The New Jersey Devils announced today that they’ve signed forward Kyle Palmieri to a five-year contract extension that carries an annual average value of $4.65 million.
Proud to have Jersey's own @KylePalmieri re-signed with the Devils! Palms is staying home! https://t.co/6hEumSf2LW pic.twitter.com/TNoFBWMIvj
— New Jersey Devils (@NJDevils) July 7, 2016
Palmieri, 25, was acquired last June from the Anaheim Ducks in a trade that sent a 2015 second round draft pick (Ryan Gropp) and a 2016 third round pick (Rem Pitlick) to Anaheim.
Palmieri has become a very productive forward at this level. The former first round pick (26th overall) tallied 28 goals and 60 total points in his final two seasons with the Ducks. He rewarded the Devils for acquiring him last season with 30 goals and 57 points through 82 games.
His 30 goals tied Adam Henrique for the team lead in that regard, while his 57 points were the most among Devils in 2015-16.
The Devils turned in a season that was far more successful than many anticipated in what was considered a rebuilding year. While they finished seventh in the Metropolitan Division, they were in the playoff hunt for most of the year before falling behind down the stretch. Ultimately, they finished 2015-16 with a record of 38-36-8 under first year head coach John Hynes.
New Jersey followed up last season by being major players in both the free agent and trade markets this summer. If Palmieri can continue to improve upon his numbers, he’ll play a major role in returning the Devils to contender status in the near future.
