Music: {allcanada} McDavid nominated for three CHL awards

Center Connor McDavid of the Erie Otters of the Ontario Hockey League was named a finalist for three Canadian Hockey League year-end awards, the CHL announced Friday.

The award winners will be announced Saturday in conjunction with the 2015 Memorial Cup tournament being held in Quebec City, Quebec.

McDavid, No. 1 on NHL Central Scouting's final ranking of North American skaters and the expected No. 1 pick of the 2015 NHL Draft, is a finalist for the Sportsnet Player of the Year award, the Jack Link's Top Draft Prospect award and the Subway Scholastic Player of the Year award.

McDavid was third in the OHL with 120 points and tied for fourth with 44 goals in 47 regular-season games. He was even better in the OHL playoffs, leading all players in goals (21), assists (28) and points (49) in 20 games. He also helped Canada win the gold medal at the 2015 IIHF World Junior Championship; McDavid's 11 points in seven games tied him for the tournament scoring lead and earned him a place on the tournament all-star team.

Conor Garland of the Moncton Wildcats of the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League was also nominated for the CHL Player of the Year award. The 5-foot-8, 163-pound right wing led the QMJHL with 94 assists and 129 points in 67 games. He also had 35 goals and a plus-21 rating. Garland is No. 86 on Central Scouting's final ranking.

The third finalist for the award is forward Oliver Bjorkstrand (Columbus Blue Jackets) of the Portland Winterhawks of the Western Hockey League.

Joining McDavid as finalist for the Top Draft Prospect award is forward Timo Meier of the Halifax Mooseheads of the QMJHL and defenseman Ivan Provorov of the Brandon Wheat Kings of the WHL.

Meier, No. 10 on Central Scouting's final ranking, was tied for fifth in the QMJHL with 44 goals, and he was second on the Mooseheads with 90 points. He also had 21 points in 14 QMJHL playoff games. Meier had two goals and six points in six games for Switzerland at the 2015 WJC.

Provorov, No. 7 on Central Scouting's final ranking, led WHL rookies and was fourth among WHL defensemen with 61 points in 60 games. He also had 13 points in 19 WHL playoff games. He had one assist and a plus-2 rating in seven games to help Russia win the silver medal at the 2015 WJC.

McDavid won the Scholastic Player of the Year award last year. Joining him as finalists this year is forward Jeremy Gregoire (Montreal Canadiens) of the Baie-Comeau Drakkar of the QMJHL, and goaltender Nick McBride of the Prince Albert Raiders of the WHL.

McBride is No. 7 on Central Scouting's final ranking of the top North American goaltenders. He was 13-18-1 with a 3.41 goals-against average and .895 save percentage in 37 games.

McDavid's teammate, Dylan Strome, is a finalist for the CCM Most Sportsmanlike Player award. Strome, No. 4 on Central Scouting's final ranking, had 32 penalty minutes in 68 regular-season games while leading the OHL with 129 points.

Other nominees are forward Kyle Farrell of the Cape Breton Screaming Eagles of the QMJHL and Rourke Chartier (San Jose Sharks) of the Kelowna Rockets of the WHL.

Strome and Garland are also finalists for the Sherwin-Williams Top Scorer award. They'll be joined by Bjorkstrand, who led the WHL with 118 points in 59 games.

Other awards to be presented are:

*TVA Sports Humanitarian of the Year, with finalists forward Danick Martel (Philadelphia Flyers) of the Blainville-Boisbriand Armada of the QMJHL, forward Nicholas Paul (Ottawa Senators) of the North Bay Battalion of the OHL and 2015 draft prospect Taylor Vickerman of the Tri-City Americans of the WHL.

*BMO Rookie of the Year, with finalists forward Dmytro Timashov of the Quebec Remparts of the QMJHL, No. 92 on Central Scouting's final ranking; Erie forward Alexander DeBrincat; and Brandon forward Nolan Patrick. DeBrincat and Patrick are eligible for the 2016 draft.

*Vaughn Goaltender of the Year, with finalists Lucas Peressini of the Kingston Frontenacs of the OHL, No. 26 in Central Scouting's final goaltender ranking; Philippe Desrosiers (Dallas Stars) of the Rimouski Oceanic of the QMJHL; and Taran Kozun of the Seattle Thunderbirds of the WHL.

*Liftmaster Defenseman of the Year, with finalists Rimouski's Jan Kostalek (Winnipeg Jets), Anthony DeAngelo (Tampa Bay Lightning) of the Sault Ste. Marie Greyhounds of the OHL; and Seattle's Shea Theodore (Anaheim Ducks).

*MasterCard Brian Kilrea Coach of the Year, with finalists Joel Bouchard of Blainville-Boisbriand, Sheldon Keefe of Sault Ste. Marie, and John Paddock of the Regina Pats of the WHL.