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Athan Iannucci is out with an injury, sidelined perhaps for the entire season.

John Grant and Scott Evans are injured, as well.

On the other hand, Gary Gait is back and John Tavares is, well, Johnny T. Dan Dawson has a new address and Colin Doyle has some new faces to pass the ball to.

So, who will win the scoring championship this season and the all-but-certain MVP nod that comes with?

With Iannucci out after his league-leading 71 goal/100-point campaign, the door is open for a new face to clinch top spot. That new face, however, is likely to be an old one.

So, here’s my take on the top candidates, broken down in three categories (frontrunners, solid chance, dark horses):

FRONTRUNNERS

JOHN TAVARES, Buffalo Bandits: Though Gary Gait has often been called the Wayne Gretzky of lacrosse, I made the argument last year that Johnny T is more Gretzky-esque. Neither is the biggest player, nor the fastest, nor the best one-on-one. However, the sum of their parts makes them the perfect player. However, Tavares boasts one quality Gretzky would have loved: Agelessness. An athlete’s skills are supposed to diminish with time, not stay constant. No. 11 has remained dominant despite turning 40 this year. Anyone who saw his ankle-breaking move to score in the Champion’s Cup final can attest to this. Tavares had an off-year by his stratospheric standards last season, finishing seventh in league scoring with 29 goals and a measly 87 points. Buffalo’s offence has lost a few cogs in Brett Bucktooth and Delby Powless but have added Sean Greenhalgh and Cody Jacobs, therefore don’t expect it to miss a beat. So, Tavares the league scoring champ going on 41? Don’t be surprised if it happens.

COLIN DOYLE, San Jose Stealth: Doyle is the NLL’s version of a Timex: Takes a lickin’ but keeps on tickin.’ Doyle has steadily improved his game every season while absorbing incredible punishment to make a play. His trade from Toronto to San Jose breathed new life into his career. Jeff Zywicki playing Scottie Pippen to Doyle’s Michael Jordan (OK, Zywicki scores more but you get the drift) has given the Stealth what I think is the best 1-2 offensive punch in the league. Doyle was sixth in scoring last season with 27 goals and 88 points, two shy of Zywicki who was fifth. Luke Wiles and Gary Rosyski are gone but the team has added young studs Rhys Duch and Paul Rabil, who are both expected to make a big impact. I expect Doyle to lead the league in assists, finishing ahead of Josh Sanderson and Gavin Prout. How many goals he scores will decide if he wins the league scoring title.

GAVIN PROUT, Colorado Mammoth: No. 9 led the league in assists last season with 67 and finished tied for second in scoring. The veteran is the perfect captain, cut from a Jarome Iginla type of mold. He’ll score, lay hits, mix it up and drop the mitts, if need be. Blessed with incredible floor vision and an equally deadly outside shot, Prout is the total package. While some of the Mammoth’s youngsters such as Dan Carey, Brian Langtry and Jamie Shewchuk may be more flashy, Prout is still the guy you have to limit as best you can in order to contain the potent Colorado attack.

SOLID CHANCE

JOSH SANDERSON, Calgary Roughnecks: An ugly finish to his time with the Rock didn’t help him in the stats department last season. Sanderson recorded only 29 goals and 35 assists in 15 games. He finished strong with 8 goals and 24 points in six games with the Roughnecks after being traded for Lewis Ratcliff. Sanderson comes into this season now familiar with his teammates. One of the best passers in league history, Sanderson will be dishing the pill to a potent offence that features plenty of finishers: Tracey Kelusky, Kaleb Toth, Curt Malawsky, Scott Ranger, Brampton teammate Jeff Shattler and young standout Dane Dobbie. Sanderson’s knack for the net combined with the firepower surrounding him gives him a solid shot to retake his place among the league’s top point producers, maybe even finish No. 1.

LEWIS RATCLIFF, Toronto Rock: Former San Jose coach Walt Christianson once described Ratcliff as the definition of a pure goal scorer, a term often tossed around lightly. Ratcliff finished tied for second last year with 42 goals and 50 assists (although, he did play a 17^th game because of the trade). While not known for his passing, Ratcliff racks up plenty of assists, usually finishing about half and half in terms of goals and helpers. Last year at the all-star game, Ratcliff didn’t enter any of the skills competitions. When I asked him why, he said he wasn’t flashy enough for the trick competition and didn’t have a really hard shot. However, the accuracy contest would have been right up his alley. I’ve never seen him switch hands, pass over the shoulder or try an underhand shot. He’s an old-school, overhand shot type of player, but plain deadly with it. Everyone knows he’s going to shot – including the goalie – but he still beats them.

JEFF ZYWICKI, San Jose Stealth: Since his breakout performance for Team Canada at the world field championship in London,Ont., Zywicki has become – second to Iannucci – the league’s best young goal-scoring stud. Last season, he finished fifth in league scoring with 48 goals and 90 points and forms the league’s deadliest offensive duo with teammate Colin Doyle. To those that wonder if Zywicki could lead the league in scoring, I ask you this: Did you think Iannucci would score 71 goals, smash Gary Gait’s record and lead the league in scoring with 100 points last year? Didn’t think so. Learn from the past. Zywicki has the skill and smarts to finish No. 1.

DARK HORSES

DAN DAWSON, Boston Blazers: The guy is used to be being double-teamed and keyed on. However, he ain’t seen nothing like the attention he’ll get this year. He struggled at times last season with guys like Ryan Powell and Derek Malawsky to take some of the defensive heat off him. This season, Boston’s offence starts and stops with him.

GARY GAIT, Rochester Knighthawks: He’s still Gary Gait. Sure, he’s a bit rusty and a few years older, but still Gary Gait. Some folks have said his comeback was motivated by watching his goal record smashed by Iannucci. Doubtful. And it sure isn’t about the money. So, that leaves ‘for the love of the game.’ Gary missed playing and wants to be back on the carpet. That is the motivation that should scare opposing defences.

MARK STEENHUIS, Buffalo Bandits: Playing a quasi-offence/quasi-transition role makes it unlikely Steenhuis can lead the league in scoring. However, if that role where to change, the man with the orange shoes and great lid has proved he is one of a kind and can’t be counted out when it comes to anything in the NLL.

SHAWN WILLIAMS, Rochester Knighthawks: Williams flies under the radar to the casual lacrosse fan, overshadowed by fellow lefty John Grant Jr. However, Williams is one of the best players in the league and finished 11^th in scoring last season. With Grant and Scott Evans sidelined, Williams and Gait will be carrying the K-Hawks offence which could lead to a career season for Williams.

CASEY POWELL, New York Titans: Powell had a career high 32 goals and 86 points and showed why he is the premier American player in the league. With a solid supporting cast on offence, Powell – who finally signed a deal to play this season just today – may be a bit rusty to start the year, but looks like he’s come into his own in the NLL.

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