NY Islanders place Scott Mayfield on LTIR

Last appearing in a game for the NY Islanders on Feb. 22 against the St. Louis Blues, Scott Mayfield has officially been placed on LTIR. The lower-body injury will shut down the defenseman for 4-6 weeks while the organization determines whether surgery will be necessary.

In addition to shutting down Mayfield, Hudson Fasching has been activated off LTIR, after playing his last three games with the Bridgeport Islanders on a conditioning stint.

The injury bug has plagued Mayfield since the first game of the season, where he suffered a lower-body injury after blocking a shot against the Buffalo Sabres. He's struggled to stay healthy, as this injury could be a re-aggravation of something suffered earlier in the year.

"Obviously Scotty is a big presence here and has been for a long time," said Ryan Pulock. "All the things he does on the PK and different areas of his game, it's hard to copy that, but it's an opportunity for other guys to step in."

With Mayfield on LTIR, his $3.5M salary hit will be available for the Islanders to use as the trade deadline is just three days away. Sebastian Aho has filled in for Mayfield the last four games but is playing on his off-side. Robert Bortuzzo is close to returning, but Lou Lamoriello may want to upgrade the position as the team pushes for a playoff spot.

Lamoriello confirmed the team would not be selling off assets before the deadline, appearing as if the team would be going for it in typical Lamoriello fashion.

"If we can add, we will," said Lamoriello. "Are we going to subtract? absolutely not."

According to CapFriendly, the Isles now have $4.45M in LTIR space (Mayfield and Bortuzzo), with $2,487,500 in usable space available.

The bode of confidence in the team has already resonated through the team, specifically Lamoriello's star player, Mat Barzal.

I like hearing that," said Barzal. "I'm excited that Lou said that."

The Islanders could be in the market for another defenseman and a winger. Pressed against the cap all season, having Mayfield's $3.5M available makes adding to the roster much easier for Lamoriello.

Any defenseman brought in would likely only be a rental as the right side of the Islanders' blue line is pretty solidified for the future, as Mayfield and Adam Pelech both have six years remaining on their contracts, and all signs point to Alexander Romanov re-signing after his contract expires following next season.