NY Islanders 2022-23 Player report card: Scott Mayfield has a career year

Scott Mayfield came into the 2022-23 season entering the final year of his contract. The NY Islanders defensive defenseman was on a bargain five year contract that held a $1.45 million average annual value. Drafted a developed through the Islanders system, the home grown talent blossomed into one of the more reliable stay at home defenders on the Islanders blue line. Following a career season, he may have priced himself out of the Islanders future.

*Read our previously Published player report cards:

-Sebastian Aho | Josh Bailey | Mathew Barzal | Samuel Bolduc | Casey Cizikas | Cal Clutterbuck |Noah Dobson | Pierre Engvall | Hudson Fasching | Simon Holmstrom | Bo Horvat| Ross Johnston | Matt Martin | Anders Lee

NY Islanders 2022-23 player report card: Scott Mayfield

Mayfield always had a bit of an underrated skating ability. The 6-5, 220lb defenseman showed flashes of being able to move the puck up the ice and even in the attacking zone. As a result, Mayfield accrued six goals and 18 assists for 24 points in 82 games this season. Head coach Lane Lambert did attempt to instill a more offensive approach to the Islanders' system, however, the Islanders eventually reverted back to their Trotz-ien defensive ways. As a defensive defenseman, 24 points is gravy based on the fact that the Islanders weren't really relying on Mayfield to provide offense.

Defensively, Mayfield has some hiccups. His physical game resulted in some pretty bad penalties and if you look at his penalty minutes in 2022-23, he had a career high of 83. In his own end, he also didn't excel at keeping offenders out of the slot/crease area, often driving them further into high-danger areas. As a result, he's on the negative side of the expected goal differential.

For having a career-high in points and providing in an area that was unexpected of him, but taking a dip in his defensive area of the game, Mayfield receives a C for his 2022-23. If this was it for Mayfield with the Islanders as a pending unrestricted free agent, he was certainly a valuable member of the team in his Islander career.