Dysin Mayo sounds like the perfect name for a Vegas Golden Knights player. He seems like someone who would start on the blue line regularly, contributing excellent backchecking and the ability to create turnovers.
Unfortunately, that isn't reality as the former Henderson Silver Knights defenseman is heading to Ohio to play for the Columbus Blue Jackets. The Blue Jackets agreed to a one-year, two-way contract with the 28-year-old, giving them blue line depth.
What did Mayo bring to the table? Well, his career statistics don't exactly jump out to the average person. He played 82 career games, scoring four goals and eight assists while collecting 35 penalty minutes.
He also recorded 159 hits and 153 blocked shots during his NHL career. The native of Victoria, British Columbia, played both seasons with the Arizona Coyotes and had a solid 2021-22 season, though. Here, he scored his four goals and eight assists while recording 133 blocked shots and 129 hits.
What would Dysin Mayo have brought to the Vegas Golden Knights?
In a perfect world, Mayo would be a nice low-budget replacement for a player like Nicolas Hague. He blocks shots and generates hits regularly, making him an ideal defenseman. He also gets involved in the play, making him perfect as a depth defender.
But there's a reason why he spent time with the Henderson Silver Knights and not the Golden Knights. For one, he doesn't put up many points. In three seasons with the Silver Knights, he only scored 14 goals. Sure, he was a solid facilitator during his Henderson days with 34 assists. But that didn't translate over to the NHL level.
When a team like the Golden Knights has younger, better options such as Kaedan Korczak waiting, it's more viable to go with them. Korczak has had no problem fitting in the NHL landscape, generating 10 assists last season.
He's also had issues putting the pieces together. When he's on offensively, the 28-year-old will let his defense slip. When he's good defensively, the offense suffers. Finding balance is key to becoming a lineup regular, which Mayo hopes to find in Columbus.
Overall, this is a nice opportunity for the blue liner to get a fresh start. The Blue Jackets are looking for a solid seventh defenseman to add more depth. Why not go with a veteran player at a low cost? It worked for Victor Olofsson last season with the Golden Knights...