Kyle Palmieri injury update: Islanders brace for long-term loss after star forward's brutal ACL injury

The New York Islanders will be without Kyle Palmieri for a long stretch after the team confirmed a serious knee injury on Saturday. The Islanders announced on X that Palmieri will have surgery to repair an ACL tear in his left knee. They said he will miss six to eight months.

This timeline likely ends the 34 year old center's 2025-26 season. The injury is a major blow for a team that has relied on his playmaking (leading the team with 12 assists) and leadership.

Kyle Palmieri was hurt in the second period of Friday’s 4-3 shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. He fell awkwardly into the boards after a collision with Jamie Drysdale.

Despite the pain, he stole the puck from Emil Andrae and helped set up a goal moments later. He finished the night with a secondary assist. Palmieri ends his season with 18 points in 25 games, along with a streak of 223 straight games played.

The Islanders sit at 13-9-3 and continue to show a mix of strong defense and inconsistent scoring. They allow only 2.80 goals per game, which helps them stay competitive. Additionally, their penalty kill is solid at 82.4 percent. Offense and power play have been issues, but even with those struggles, the Islanders have earned crucial wins.

A bright spot this season has been rookie defenseman Matthew Schaefer, the first overall pick in 2025. He has already shown speed, energy, and good two-way play. His strong performance with 8 goals and 10 assists for 18 points in just 25 games has helped the team.

With Kyle Palmieri out, the Islanders will rely more on their young talent and depth. Max Shabanov is expected to receive the first chance to fill Palmieri’s top-six role.

The Flyers game in which Kyle Palmieri got injured

Islanders coach Patrick Roy said he felt his team played a strong overall game despite the shootout loss to the Philadelphia Flyers. He pointed to two costly turnovers as the difference, noting that without them, the performance would have been excellent.

"I thought we played a really good game," Roy said, via NHL.com. "I mean, from the start to the end, except for those two turnovers. … If we didn't turn over those pucks, it would have been an excellent performance.

"Unfortunately, they're part of the game. But... It was nice to have the chances that we had, and especially in overtime.”

Although the Islanders showed resilience with Kyle Palmieri's effort after falling behind 3-0, mistakes in crucial moments ultimately prevented them from securing two points.