Kyle Palmieri played a vital role in the New York Islanders qualifying for the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
Kyle Palmieri played a vital role in the New York Islanders qualifying for the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs.
ELMONT, NY -- The best ability is availability, which had been an issue for New York Islanders forward Kyle Palmieri over his NHL career.
He had reached the 82-game mark just once over his 13 years in the league, and since signing a four-year deal worth $20 million ($5 million AAV) ahead of the 2021-22 season, Palmieri had missed 40 games over his first two seasons with the Islanders...until Wednesday.
In a 5-4 win over the Pittsburgh Penguins, Palmieri donned the blue and orange for the 82nd time this season, his first full season since 2015-16.
Not only did he accomplish that feat, but his power-play one-timer with 16 seconds to play in the second gave him his 30th goal of the season, tying his career-high, which he set in 2015-16, his last full season:
There seems to be a correlation.
"It feels really good. It's not something that for me, personally, I've been able to do too many times," Palmieri told The Hockey News. "I think this is just the second time. Staying healthy is one of the things that was right on top of the goals list for the season, so to be able to do it and make it to game 82 is something I'm proud of."
Despite struggles to stay healthy since joining New York, Palmieri always believed in himself.
"It took a little bit. There were some bumps along the road, some tough, tough patches. But I haven't ever lost confidence in myself as a player and my ability to help my team win," Palmieri said. "So, I'm fortunate that a lot more is on the scoresheet and things like that, but realistically, the way I prepare myself hasn't really changed.
"It's just a matter of finding some of those bounces."
On top of Palmieri's 30 goals, he recorded 24 assists for 54 points, three shy of his career-high in -- you guessed it -- 2015-16.
In the first 45 games of the season under Lane Lambert, Palmieri scored 11 goals (0.24 Goals Per Game). In 37 games under Patrick Roy, Palmieri scored 19 (0.51 GPG) to lead New York.
"It's Incredible the way he's been playing for us. He's been scoring a lot of goals," Roy said. "He's been around the net. And he has been clicking really well with Brock (Nelson). He's been a real force for us and has been a great leader for us.
"It's probably been one of his better seasons. And it's nice to see someone producing the way he does because he's been playing the right way. "
Palmieri played the fourth-most minutes among Islanders forwards (1,412 minutes), sitting second on the team with an Expected Goals For of 28.7, which he surpassed.
He also sat third on the team in goals (30), fourth on the team amongst forwards in assists (24), fourth in points (54), and third on the team in secondary assists (14) while drawing the second-most penalties (46), trialing Mathew Barzal by four.
"He's been great. Even from the start, I think he was on his game," Nelson said. "He's a big contributor offensively for us, power-play, five-on-five. He's been killing penalties lately, so he's kind of doing a little bit of everything down the stretch here.
"He's been on fire, so definitely helped us go on a little run to give us a chance. He's a bit part of the group."
Outside of scoring 20 goals at even strength, his 10 power-play goals were tied with Bo Horvat for the most on the team, with his 20 power-play points coming in third.
The Islanders penalty kill, which ended the season as the worst in the league at 71.5 percent, had only allowed five goals with Palmieri on the ice in his 49:04 minutes of killing.
He has played the second-fewest minutes shorthanded amongst the forward group, with Horvat being on the ice for double the goals against in 11 more minutes of PK time.
Palmieri has just been doing it all, and his playing to his potential was a need for the Islanders. He's been, by far, the Islanders most consistent forward since Roy walked through the doors, and, as Nelson said, Palmieri was an instrumental player on their road to a playoff spot.
The 33-year-old has been a big-game player during his career and played well against the Carolina Hurricanes last postseason, with two goals and three assists in six games, and had two goals and two assists in four games against them this season.
He will look to be even better when the rematch begins on Saturday night at 5 PM ET.