CAGE MATCH TOURNAMENT #1 - first time point per game scorer(s)

[RizzeeDizzee]

Here you all thought the fun ended now that nearly all the UFAs have been signed. Not at Dobberhockey! In fact, the fun has just begun as we''re kicking off not one, not two, but at least three weeks of Cage Match tournaments. With the spike in scoring we saw last season, and the success of "breakout" tournaments from two years ago, I'm going back to that theme for the tournaments again. Here's how the three tournaments will shape up:

This week: Which forward - who's never scored (or had a scoring pace) over 75 points in season - is most likely to post point per game scoring in 2018-19?
Next week: Which forward whose career best single season total (or scoring rate) has been 55-65 points is most likely to best his previous career high by at least 10 points in 2018-19?
Week three: Which forward whose career best single season total or scoring rate has been 40-53 points is most likely to break out to post 60+ points in 2018-19?

Here is a link to the column (https://dobberhockey.com/hockey-home...layers-week-1/), so you can see what I wrote about each player. Either way, before you vote, here are some VERY IMPORTANT details:

1) You can vote for as many players or as few as you want - just be sure every player you're voting for is someone you realistically see as being a point per gamer in 2018-19.

2) These tournaments are about having fun, but the results will be here for your fellow Dobberites to rely upon, so please vote with your head. By that I mean you should be guided by objective criteria, like 2019-20 contract status, likelihood of being traded during the season, injury risk, and team situation. That doesn't mean there still isn?t room for hunches or subjective views ? what I meant was don?t vote for someone just because he?s on your team and you want good karma or not for someone because he?s on the squad of your chief rival.

3) When I say point per game scoring, that doesn't have to mean 82+ points in 82 games. It could be 75 points in 72 games, 55 points in 51 games, etc. What that means is there is room here to vote for band-aid boys. All that matters is they score at least as many points as the number of games in which they end up playing.

4) Don't just cast your vote - post a comment about why you voted for someone (or not for others). Again, part of the purpose here is to provide fantasy guidance, so hearing people's input and then creating debate based on that will be very useful information to chew on.

Enjoy, and see you back here for next week's tournament!

[Eskimo Brother]

Aho, Boeser & Marner got my votes. It's easier to bet the under on most.

[The Comish]

Marner, Boeser, Laine and Point get my votes.

[hockeymanG23]

Aho, Marner, and Laine for me since all three have top notch opportunity.

I think Boeser and Monahan are a few years from making the cut (SM because of all the rehab he'll need), and I like Point also but I'm not convinced he has the room to improve his totals by that much.

[RizzeeDizzee]

Wow - folks really have faith in Marner. I figured he'd get a lot of votes, but he could run away with this the way things are shaping up. We'll see though, once the column gets posted and more votes start coming in. I'm also very interested to see which sophomore to be ends up with more votes - Boeser or Keller. As I note in the column, Keller ended very strong, scoffing at the notion of a rookie wall, which I'd argue bodes well for him going forward.

EB makes a good point in that the "safe" bet is the under on most if not all. Any guesses which two I voted for?

[PenguinHunter]

I limited my vote to just Marner. Toronto is going to score a lot and Marner is guaranteed to line up next to Matthews or Tavares all year.

The rest I think COULD get close to point per game but I see reasons for each falling short.

Last year there was only like 20 players that were point per game and played almost a full season.

[RizzeeDizzee]

I limited my vote to just Marner. Toronto is going to score a lot and Marner is guaranteed to line up next to Matthews or Tavares all year.

The rest I think COULD get close to point per game but I see reasons for each falling short.

Last year there was only like 20 players that were point per game and played almost a full season.

As I noted, a player can get your vote even if he's unlikely to play 82 games. In the column I mentioned this about Rakell, since he missed an average of 9 games per season over the past 4 seasons, during which, it so happens, his scoring rate went from 36 to 49 to 59 to 73. Next stop point per game level? By your early votes, apparently not.

[PenguinHunter]

As I noted, a player can get your vote even if he's unlikely to play 82 games. In the column I mentioned this about Rakell, since he missed an average of 9 games per season over the past 4 seasons, during which, it so happens, his scoring rate went from 36 to 49 to 59 to 73. Next stop point per game level? By your early votes, apparently not.

Yes, sorry, I had read that we could vote for band-aid boys. I should not have used the wording I used. I apologize. And as for Rakell... I am nervous about anything Anaheim Ducks related this year!

[kgray]

Marner, Aho, Boeser, Huberdeau for me

[lucafen4]

Aho Boeser, Marner, Keller, Laine for me. Nylander the ultimate sleeper (homer-time)

[pmorrow]

I voted Marner and Laine. Don't see why not. Marner finished the season at a crazy pace after he worked his way out of the Babcock doghouse. Now he'll have JT to pass to at 5 on 5. He should continue to be the guy who runs the 1PP. Best chance of the bunch. I do think 3 or 4 of the others will come pretty close as well.

[StuntMan12]

Aho, Boeser, Huberdeau, Keller, Laine, Marner have the best chance imo.

[newfcollins]

I took Laine and Marner as guarantees. I feel like Huberdeau is pretty much there. And Monahan should be able to take that next step.

[forsbergfan]

I voted Marner and Laine. Don't see why not. Marner finished the season at a crazy pace after he worked his way out of the Babcock doghouse. Now he'll have JT to pass to at 5 on 5. He should continue to be the guy who runs the 1PP. Best chance of the bunch. I do think 3 or 4 of the others will come pretty close as well.

Voted exactly the same, with similar logic. Agree 3 or 4 of the others get pretty close - Aho the closest.

[Axeman33]

I voted for Keller and Laine. In all fairness, I don't know if any of these kids are PPG players next year but I like these two's chances the best.