With the 2017 World Series of Poker now just a few days away, PocketFives asked our writers to make some predictions about what to expect this summer. Now that we’ve already told you which events we’re looking forward to most, we’re now making our picks for 2017 WSOP Player of the Year.

Lance Bradley – President and Editor in Chief, PocketFives
@Lance_Bradley

It takes a special kind of player to win WSOP Player of the Year. While the schedule is dominated by No Limit Hold’em events, winning POY requires a player be able to excel at the all of the games on the schedule at an elite level. That’s John Monnette.

Sure, Monnette might be drawn away by the juicy cash games that run throughout the WSOP, but if he focuses on tournaments he’s bound to make some final tables and grab himself a bracelet or two. He cashed nine times last summer, made five final tables and a runner-up and two third-place finishes. He finished fifth in the WSOP POY race.

In the last five years Monnette has cashed in 10 different games on the WSOP schedule and even though he doesn’t specialize in No Limit Hold’em, he’s managed to find the cashier’s cage in the Monster Stack, Colossus, Little One for One Drop, the Millionaire Maker and twice in the Main Event. Look for him to have success in the mixed game events on the schedule while finding much-needed POY points in some of the big field NLHE tournies.

Kevin Mathers – Community Manager, PocketFives
@Kevmath

A look at the WSOP Player of the Year standings in recent years shows the top players were players with experience in non-hold’em events with a high buy-in (Daniel Negreanu, George Danzer, Mike Gorodinsky and Jason Mercier have won the past four titles). Changes to the POY criteria that lessen the emphasis on buy-in may narrow the gap and give no limit hold’em specialists a chance, but expect another mixed game specialist to hold down the top spot.

During the past three years, Paul Volpe has edged closer to the top (2014 31st, 2015 7th, 2016 2nd). Expect similar results for Volpe this year including at least his third bracelet win to become the 2017 WSOP POY.

Matt Clark – Writer, PocketFives
@MattClarkPoker

Apologies for the spoiler alert earlier, but Paul Volpe is going to win Player of the Year. His track record in $10,000 events and mastery of all the games make him a prime candidate to finish above the rest. Volpe won a bracelet last year, made another final table, ran deep in the Main Event (29th), and finished second in the POY race behind Jason Mercier. Like Mercier and Gorodinsky the year before him, Volpe is capable of winning not just mixed game events, but No Limit and PLO events as well. In 2015, Volpe had two runner-up finishes in Hold’em events. His two bracelets have come in two difficult disciplines (8-Game Mix, No Limit Single Draw).

The “Beast of Borgata” has been on the precipice of a major poker title for years now and 2017 is the year Volpe earns a banner in the Rio.

Steve Schult – Writer, PocketFives
@lefty2432

My pick for Player of the Year must be elite at many games outside of No Limit Hold’em. John Monnette is that guy. The man known to many as “Angry John” is one of the few players that are in the conversation for best player on the planet. He’s a regular in Bobby’s Room, plays the biggest games on the planet, and specializes in all the limit mixed games.

Looking at last year’s standings, it was a two-horse race between Mercier and Volpe. Both of those players play a full slate of events and invest a lot of their time in the high-stakes, small field, mixed games. Monnette fits the criteria for the type of player that wins the award and he’s arguably the most talented player of those in the conversation.

In the $25,000 buy-in fantasy draft, Monnette was one of most expensive players auctioned off and was the leading point scorer for Team Alaei’s winning squad. If Daniel Alaei is going to put up $25,000 and bet on Monnette, I’ll bet on him too.

Jack Stanton – Writer, PocketFives
@J_W_Stanton

When a guy wins his first bracelet in 2015, and then two more in the same week in 2016, would you bet against that guy for 2017 Player of the Year? My prediction for POY might not be a household name amongst poker fans, but those in the know, know all about Benny Glaser.

The Brit has a bracelet in 2-7 Triple Draw Lowball and two in Omaha Hi-Lo Split-8 or Better, including the $10,000 championship. I can only imagine he’ll be playing a full schedule, looking to better his 10th player POY finish last year. If he plays all the $10K mixed game championships, the smaller fields give him a great shot at doing it.