Kyle Palmieri Suffers Knee Injury and Will Be Out for Several Months
New York Islanders veteran forward Kyle Palmieri suffered a torn anterior cruciate ligament (ACL) in his left knee last Friday. This will keep him off the ice for an estimated period of six to eight months, the team announced on Saturday afternoon. The injury occurred during the second period of the game against the Philadelphia Flyers, which culminated in a 4-3 shootout loss. Despite the injury, Palmieri managed a remarkable assist. He tangled with Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale near the boards while battling for the puck. Despite limping off the ice, Palmieri didn’t give up and stole the puck from defenseman Emil Andrae, passing it to Jonathan Drouin, who assisted Emil Heineman for a goal. Palmieri was credited with an assist while trainers helped him get to the locker room. He did not return for the third period, and coach Patrick Roy commented to reporters that the situation did not look favorable for the veteran.Palmieri, 34 years old, is tied for second on the team with 18 points (6 goals, 12 assists) in 25 games. The player is in the first year of a two-year, $9.5 million contract he signed with the Islanders in May. The New York native is playing his 16th season in the NHL. He has scored 276 goals and 545 points in 925 games with the Anaheim Ducks, New Jersey Devils, and Islanders. Palmieri had played in 223 consecutive games.“It was a valiant effort on his part,” commented captain Anders Lee to reporters after the game. “Suffering a lot of pain, he’s one of the toughest teammates I know. It takes a lot for him to feel pain and fold, but you can also see how strong he is to fight and make a huge play.”
Anders Lee
