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...
Islanders Are Teasing A Jersey Fans Will Instantly Recognize
The Islanders spent part of their social media feed building suspense around a jersey reveal, and they did it in a way longtime fans will recognize right away. The teaser leaned into the franchises nautical history and the Fisherman Era, a look that still gets people talking whenever it comes back into the conversation, even before any actual design details are shown.
What made the post stand out was the puzzle wrapped around it, a coded message that pointed toward something new while clearly reaching back to an old theme. The club has not yet shown the crest, colors or striping, but the setup suggests a jersey meant to stir up instant memories for Islanders fans who know exactly what that style means. [Read more 🡒]
Barzals Knee Trouble Just Became A Bigger Islanders Concern
Mathew Barzals return to the Islanders after a long recovery had already been encouraging, but the bigger picture around his left knee remains unsettled. After missing significant time and working his way back into NHL action, the center has still been dealing with recurring inflammation despite being medically cleared, a reminder that a clean bill of health does not always mean the problem is fully behind a player.
The concern is now less about the initial injury and more about what keeps showing up afterward. Barzals ongoing issues have even affected his participation in other hockey events, and rehabilitation specialist Darren McConaghy has pointed to the possibility that there may be underlying physical limitations conventional exams are not fully catching. For the Islanders, that leaves a familiar question hanging over one of their most important players: how reliable is the knee going forward? [Read more 🡒]
Kings Face An Islanders Decision That Could Test Their Momentum
The Islanders close out a two-game homestand at UBS Arena against the Kings with a familiar-looking lineup and a notable turn in goal. Semyon Varlamov gets the start, giving New York a chance to lean on a veteran netminder in a spot that has a little extra weight attached to it after a long wait for this kind of assignment in front of the home crowd.
New York is otherwise keeping things mostly intact from its previous game, with Kyle MacLean, Mitchell Chaffee and Casey Cizikas together on the fourth line. On defense, Matthew Kessel stays in the mix, adding another small wrinkle to a blue line that has been adjusted just enough to make the decision tree interesting as the Islanders try to finish the homestand on a steady note. [Read more 🡒]