With the 2023 Canadian Premier League season coming to a dramatic conclusion on Saturday, it is now officially the start of awards season.

Among the most anticipated awards is always the league’s Player of the Year, given to the player voted as the best in the league by media members. Previous winners of the award include Forge’s Tristan Borges (2019) and Kyle Bekker (2020) of Forge, João Morelli of the Halifax Wanderers (2021) and Ollie Bassett of Atletico Ottawa (2022).

The league’s five official nominees will be revealed next week, with the winner being awarded during the CPL finals weekend at the end of October.

Here are ten players who are in the CPL’s 2023 Player of the Year conversation, listed in alphabetical order.

Manny Aparicio, Pacific FC

After missing large chunks of last season due to injury and suspension, Aparicio made 24 appearances in 2023, scoring four goals and adding five assists. He is also fourth in the league in recoveries for outfield players and won possession the second most times in the final third (21) showing how active he is on all areas of the pitch. Pacific were winless in matches that Aparicio did not start, or appear in this season, with three losses and two draws.

Ollie Bassett, Atlético Ottawa

After dominating last year’s awards season, winning both the 2022 CPL Player of the Year and Players’ Player of the Year awards, Bassett is very much back in the conversation again this year. Bassett shared the Canadian Premier League’s Golden Boot award with Cavalry’s Myer Bevan, scoring 11 times, and added three assists finishing second in the league in overall goal contributions. Bassett also finished among the league leaders in shots and chances and tied for the league lead in possession won in the final third (23). He scored in six of Ottawa’s ten wins this season.

Kyle Bekker, Forge FC

One of the best players in the league since its inception, Bekker’s standard has not dropped in the league’s fifth season. The 2020 CPL Player of the Year finished second in the league in assists this season, with seven, adding three goals. He also finished tied for the league in chances created, with 51, and first in expected assists with 7.02.

Myer Bevan, Cavalry FC

On the final day of the season, Myer Bevan caught Ollie Bassett for the league’s Golden Boot award with his eleventh of the season. The tireless Cavalry attacker, who led the line all year for the 2023 regular season winners, also added four assists. The New Zealand international led the league in goals from the penalty spot, with five, and finished with a league-leading 9.54 expected goals, showing his penchant for getting into dangerous areas.

Lorenzo Callegari, Halifax Wanderers

Nobody has quite bossed the middle of the park like Callegari has in Halifax this season. The 25-year-old French midfielder led the league by a fairly significant margin in both passes (1949) and touches (2344), picking up six assists from defensive midfield. Defensively, Callegari finished among the league leaders in tackles won (42), and interceptions (34) and was the league leader by a significant margin in overall possession won having done so 224 times.

Massimo Ferrin, Halifax Wanderers

Ferrin isn’t a stranger to individual accolades, having won League1 Ontario’s MVP and Golden Boot awards last season. Even with that considered, however, his first CPL season has been incredibly impressive. Ferrin scored his eighth goal of the season in Halifax’s season finale against Valour, and three assists. He was also among the league leaders in chances created, dribbles completed and total shots, underlining his overall dynamic attacking ability.

Daan Klomp, Cavalry FC

The Canadian Premier League’s Iron Man this season, Klomp was the only outfield player to appear in every minute for his club in 2023. In those minutes he brought consistency and quality to the CPL regular season winners. He scored four goals and added an assist, finishing second in the league in passes completed with 1494 and a sterling 90 per cent accuracy. Defensively, Klomp was among the league leaders in blocks (17), aerial duels won (51) and possession won in the defensive third (87).

Ali Musse, Cavalry FC

Musse often ignited the attack for regular season winners Cavalry FC, scoring five goals and adding five assists this season. He also finished fourth in chances created (46) and second in dribbles completed (70) and played 117 passes into the opposition box. Musse is a handful on both sides of the ball as well, finishing in the top ten in the league in terms of duels won with 154.

Daniel Nimick, Halifax Wanderers

In his first professional season, having just recently turned 23, Nimick played the full 90 minutes in 27 of Halifax’s 28 matches this season. As a central defender, he scored a stunning six goals and added three assists. Nimick has been especially prolific from the spot, with four penalties scored this season. He also possesses an outstanding ability to move the ball forward from the back, as he was first in the league among outfield players in successful long balls played with 174.

Ayman Sellouf, Pacific FC

On his day, there is no player more electric in the Canadian Premier League than Ayman Sellouf. The Pacific winger led the league in goal contributions with 15 (seven goals and a league-leading eight assists) many of them of the highlight reel variety. The silky dribbling Dutchman was also tied for the league lead in chances created (51) and was among the league leaders in dribbles completed as well.