Ben Shelley: Mayfield Could Become Expendable

Seems about a year early to be talking about dumping Mayfield to me. I think, if he has a good camp, that Dobson will maybe get a 9 game look to start the season. I assume Mayfield and/or Boychuk would be the ones sitting depending on how many games he plays.

But next season when things could potentially get tight with the cap...Mayfield (or Hickey) should be relatively easy to move to get a little breathing room should Dobson or Wilde be able to make the jump. If Dobson is ready, I could see both Mayfield and Hickey being traded to make room for him and Aho.

Nice write up Ben however, lets not jump the gun. playing "D"in the NHL is a bit tougher than in Juniors but they both look like they have NHL in their not to distant future.

Snow did an unbelievable job on the 2018 draft

I'm assuming Boychuk's injury was not major but you never know and solid time in jr's does not mean the jump to the NHL for Dobson and Wilde, especially since they like to season these guys for a couple of years in the AHL.

Mayfield's play this past season & value of his contract is too good right now to even think about moving. There will always be injuries to dmen and Mayfield is a perfect player to either start or replace in lineup if a rook surprisingly makes team next year.

nice write up Ben

My 2 cents..
I am a big fan of Mayfield. His work ethic has been talked about for the past few years in Isles circles and he seems to come back to camp in better Condition and a little bit faster and stronger each year. He just seems like the kind of guy you don't want to lose b/c as you pointed out he has a great contract, big body and seems to get better every year. ... My guess is Boychuck will be done before they have to move Mayfield. ...

His Bro flying F-16 for U.S. Air Force is pretty cool too. https://www.nhl.com/islan...itary-service/c-292852996

I'm assuming Boychuk's injury was not major but you never know and solid time in jr's does not mean the jump to the NHL for Dobson and Wilde, especially since they like to season these guys for a couple of years in the AHL.
- Fan101

Dobson isn't AHL-eligible yet. He's arguably the best prospect playing in the CHL and he's probably too good to go back to Rouyn-Noranda next year but it's his only option outside of playing in the NHL full-time. He's probably ready for a 9-game look to see how he stacks up to the rest of the league. If he's not clearly excelling during that time period then you slide his contract and send him back to the Q with no harm done and some nice change in his pocket.

Wilde is AHL eligible and probably should go there, but he could also go back to the OHL for continued work on his defensive game. He's got the size to handle the pro game already and I'd prefer to see him in Bridgeport...but I'd understand if he went back to Saginaw.

Seems about a year early to be talking about dumping Mayfield to me. I think, if he has a good camp, that Dobson will maybe get a 9 game look to start the season. I assume Mayfield and/or Boychuk would be the ones sitting depending on how many games he plays.

But next season when things could potentially get tight with the cap...Mayfield (or Hickey) should be relatively easy to move to get a little breathing room should Dobson or Wilde be able to make the jump. If Dobson is ready, I could see both Mayfield and Hickey being traded to make room for him and Aho.
- eichiefs9

But but but nobody will take Mayfield and that league worst contract Suck it

Dobson isn't AHL-eligible yet. He's arguably the best prospect playing in the CHL and he's probably too good to go back to Rouyn-Noranda next year but it's his only option outside of playing in the NHL full-time. He's probably ready for a 9-game look to see how he stacks up to the rest of the league. If he's not clearly excelling during that time period then you slide his contract and send him back to the Q with no harm done and some nice change in his pocket.

Wilde is AHL eligible and probably should go there, but he could also go back to the OHL for continued work on his defensive game. He's got the size to handle the pro game already and I'd prefer to see him in Bridgeport...but I'd understand if he went back to Saginaw.
- eichiefs9

The d we have now has a lot of good skill level but the "battle level factor" of a Dobson may earn him a look since that is what makes teams better in the playoffs.

But but but nobody will take Mayfield and that league worst contract Suck it
- Vukota

"Mat Barzal is garbage"

- Vukota, circa 2015

"Mat Barzal is garbage"

- Vukota, circa 2015
- eichiefs9

No shot

Ben .......don't quit your day job! Trade a young guy in his prime on a cap friendly contract, l guess anybody can blog these days....... hockey knowledge not required.

No shot
- Vukota

oh sorry I thought we were making stuff up that each other said

There certainly was a lot of people on these boards who thought Mayfield's contract was insane at the time. If you defended it at all you were a Snow apologist.

Nice job Ben! Isles have a ton of options on D and can use D to trade for forwards.

There certainly was a lot of people on these boards who thought Mayfield's contract was insane at the time. If you defended it at all you were a Snow apologist.
- niteislander

More than happy to admit that, as of today, I was wrong about Mayfield. It still seems bizarre that they were handing out long-term deals to Pelech/Mayfield/Johnston (mainly the last one) at the time.

Mayfield and Pelech hadn't really proven much and those long-term deals at a low cap hit were a roll of the dice and they worked out. Pelech's carved out a niche for himself playing with Pulock on the top pair and Mayfield has meshed well with Toews, although is really still a third pairing guy. Johnston getting a 5 year deal is still a full-on comedy show, albeit one that doesn't really have a noticeable impact on the cap since he can (and should) be buried in the minors.

I still see Mayfield as expendable, but at his current cap hit there's no rushing him out the door. Boychuk would be the best candidate for being jettisoned since, starting in July, his full-NMC changes to a modified NTC where he can list 8 teams he'll accept a trade to. Unlikely that anyone will want him with three years left on that deal, but he's probably expansion draft cannon fodder and that has some value.

Nice job Ben! Isles have a ton of options on D and can use D to trade for forwards.
- ses111

I'm not ready to rush the specs when this team has had numerous injuries to dmen and not know what to expect. Only dman I may consider to trade is Leddy bc of the emergence of Teows & development of Aho.
Leddy at $6m and barely shoots the puck and considered offensive, I'd try to move.

I don't really hate the Mets or anything but boy are they one giant perpetual comedy show

Tim Britton @TimBritton
6m
Van Wagenen: Yoenis Cespedes suffered “ankle fractures” in an accident at his ranch in Port St. Lucie on Saturday night.

I don't really hate the Mets or anything but boy are they one giant perpetual comedy show

Tim Britton @TimBritton
6m
Van Wagenen: Yoenis Cespedes suffered “ankle fractures” in an accident at his ranch in Port St. Lucie on Saturday night.
- eichiefs9

It sometimes seems the Mets and Jets are run by the same people.

I'm not ready to rush the specs when this team has had numerous injuries to dmen and not know what to expect. Only dman I may consider to trade is Leddy bc of the emergence of Teows & development of Aho.
Leddy at $6m and barely shoots the puck and considered offensive, I'd try to move.
- Hell_Bent

I would also not be in a rush to move Mayfield. Have to think he is not being moved this year. Leddy could be another story and could be worth moving this year.

Leddy's play is mainly due to Trotz system and Leddy has not looked unhappy. Leddy and JB have been a solid pair
Mayfield has shown improvement every year which is not the definition of expendable. Can't jump decision on Dobson til we see him at NHL or AHL pro level. If he burns up AHL, they will be forced to promote him.

I would also not be in a rush to move Mayfield. Have to think he is not being moved this year. Leddy could be another story and could be worth moving this year.
- ses111

I’m not moving either until the kids prove they are ready.

I’m not moving either until the kids prove they are ready.
- nyisles7

I do think Aha is ready but Dobson and Wilde should get another year.

I do think Aha is ready but Dobson and Wilde should get another year.
- ses111

Meh, to be honest I wasn’t very impressed with Aho When he was up here last year.
Decent year in BP but that’s a different league.
Could be a different scenario with Lou here but I don’t know. I guess time will tell.

To be honest, you had the best GA in the league last year with this d core I don’t want to trade them before they can be adequately replaced.

Meh, to be honest I wasn’t very impressed with Aho When he was up here last year.
Decent year in BP but that’s a different league.
Could be a different scenario with Lou here but I don’t know. I guess time will tell.

To be honest, you had the best GA in the league last year with this d core I don’t want to trade them before they can be adequately replaced.
- nyisles7

Big difference with no defense Doug. Aho should be much better with Barry.The problem is if the Isles have trouble in FA brining in Panarin or Duchene, Leddy may need to be moved for a top 6.