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Youngstown’s young gun
Photo
Scott Mayfield
By Jon Moffett
Youngstown
Scott Mayfield has made a bit of a name for himself for his bone-jarring hits as a member of the Youngstown Phantoms. The 6-foot-3, 200-pound defenseman has earned a reputation as a physical presence and a dominating enforcer on the ice.
In just his second year with the Phantoms, Mayfield has quickly become one of the most recognizable faces on the team.
He’s an alternate captain and one of the seasoned veterans on a young team. He raised a few eyebrows last season, the Phantoms’ first in the United States Hockey League.
And now, more than just Youngstown is paying attention to him.
Message boards and mock draft blogs are littered with the St. Louis, Mo., native’s name. He is one of the more coveted players eligible for the National Hockey League’s Entry Draft in June.
But all the attention isn’t really getting to Mayfield. He said he’s just playing the game he loves and doing as best he can to help his team succeed.
“You want to improve every day,” he said. “I want to have a better season than last year, whether it’s points, how I played or getting looked at by scouts and stuff.”
Mayfield is getting looked at. But the only thing he’s looking at his getting better and helping his team. He said he’s thought about playing professional hockey, but knows it’s not going to happen overnight.
“Right now, I just want to play as well as I can,” he said. “Hopefully, something happens and I get noticed. I want to play at Denver University and be a top defenseman there. And then someday, I hopefully want to play in the pros.”
Mayfield said he added some bulk this offseason. Those added pounds of muscle will figure more into his style of play, he said. And though he’s had aspirations of being a fleet-footed forward, he’s fine with being a big bruiser.
“If I could, of course everyone wants to be the 5-foot tall little goal-scorer, but that’s just not how it is for me,” he said with a laugh. “I’m 6-foot-3, so I know that I have to be in the corners. But that’s how I’ve always played.”
Mayfield did have 10 goals and 12 assists last year. He also had 145 penalty minutes and 22 points. He hopes his numbers can improve this year in what has almost become his time in the spotlight.
But Mayfield admits that he hasn’t always been front and center.
Mayfield turned 18 Oct. 14. He moved to Youngstown when he was only 16, and lived with a host family in Poland during the season. He admitted that although it is a part of the game, it doesn’t make it any easier.
“I had a lot of doubts coming last year. My parents were really tough and it was hard for us,” he said. “It was extremely hard. There are some kids who will say it’s not big deal to live on your own. But I admit it, it was tough. I remember Thanksgiving last year was one of the toughest things.”
Mayfield also said the decision to move a year early was the “best decision I’ve ever made.”
He said the experience of living on his own will help him when he moves away to school, and hopefully, when he’s in the NHL. By then, he should have enough time away from his family to know how to cope with the lifestyle.
After all, family means a lot to Mayfield.
His parents are the ones who got him playing hockey to begin with — though he admits his first attempts were, well, not so good.
“My mom and dad just wanted me, my brother [Patrick, 21] and sister [Sarah, 16] just wanted us to have family skate nights. When my sister got out there, she could just skate around. I got out there, and the I just got down and started licking the ice.”
Though he is one of the younger players on the team, Mayfield is looked to as a leader on the ice. He is one of nine returning players from last season’s 20-36 team, and that continuity is something he said will help the team this season.
Out is former head coach and general manager Bob Mainhardt, having been replaced midway through last season by Curtis Carr. The Phantoms are 3-1 heading into Saturday’s home opener, and Mayfield is excited about taking his familiar place at the blue line at the Covelli Centre.
“This team wants to show what we really can bring to the table,” he said. “Last year, we had a hard-working team. But this year, we want to show that we are better than what we were last year. The nine returners all want to prove that we can play in this league.”
Working hard has been the mantra for Mayfield and the Phantoms this season.
Mayfield said he wants to be known as someone who will outwork his opponents. That blue-collar style is something he said he has learned during his two years in the city.
“We’re going to have the hardest-working team in the league this year,” he said. “Every game is going to be a 2-1 game, I think, and just great hockey games. And great teams find a way to win, so hopefully we can keep it going.”