Scott Mayfield’s future with the New York Islanders is starting to look shaky.
According to The Fourth Period, the 34-year-old defenseman may be nearing the end of his run with the team. Mayfield has three years left on his contract, which carries a $3.5 million cap hit, and he has a full no-movement clause this season before it changes to a 16-team no-trade list. He has also been a healthy scratch in all but two games.
If the Islanders do decide to move him, there are already clubs around the league that could be in the market for help on the blue line. The Anaheim Ducks, Los Angeles Kings, Chicago Blackhawks, and Seattle Kraken are among the teams mentioned as possible fits. Meanwhile, the Nashville Predators and Toronto Maple Leafs are believed to be targeting a defenseman in his mid- to late 20s.
Across the league, the Buffalo Sabres are signaling confidence in their goaltending plans. Sabresource reported that Sabres GM Jarmo Kekalainen said, “We believe in our goaltending… Ukko-Pekka Luukkonen is a really good goaltender who has a lot to give to the Buffalo Sabres and will be a big part of our future”
In Los Angeles, Drew Doughty is showing openness to a contract that keeps him with the Kings, even if it comes at a discount. Andrew Knoll of RG reported that the 36-year-old defenseman, a pending UFA, hired Pat Brisson of CAA as his agent after previously representing himself. Doughty explained his decision this way:
“Well, now that I am later in my career, and the Kings didn’t want to sign me this offseason, I decided it was a good idea to have that, you know what I mean? I don’t want to leave, first off, but I don’t want to be going up and talking to (GM) Ken (Holland) by myself throughout this season to hopefully get a deal done.
That was basically it. I just wanted someone in my corner to get that stuff done.”
He said he is prepared to take a deal that helps the team, but also acknowledged the Kings could decide to go in a different direction.
“Yeah, that’s been the plan. The thing is, though, that even “team-friendly” has kind of gone up with some of these contracts.
I’m gonna take a team-friendly contract to stay here, there’s no doubt about it. I want to stay here.
I’d never want to play anywhere else.
But, at the same time, if the Kings want to move on from me, then I’ve gotta move on, too, and that’s just the way she goes, that’s the business. I hope they don’t want to, and I think with the way I’m playing right now I don’t think they will, but, yeah, it is what it is.”
In Other News...
Kings Face Another Forward Depth Test With Jared Wright Back
The Kings are leaning on familiar organizational depth again, with Jared Wright recalled from the Ontario Reign to give the club another forward option after recent injuries thinned the lineup. The move restores Los Angeles to a full 23-man active roster, a small but important reset for a team that has already had to keep one eye on the AHL for reinforcements this season.
Wright has been bounced between Los Angeles and Ontario multiple times, and his return figures to come with the same kind of practical assignment he has handled before. After appearing in one NHL game earlier this season, he is expected to fit into a bottom-six role if he gets into the lineup, giving the Kings a depth piece they know and have leaned on before. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Fans Will Be Saddened By News About Former Forward Ron Duguay
Ron Duguay, one of the most recognizable figures of his era and a former New York Rangers forward, has died after a battle with colon cancer. The Rangers organization and the NHL Alumni both mourned his loss publicly, a reflection of how widely respected he remained long after his playing days ended. For fans who remember the flair he brought to the ice, the news lands hard.
Duguay spent 499 games with New York and finished among the franchises top goal scorers, leaving behind a lasting imprint on one of the leagues most storied teams. Even for Kings fans, the announcement resonates because it serves as a reminder of how many familiar names from that era shaped the NHLs identity, and how quickly those memories can turn into tributes. [Read more 🡒]
Kings Face An Islanders Decision That Could Test Their Momentum
The Kings arrive at UBS Arena with the Islanders wrapping up a two-game homestand, and the matchup comes with a few familiar lineup notes on New Yorks side. Semyon Varlamov is set to get the start in goal, while the Islanders are keeping most of the same structure from their last outing, including Kyle MacLean, Mitchell Chaffee and Casey Cizikas together on the fourth line.
On defense, the Islanders are sticking with Matthew Kessel beside Tony DeAngelo, another sign that Patrick Roy is looking for continuity as the club tries to settle in at home. For the Kings, its the kind of game where a stable opponent can still create an awkward challenge, especially if the Islanders get the sort of goaltending boost that can tilt a tight late-season night. [Read more 🡒]