Mayfield was selected by the Islanders in the second round of the 2011 draft. In his hist first season spent solely with the big club, he's played a career-high 29 games and posted two goals and 10 points.
At the halfway point of the 2017-18 campaign, theScore's NHL team identifies the front-runners to bring home some hardware. This installment was put together by editors Cory Wilkins and Craig Hagerman.
Hart - John Tavares
Previously: Steven Stamkos
The New York Islanders captain hasn't cracked under the pressure of being just months away from a big payday in free agency. In fact, he's done just the opposite.
Not only is Tavares on pace for a 100-point season, he's also transformed linemates Anders Lee and Josh Bailey from solid players into elite scoring threats. Like Tavares, they're both on pace for career years - Bailey is just six points back of his previous best.
That sort of production has allowed the Islanders to hold down a playoff position for most of the year in the ultra-competitive Metropolitan Division, despite being backstopped by the questionable duo of Jaroslav Halak and Thomas Greiss. If the Islanders make the postseason, thank Tavares. - Wilkins
The 23-year-old has had no trouble shifting into the starter's role in the post-Ben Bishop era. Among netminders with a minimum of 30 games played, he stands atop the league in both wins (26) and save percentage (.937). - Wilkins
Norris - Drew Doughty
Previously: Erik Karlsson
The competition for the NHL's defenseman of the year is stiff, but the leader of the pack at the halfway point is the Los Angeles Kings' star blue-liner.
On pace to match his career high in production, Doughty has revived a Los Angeles squad that many pundits picked to finish outside the playoff picture. Instead, the Kings stand second in the West and look like the same Stanley Cup contender that won it all in 2012 and 2014.
Even more impressive, Doughty is getting it done on a defensive corps that has little help to speak of outside of Jake Muzzin and Alec Martinez. - Wilkins
Calder - Brock Boeser
Previously: Will Butcher
He may be a rookie, but Boeser is already one of the purest goal-scorers in the game.
The Vancouver Canucks forward paces all rookies with 21 goals, leads his team in scoring with 38 points, and has been named rookie of the month in both November and December. He sits fourth overall in goals and is on pace to score 44, which would be the seventh-most by a rookie in NHL history - and the most since Alex Ovechkin tallied 52 in 2005-06. - Hagerman
Selke - Patrice Bergeron
Previously: Mark Stone
It's just too hard to knock Bergeron off his perch as the league's best two-way forward.
Bergeron's put up a respectable 12 goals and 26 points in 33 games, but once again is proving to be a stud in his own end. He's rocking a Corsi For rating of 57.75, has won 57 percent of his faceoffs, and, most impressively, his line (with Brad Marchand and David Pastrnak) has allowed just one goal against at five-on-five in 25 games.
One day, this award might be named after the Boston Bruins forward, who's on his way to capturing it for the fifth time and fourth in five years. - Hagerman
Jack Adams - Gerard Gallant
Previously: Gerard Gallant
This year's Jack Adams Award looks to be a slam dunk.
Gallant has taken an expansion team constructed mostly of second- and third-line players and turned it into the second-best squad in the NHL. That's no easy feat, and barring a collapse of cataclysmic proportions, the Vegas Golden Knights should host some playoff hockey this spring.
Florida Panthers management must be kicking themselves. - Hagerman
General Manager of the Year - David Poile
Previously: Doug Armstrong
The Nashville Predators have proven that last year's run to the Stanley Cup Final was no fluke.
The club sits two points out of top spot in the Central Division and is once again thriving thanks to Poile's work.
Kyle Turris is making the Preds look like the winners of the three-team Matt Duchene swap. More subtle moves in the offseason, such as signing Nick Bonino and Scott Hartnell and trading for Alexei Emelin, have given the team great depth. Meanwhile, first-round pick Eeli Tolvanen looks like he could be the steal of the 2017 draft.
All of this has set the Predators up for prolonged success. - Hagerman
Admitting defeat can be tough for any general manager to do, but the following three teams need to swallow their pride, trade away some of their best assets, and enter a full-on rebuild if they hope to eventually contend one day.
Montreal Canadiens
Canadiens GM Mark Bergevin seems so invested in all the terrible moves he's made that it's hard to imagine him blowing things things up. With that in mind, Montreal would be better off bringing in a new GM who can create a clear plan to bring one of the NHL's most historic franchises back to respectability.
The task will be difficult, however, given all of the long-term contracts the Habs are locked into. Carey Price and Shea Weber will be tough to move unless the team is willing to eat a small chunk of their salaries, which it may as well do, since a rebuilding club shouldn't have any immediate plans to be up against the cap.
Max Pacioretty and Paul Byron should both be traded at the deadline. They each have one more year on their contracts following this season with modest cap hits. Teams will pay the price for goal-scoring, and both players can put the puck in the net.
There's always a need for defensemen around the league, so the Habs should entertain trading Jeff Petry and Karl Alzner, even though they're both locked up. A no-movement clause kicks into Petry's contract next season, so now would be the time to trade him. Neither rearguard will be around once a rebuild is complete, so both should be shipped out even if the returns are minimal.
Meanwhile, Alex Galchenyuk's name has swirled in trade rumors, but as a rebuilding team, the Canadiens would have nothing to lose by giving him a full season playing top minutes as a first-line center and seeing what they have before making a rash decision. After all, he's still just 23 years old.
Assuming most of these players are moved to acquire prospects and picks, Montreal's roster will be left quite bare, but picking in the top five for at least the next three seasons is the best way to rebuild its horrific farm system.
Ottawa Senators
This may be tough for Sens fans to hear, but Erik Karlsson isn't re-signing in Ottawa - especially while Eugene Melnyk owns the team.
The Sens' best bet is to trade Karlsson, either before the deadline or this offseason. Either way, they'll receive a mammoth return that should help speed up a rebuild.
Ottawa could also trade forwards Mike Hoffman, Derick Brassard, and possibly even Matt Duchene. The sooner the better, as losing these players would weaken the club further and increase its chances of winning the lottery ... and the right to select Rasmus Dahlin in June's draft.
There are two issues facing a Sens rebuild, however:
Ottawa dealt this year's first-round pick in the Duchene deal. It's top-10 protected, though, meaning if the Senators choose in the top 10 (which they likely will), they'll have the option to keep this year's pick. If that happens, Colorado would then get Ottawa's 2019 first-round selection instead.
Nonetheless, the Senators have never really undergone a full-on rebuild in their existence. Despite rarely having high draft picks, they've been one of the best organizations in terms of drafting and developing players, suggesting a rebuild could run smoothly.
Detroit Red Wings
The Red Wings aren't completely out of the playoff picture, but their chances of getting in are slim to none. Even if they were to miraculously make it, their stay in the postseason would be short-lived. With that being said - and with their playoff streak behind them - the Wings have a perfect opportunity to enter a rebuild.
Detroit has plenty of trade chips. Mike Green is on the last year of his deal and is essentially a lock to be moved. Jimmy Howard could help a team with goaltending issues, such as the Islanders. Gustav Nyquist could even be a nice addition for a club looking to add scoring depth.
Anthony Mantha, Dylan Larkin, and Andreas Athanasiou give Detroit a solid, young core, but the team still lacks a marquee franchise player; it will need a high draft pick to obtain that star. With that in mind, the Wings need to tear down their roster to give themselves the best chance at improving their lottery slot.
Connor McDavid (Pacific), P.K. Subban (Central), Alex Ovechkin (Metropolitan), and Steven Stamkos (Atlantic) were announced as the 2018 NHL All-Star Game captains, as chosen by the fan vote to represent their respective divisions for the festivities in Tampa Bay later this month.
The remaining players will be named Jan. 10.
McDavid and Subban were also captains last year, while Ovechkin and Stamkos - who will suit up in front of his home crowd - are new selections.
Ovechkin has gotten back to his old ways this season, leading the NHL with 26 goals so far. Meanwhile, Stamkos and McDavid sit in the top 10 in league scoring, while Subban ranks third among all blue liners with 29 points.
The annual skills competition is scheduled for Jan. 27, while the three-on-three tournament is set for the 28th.
Don't look now, but the Colorado Avalanche are just three points back of the Anaheim Ducks for the final playoff spot in the Western Conference with two games in hand.
What a difference a year makes. Just one season removed from being the NHL's laughing stock, finishing with the lowest point percentage in the shootout era, the club has undergone a huge transformation in its style of play.
Through 39 games this season, the Avs currently boast a 20-16-3 record, good for 43 points and the 19th-best mark overall. Through 39 contests last year, the club sat at the bottom of the league with a 13-26-1 record.
Unlike last season, the club is getting strong contributions throughout the roster, while the decision to keep head coach Jared Bednar at the helm looks to be paying off. This healthy dynamic - minus the distraction caused by the Matt Duchene saga - has helped the team enter the playoff conversation, and the Avs could realistically make the postseason if some current trends persist.
MacKinnon, Rantanen are Avalanche saviors
Nathan MacKinnon and sophomore Mikko Rantanen have been leading the charges this campaign. MacKinnon sits fifth in league scoring with 48 points, while Rantanen has put up 36 in 39 games - just two points shy of last season's total.
The two have formed a strong chemistry and have factored in on 21 of the same goals. As it stands, MacKinnon is on pace to finish with 100 points, which would make him the first Avalanche player to hit the century mark since Joe Sakic tallied 100 during the 2006-07 season. Meanwhile, Rantanen is on pace for 75 points, which no Avalanche player has done since Paul Stastny potted 79 in 2009-10.
The two have been scorching hot of late. During the team's last 10 games - in which time it's gone 6-3-1 - MacKinnon has posted six goals and 15 points, while Rantanen has put up four and 12.
Bednar's 2nd chance is paying off
The coaching staff deserves some love for the team's resurgence. Many were willing to throw Bednar to the wolves after last season, but Sakic was not one of them. He elected to give the first-year coach another chance and it looks to be paying dividends.
The team's systems, and more specifically, their special teams play have drastically improved from last year.
2016-17 (League Rank)
Stat
2017-18 (League Rank)
3.37 (30th)
GA/GP
3.1 (21st)
2.01 (30th)
GF/GP
3.21 (6th)
12.6% (30th)
PP%
19.6% (13th)
76.6% (29th)
PK%
83.8% (7th)
90.69 (30th)
5-on-5 SV%
92.20 (18th)
In each of the categories above, the Avalanche have made significant steps forward, rising from virtually last place to, in some cases, among the league's best.
Varlamov is back
Between the pipes, Semyon Varlamov has recovered from a dismal 2017 campaign. The 29-year-old was limited by an injury last year, but in the 23 games he did play, he posted a 6-17-0 record with an .898 save percentage and a 3.38 goals-against average.
He's reclaimed his role this year as the team's starter, and while his numbers aren't astonishing by any stretch, he's gone 13-9-2 with a .912 save percentage and 2.87 goals-against average.
Colorado will need to find ways to win away from home if it really plans to mount a playoff run. The team will play 13 of 16 games on the road between Jan. 22 and Feb. 24, and so far Colorado has gone 7-9-2 when playing on foreign ice.
The Avalanche must continue to build on what they've already put together through the first half of the season. They're far from being contenders, but given that they were historically bad last season, there's no arguing they've quickly turned a corner and can now at least play some meaningful hockey.
