Kyle Palmieri Bio
Kyle Charles Palmieri is an American professional ice hockey player who plays as a forward and serves as an alternate captain for the New York Islanders of the National Hockey League (NHL). Born in Smithtown, New York, Palmieri built a strong scoring reputation through years of work with USA Hockey and in the minor leagues before establishing himself as a steady contributor at the NHL level with the Anaheim Ducks, the New Jersey Devils, and the Islanders. He previously served as an alternate captain in New Jersey and is widely respected for his work ethic, his shot, and his leadership in the locker room. Off the ice, Palmieri is recognized for his humanitarian efforts, including the founding of a charitable organization that supports military service members.
Early Life and Background
Kyle Charles Palmieri was born on February 1, 1991, in Smithtown, New York, to parents Bruce and Tammy. He has three older siblings, and the family later moved to Montvale, New Jersey, when Kyle was four years old. His father, Bruce, worked in home construction and spent several years in Mattituck, on the north fork of Long Island, and his godfather is former shortstop Bud Harrelson, who is his father’s cousin.
Palmieri began playing ice hockey at a friend’s house when he was five years old. He soon started playing with the Kodiak Hockey Club at McKay Ice Arena under coach Gary Hess, developing the early foundation that would shape his career. Growing up, he also played youth hockey for the New Jersey Devils-sponsored teams at Codey Arena in West Orange, New Jersey, and represented the New Jersey Devils minor team at the 2004 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament.
Path to Hockey
At the age of 14, Palmieri joined the 16U Junior Devils organization. He then attended St. Peter’s Preparatory School for two years, where, during his sophomore season, he led the Gordon Conference with 58 points and earned a first-team All-State selection. His strong play helped the team reach the New Jersey state final, where they lost to St. Augustine Preparatory School, and that performance earned him an opportunity with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program (NTDP) in Ann Arbor, Michigan.
Upon joining the NTDP Under-18 team, Palmieri tallied 15 goals and 15 assists through 33 games and recorded a hat-trick in the gold medal round of the 2008 Five Nations Tournament. He was also drafted by the Guelph Storm in the sixth round of the 2008 Ontario Hockey League draft, but never reported to the team. After returning to the NTDP for the 2008–09 season, he was ranked 20th amongst all North American skaters by the NHL Central Scouting Bureau, but was released from the team for violating team rules. He subsequently played college hockey for the University of Notre Dame Fighting Irish, scoring nine goals in 33 games during his lone season. During that time, he was selected 26th overall by the Anaheim Ducks in the 2009 NHL entry draft.
Kyle Palmieri Career
Early Career (2009–2013)
Following the 2009–10 season, Palmieri signed a three-year entry-level contract with the Anaheim Ducks and was reassigned to their American Hockey League (AHL) affiliate, the Syracuse Crunch, to begin the 2010–11 season. He opened his AHL career with seven goals and nine points in his first nine games, which earned him his first recall to the NHL. He made his NHL debut on November 3, 2010, against the Tampa Bay Lightning, scoring his first career goal in an overtime win. After splitting time between the AHL and NHL, he was chosen to compete for Team USA at the 2011 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and was named the AHL’s Rookie of the Month for March 2011.
In the 2011–12 season, Palmieri scored a hat-trick in one of his first two AHL games and was named AHL Player of the Week. He set new career-highs with 33 goals and 25 assists through 51 games and earned a selection to the 2012 AHL All-Star Classic. As a result of the 2012–13 NHL lockout, he split the year between the Ducks and their new AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals. On February 28, 2013, he became the second-youngest Ducks player to record a hat-trick in a 5–1 win over the Nashville Predators, and he finished the year with 21 points through 42 regular season games before playing all seven Western Conference Quarterfinal games against the Detroit Red Wings.
Anaheim Breakthrough (2013–2015)
The 2013–14 season was Palmieri’s first full-time NHL campaign, and he set new career-highs in goals, assists, and points. He played on the Ducks’ top line alongside Corey Perry and Ryan Getzlaf and recorded his fourth multi-goal game to help Anaheim come back from a 2–0 deficit against the Philadelphia Flyers on October 30. In his first game in his home state of New Jersey on November 4, he scored the game-winning goal against the New Jersey Devils and was named the game’s third star. He finished the regular season with 31 points through 71 games and added three goals and 14 penalty minutes through nine playoff games.
In the second year of his contract, Palmieri missed the majority of Anaheim’s pre-season with a high ankle sprain and 18 regular-season games before returning to record five goals and nine points through 15 games by December. After being placed on injured reserve when he aggravated a shoulder, he returned on January 2 and scored the winning goal in a 4–3 victory over the St. Louis Blues.
New Jersey Devils Era (2015–2021)
On June 26, 2015, Palmieri was traded by the Ducks to his hometown club, the New Jersey Devils, in exchange for second and third-round picks in the 2015 NHL entry draft. In his first season in New Jersey, he set new career-highs and led the Devils with 30 goals and 57 points, which led to a five-year, $23.25 million contract extension on July 7, 2016. The following year, he joined Team USA at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey and finished the regular season as the team’s leading scorer with 26 goals and 27 assists while playing alongside Taylor Hall and Travis Zajac.
During the 2017–18 season, Palmieri tallied his 100th career goal on October 13 against the Washington Capitals and led the Devils in power play goals with 11 as the club reached the 2018 Stanley Cup playoffs. The next season, he opened the 2018–19 campaign by becoming the first player in franchise history to score at least two goals in each of the team’s first two games, the first NHL player to score the opening goal in four consecutive games to begin a season, and the third to record a power-play goal in each of his team’s first four games. He was named an All-Star Game replacement for Taylor Hall and finished the year with 27 goals and 23 assists for 50 points through 74 games. In 2019–20, he recorded his first hat-trick with the Devils in an overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning on October 30, was named to his second consecutive All-Star Game, and led the team with 25 goals and 45 points through 65 games before an injury. After tallying 17 points through 34 games the following season, he was traded to the New York Islanders along with Travis Zajac.
New York Islanders Era (2021–Present)
On September 1, 2021, Palmieri was re-signed to a four-year, $20 million contract with the Islanders. In his Islanders playoff debut in Game 1 of the 2021 Stanley Cup playoffs against the Pittsburgh Penguins, he scored two goals, including the overtime winner, becoming the first Long Island-born player to score a postseason goal for the franchise and the first Islander with two goals in a playoff debut. He added four goals and six points during the second-round series against the Boston Bruins before the Islanders were eliminated by the Tampa Bay Lightning in seven games in the Semifinals.
After tallying seven points through 25 games in 2021–22, Palmieri suffered a lower body injury on December 16 and was later listed as day-to-day. On March 2, 2024, he recorded his third career hat-trick in a 5–1 win against the Bruins. On May 30, 2025, the Islanders re-signed him to a two-year, $9.5 million contract extension. During the second period of a November 28, 2025, game against the Philadelphia Flyers, he collided with defenseman Jamie Drysdale while trying to retrieve the puck; the next day, the team announced he had torn his left anterior cruciate ligament and would miss the next six to eight months.
Driving Style and Strengths
Palmieri has built his career on a quick, accurate shot and a willingness to play in tight areas around the net. Throughout his NHL tenure, he has been used on the top power-play unit and has delivered double-digit power-play goals in several seasons, including 11 with the Devils in 2017–18 and 11 more in 2019–20. His ability to play across multiple lines and his leadership qualities have also been central to his role as an alternate captain.
Notable Events and Milestones
Among his signature moments, Palmieri scored the overtime winner in his Islanders playoff debut in 2021, recorded his first Devils hat-trick against the Tampa Bay Lightning in 2019, and posted his third career hat-trick in a 5–1 win over the Bruins on March 2, 2024. He also reached his 500th NHL game during the 2019–20 season and tallied his 100th career goal on October 13, 2017, against the Washington Capitals.
Kyle Palmieri Career Wins
Kyle Palmieri has built a steady record of scoring success at every level, from youth hockey through the NHL. He led the Gordon Conference in scoring during his sophomore season at St. Peter’s Preparatory School, won gold with Team USA at the 2008 Five Nations Tournament, and helped the United States win gold at the 2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He has also earned All-Star Game selections with the Devils and reached multiple career scoring milestones with both New Jersey and the Islanders.
Anaheim Ducks Highlights
Palmieri played five seasons with the Anaheim Ducks organization, making his NHL debut on November 3, 2010, and recording his first career goal that night. His first career hat-trick came on February 28, 2013, in a 5–1 win over the Nashville Predators, and he set career-highs in goals, assists, and points during his first full NHL season in 2013–14. His most recent win in an Anaheim uniform came before his trade to New Jersey in June 2015.
New Jersey Devils Highlights
In his first season with the Devils, Palmieri led the team with 30 goals and 57 points and later signed a five-year, $23.25 million extension. He opened 2018–19 with multiple goals in each of New Jersey’s first three games and was named an All-Star Game replacement for Taylor Hall. His first hat-trick with the Devils came on October 30, 2019, in an overtime loss to the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Other Wins & Performances
Internationally, Palmieri helped Team USA win gold at the 2010 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships and bronze at the 2011 edition, while also earning a bronze at the 2008 IIHF World U18 Championships. He later represented the United States at the 2012 IIHF World Championship and at the 2016 World Cup of Hockey.
Kyle Palmieri Family
Family Background and Racing Lineage
Palmieri was raised in Smithtown, New York, and later Montvale, New Jersey, by his parents Bruce and Tammy. He has three older siblings, including his older sister Taylor, who is a member of the New York Army National Guard, and brother-in-law Stephen Ficchi, who is a United States Army Ranger.
Personal Life
Palmieri married his wife Ashlee in July 2019 at Macari Vineyards in Mattituck, New York. Inspired by his sister’s service, he launched Squad21 during the 2016–17 season to allow active and veteran military service members to attend Devils home games. The initiative expanded into the Kyle Palmieri Foundation in 2018, a charitable organization that supports three military nonprofits. In 2019, he and several other professional athletes filed a complaint against the City of Pittsburgh over a nonresident sports facility usage fee.
2025 Season Performance
Kyle Palmieri’s 2025 season was interrupted by a serious knee injury suffered on November 28 against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Islanders announced the next day that he had torn his left anterior cruciate ligament, with an expected recovery of six to eight months, ruling him out for the remainder of the regular season and most of the 2026 playoffs. Before the injury, he had continued in his role as an alternate captain on Long Island and was playing a regular shift on the wing.
On May 30, 2025, the Islanders re-signed Palmieri to a two-year, $9.5 million contract extension, signaling their confidence in his longer-term role with the club. The ACL injury creates a longer recovery window, but both team and player have indicated he is expected to return to the lineup once medically cleared. His experience and leadership remain central to the Islanders’ forward group as they plan for the seasons ahead.