THEY DON'T COME ANY TOUGHER THAN HOCKEY PLAERS

NHL star plays through ACL tear and sets up goal in remarkable display of toughness

 

By Isabel Baldwin 

 

Daily Mail

Nov 30, 2025

 

 

 

New York Islanders star Kyle Palmieri tore the ACL in his left knee during Friday's game 

 

New York Islanders star Kyle Palmieri displayed remarkable grit on the ice on Friday when he skated on through a horrific injury. 

The 34-year-old tore the anterior cruciate ligament in his left knee late in the second period of the Islanders' 4-3 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers at the UBS Arena - but that didn't stop him from helping his team find the back of the goal.   

Palmieri was checked by Flyers defenseman Jamie Drysdale, which sent him flying awkwardly into the boards behind the net. 

He stayed down on the ice for a while, appearing to grimace in pain, before he managed to gather himself and get back to his feet. 

Yet, as he gingerly skated towards the Islanders' bench, he snuck in behind an unsuspecting Flyers defenseman and seized the chance to steal the puck. 

Palmieri then passed the puck to teammate Jonathan Drouin, who dropped it onto the stick of Emil Heineman. 

 

The forward showed remarkable grit as he momentarily played through the pain 

Palmieri's steal set up Emil Heineman's (right) goal in the second period of the 4-3 loss 

 

Heineman then flicked it home to polish off Palmieri's steal with a goal and claw it back to 3-1.

After completing the pass, Palmieri immediately made his wat to the bench and hobbled to the locker room with the help of a trainer. He did not return.  

The injury came as a major blow to the Isles and Palmieri with the forward now set to miss the remainder of the season.

The veteran is set to undergo surgery, ruling him out for out six-to-eight months, the team confirmed.

Palmeiri had six goals and 12 assists in 25 games this season. The gritty forward joined the Islanders in a trade with New Jersey in April 2021. He had played 223 straight games for the Islanders before Friday's injury.

Palmieri was a first-round pick by Anaheim in 2009. He has 276 goals and 269 assists in 925 regular-season games with the Ducks, Devils and Islanders.

The Islanders also lost defenseman Alexander Romanov to a serious shoulder injury earlier this month. Forward Jean-Gabriel Pageau is also out with an upper-body injury.