[Cage Match Tournament] #3 Kane vs. #6 Nugent-Hopkins
 

Remember to read the article on the front page when it comes out to see the rest of the results and remember that this vote is in a points only setting. Cast your vote and discuss!

Here are links to the other polls for the week:

Giroux vs. Spezza

Malkin vs. Duchene

Toews vs. Eberle

Color this Kane voter surprised at the results thus far.

apart from injuries, these two would have similar point totals this year (if not RNH out-producing) include age (negligible), and perceived upside i think it makes sense.....

It does make sense, if you ignore the injuries. I agree.

Same here. Voted for Kane. He's still and young and far more proven than RNH.

Yeah and i don't know that I can ignore the injuries to RNH. Certainly not band aid status but if my job is to assign keeper value between the two, I look at the totality not merely what a player could be...at some point in the future.

Aside, and off topic (kinda)....

Law of unintended consequences: this exercise is forcing me to really assess my own protocol for player valuation, with regard to my teams. To view them through a more objective looking glass rather than emotionally hyped, rose colored glasses, if you like.

Thanks, MD, don't know if you set out with that intent but this is quite the educational experience.

Yeah I thought this one and the Toews/Eberle one were tight. When in doubt though I go with the proven talent (or in this case the 'more proven' talent)

That is kind of how I look at all of the Cage Match articles. I am not looking to do easy matchups. I want to tackle noodle-scratchers. I want to answer the tough questions or at least offer my opinion. With this tournament though, I just looked at the way that the Cage Match article presents itself and it really sets up as a highly argumentative piece. Whether you agreed or disagreed with the articles there was almost no way you did not have an opinion. I wanted to play off of that and create a fun way to allow people to get involved and voice those opinions. It takes some pressure off me as the writer and allows the readers to take ownership. As far as I am concerned this tournament belongs to you guys, I am basically just Greg Gumble.

I really leaned heavily on the forum heavies and DobberHockey writers to be my selection committee and determine the seeding. Once the seeding was established though, then I took some liberties and sought out matchups that would make you go *Damn*. So consider it a little of column A and a little of column B. Kane was a 3-seed and Nuge was a 6-seed. I felt like that would be good for some fireworks. Even the Spezza-Giroux matchup is one I feel could be close or at least should be closer than maybe the poll results will show.

I voted for RNH in this case. I know that proven is almost always a plus, but I have seen what Kane can do and I think 90 is the max we will ever see from him. He has some of the best linemates and he still can't break in to 90 pts.

RNH on the other hand in his rookie year was over a PPG pace with Eberle and Hall both healthy. I would be taking the chance here because the worst case scenario RNH becomes a 75-80 pt player on his own.

Also voted RNH. Both have great linemates, both are young, both were 1sts overall. That Kane followed up his 88 point season with 2 disappointing ones, while RNH was looking to have a 80 point rookie season, made my decision.