Mayfield could be Islanders most important blue liner in 2025-26

New York Islanders veteran blue liner Scott Mayfield could be the team’s most important blue liner next season. The reason for that assessment lies both on and off the ice. 

According to Daily Faceoff, the Islanders blue line features Alexander Romanov and Tony DeAngelo on the top pairing. Then, Adam Pelech and Ryan Pulock will reprise their roles as the shutdown pairing.

But the third pairing is where the most interesting situation lies. The Isles could feature top prospect Matthew Schaefer on the left side with Mayfield on the right. As such, the 32-year-old vet could play the most significant role on the team, serving as Schaefer’s mentor.

Pairing Schaefer with Mayfield actually makes a lot of sense. Mayfield is a typical stay-at-home blue liner. He’s not flashy, but dependable when healthy. He doesn’t make silly gaffes, if slow at times.

So, pairing Schaefer with Mayfield allows the Isles’ first-overall pick to be himself. He can drive the puck, without having to worry about becoming fodder for other teams’ top scorers. 

It’s almost a given that sheltering Schaefer would be the best way to break him into the NHL. But the fact of the matter is that Schaefer will need a strong veteran presence to help him ease into a full-time NHL role.

Now, there’s no guarantee that Schaefer will play the entire season with the Islanders. He could get a sample and potentially head back to the OHL. But if he sticks with the team, having someone like Scott Mayfield could be the best path forward.

Mayfield, Schaefer critical to Islanders’ success in 2025-26

Let’s assume that Scott Mayfield and Matthew Schaefer spend the bulk of the season together. Their chemistry and ability to gel as a defensive pair could become critical to the Islanders’ success this upcoming season.

Mayfield will be counted upon to play his usual strong defensive role, while Schaefer could inject much-needed speed, skill, and scoring to the Islanders’ blue line. The way it’s currently shaping up, the Islanders don’t have much scoring from the back end. That’s why Schaefer could take on a critical role for the Islanders.

Could Schaefer turn in a performance like Lane Hutson did this past season?

It’s not impossible to rule out. But it’s also somewhat unlikely. But one thing is certain: A Mayfield-Schaefer pairing could turn into an unusually successful one. It has the potential to become the NHL’s most effective third-pairing. If the Islanders indeed deploy Schaefer and Mayfield together, the league will take notice of how young, up-and-coming blue liners’ development should be handled.