The New York Islanders' second buyout window is open, but the expectation is that it will go unused, will close, and Ondrej Palat will remain on the roster. Among the Islanders' highest-paid players, Palat stands out as the most logical buyout candidate. For a player carrying a $6 million cap hit, that's production the Islanders simply can't afford. It creates meaningful cap space, removes a contract that no longer matches the player's production and gives the Islanders additional flexibility before the season begins. Buying out Palat less than a year after acquiring him would effectively be an admission that one of Darche's first major trades didn't work.