McDavid's hardware haul includes CHL player of the year

QUEBEC CITY — At the rate Connor McDavid is winning awards, his family might need to add an addition on to their home to house all his hardware.

On Saturday evening, McDavid picked up three more honours at the CHL awards banquet, winning the league’s player of year, scholastic player of the year, and top NHL prospect.

In the Ontario Hockey League this season, McDavid finished third in scoring with 44 goals and 120 points in 47 games. He played 21 fewer games than Erie Otters teammate Dylan Strome who won the OHL’s scoring title with 129 points. Strome shared the CHL’s top scorer award with Conor Garland of the QMJHL’s Moncton Wildcats.

McDavid’s season with the Otters ended in the OHL final when they were defeated in five games by the champion Oshawa Generals. In the meantime, the 18-year-old forward has been focusing on school and on getting ready for the NHL combine which takes place in Buffalo, N.Y., next weekend.

“I’m just back in school,” said McDavid. “I’m looking to graduate (high school). Other than that I’m just back in the gym trying to get ready for the combine. It’s been nice to have a little bit of a break and not kind of be in the spotlight all the time. It’s been nice.”

The highly-touted centre is expected to be the top pick at the draft. The Edmonton Oilers won the draft lottery and are expected to take the phenom who has been the spotlight since he was 14 years old. At 15, he was given exceptional status by Hockey Canada in order to join the OHL a year early. Since coming to junior the hype surrounding McDavid and the draft has reached a fever pitch.

“It’s exciting,” said McDavid of the draft. “It’s fun that’s now a month away. I can start to look ahead and kind of see what happens obviously the combine is kind of the final step towards that. It’ll be fun. It’ll be a good week.”

The native of Richmond Hill, Ont., says he plans on taking part in the full combine testing. Last year much was made of Calgary Flames prospect Sam Bennett, who failed to do a single chin-up at the combine. McDavid was asked if he was worried about balking on one of the tests.

“Obviously you don’t want to embarrass yourself,” said McDavid. “The media coverage of it is pretty crazy so, I’m just looking to do whatever it is I can do. I’m just going to do my best and see what happens.”

McDavid got into the Memorial Cup early for Saturday’s awards ceremony, but he said he’s been watching the tournament closely at home. He’s been keeping an eye on the Generals who knocked his Otters out some two weeks earlier. The undefeated Generals will face the Kelowna Rockets in the Memorial Cup final on Sunday.

“I’m not surprised at all,” said McDavid, of seeing the Generals in the final. “They’re a great team and they certainly deserve to be here… it’s going to be a tough game, but Oshawa’s been great all season long.”