3 NY Islanders Who May Be Gone by the Trade Deadline

Scott Mayfield

Mayfield was once a key part of the Isles’ defensive corps. However, decline and injuries have cast a shadow over Mayfield’s future on Long Island. While it’s fairly certain that Mayfield stays, there could be a situation in which Mayfield could find himself on the other end of a trade deadline deal.

For starters, let’s assume that Mayfield continues to struggle even after returning fully healthy to the lineup. At that point, his contract and cap hit could become a burden on the club. Now, the decision to trade Mayfield depends on where the Islanders stand in the playoff picture next season.

First, if the New York Islanders are on the bubble, and Mayfield is playing relatively well, the club could consider moving him for picks and cap relief.

Second, if the Isles are in the playoff conversation, but Mayfield struggles, the club could consider moving his contract in order to clear cap space to add help at the deadline. In that case, Mayfield could be a throw-in a part of a larger deal.

In the best of cases, Mayfield has a resurgent season and this entire point is moot. However, if Mayfield continues to struggle, Lou Lamoriello may find it difficult to find a taker for Mayfield. In that scenario, Mayfield could be a buyout candidate next summer.

This scenario could play out, particularly if the Isles find themselves struggling to re-sign Noah Dobson and desperately seeking cap relief.

Personally, I hope I’m dead wrong about this point. I expect Mayfield to bounce back and anchor the Isles’ bottom-four defense pairings. But there’s always the possibility that Mayfield doesn’t bounce back, making his contract dead weight.