Former NY Islanders beat reporter isn't a fan of Scott Mayfield's fighting skills

Since his first game with the NY Islanders during the 2013-14 season, Scott Mayfield has never backed down from a fight and has always defended his teammates. But one former Islanders beat writer is not impressed with Mayfield’s fighting skills.

“I say this with love. Scotty is always willing to fight, but he may be the worst fighter in the league who’s always willing to fight,” Arthur Staple said on the Tri-State Hockey Podcast. “He just never seems to win one of these. He’s such a big dude, and he’s willing to throw down.”

Though he may not be the biggest fan of Mayfield’s fighting skills, Staple spoke of the respect he has for the Islanders’ veteran.

“This is a really tight-knit group that loves each other, and he’s a big part of that,” Staple said. “He’s a big personality, and he’s always willing to drop the gloves.”

Despite the drop in fights across the NHL over recent years, Mayfield has remained one of the Islanders’ enforcers, with 47 fights over his NHL career. 

Though he’s been a staple in the Islanders lineup with four more seasons remaining on his contract, he is in the midst of a position battle with Peter DeBoer experimenting with Matthew Schaefer on the right side.

Spending years as an Islanders beat writer for Newsday and The Athletic, Staple has spent years around the organization. Along with Michael Rupp and Johnny Lazarus, you can hear Staple on the Tri-State Hockey podcast, which covers the islanders, New York Rangers, and the New Jersey Devils.

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