Immediate Impact

Palat scores in debut; Isles dominate Rangers again

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Good Morning, Islanders Country.

There’s rarely an Islanders move that earns unanimous applause. That’s probably true everywhere, but on Long Island, disagreement is practically a tradition. Still, it surprised me just how annoyed — even angry — some fans were at the moves New York Islanders GM Mathieu Darche pulled off in recent days.

From where I sit, the Islanders got better. Full stop. And they did it without torching the future — they actually added a draft pick — while bringing in two veterans designed to stabilize things before a jam-packed stretch leading into the Olympic break and the playoff push beyond it.

This wasn’t reckless buying. It was calculated.

Darche has been consistent since day one: he believes in this room. And nothing sends a clearer signal to a locker room than this — we’re not punting. “He’s a competitor, he’s an awesome person and an awesome teammate,” Darche said of Ondřej Palát. “I didn’t make the trade because I loved him in Tampa… he can help us. He’s a real pro.”

Cue the internet reaction. Palát is washed. Overpaid. Done.