Islanders Record With & Without Scott Mayfield This Season

New York Islanders defenseman Scott Mayfield served as a healthy scratch for five straight games before re-entering the lineup on Apr. 4 against the Minnesota Wild. 

"I just want him to be himself," Islanders head coach Patrick Roy said prior to their 3-1 win, snapping a six-game losing streak (0-4-2). "I mean, he's a physical. He plays well defensively. He will help on the penalty kill, so it's a good opportunity for him."

In the win, Mayfield was a +1 in 14:51 minutes, and 1:28 on the penalty kill, which went 2-for-2, with one hit and zero turnovers. 

"I thought he was really good," Roy said postgame. "He was moving his feet. He was making good decisions with the puck. So, when he does that, he's becoming an asset for us."

After a strong showing, Mayfield was rewarded with another start against the Washington Capitals. 

Mayfield saw an uptick in his minutes, playing 19:01 in a 4-1 win, with 1:00 on the penalty kill. He had two blocks, one hit and a takeaway. 

With the win, the Islanders moved to 30-22-8 with Mayfield in the lineup this season. 

They are 4-10-2 with Mayfield out of the lineup.

Plus/- is a horrific stat to use when comparing players, given how many factors go into that number. But, on a team that has allowed their fair share of goals, Mayfield is leading the team with a +14.

Alexander Romanov is second amongst the defense at +9. 

Mayfield was having a very strong bounce-back season after he played 41 games last season with a broken ankle before being shut down in late February. 

But after he sustained a lower-body injury against the Tampa Bay Lightning on Feb. 1, a 3-2 win -- this was the same game where Mathew Barzal sustained his season-ending injury -- Mayfield's season took a turn. 

He missed the final four games before the NHL's 4 Nations Face-Off break, and upon returning against the Dallas Stars in the club's first game back, he struggled mightily. 

After that, he served as a healthy scratch in a 5-1 loss to the New York Rangers, a game where the team failed to box out Matt Rempe, a skill set Mayfield certainly possesses. 

He spent two more games in the scratch house before returning to the lineup in a 4-0 shutout loss to the Rangers on March 3rd. However, he served as the seventh defenseman, playing 9:04 minutes, his fewest TOI this season. 

Since that game, Mayfield has played in eight of the last 16 games, with the Islanders going 6-1-1 in those games and 1-5-2 without him. 

The 32-year-old is in his second season of a seven-year deal worth $3.5 million annually, with a full no-trade clause. 

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