Blue & Gold Illustrated: America's Foremost Authority on Notre Dame Football
Issue link: https://comanpub.uberflip.com/i/1530074
44 DECEMBER 2024 BLUE & GOLD ILLUSTRATED BY TODD D. BURLAGE N ew York Islanders center and former Notre Dame star Kyle Palmieri had something tragic happen to him in early November that probably could've ended his hockey career. But instead, the malady seems to have sparked a fire under the 15-year NHL veteran. On Nov. 3, Palmieri suffered a gruesome-looking injury to his face when he was struck by a stick on a follow-through after an opponent's slap shot. In true warrior fashion, Palmieri didn't leave the ice until his line shift was up. And after some medieval den- tistry, Palmieri was back on the ice with a fresh and deep cut that stretched from his bottom lip, all the way up the left side of his face and above his nose, stopping only about an inch below his left eye. "A bunch of the stick was in my mouth so they had to pull the fiberglass out of my gums," Palmieri graphically explained of the team doctor's handi- work. "The [lower] gum was dropped, like pushed all the way down. So, they just cleared it out for the root canal dur- ing the game. And then, right after the game, they pulled the nerve out of the socket and did a full root canal." Undeterred, Palmieri, 33, missed no game time because of the injury, and has played some of the best hockey of his long career since. In the first 11 games after the injury, Palmieri tallied 5 goals and 6 assists. And through 22 games this season, the ageless wonder led the Islanders in goals (10), assists (9) and points (19), and shows no signs of slowing up, tal- lying at least 1 point in nine of those previous 11 games. Palmieri spent most of his childhood in Montvale, N.J., but ended up graduating from Pio- neer High School in Ann Arbor, Mich., at the same time that he was moving through the U.S. Ju- nior National program. Se l e c te d by t h e A n a h e i m Ducks in the first round of the 2009 NHL Entry Draft, Palmieri played one season at Notre Dame as a freshman in 2009-10, and tallied 9 goals and 8 assists in 33 games. Palmieri started his NHL ca- reer in 2010 and has spent time with the Ducks, the New Jersey Devils and now the Islanders. For his career, Palmieri has 256 goals and 242 assists, making him one of the most productive for- mer Irish to ever play in the NHL. CONNAUGHTON MOVING? Multiple media reports have recently surfaced suggesting that after seven years with the NBA's Milwaukee Bucks, former Irish standout shooting guard Pat Connaughton is being discussed in a variety of trade scenarios. Connaughton has become a fan fa- vorite and a valuable reserve player dur- ing his time in Milwaukee, averaging 6.8 points and 4.8 rebounds in 2020-21 in helping the Bucks win the 2021 NBA championship. The best season for the Arlington, Mass., native came in 2021-22 when he averaged career highs in minutes (26.0) and points (9.9), and added 4.2 rebounds per game. But injuries and production slippage the last couple of years — Connaughton is averaging 4.9 points, 2.8 rebounds and 1.8 assists this season — have brought a drop in minutes, and possibly the beginning of the end to his impres- sive stay in Milwaukee. One trade scenario has the 31-year- old sharpshooter going to the Atlanta Hawks, where he would be reunited with Hawks assistant coach Mike Brey, who coached Connaughton at Notre Dame from 2011-15. ✦ FIGHTING IRISH HEADLINERS Cole Kmet (Played at Notre Dame from 2017-19), TE, Chicago Bears (NFL) The fifth-year NFL veteran recorded 7 catches on 10 targets for 64 yards — his second-most receiving yards in a game this season — in the 30-27 overtime loss to the Minnesota Vikings Nov. 24. For the season, the Chicagoland native has 39 catches for 422 yards and 3 touchdowns. Harrison Smith (2007-11), S, Minnesota Vikings, (NFL) The 35-year-old Hall of Fame candidate continues to shine even in his 13th NFL season, all with the Vikings. In the 30-27 overtime win over the Bears Nov. 24, the Augusta, Ga., native re- corded a season-high 11 tackles, including 9 solo stops, helping Minnesota improve to 9-2 this season and stay near the top of the NFC North standings. Jerry Tillery (2015-18), DL, Minnesota Vikings, (NFL) Sticking with the Vikings' 30-27 win over the Bears, the 2019 first-round draft pick came off the bench and delivered 2 tackles and a blocked field goal in the second quarter, a critical play in the three-point victory. The Shreveport, La., native is logging more playing time as the season progresses and had 21 tackles in 11 games. Even Through Injury, Kyle Palmieri Is Playing His Best Hockey I R I S H I N T H E P R O S Palmieri led the Islanders in goals (10), assists (9) and points (19) through 22 games this season. PHOTO COURTESY NEW YORK ISLANDERS