The outdoor hockey rinks at Northwell Health Ice Center in East Meadow were filled with joy on Aug. 5, when New York Islanders star Kyle Palmieri hosted more than 50 military families for an afternoon of smiles, goals and fun.
Palmieri and his foundation, The Kyle Palmieri Foundation, along with the Islanders, introduced their beloved sport to the children of military members in the form of street hockey, offering each child sticks along with their chance at meeting one of the sport’s best players.
“Events like these make the game of hockey a lot more accessible, and for me to connect this to my work with the military, veterans, and their families, is a unique opportunity that I'm excited for,” Palmieri told the Herald at the event in Eisenhower Park.
Palmieri and the Islanders worked together with the Tragedy Assistance Program for Survivors, or TAPS, to create a lasting moment for military families and their children. TAPS, which started operating in 1994, works with families grieving the loss of loved ones in the military community.
“Kyle has worked with TAPS across multiple teams that he’s played with, and it's amazing that he's so willing to give back to the military community,” Morgan Price, a coordinator in TAPS sports and entertainment division, said. “Having someone that has their back, knowing that their sacrifice that their family gave is not going unnoticed, it's just really amazing.”
For Palmieri, helping the military community is also a personal endeavor. One of Palmieri’s sisters, Taylor, served in the National Guard, while one of his brothers-in-law, Stephen Ficchi, served in the U.S. Army.
“The military has always been a very important cause for me,” Palmieri said. “The ability to use my platform and be a part of the military community is something that's always been important to me.”
Palmieri, a 35-year-old right winger, was born in Smithtown before moving to New Jersey in his early years. After being drafted out of Notre Dame in the first round by the Anaheim Ducks in 2009, Palmieri was traded to his hometown team, the New Jersey Devils, in 2015.
Soon after arriving back in New Jersey, Palmieri and the Devils launched the “Squad21” initiative, allowing active service members and veterans to see a hockey game free of charge. The program carried over when the Islanders traded for Palmieri in 2021, and it became The Kyle Palmieri Foundation.
“I started my foundation eight years ago, and it provides an opportunity to do little things like this, to put a smile on a kid's face or brighten up a family's day,” Palmieri said. “It's a great opportunity for them to get out and be a part of the community that they have a lot in common with.”
The Islanders organization was eager to help Palmieri in his pursuit of bringing the sport to a demographic deserving of recognition in their own communities.
“For us, it's about giving them an opportunity to learn and to love the game,” Ann Rina, Islanders vice president of community relations, said. “Hopefully, after an event like this, they want to take that hockey stick home and continue their hockey journey.”
The event was filled with families watching rink-side, as the children got their first taste of a new sport. Those spectators included Gary Dowling of North Babylon, whose nieces are just discovering the sport and learning from one of hockey’s best players.
“They love the Islanders, they love hockey, and it's cool to hang out with other military families,” Dowling said. “When you have someone like (Palmieri) here, especially when he could be out training or getting ready for the upcoming season, it’s really cool to see.”
Palmieri sustained a season-ending ACL injury during a game last November, while making a spectacular assist on a goal. While he’s progressing well through rehabilitation and is expected to be ready for the season-opener on Sept. 30, he also had his sights on an equally important goal: making sure the kids who attended the street hockey clinic had a memorable experience.
“It's all about them having fun,” Palmieri said. “Hopefully, a couple of them get excited about maybe playing hockey someday.”
