While summer continues to roll on, it's about that time of the year where we start prepping and planning for the fantasy season that's in the not-too-distant future. Today Dobber Hockey kicks off Bubble Keeper Week. For the next week, we are going to highlight players worth considering in your various keeper league formats. When I began preparing for this article, I contemplated various players I could mention. The wonderful thing about fantasy sports is that there are so many different formats and sizes. There really is something for everyone. With that in mind, I decided to highlight three players that would fit in three different league formats. So with that in mind, let's get to it.

Jack Hughes

(Recommended for shallower league formats)

It feels like ages ago when Hughes was taken first overall in the 2019 NHL Entry Draft. Hughes is still only 21 years of age, but he's finally starting to come into his own at the NHL level. Last season we saw him finally start to break out as a superstar in the league. He tallied 26 goals and 30 assists in just 56 games played. That's well over a point-per-game pace, and comparatively to his prior two seasons, it's more than double his production from what we've seen in the past.

Hughes has finally started to show why he was taken first overall to begin with, and if he can sustain this pace, he will put up elite numbers for years to come. The Devils injected some veteran presence to their team this offseason by acquiring Ondrej Palat and Erik Haula. Both players should help bring a nice balance to this young Devils roster. I could see Palat potentially getting a crack at the top line with Hughes and Jesper Bratt, and if the three could find some chemistry, it could make for a formidable top line.

Outside of Hughes' high-end offensive production, he also evolved into a fairly high-volume shooter last season. His 165 shots on goal averaged 3.4 shots per game, which easily surpassed his first two seasons. If he can maintain an average of three shots per game going forward, that will definitely make him all the more valuable in fantasy. The one caveat you will need to consider with Hughes though is that he already has been a bit injury-prone during his first three seasons in the NHL. He only played 49 games out of the 82-game schedule last year. He was sidelined for a good portion of the end of the year with an ACL and MCL sprain. He's also dealt with injuries in prior seasons as well.

While that might sound a bit alarming, injuries are a threat to any player in the NHL, and that's just a risk you'll have to take, but I think in Hughes' case it's worth it. The Devils are a young team that seem to be on the up-and-up and a large part of that is thanks to Hughes. He signed an eight-year extension to stay in New Jersey, so clearly, he believes he can be one of the main catalysts to take this team to the next level. In deeper leagues Hughes, is an easy choice to be a keeper, but I think even in shallower formats like 10-team leagues, Hughes is an excellent choice going forward.

Filip Forsberg 

(Recommended in 12-team leagues with limited keepers)

It's hard to believe Forsberg was drafted way back in 2012, but this will indeed be his 11th season in Nashville. Despite this, he is still just 28 years of age, and should still have some prime years left in the tank. If last year was any indication, the best is still yet to come for the Swedish sniper. Last season, Forsberg surpassed all his personal bests pretty much across the board. In 69 contests, Forsberg netted 42 goals and added 42 helpers. In a full 82 games, that is a 100-point pace. His efforts on the ice really helped carry the Preds to a playoff spot that quite frankly, I did not think was in the cards for them last season.

The big question is can he replicate last season and do it again? Well, all the core pieces in Nashville are still in place with the only major change this offseason being the acquisition of Nino Niederreiter, but that shouldn't have any impact on Forsberg. While I think it could be challenging to replicate another 80-plus point season, I think 70 points is a reasonable floor for Forsberg. And that is much easier to stomach when you account for the other things he can provide for your fantasy team. 

Throughout his entire career thus far, Forsberg has averaged three shots per game. He has always been a high-volume shooter, and he will be a lock to put up big shot totals for your team. On top of that, he also finished last season with 112 hits, a staggering number for a top-line forward. He even blocked 48 shots last year to boot, so Forsberg literally does it all out there and is a bonafide multi-cat monster. He has a permanent fixture on the team's top power play unit also, and last season he notched 27 points on the man advantage.

The biggest question mark is his health. He has been hampered with injuries sporadically throughout a lot of his career. Much like Hughes, Forsberg's health is something you need to consider if you're going to make him your keeper. But I do think he is well worth the risk for the reasons stated above. While he might not be in the upper echelon in points, I would gladly keep a player who can get me 70-80 points but make meaningful contributions to multiple other categories across the board.

Andrew Copp

(Recommended for deeper leagues with extended keepers)

I've been a big Andrew Copp supporter for quite a while now. I still can't believe the Jets dumped him at the trade deadline for what seemed to be strictly financial-related reasons. Copp was part of the heart and soul in Winnipeg, but eventually ended up on Broadway playing for the Rangers. In New York he achieved moderate personal and team success, as the Rangers were able to get to the Eastern Conference Final where they eventually were eliminated by Tampa Bay. I figured the Rangers were going to lock up Copp long-term, but when free agency opened up this summer, Copp opted to ink a five-year deal with the Detroit Red Wings.

In Motown, I would pencil Copp in as a lock as the second-line center. Who he plays with is largely up in the air, but I think Jakub Vrana and Filip Zadina could make a tantalizing second line. I expect Detroit to leave their current top line intact, so other realistic options could include Dominik Kubalik or David Perron. Either way, Detroit should have a capable top-six heading into the start of this season. I think Copp's signing was one of the best acquisitions of the offseason and the "Yzerplan" is moving along quite nicely. 

Last season Copp put up 21 goals and 32 assists in 72 games played. I think these totals can be not only replicated, but improved upon. I think 60 points is attainable for Copp, but aside from his offense, Copp plays a very complete game and should get you production in a number of areas. His shot totals rose last season to a career high of 2.5 shots per game. This is a solid number and definitely helps bolster his value if he can maintain that rate.  He also will chip in with hits and blocks, but only moderately. If you are in a league that counts faceoffs, he is pretty sure-handed on the draws, averaging a 53%-win rate over the past three seasons. 

The one downfall with Copp is that I can see him getting snubbed when it comes to power-play deployment. I don't see him getting a look on the team's top unit, and he will probably get stuck centering the second unit. Despite that, I still think Copp will become a key cog in the engine that will power the Red Wings going forward. If you are in a deeper dynasty-type league with a lot of carryover from season to season, I think Copp makes a solid bubble keeper.

Well folks, that's it for today. Be sure to check back throughout this entire upcoming week as we will have lots more bubble keeper picks for you to wrap your head around as we continue to prepare for the upcoming season. Hope you're all enjoying your summer! Cheers!