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Can Kyle Palmieri Repeat the Success he had Last Season for the New York Islanders ?

Kyle Palmieri was a real bright spot offensively under Patrick Roy but can he repeat that success he had last season ?

By Andrew Piazza |
New York Rangers v New York Islanders
New York Rangers v New York Islanders / Bruce Bennett/GettyImages
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Kyle Palmieri was acquired by the New York Islanders during the 2021 season to play with Mat Barzal on the team's Islanders' top line. The initial intent never materialized, and Palmieri was found to be on the second or third line. While that might not seem like a big deal, it is for an organization that gave up a first-round pick for a guy who doesn’t produce as you expected and to that point underperformed. 

Palmieri has dealt with some injuries throughout his tenure with the Islanders. Prior to this past season, his season high in games played with the Islanders was 69 and that was during the 2021-22 season. They could not count on him to be a regular on the ice due to his frequent injuries. He also never achieved more than 40 points with the team. It appeared he was stuck at garnering 33 points per season which he had the previous two years. 

Will the Islanders ever get what they expected when they acquired Palmieri?

PLUS

Palmieri was a big factor in the team's success this past year. He had 30 goals and 24 assists for 54 points in 82 games. After a slow start, he seemed to change gears, especially when Patrick Roy arrived behind the bench. 

Palmieri potted 19 goals and 10 helpers in 37 games once Roy was at the helm. It was clear that Palmieri fit Roy’s system and became that Roy had trust in his veteran winger. He was even used on the penalty kill, becoming a go-to player in all situations.

The chemistry between Palmieri and Brock Nelson was at an all-time high. Those two are slated to be next to each other again on the second line this upcoming season. This should give the fans hope that Palmieri will play at the elite level he showed under Roy last season. 

Minus

While this success is great to see from Palmieri his age could hinder him from having a repeat of last season. Palmieri is 33 years old and will be 34 by midseason. It’s sad to say, but, his age could keep him from playing at this high level, especially given prior injury issues. 

Palmieri is also in the last year of his four-year $20M deal and has not received an extension. He has been at times inconsistent. He has gone through hot and cold spells during his Islanders' tenure, with nagging injuries impeding his progress.

Palmieri seems to suffer injuries frequently which have prevented him from finding his groove on the ice. He's gotten off to slow starts, similar to the rest of the roster, causing much inconsistency for himself and the forward group as a unit.

The Verdict

Based on his track record it doesn’t seem likely that Palmieri will hit the 30-goal mark again even with a full season of Roy. But there is a bigger question that involves the player. If the team isn’t playing up to expectations is Palmieri one of the first to go at the trade deadline? There is a chance this could happen, but if he finds a way to imitate the end of his 2023-24 season, the team would likely be fighting for a playoff position, keeping him on the roster for the remainder of te season. If the team is underperforming and out of the playoffs there is a strong possibility he doesn’t finish the year in the blue and orange.  

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