Robert Ross Palmer (born September 10, 1956 in Sarnia, Ontario) is a retired professional ice hockey defenceman who played 320 games in the National Hockey League. He played with the Los Angeles Kings and New Jersey Devils.
He played for the University of Michigan from 1973 to 1977. He was chosen 85th overall by the Los Angeles Kings in the 1976 NHL Amateur Draft and 102nd overall by the Calgary Cowboys in the 1976 WHA Amateur Draft.
Palmer opted to join the Kings and made it to the NHL in his first pro season, 1977-78. He was a Kings' regular for the next two seasons but by 1981 his career was on a downslide. He spent most of the 1980-81 and 1981-82 seasons in the minor pros.
He signed as a free agent with the New Jersey Devils in 1982, and saw a season and a half with the NHL team. Palmer ended his career with the Maine Mariners in 1986.
In the NHL Palmer played in 320 games and scored 9 goals and 101 assists.
Career statistics[]
| Regular season | Playoffs | |||||||||||||
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Season | Team | League | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | GP | G | A | Pts | PIM | ||
| 1973–74 | University of Michigan | NCAA | 36 | 3 | 12 | 15 | 14 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1974–75 | University of Michigan | NCAA | 40 | 5 | 15 | 20 | 26 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1975–76 | University of Michigan | NCAA | 42 | 5 | 16 | 21 | 58 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1976–77 | University of Michigan | NCAA | 45 | 5 | 37 | 42 | 32 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1976–77 | Fort Worth Texans | CHL | 3 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1977–78 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 48 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 27 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| 1977–78 | Springfield Indians | AHL | 19 | 1 | 7 | 8 | 18 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1978–79 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 78 | 4 | 41 | 45 | 26 | 2 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 2 | ||
| 1979–80 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 78 | 4 | 36 | 40 | 18 | 4 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | ||
| 1980–81 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 13 | 0 | 4 | 4 | 13 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980–81 | Houston Apollos | CHL | 28 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 23 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1980–81 | Indianapolis Checkers | CHL | 27 | 1 | 9 | 10 | 16 | 5 | 1 | 1 | 2 | 0 | ||
| 1981–82 | Los Angeles Kings | NHL | 5 | 0 | 2 | 2 | 0 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1981–82 | New Haven Nighthawks | AHL | 41 | 2 | 23 | 25 | 22 | 4 | 1 | 4 | 5 | 2 | ||
| 1982–83 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 60 | 1 | 10 | 11 | 21 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1983–84 | New Jersey Devils | NHL | 38 | 0 | 5 | 5 | 10 | — | — | — | — | — | ||
| 1983–84 | Maine Mariners | AHL | 33 | 5 | 10 | 15 | 10 | 17 | 3 | 10 | 13 | 8 | ||
| 1984–85 | Maine Mariners | AHL | 79 | 1 | 23 | 24 | 22 | 11 | 0 | 3 | 3 | 2 | ||
| 1985–86 | Maine Mariners | AHL | 73 | 2 | 10 | 12 | 18 | 5 | 0 | 0 | 0 | 0 | ||
| NHL totals | 320 | 9 | 101 | 110 | 115 | 8 | 1 | 2 | 3 | 6 | ||||