Season Preview: Scott Mayfield

Scott Mayfield

Position: D
Height: 6'4"
Weight: 201 lbs
Birthdate: October 14th, 1992 (18 years old)
Birthplace: St. Louis, Missouri, United States of America
Acquired: Draft, 2nd round, 34th overall, 2011 NHL Entry Draft

2010-2011 Team: Youngstown Phantoms (USHL)
2010-2011 Stats: 7 G - 9 A - 16 P - 159 PIM
2011-2012 Team: University of Denver Pioneers
Team Role: Top 4 D-Man

Last year: Mayfield absolutely dominated last year in the USHL. He was a complete shut down defenseman who would use his body and his excellent control of the puck to shut opponents out from creating any type of play near him. This is not a defenseman who shies away from the physical aspect of the game. Equally impressive was the speed Mayfield was able to show even having his rugged,  6'4" frame. If what Mayfield showed in terms of his play can carry over to Denver for this coming season, we're in for a real treat.

Expectations: Mayfield is also known for his offensive prowess, so he needs to step that up this year playing for Denver. Even though he is coming in as a freshman, he is the tallest and biggest player of the UD defense corps and should be getting top 4 minutes by the end of the year. The jump from the USHL to the NCAA is quite substantial and Mayfield will be playing against players who are 1, 2 and 3 years ahead of him both in years and in development. If he can continue to work on his body, build muscle and refine his hockey sense that certainly needed some work last year, Mayfield should become the number one D-man for Denver within a year or two. Mayfield definitely has some competition on the depth chart such as John Lee (2007 Panthers 5th round pick) and Dave Makowski, but as long as he continues to refine his game, he shouldn't have a problem finding a slot on the 2nd D pairing this year.

Projections: 40 GP - 10 G - 12 A - 22 P - 86 PIM

Thoughts: 

AT: Just another gem out of the draft from Garth Snow, making the right pick at a great location in the draft. Originally thought to go in the late first round, Mayfield fell to us at 34. With comparisons to NHL greats like Chris Pronger and established d-men such as Victor Hedman, this pick really could end up being one of the steals of the draft. While as I mentioned his hockey sense, his offense and his body need work, Mayfield comes off as the complete D-man. If what we have here really matures into what his potential holds, well.. our D corps in a few years is looking mighty fine.

CH: Mayfield was drafted exactly where we rated him, pretty much, so right there you can call it a good value pick. He is going to a great program at Denver where he should get plenty of ice time and the ability to develop. Denver has recently developed prospects like Rhett Rakhshani, who was in the running for AHL Rookie of the Year, and Matt Donovan, a former USA WJC-20 member who is making is AHL debut this season. So right there you know he is in good hands. Obviously, Mayfield has great size and will need to use it as he fills into his body. He is a three to four year project, so we will not be seeing him any time soon, but like Alex says he does have very good potential. Given the fact that he filled an organizational need and is very skilled at his position, I'm very excited to see how he develops.

Prospects: Mayfield To USA Camp; Strome Contract? Not Yet

Kevin Allen has reported that Scott Mayfield has been invited to the USA Junior Evaluation Camp, which is the first step to being on the roster of the 2012 United States WJC-20 team in December.

CH: Mayfield is a top American talent, so it was surprising in itself that he was not on the original roster for the camp, but the fact is he is there now, and he'll have plenty of opportunity to showcase his skills. If USA Hockey needs his type of defenseman on the backline, they may go for him but with other options like Derek Forbort available, it may not be his time yet. And that's okay. He is clearly on the radar of USA Hockey and could be a shoe-in for the 2013 team as long as his play keeps up. For now, this is a great first step to showcase his skills.

AT: High hopes for Mr. Mayfield. He's still very young and Forbort, as Carey mentioned, is available. As he progresses in terms of skill and age, he will get the time he needs.

In other news, Katie Strang is reporting that Ryan Strome's camp and Garth Snow have not started discussions on an entry level deal. She did say, however, that the two sides will "touch base after camp."

CH: Deals have already been signed for Ryan Nugent-Hopkins and Mika Zibanejad, among others, but this is far from a big deal. Last year, Nino Niederreiter did not receive an ELC until training camp, and I expect the same for Strome. The Islanders are not in any rush to get this done, as they hold his rights until June 2013. It's obvious that Strome wants to be an Islander, and it's obvious the Islanders want him, so when they do sit down and talk, it should be a relatively smooth negotiation. Of course, if they want to do a deal this summer, his contract would not start until his 10th NHL game (in a single season), so the Islanders would have the option to slide the contract back a few years, much like they have done with Calvin de Haan. Regardless, signing Strome will have zero bearing on his chances to make the NHL squad. It's just something the team can do sooner rather than later, which

AT: Strome was wearing his Isles jersey even on the 2nd day of the draft. A deal will get done. Unlike Nino, I doubt he even gets the 9 game tryout after it is signed though. Strome is still fairly small and needs to bulk up. Nino at least had a body that was ready for NHL play. He will receive his contract soon and be developed properly. As it should be.

Draft: Islanders Select Scott Mayfield With the 34th Overall Pick

The New York Islanders have selected Scott Mayfield with the 34th Overall Pick in the 2011 NHL Entry Draft. Mayfield is a 6'4" defenseman who played for Youngstown in the USHL last season. He will play for the University of Denver in the fall.

CH: Mayfield is a fantastic selection for the Islanders here. He is a big, hulking defenseman who punishes opponents. He also started to develop his offensive game with Youngstown last season. He has very good hockey sense as well. For the Islanders, he is a perfect pick as he fills a great organizational need and could be considered the BPA at this spot in the draft. He will have plenty of time to develop at a great program in Denver. Long term, he has the potential to be a top-4 defenseman for the Islanders. There's no doubt this player improves the amateur and organizational defensive depth substantially. A great start to Day 2.

AT: Anyone following us on Twitter would know I wanted either Mayfield or Musil. Musil went 31st and Mayfield fell to us. He's committed to Denver for the 2011-2012 academic season so he won't be on the Island for at least a year. Love this pick by Snow. Wouldn't have minded Jurco either, but I'm ecstatic with this pick. 6'4", 200 pounds, big, mean, ready to throw hits. Ideal pick.