2015 Season In Review: Kyle Palmieri

Kyle Palmieri was drafted 26th overall by the Ducks in the first round of the 2009 NHL Draft. Prior to his time in the NHL the right winger played college hockey for Notre Dame, and also spent time with the USA Hockey National Team Development Program. He signed a three year entry level contract with the Ducks on August 3, 2010. He would be called up from the AHL's Syracuse Crunch three months later to score his first NHL goal against Dan Ellis and the Tampa Bay Lightning. Palmieri signed a three-year contract ahead of the 2013-14 season on July 26, 2013.

Season Review

Palmieri's season had an inauspicious start: he suffered a high ankle sprain during the preseason, and would not return to the Ducks lineup until mid-November after a conditioning stint in the AHL. After the success that he experienced in 13-14, where he tallied 31 points and ended the season with a +9 rating and setting career records in goals, assists, points, plus/minus and games played, he was initially expected to improve upon that success with a 35-40 point season.

The winger scored his first goal of the season in a 4-3 shootout loss to the Calgary Flames on November 18. He seemed to be making up for lost time, and scored his third goal in five games during the Ducks' 3-2 victory, also against the Flames, on November 25 (at the time, he was playing on the Ducks' second line with Ryan Kesler and Patrick Maroon).

Unfortunately, the Injury monster would rear its ugly head again. Palmieri suffered a shoulder injury during a December 16 loss to the Toronto Maple Leafs and would not return to the Ducks' lineup until after the new year. He had another mini-streak during January, scoring goals in three of five games between January 12 and January 28. However his luck changed as February approached, and he saw himself scratched during the Ducks' February 7th game against the Washington Capitals. By the end of the season the winger finished with 29 points (14 goals) in 57 games.

During the playoffs, Palmieri spent time playing on both the third (with Rickard Rakell and Andrew Cogliano) and fourth lines (with Nate Thompson and Tim Jackman). He struggled, failing to score at all during the first round against the Winnipeg Jets. Palmieri would not get his first point on the playoffs until the Ducks' second round series against the Calgary Flames, and would not score his first goal of the playoffs until Game 1 of the Western Conference Final against Chicago.

Near the end of the first round of the 2015 Draft, the Ducks traded Palmieri to the New Jersey Devils for the 41st pick in the Draft (we did not have a second-round pick previously), and a selection at the 2016 Draft.

2014-15 Stats

Ducks Impact

In his 198 game career with Anaheim Palmieri had 43 goals, 46 assists, and a plus-11 rating. Though Palmieri was a major regular season scoring threat despite his injuries, he was ultimately invisible in the playoffs and an expendable component of a team that has more depth scoring than it knows what to do with. He will likely be a useful addition to a Devils team that is attempting to add youth, speed, and skill to its roster.