Scott Mayfield ready to take on mentorship role at NY Islanders training camp

As the New York Islanders opened training camp, veteran defenseman Scott Mayfield had high praise for top draft pick Matthew Schaefer, who is skating with NHL veterans for the first time.

“You can tell his skating out there is phenomenal,” Mayfield said after Thursday’s session. “He’s got that first step, he jumps up the ice. He’s a pretty special player.” Schaefer, the No. 1 overall pick in the 2025 draft, is stepping into a steep learning curve. But Mayfield noted that everyone has to adjust after the offseason, regardless of experience.

“There’s an adjustment for everyone, even guys that have played a thousand games,” Mayfield said. “You’re coming away from summer and getting into battles and real practice. I think he did very well out there.”

What impressed Mayfield most was Schaefer’s explosiveness in transition drills. “His first step is phenomenal. If you watch when we transition up the ice, he’s just boom boom, he’s already gone,” he said.

For Mayfield, who has played over a decade on the Islanders’ blue line, the focus now is being a mentor to the 18-year-old. “For me, it’s communication,” he said. “If he has a question, I can answer it. I know the systems and what the coaching staff expects. It’s about backing him up on the ice, talking to him, and just being that steady presence.”

That support extends off the ice, too. Mayfield said Schaefer has been spending time with veterans like Matt Martin, which has helped him fit in quickly. “He’s a likable kid and easy to be around. We’ve had some talks already, just getting to know each other. It’s been good so far.”

Mayfield also emphasized that he’s feeling ready for camp himself. After a summer of training focused on speed and conditioning, he’s eager to hit the ice alongside both familiar faces and new arrivals like Jonathan Drouin, Maxim Shabanov, and Emil Heineman.

“There’s definitely a lot of excitement with the new guys coming in,” Mayfield said. “Everyone’s ready to get camp started and start playing games.”