The New York Islanders (17-19-7) woke up this morning in 15th place in the Eastern Conference, with a seven-point gulf between them and a playoff spot.

Scott Mayfield is a very intriguing name on the trade market this season, and now the Toronto Maple Leafs are one team that could make a play at the veteran.

The two new defensemen seem to fit in like a glove in a very small sample size. Their ability to see the ice and help the transition games by skating with the puck or moving the puck up the ice with stretch passes fits head coach Patrick Roy 's M.O. to a tee. Both can play quarterback on the power play, a skill the Islanders desperately need.

Right-side defenseman Ryan Pulock, who has been playing impressive hockey as of late, is in the third year of an eight-year deal worth $6.15 million. Left-side defenseman Adam Pelech, who is also in the third year of an eight-year deal, carries an annual cap hit of $5.75 million.

New York Islanders center Brock Nelson (29) celebrates after his goal with center ... is congratulated by defensemen Scott Mayfield (24) and Isaiah George (36) during the second period of an NHL hockey game against the San Jose Sharks, Saturday, Jan ...

When I was talking to Scott Mayfield last week in Las Vegas for a piece on what’s been a quietly resurgent season for No. 24, he said something that did not make it into the story but which caught my ear. “I think for us, we have a goal in here, and that’s to make playoffs and to win a Stanley Cup,” he said.

With 51 days until the NHL trade deadline, it's time to figure out who fits elsewhere and what the Islanders could get in return.

Snapshots from the New York Islanders 3-1 win over the Philadelphia Flyers on Friday, Jan. 24, 2025. Photos by Mike Stobe/NHLI via Getty Images, Al Bello and Josh Lobel via Getty Images, and Dennis DaSilva and Sam Johnston/New York Islanders.

New York Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield has emerged as a potential trade target ahead of the NHL's trade deadline set for March 7. According to Sportsnet's Nick Kypreos, the Leafs "would ...

Ilya Sorokin made 30 saves, and Simon Holmstrom scored a goal and added two assists as the Isles used their biggest third period outburst since March 2023 to earn a 5-2 victory over the Colorado Avalanche before a crowd of 15,735 at UBS Arena.

The 5-10, 175-pound Perunovich logged 18:52 and was a plus-2 with two shots, earning enough of Roy’s trust to play key shifts in the third period. Tony DeAngelo, signed out of the KHL on Friday, played 22:11 with two blocked shots as he also earned his first point as an Islander with an assist in his second game.

THROUGH GAMES OF WEDNESDAY, JAN. 29, 2025