NY Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield quietly enjoying bounce back season

New York Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield is the type of player that is playing well if you don't hear his name mentioned a lot on the broadcast. The veteran has never been flashy and never will be, but he is a stabling presence on the blueline when at his best, which is one of the reasons why GM Lou Lamoriello felt comfortable signing him to a seven-year contract as a third pair defenseman.

After signing his contract extension, Mayfield had more attention on him than in seasons past, with fans ready to criticize his play in an unfamiliar way due to his lengthy contract, which received criticism around the league for being unnecessarily long.

The year was a disaster for him. Mayfield hurt his ankle when it was struck with a puck late in the season opener, and it never quite healed. He later suffered an upper-body injury in December, and his overplay suffered. In addition to taking 15 minor penalties and struggling on the penalty kill, his offensive game also stepped back. After scoring 24 points the previous season, he had only five goals and no assists in 41 games last year before being placed on LTIR and having surgery.

"Scotty plays his best hockey when he keeps it simple," head coach Patrick Roy said after practice on Wednesday. "When he keeps things simple, moves the puck fast, he's playing solid hockey." Mayfield can get himself into trouble when he tries to overhandle the puck and skate it out of the zone, but he's avoided doing that for much of the season, leading to him leading the team in plus/minus at +12. His career-best was +18 during the 2018-19 season when the Islanders, as a team, allowed the fewest goals in the league. For that reason, this year's number is more impressive.

Another part of Mayfield's game that Roy appreciates is his adaptability. He can play with any of the other defenders and has maintained his play alongside Dennis Cholowski or rookie Isaiah George. While the team results aren't there, Mayfield has been back to playing his role, making his contract and the $3.5M AAV look much better than last season.