The Toronto Maple Leafs are in the market for a right-side defenseman.
Per Sportsnet’s Nick Kypreos, the team would certainly have an interest New York Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield.
The 32-year-old, who averages 17:37 minutes per game playing on the club’s bottom pairing and penalty kill, is in the second season of a seven-year deal at a manageable $3.5 million AAV.
On a struggling Islanders squad, Mayfield leads the team at +13.
“Mayfield is a big, right-shot defender who kills penalties, blocks shots, and is physical. Just the type of defenceman teams seek out at the trade deadline,” Kypreos said in his latest story for Sportsnet. “But he’s not a rental, which could potentially complicate things.
“Would the Islanders have to eat any money to make the deal work? Possibly, but considering the incoming cap spike, $3.5 million won’t be so challenging to manage as Mayfield ages into his mid-30s […] If Lou Lamoriello wants to move to Mayfield, there will be a market. The Maple Leafs would love to get this player.”
Mayfield has a full no-trade clause through 2025-26 before that changes to a 16-team no-trade clause for the remaining five years of his deal.
