's 2013–14 opening roster out of training camp with his AHL line-mates Tyler Johnson, and Richard Pánik.[8] At the end of the 2013–14 season, he was nominated for the Calder Memorial Trophy.[9] Palat along with teammate Tyler Johnson became the first teammates to be nominated together since Patrick Kane and Jonathan Toews of the Chicago Blackhawks in 2008.[10] The trophy eventually went to Nathan MacKinnon of the Colorado Avalanche,[11] while Palat was named to the NHL All-Rookie Team.[12]

On June 9, 2014, the Tampa Bay Lightning announced that they had signed Palat to a three year contract extension. Palat had 23 goals, 59 points and a plus-32 rating in 81 games for the Lightning in 2013–14. Palat ranked second among all NHL rookies in points and was third in goals. Additionally, Palat became the third Lightning player to finish a season with a plus-minus rating higher than plus-30.[13]

International

On January 6, 2014, Ondřej Palát was named to the Czech Republic men's national ice hockey team for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi, Russia.[14] The Czech Team were eliminated at the hands of Team USA. During his first Olympic appearance, Palat appeared in four games for his country. He did not register any points or penalty minutes in his four Olympic contests.[15]

Career statistics

Regular season and playoffs

Regular season Playoffs
Season Team League GP G A Pts PIM GP G A Pts PIM
2009–10 Drummondville Voltigeurs QMJHL 59 17 23 40 24 7 1 1 2 0
2010–11 Drummondville Voltigeurs QMJHL 61 39 57 96 24 10 4 7 11 6
2011–12 Norfolk Admirals AHL 61 9 21 30 10 18 4 5 9 6
2012–13 Syracuse Crunch AHL 56 13 39 52 35 18 7 19 26 12
2012–13 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 14 2 2 4 0 — — — — —
2013–14 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 81 23 36 59 20 3 2 1 3 0
2014–15 Tampa Bay Lightning NHL 75 16 47 63 24
NHL totals 170 41 85 126 44 3 2 1 3 0

International

Year Team Event Result GP G A Pts PIM
2008 Czech Republic WJC18-D1 11th 5 6 2 8 2
2009 Czech Republic WJC18-D1 6th 6 1 0 1 2
2011 Czech Republic WJC 7th 6 2 1 3 0
2014 Czech Republic Oly 6th 4 0 0 0 0
Junior totals 17 9 3 12 4
Senior totals 4 0 0 0 0

Awards and honors

Award Year
AHL Calder Cup 2011–12 [16]
NHL All-Rookie Team 2013–14 [17]

References

  1. ↑ Hokej.cz - Ondřej Palát (HC Vítkovice Steel) 10. duben 2008 – Český hokej objevil další zajímavé jméno. Na mistrovství světa osmnáctiletých I. divize v polské Toruni zazářil útočník, o němž asi ještě
  2. ↑ "Lightning sign Palat". Tampa Bay Lightning. 2011-10-10. Retrieved 2012-02-03.
  3. ↑ "Norfolk Admirals Official Website". Norfolkadmirals.com. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  4. ↑ "Norfolk Admirals Official Website". Norfolkadmirals.com. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  5. ↑ "Carolina Hurricanes at Tampa Bay Lightning". Tampa Bay Lightning. 2013-03-16. Retrieved 2013-03-16.
  6. ↑ "Tampa Bay Lightning Affiliates - Syracuse Crunch". Lightning.nhl.com. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  7. ↑ "Grand Rapids Griffins win the Calder Cup thanks to late goal by Brennan Evans". MLive.com. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  8. ↑ "Lightning Announce Roster Cuts". Lightning.nhl.com. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  9. ↑ "2014 NHL Awards: MacKinnon, Palat, Johnson are Calder Trophy finalists". SI.com. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  10. ↑ "Tyler Johnson, Ondrej Palat, Nathan MacKinnon up for NHL's Calder Trophy for top rookie - ESPN". ESPN.com. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  11. ↑ "Avalanche's MacKinnon wins Calder Trophy". National Hockey League. 2014-06-24. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
  12. ↑ "NHL announces 2013-14 All-Rookie Team". National Hockey League. 2014-06-24. Retrieved 2014-06-27.
  13. ↑ "Tampa Bay Lightning re-sign Ondrej Palat to three-year contract". NHL.com. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  14. ↑ "Lightning's Gudas, Palat make Czech Olympic team". Tampa Bay Times. Retrieved 4 November 2014.
  15. ↑ Ondřej Palát's career statistics at EliteProspects.com. Retrieved 2014-11-11.
  16. ↑ Associated, Press (June 9, 2012). "Norfolk Admirals win Calder Cup". ESPN NHL. Retrieved November 18, 2014.
  17. ↑ "National Hockey League announces 2013-14 All-Rookie Team". NHL.com. Retrieved 4 November 2014.

External links