This week, a group of sports journalists and broadcasters from across the country will sit down together and try to solve the impossible: Who is Canada’s athlete of the year?
The Northern Star Award, formerly known as the Lou Marsh Trophy, is given annually to the country’s top athlete of the calendar year. A number of athletes are nominated before a smaller group of finalists are debated until the winner is chosen. Last year the award was won by decathlete Damian Warner.
Just for fun, we want to hear what our readers have to say before an official winner is crowned on Wednesday. This exercise is not at all connected to the actual award voting or nomination system, which takes place on Dec. 7.
Below is a bit of background on a long list of contenders, along with a voting tool at the bottom. We’ll take your votes until 5 p.m. ET on Tuesday before declaring a readers’ choice favourite.
Marie-Philip Poulin
The Canadian hockey captain led Canada to a world championship title and a gold medal at the 2022 Beijing Olympics, scoring twice in the 3-2 gold medal win over the U.S.
Félix Auger-Aliassime
The 22-year-old tennis player won four ATP Tour events and climbing to world No. 6 in singles, then powered Canada to its first Davis Cup title.
Shai Gilgeous-Alexander
The Oklahoma City Thunder star is scoring more than 31 points a game this season, third best in the NBA.
Summer McIntosh
The 16-year-old swimming phenom won four medals at the world championships, another six medals at the Commonwealth Games and set multiple Canadian records and world junior records.
Steven Dubois
The 25-year-old won three medals in his Olympic debut at the Beijing Games, ending up with a medal of each colour when he captured gold in the 5,000-metre relay.
Sarah Nurse
At Beijing 2022, she broke the points record for a single Olympic tournament as she helped Canada win the gold medal, recording five goals and 13 assists.
Max Parrot
The snowboarder won two of medals at the Beijing Games, including Canada’s first gold medal, less than three years after finishing treatment for cancer.
Cale Makar
The 24-year-old defenceman led the Colorado Avalanche to a Stanley Cup and was awarded the Conn Smythe and Norris trophies.
Brooke Henderson
The 25-year-old golfer won two LPGA tournaments, including a major, bringing her career total up to 12 LPGA titles. She finished top 10 in eight other tournaments.
Camryn Rogers
The Richmond, B.C. native made history by winning a silver medal in the women’s hammer throw at the world championships.
Brian McKeever
The 43-year-old cross-country skiing superstar and Canada’s most decorated winter Paralympian won three gold medals at the Beijing Paralympics.
Isabelle Weidemann
The speedskater left the Beijing Winter Olympics with a medal of every colour: bronze in 3,000 metres, silver in 5,000 metres, and gold — in Olympic record time — in team pursuit.
Andrew Wiggins
He was a star performer all playoffs for the Golden State Warriors, who beat the Boston Celtics in the NBA Finals in June.
Ellie Black
The three-time Olympian won silver on the balance beam at the world gymnastics championships, hardly a stage on which Canadians usually dominate.
Aaron Brown
He was part of the gold medal 4×100-metre relay team at the World Athletics Championships and was the only competitor on the men’s side to be a finalist in both the 100-metre and 200-metre race.
Jordan Romano
The Markham, Ont. native was one of the best closers in baseball for his hometown Blue Jays. He recorded 36 saves, the sixth most by a Canadian in MLB history.
Nathan Rourke
The B.C. Lions quarterback Nathan Rourke was named the CFL’s most outstanding Canadian after finishing sixth in CFL passing with 3,349 yards despite playing in just 10 games.
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