Let's take a look at their production. Does Palat deserve the same deal as TJ or something worse/better:
(Source:
www.hockey-reference.com - great for comparing players btw)
It's crazy how they almost played the exact same number of games in their career - given that both missed a chunk of games due to injuries.
Johnson has him beat in goal scoring. In the regular season Palat has produced a couple more points though. Palat's +/- is a lot higher though (difference: +28) which would suggest Palat's the better defensive player (not shocking either).
Johnson has a tremendous playoff record though. He has a 0.89 point average per playoff game, Palat's 0.63. Johnson also scored 7 more goals in just 1 more game.
Regular season is more or less a wash, Johnson is the goal scorer, Palat the responsible two-way player with slightly more points due to more assists.
Playoff Johnson is a different beast. Palat's been solid but Johnson had two crazy runs.
What do you think?