NY Islanders bring back Palmieri: Why re-signing the winger is a win for the Isles

Mathieu Darche must have found the keys to Lou Lamoriello's desk drawer.

The New York Islanders are bringing Kyle Palmieri back on a two-year deal, the team announced on Friday afternoon in the first significant move made by the new GM. Palmieri quietly put up 20 goals and 48 points in 2024-25, bringing consistent effort and staying healthy while the team struggled at various points of the season. He’s been not just a depth piece; he’s a key part of that middle six who can shift up the lineup when needed. Darche is hoping he can do that for two more seasons.

This move also says a lot about Darche's direction. Even though this deal was apparently in motion before he took over, it’s a good first impression. Locking up a proven vet like Palmieri for a couple more years keeps a solid core intact while we (hopefully) inject some youth.

Sure, Palms is 34. But it’s a short-term deal and not some cap anchor. It’s $4.75M per year - not cheap, but fair value for a guy who still produces and shows up every night. Plus, he’s a leader. You can’t just throw that away if the Islanders intend to be a playoff team next season, and that appears to be Darche's short-term goal as he wants to mold the Islanders into a perennial playoff team.

The Islanders also announced that they have re-signed defenseman Adam Boqvist to a one-year, $850k deal. The defenseman, whom the Islanders claimed off waivers from Florida, was a restricted free agent. The 24-year-old scored four goals and 10 assists in 35 games, including two goals and six assists in 17 games with the Isles, and spent some time as a forward.