New York Islanders’ Kyle Palmieri, right, celebrates his goal on Colorado Avalanche goaltender Alexandar Georgiev (40) during the second period of an NHL hockey game Tuesday, Oct. 24, 2023, in Elmont, N.Y. (AP Photo/Frank Franklin II)
EAST MEADOW N.Y. — Kyle Palmieri’s first two full seasons with the New York Islanders was abbreviated by injuries. Out of a possible 164 games, he missed 40 of them, including 27 last season due to what was believed to be concussion issues.
For a player that averaged 26 goals per season from 2015-2020, he combined to score 31 over the last two years — not to mention just 10 in 51 games during the COVID-shortened 2020-21 season when he was traded to New York by the New Jersey Devils.
“Sometimes there’s not a whole lot you can do about injuries,” Palmieri told amNewYork. “They come up. It’s a physical sport. Injuries happen. Hopefully, I’m on the other side of those major ones and can just move forward.”
The 32-year-old right-winger appears as though he’s doing just that, recording five points (two goals, three assists) in the Islanders’ first five games this season. But even the start of this season provided some uncertainty. He missed a considerable portion of training camp with an undisclosed injury that was picked up while training over the summer.
“It was kind of like cramming for the test as far as getting ready for the season,” Palmieri said. “I didn’t have a lot of time to prepare. But I think as a line, we’re playing well. We’re creating a lot and when you give yourself a lot of looks, it’s more likely that some of them are going to go in.
The line he’s referring to is the Islanders’ second line of Palmieri on the right with Brock Nelson at center and Pierre Engvall on the left. The trio was New York’s most valuable unit down the stretch last season, helping it clinch a playoff berth, and has hit the ground running again in 2023-24. Their four goals are the most amongst…
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