Kyle Criscuolo

Kyle Criscuolo (born May 5, 1992) is an American professional ice hockey forward for the Charlotte Checkers of the American Hockey League (AHL).

Playing career
As a youth, Criscuolo played in the 2005 Quebec International Pee-Wee Hockey Tournament with the Philadelphia Flyers minor ice hockey team.

Raised in Southampton Township, New Jersey, Criscuolo played high school hockey for two seasons at Choate Rosemary Hall in Connecticut and at St. Joseph's Preparatory School in Philadelphia for three seasons.

Criscuolo played in the United States Hockey League with the Sioux City Musketeers before committing and playing collegiate hockey with Harvard University in the ECAC. Criscuolo despite his frame, continued to develop his offensive talent, playing the final two years of his tenure with the Crimson on the top scoring line alongside, Jimmy Vesey and Alexander Kerfoot.

Undrafted, Criscuolo began his professional career at the conclusion of his senior year in the 2015–16 season. He signed a one-year American Hockey League deal for the following 2016–17 season, with the Grand Rapids Griffins on March 29, 2016, and joined the club on an amateur try-out in the closing stretches of the regular season.

In his first full professional season, Criscuolo played in all 76 regular season games with the Griffins and contributed 17 goals and 41 points. He posted 9 points in 19 post-season contests to help the Griffins claim their second Calder Cup in franchise history.

On July 1, 2017, Criscuolo as a free agent agreed to his first NHL deal, signing a two-year entry-level contract with the Buffalo Sabres. He was reassigned by the Sabres at the completion of training camp to the Rochester Americans of the AHL to begin the 2017–18 season. He added 11 points in 14 games before he was recalled from the Americans to the Sabres on November 16, 2017. He made his debut with the Sabres against the Detroit Red Wings, the NHL affiliate of the Grand Rapids Griffins, in a 3–1 defeat on November 17, 2017.

On July 1, 2019, Criscuolo left the Sabres as a free agent to sign a one-year, two-way contract with hometown team, the Philadelphia Flyers. In the following 2019–20 season, Criscuolo was assigned to AHL affiliate, the Lehigh Valley Phantoms. He collected 8 goals and 24 points in 40 games before he was dealt at the NHL trade deadline by the Flyers along with a 2020 fourth-round draft pick to the Anaheim Ducks in exchange for Derek Grant on February 24, 2020.

As a free agent from the Ducks in the off-season, Criscuolo returned for a second stint with the Detroit Red Wings' organization, agreeing to a one-year, two-way contract with the team on October 9, 2020. On January 12, 2021, the Red Wings assigned Criscuolo to the Grand Rapids Griffins. On July 28, 2021, Criscuolo agreed to a two-year, two-way contract extension to remain with the Red Wings.

During his final season under contract with the Red Wings in 2022–23, Criscuolo registered 5 goals and 10 points through 28 regular season games with the Griffins. On January 18, 2023, he was traded by the Red Wings to the San Jose Sharks in exchange for Jasper Weatherby. He was immediately reassigned to continue in the AHL with the San Jose Barracuda. Recalled to the Sharks, on April 1, 2023, Criscuolo scored his first career NHL goal in a 7–2 win over the Arizona Coyotes.

Leaving the Sharks as a free agent, Criscuolo was signed by the New Jersey Devils to a one-year, two-way contract on July 1, 2023, for the 2023–24 season.

After a lone season within the Devils organization, Criscuolo left as a free agent and was signed to a one-year AHL contract with the Charlotte Checkers, who serve as the primary affiliate to the Florida Panthers, on July 9, 2024.