As the 2023 NHL Trade Deadline gets closer, the New York Islanders are sitting in the top wild-card spot in the Eastern Conference with 22 games to go in the regular season. Defenseman Scott Mayfield is in the final year of a team-friendly deal, signed in Jan. 2018, a five-year extension with an average annual value (AAV) of $1.45 million. Mayfield has been a vital piece of the Islanders’ strong and successful defense, and general manager (GM) Lou Lamoriello needs to decide whether the team will offer him another extension before he becomes a free agent this summer or try to recoup some assets for him at the deadline. Mayfield would be a great addition to a playoff team’s bottom pairing.
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The St. Louis native has played his entire career for the Islanders. He has never hit free agency and would be an attractive piece on the market if he remains unsigned, commanding somewhere between $3-4 million annually, which is a fair price for what he brings to the table. The problem is the Islanders have salary cap issues, and it might be smarter for Lamoriello to deal Mayfield to a Cup contender to get back some of the assets he gave away in the Bo Horvat deal. With just over a week until the deadline, Lamoriello has a big decision to make.
Mayfield Has No Intention of Leaving
Mayfield was drafted by the Islanders 34th overall in 2011 and has been a mainstay on the blue line for the past six seasons. After 406 career games with the Islanders, he has no intention of leaving. “I love it here. My wife loves it here. We’ve kind of set up, we have a house now. I love the guys in the room, I love the ownership, I love the front office, coaching staff, they coach the way I like. It’s an ideal situation. We like it there a lot.” (from ‘Scott Mayfield offers ringing Islanders endorsement ahead of free agency’, NY Post, 1/14/23)
The Islanders’ core is a tight-knit group that has been together for many years. Lamoriello might believe in his group and will offer Mayfield a long-term extension to stick around, especially if the team is in a playoff spot — why would they deal one of their main pieces on the blue line in that position?
Mayfield brings so much to a team that is struggling defensively. He has incredible size, physicality, and a very underrated shot. He has already set a career-high in goals with five this season, and has earned a long-term extension, but this would require some cap maneuvering during the offseason to keep the core intact. Mayfield was also a key part of the Islanders’ defense core during their consecutive Eastern Conference Final runs in 2020 and 2021.
The Market for Mayfield
If Lamoriello decides to consider dealing Mayfield, there should be plenty of interest in him. According to Elliotte Friedman earlier this month, the Boston Bruins are in the market for a defenseman and so are the Toronto Maple Leafs, Calgary Flames, and Edmonton Oilers. The return for Mayfield could be substantial, especially if Jacob Chychrun, Vladislav Gavrikov, and Luke Schenn all get dealt in the next few days. Mayfield then becomes one of the top rental options still available.
Mayfield would be a huge upgrade for a playoff team that needs defensive depth. He has proven he can rise to the occasion in the postseason and the cost would likely be a mid-round pick plus a prospect. The Islanders traded their first-round pick in 2023 and their third-round pick in 2022 to the Arizona Coyotes as part of the Andrew Ladd trade, and Mayfield would be the organization’s top rental candidate. This could be a major opportunity for Lamoriello to stockpile some draft picks or prospects.
Decision Time for Lamoriello
If Lamoriello trades Mayfield, it will be a major blow to the locker room because of how tight knit the group is. It will also leave a huge hole on the right side of the Islanders’ blue line that they will have to replace. If he decides to sign Mayfield during the offseason, it will cause some cap issues that must be sorted out.
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The Islanders could open up some cap room by moving Josh Bailey or pending unrestricted free agent (UFA) Semyon Varlamov, but it’s unlikely they will find a team to take on Bailey’s contract. The clock is ticking, and the next few games will likely decide if the Islanders will be buyers or sellers at the deadline. One thing is for sure, Mayfield has no intention of going anywhere else and would prefer to remain on the Island for his entire career.
