Dysin Mayo
Dysin Mayo (born August 17, 1996) is a Canadian professional ice hockey defenceman currently playing for the Cleveland Monsters in the American Hockey League (AHL) while under contract to the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). Standing 188 cm (6 ft 2 in) and listed at 88 kg (194 lb), Mayo plays a steady, defense-first game built on physicality and reliable positioning. He has spent the bulk of his professional career in the AHL while remaining on NHL organizational depth charts.
Early Life and Background
Dysin Mayo was born on August 17, 1996, in Victoria, British Columbia, Canada. Growing up on Vancouver Island, he developed his game in one of Canada’s strongest hockey-producing regions, where youth rinks are plentiful and competition for roster spots begins early. The Victoria hockey community has long produced skilled defencemen, and Mayo’s path through minor hockey reflected that demanding environment.
As a teenager, Mayo progressed through Western Canada’s major-junior system, a traditional pipeline for Canadian defencemen aiming at the NHL. His size and two-way reliability made him a steady presence on the blue line as he moved up age divisions, eventually earning a spot with one of the Western Hockey League’s established programs. His background in British Columbia helped shape the calm, positionally sound style that has defined his career.
Path to Professional Hockey
Mayo joined the Edmonton Oil Kings of the Western Hockey League (WHL), one of Canada’s premier junior circuits and a frequent developer of NHL-calibre defencemen. During his time in Edmonton, he refined his defensive game, logged heavy minutes in all situations, and grew into a leadership role within the dressing room. His play in the WHL placed him firmly on the radar of NHL scouts heading into his draft year.
That exposure paid off in 2014, when Mayo was selected by the Arizona Coyotes in the fifth round, 133rd overall, of the 2014 NHL Entry Draft. The selection confirmed his status as a prospect with a clear professional pathway and rewarded the steady development he had shown in junior. Shortly afterward, during the 2015–16 season, Mayo was signed to a three-year, entry-level contract with the Coyotes on December 27, 2015, officially beginning his professional career.
Dysin Mayo Career
Early Career (2016–2021)
Mayo began his professional career in the Coyotes’ system, where he spent multiple seasons with the AHL’s Tucson Roadrunners. Year after year, he handled a top-four role, penalty-kill responsibilities, and the routine of long bus trips that define life at the minor-league level. Coaches valued his shot-blocking and his willingness to defend leads in the closing minutes of tight games.
Through repeated spring training camps, Mayo continued to push for an NHL opportunity, refining his gap control and first-pass decisions under the organization’s defensive coaches. By his sixth season in Tucson, he was the longest-tenured player in the Roadrunners’ locker room, a reflection of both his durability and the Coyotes’ confidence in his steady progression.
AHL Leadership and NHL Debut (2021–2022)
Approaching his seventh season within the Coyotes organization, Mayo began the 2021–22 campaign as captain of the Tucson Roadrunners, an unusual honour that highlighted his standing as a veteran leader. His tenure with the Roadrunners had become familiar: heavy minutes, defensive-zone starts, and a steady stream of blocked shots logged on the penalty kill.
That familiarity changed quickly. Mayo played just two games with the Roadrunners in October 2021 before being recalled by the Coyotes on October 18, 2021. Three days later, on October 21, 2021, he made his long-awaited NHL debut against the Edmonton Oilers. In a 5–1 defeat, he found the back of the net, becoming the first Coyotes defenceman to score in his debut since Tony DeAngelo in 2016. The milestone turned a losing night into the defining memory of his NHL arrival.
Coyotes Extension and Trade to Vegas (2022–2025)
Following his debut, Mayo continued to shuttle between Tucson and Arizona as the Coyotes balanced injury coverage and roster needs. On February 25, 2022, the organization rewarded his growth and dependability with a three-year contract extension worth $2.85 million, signalling a clear plan to keep him within their defensive depth chart.
During the 2022–23 season, while assigned to the Roadrunners, Mayo was traded by the Coyotes to the Vegas Golden Knights in exchange for a 2023 fifth-round pick and the contract of Shea Weber. The move opened a new chapter and placed him inside another competitive organization with its own AHL affiliate and Stanley Cup pedigree. His time in Vegas’ system rounded out the back half of his contract before free agency approached.
Columbus Blue Jackets Era (2025–Present)
Following the end of his tenure in Vegas’ organization, Mayo signed a one-year contract with the Columbus Blue Jackets on July 16, 2025. The agreement reunited him with the American Hockey League’s Cleveland Monsters, who serve as Columbus’ top developmental affiliate. The signing positioned Mayo to push for NHL games while anchoring the Monsters’ defensive corps.
Through the early portion of the 2025–26 campaign, Mayo has continued his familiar role: dependable minutes, penalty-kill usage, and the daily grind of professional hockey that rewards consistency. His familiarity with the AHL, combined with his NHL debut experience, has given the Blue Jackets a steady depth option on the blue line.
Driving Style and Strengths
Mayo’s game is built on positioning, physicality, and reliability rather than offensive flash. At 188 cm and 88 kg, he wins board battles, clears the front of his net, and absorbs contact along the walls without surrendering the puck. Coaches have consistently trusted him in defensive-zone draws and late-game situations, and his shot-blocking has been a quiet but defining part of his value at every level.
Notable Events and Milestones
The clearest milestone of Mayo’s career remains his October 21, 2021, NHL debut with the Arizona Coyotes against the Edmonton Oilers, in which he scored to become the first Coyotes defenceman to debut with a goal since Tony DeAngelo in 2016. Earlier, his fifth-round selection by the Coyotes in the 2014 NHL Entry Draft and his captaincy of the Tucson Roadrunners in 2021 stand as additional markers of a steady climb through the professional ranks.
Dysin Mayo Family
Personal Life
Mayo was born and raised in Victoria, British Columbia, and he is Canadian by nationality. Public information about his parents, marital status, and children has not been widely reported, and details beyond his Victoria roots are limited. He has built his professional life around the hockey calendar, spending his winters in the cities of his AHL and NHL organizations.
2025 Season Performance
The 2025–26 season marks a fresh start for Mayo following his July 16, 2025, signing with the Columbus Blue Jackets and his assignment to the Cleveland Monsters. With one year remaining on his most recent deal and a fresh organizational fit, the campaign offers him a clear opportunity to settle into a top-four AHL role while remaining a recall option for Columbus.
Through the early weeks of the season, Mayo has logged his usual heavy defensive minutes, anchored penalty-kill units, and provided veteran leadership on a Monsters blue line that blends prospects and established minor-league defencemen. His NHL debut experience has given him a template for what is required at the next level, and he has continued to lean on his physical, positionally sound approach as he pushes for his next NHL opportunity.
Looking ahead, the storyline of the 2025–26 season is one of patience and consistency. Mayo has already shown he can step into NHL action and deliver a defining moment; his challenge now is to translate his AHL reliability into an extended NHL recall. With Columbus investing in a long-term defensive identity, his familiar game remains a useful tool as the season unfolds.