So if you missed last week’s Starting Six, I’ll bring you up to speed real quick... Each week, I’ll pick three forwards, two defensemen and a goalie to assemble a “Dream Team of the Week” and track their performances over a seven-day stretch of the schedule. I’ll use an eliminator-style format where once a player is picked, they can’t be used again this season. 

SCORING

Goal=2 points

Assist=1 point

Win=2 points

Shutout=1 point

Last week was a fantastic way to start this weekly series that we’ll track throughout the regular season. Here’s a couple of the top performers from Week One…

TOP PERFORMERS

**Still waiting on two game results

Looking ahead now to Week Two, we’ve got some recent track records to build off of as teams across the state have games in the bag and there’s a sample size, albeit small, that’ll serve as a nice reference point for picks a second time around.

Week Two

Monday, Nov. 25th - Sunday, Dec. 1st

FORWARD, Junior Austin Combs, Milford

SCHEDULE: 11/26 @ Ann Arbor Huron, 11/27 vs. WLCWU, 11/29 @ Livonia Franklin
Kid absolutely exploded last week with four goals and nine points in three games. Not only that, but he led Milford in shots on goal with 14 and the team as a whole is averaging almost six goals per game. Combs has a friendly schedule, with three games against favorable matchups so I’ll take the junior to have another big week in the first month of the season.

FORWARD, Junior Andrew Potyk, Lake Orion

SCHEDULE: 11/27 @ Howell, 11/29 @ M-1 United, 11/30 @ Birmingham Unified
Potyk is a guy who I think will be very effective for the Dragons this season. While the results weren’t quite there for Lake Orion last week — a 2-2 tie to Birmingham United and 6-5 loss to De La Salle — the 5-foot-7 forward was certainly a bright spot for the Dragons with a goal and two assists in those contests. Howell will be a tough challenge for sure but I think the other two matchups could be potential breakout games for Potyk to have a big performance.

FORWARD, Senior Jacob Onstott, Grand Rapids Catholic Central

SCHEDULE: 11/27 @ GR Christian, 11/29 @ Orchard Lake St. Mary’s, 11/30 @ St. Ignatius
The Cougars could shake out to be the best team on the west side — and one of the top D-III teams in the state — so picking their best player in a three-game stretch is never a bad idea, even with tough matchups ahead. Onstott picked up a goal and an assist in GRCC’s lone game last week — a 5-3 win over Grandville — and all three upcoming games will be tough sledding but the four-year senior should give his team a chance to compete all week long. 

DEFENSEMAN, Senior Alex Chapie, U-D Jesuit

SCHEDULE: 11/27 @ Grosse Pointe North, 11/29 @ @ St. Ignatius, 11/30 @ Country Day

Had a relatively quiet opening week, picking up a power-play goal over the course of U-D’s first two games. Chapie and the Cubs could really get rolling in Week Two with a nice matchup before Thanksgiving and then two big tilts this weekend at St. Mary’s Athletic Center. I expect the 5-foot-9 righty to be heavily involved in U-D’s offensive efforts not just this week, but all season long. SCHEDULE: 11/27 @ Grosse Pointe North, 11/29 @ St. Ignatius, 11/30 @ Country Day

DEFENSEMAN, Senior Cam Kauppinen, Calumet

SCHEDULE: 11/29 @ Hancock, 11/30 vs. Hancock
Two of the U.P.’s finest square off in a two-game series and it should be nothing short of exciting when the Copper Kings and Bulldogs skate in their first and second of four total games scheduled for ‘19-20. You could take any combination of Loukuses and Rowe’s and Salani’s in this one but I’m going with a D-man who’s got a good track record in this series, as Kauppinen has four assists in his last four games against Hancock. 

GOALIE, Junior Joey Morency, U-D Jesuit

SCHEDULE: 11/27 @ Grosse Pointe North, 11/29 @ St. Ignatius, 11/30 @ Country Day
Toughest pick of the week, every week… The Cubs have two talented netminders and it looks like they will share the workload between Morency and Blake Nowak this season. I have no idea who will get the extra start in their odd number of games this week but Morency is coming off of a strong 23-save effort against an aggressive offense in Trenton last Saturday. I’ll roll the dice with the 5-foot-10 goaltender and cross my fingers for sake of this week’s Dream Team he gets a bonus start between the pipes.

Love the picks? Let’s have some fun on Twitter and tell me who I should be taking in the Dream Team of the Week.