EAST MEADOW, N.Y. — New York Islanders president and general manager Lou Lamoriello announced on Tuesday that defenseman Scott Mayfield has been placed on long-term injured reserve (LTIR) due to a lower-body injury.
It is unclear whether or not this ends his 2023-24 regular season, but he will be reevaluated in four-to-six weeks.
“We’re going to shut it down until he gets completely healthy,” Lamoriello said, who admitted that this has been a lingering issue the 31-year-old blueliner has dealt with. “He got banged up a little bit. I don’t really remember exactly what game it was, but he’s been on and off with it and it’s come to the point where we have to shut it down.”
Mayfield has been out since Feb. 22 when he aggravated the issue during the Islanders’ 4-0 loss to the Blues in St. Louis. He has missed the last five games, which includes Tuesday night’s clash with the Blues at UBS Arena.
In 41 games this season, he has recorded five assists with a minus-7 rating — his first season of a seven-year extension he signed with New York over the summer.
“All year we’ve had guys step up,” defenseman Ryan Pulock said. “There hasn’t been a lot of games where that same lineup’s been in on the back end. That’s why you have other guys that can step up and fill that role. Obviously, Scott is a big presence here and has been for a long time… it’s hard to copy, but I think it’s just an opportunity for other guys to step up.”
With the trade deadline swiftly approaching on Friday, Lamoriello has the opportunity to bolster the defensive ranks with a deal. However, he first cited veteran blueliner Robert Bortuzzo, who is on LTIR and has been out since Jan. 2, as a stopgap.
Dealing with a lower-body injury, the 34-year-old Stanley Cup winner with the Blues could be back in the next week, per Lamoriello.
“The good news is that [Bortuzzo] has been skating for the last week,” Lamoriello said. “I feel that he’s maybe just another week away. So that certainly is going to be of help.”
