New Jersey Devils’ Kyle Palmieri a Crucial Piece for Future
The New Jersey Devils inked Kyle Palmieri to a long-term deal. This was such a priority to them because he has the potential to be a key player now and in the future.
Today it was announced that the Devils have locked up Kyle Palmieri to a 5 year deal with an average annual value of $4,650,000. Signing Palmieri to a long-term deal was a huge priority to the Devils, as he is a key part of the franchise going forward.
The 25-year-old forward is coming off of a fantastic breakout season. In his first season with the Devils, he racked up 30 goals, which was tied for first on the team and tied for 19th overall in the league. He also had 27 assists, one below the team leader. His ability to create scoring opportunities for his teammates, although not elite, was still really helpful for a team starving for shot creation.
One of his biggest strengths is his ability to put up shots at a high frequency. His total of 222 shots was 38th in the NHL and first on the team, 73 more than the next best Devils shooter. Creating shots is a crucial factor for winning games in this league. Palmieri is strong in that stat, and with the increased talent around him, specifically in playmaking ability, he has the potential to increase his total by even more.
Another huge strength Palmieri brings to the table is his ability to play two ways. As mentioned above, he is a very good offensive player. He also has some strong defensive capabilities. Despite his smaller size (5-foot-10, 185 lbs), he was 3rd on the team with 129 hits and 7th on the team with 51 blocks. Not only does he disrupt scoring opportunities for his opponents, but his physicality can intimidate opponents into hesitating when attacking. Some of the other Devils players really need to work on those aspects, but Palmieri has a solid foundation on that end. Because he can create opportunities for his team as well as prevent them for opponents, at least at a superior level to that of his teammates, the coaching staff is able to play him in really any situation and feel confident. It is a huge positive when your most talented offensive players are able to play on the penalty kill, or at least match up with elite offensive talent. Palmieri still has a lot to grow defensively, but he has a solid base there and can become an elite two-way player.
One aspect of his game Palmieri needs to improve on is his puck control. He had a Fenwick percentage of 46.2 percent, which was slightly below team average and below league average. What that means is he needs to improve on his abilities to create more opportunities for his team than his opponents have, which is something the entire team struggles with. Increasing skating ability, puck control, and overall comfort with playing a key offensive role will help him with that.
Palmieri had a huge overall effect on the team’s play. He finished the season with 8.2 point shares, which was the highest total out of any position player on the Devils (Cory Schneider had a higher total). 72 percent of that output was due to his strong offensive play, but 28 percent generated from defensive abilities is still solid for a forward. As a comparison, Palmieri’s point share total was higher than that of Claude Giroux (6.9, 78 percent from offense) and Jonathan Toews (7.7, 70 percent from offense), both of whom are generally considered stars in this league. That is only one metric, and that does not at all mean Palmieri is more valuable in the league than those two players. It is a signal that perhaps Palmieri is underrated and is extremely valuable to the Devils going forward.
The question the Devils faced is whether Palmieri’s increased numbers this past season were a result of a bit of a fluke or if it is a sign of continued success to come. Their decision to offer him a long-term contract signals that they believe the latter. His output this past season was a huge jump from his previous 3 seasons in Anaheim. The mixture of increased opportunity and personal development enabled him to play extremely well this past season and earn his new deal.
Next: New Jersey Devils Still Have Holes To Fill in Lineup
Kyle Palmieri may never be considered a star in this league, and he may not have even been a first line caliber forward on the best teams last season. He was, however, a key contributor to this Devils team in particular, and he was more valuable to this team than he would have been otherwise due to his playing style and individual skill set. If he can continue playing how he did last season, and even develop more as he still approaches prime age, he will be an extremely important player for the franchise now and in the future.