From a stats standpoint I could see where you would think he'd be like McIlrath but honestly, he's closer to a Alex Pietrangelo or Derek Forbort in his skill-set. Huge kid, easily 6'4 and whether he weighs as much as he is listed (200) or not, he has a huge frame that could fill out to about 215-220. Fluid skater, likes to move the puck up ice to his forwards.
Good at moving the puck, whether it is lugging it up ice or sending a breakout pass to a forward.
He needs to simplify his game and improve his judgment with the puck...he often throws it to open ice or chips it into the neutral zone instead of carrying it out. It's probably an okay habit to develop going into the more structured NCAA circuit but does nothing to benefit him from an offensive standpoint.
I spoke with AJ Toews, a Caps scout, when I was attending a Youngstown game last week and he said that Mayfield doesn't play to his abilities when in the USHL. That when he is playing in tournaments, he is an absolute beast.
He's not overly physical. That's not to say he shies away from contact, because he absolutely doesn't, but when you watch him play, you'll see he's very much a finesse player in a big man's frame. Smooth, swift skater, carries the puck with tons of poise, and loves the offensive side of the game.
He'd make a great fit in a puck-possession oriented team that doesn't have an immediate need on defense, such as Nashville, Detroit, or his favorite team, the Blues. Hard to say how long into the first round he will last however.
From a character perspective he is a really good kid. Not a loud presence in the dressing room or on the ice, he prides himself in working hard and leading by example. When I spoke to him, it was obvious that he was happy to get the positive attention, but he seemed more concerned about Youngstown getting out of the current losing streak they are in than anything he may have accomplished on a personal level. He also makes no excuses about the relatively disappointing season he is having from a point production standpoint. I and others know that he is playing on a team that is offensively challenged but he will not make any excuses, instead saying he needs to work harder.
Here is his blog:
http://www.nhl.com/ice/news.htm?id=539431
It's pretty good. As I said, he's an understated kid.
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I am hoping to cover some more USHL prospects this season so if you have any suggestions or questions, don't hesitate to contact me. I'm also the editor of Web Content for Hockey's Future so don't hesitate to contact me with anything HF related.