Ondrej Palat undergoes groin surgery, return timeline unknown

The New Jersey Devils have announced that forward Ondrej Palat has undergone groin surgery and is expected to make a full recovery.

In a statement, the team said details regarding Palat’s return will be made once more information becomes available. Palat last played on Oct. 24, a 6-3 loss to Washington.

Fresh off of his third run at the Stanley Cup final, Palat was one of the biggest free agent signings of the summer. Palat left Tampa Bay – the team that selected him in the seventh round in 2011 – and joined the Devils on a five-year deal worth $6 million per season. Palat immediately found himself playing a crucial role for the Devils, scoring three goals in six games in the team’s top six.

During his 10-season run with the Lightning, Palat became an integral piece of the team’s playoff core. He had 18 points en route to the team’s Cup in 2020 and upped that to 21 points in 23 games last year. A three-time 50-point scorer, Palat had a career-high 63 points in 2014-15, his second full season in the league.

For however long, the loss is a difficult one for the Devils. The team is off to a hot 6-3-0 start, winning their past three games to sit one point behind Carolina for first in the Metropolitan Division. Jesper Bratt has been a season highlight, recording 15 points through nine games as one of the league’s most dominant offensive forces early on. Only Bratt and Nico Hischier (four apiece) have more goals than Palat in New Jersey this season.