 Mäkelä made his NHL debut with the Islanders in the 1985–86 season.In four-plus seasons with the Islanders, Mäkelä scored 95 goals, including 37 in the 1987–88 season.The Islanders traded Mäkelä to the Los Angeles Kings during the 1989–90 season in exchange for Hubie McDonough and Ken Baumgartner.