The New York Islanders made a notable lineup change ahead of their Saturday matchup against the New Jersey Devils in Newark, scratching defenseman Scott Mayfield in favor of newly signed Ben Hutton, who made his debut with the club.
Hutton’s addition had been expected since he signed off his professional tryout contract on Thursday. The surprise came in how coach Pete DeBoer deployed him, skating Hutton on the left side alongside Matt Kessel rather than keeping Mayfield in the lineup.
Mayfield has reportedly struggled to hold his spot on the depth chart since training camp, though he has arguably outplayed Kessel in recent games. His absence was notable given his role on the penalty kill, which the Islanders may need more than ever with Ryan Pulock sidelined by an upper-body injury.
In the three games since Pulock went down, Mayfield had led the team in 4-on-5 ice time as the penalty kill converted 10 of 11 opportunities. That track record looked prescient Saturday, as the Islanders killed four penalties in a 5-4 overtime loss to the Devils, relying on just three defensemen shorthanded while leaning on Logan Stanley and Adam Pelech — both of whom also took penalties during the game.
“He’s a part of [the penalty kill],” DeBoer said of Mayfield before the game. “When you make those decisions, guys come out and we’re well aware of some of the strengths of the guys coming out. Also some of the strengths of guys going in. I think if we take five or six penalties tonight we’re in trouble anyway. We gotta stay out of the box.”
After the game, DeBoer praised the penalty-killing unit’s performance, noting that “all penalty killers get fatigued” when facing that many opportunities.
Trade Rumors and Roster Pressure
The lineup decision comes amid persistent trade speculation surrounding Mayfield, which both the player and general manager Mathieu Darche have publicly dismissed. The Islanders currently sit one player short of the roster limit, and the situation could grow more complicated once Mathew Barzal, Matias Maccelli and Calum Ritchie are all activated from injury.
Both Barzal and Maccelli participated fully in Saturday’s optional morning skate and could return to action soon. To avoid waiving a player once that trio is activated, the Islanders could place Pulock on injured reserve instead.
Mayfield holds a no-trade clause and cannot be dealt without his consent, but the team could still place him on waivers — a tactic that could pressure him into agreeing to a trade. The New York Rangers used a similar approach a few years ago to secure Jacob Trouba’s agreement to waive his no-trade protection, a move that drew criticism at the time.
DeBoer said after Saturday’s game that he had not yet determined whether Barzal or Maccelli would travel with the team to California for Sunday’s game against the San Jose Sharks, saying he first needed to consult with the team’s medical staff.
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