18 teams decided to make a scouting trip to watch the Leafs vs. the Sharks with the Islanders one of those teams as Toronto could revisit a trade for an old target.
Monday night was a must-win for the Maple Leafs as they needed to show not only the rest of the league but their dedicated fans that this season is not already lost, and that things are merely going to be a little bumpy as the team settles in.
That started off well with a fantastic game against the Sharks as not only did they come away with a 3-1 win, but managed to give up less than 3 goals, got Sergei Bobrovsky their first win, and managed to find themselves scoring twice on the power play - a bit of a pressing issue lately.
But the Maple Leafs and Islanders were not the only teams in attendance on Monday night, as there were a bunch of clubs who decided to check out the game. In fact, a total of 18 teams sent scouts to the Maple Leafs vs. Sharks game, with over half the NHL looking at the contest:
The Leafs have been looking for additional upgrades on the blueline since the summer.
As the search, and talks continue, 18 teams have scouts/reps at tonight's Sharks/Leafs game: LA, DET (2), CGY, EDM, FLA, STL, VGK, COL, NYR, CBJ, PHI, WPG, WAS, TB, NYI, MTL, VAN, DAL
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Interestingly, only Detroit was the only team to send multiple scouts, and with several trades potentially lurking out of the Motor City, they wanna get as much intel as possible. Also curiously, non-contenders like Calgary, Philadelphia, and Vancouver were also in attendance - perhaps looking to dump NHL-ready talent for future prospects.
Islanders may emerge with the best piece for the Maple Leafs
But one team has emerged as a club that holds a piece the team has long since coveted, and has been eager to get their hands on even as late as last season:
TOR looking for D. I believe TOR inquired about Mayfield last season. Believe they've stayed in touch. Mayfield (full NTC) has been a healthy scratch for 6 of 8 games this season. Won't play tomorrow, either.
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Mayfield, 34, has zero points in two games played this season as he lost his lineup spot with the Islanders. He's a shutdown defender who loves to block shots, hit hard, and be the replacement Toronto needs for Chris Tanev (despite being an older vet himself).
Even back as far as 2022, the team was potentially in the mix for Mayfield, as Sportsnet had an inkling that Mayfield even back then would make a good addition:
Mayfield is a cap-friendly, 29-year-old right shot logging more than 20 minutes per night for the first time in his career. He makes less than Justin Holl ($2 million) and plays with more edge. That means he throws more hits, blocks more rubber but also spends more time in the penalty box.
Dubas would not only covet Mayfield's size (6-foot-5, 220 pounds) but his offensive upside and fantastic underlying metrics. Bonus: Mayfield elevates his effort come postseason, posting 13 points, 120 blocked shots and 118 hits in 51 playoff games.
Mayfield is still a cheap option at $3.5M for the next four years, but again we run into the issue of an over-35-year-old defender in the lineup. It doesn't help with their speed, nor do they get younger however they do get at least a little better in their own end.
It wouldn't take much to take Mayfield off the Islanders' hands, and a package for draft picks or a mid-tier prospect should do the trick. It solves a pressing need for the Maple Leafs and brings some stability to the back end.
Do you think Toronto should acquire Scott Mayfield from the New York Islanders?
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