Brad Thiessen of Aldergrove, B.C., on Thursday was named one of three finalists for the Hobey Baker award, honouring the top U.S. college hockey player of the year.

The other finalists joining the Northeastern goalie are skaters Colin Wilson and Matt Gilroy, both of Frozen Four favourite Boston University.

The Minnesota-based Hobey Baker Memorial Award Foundation made the announcement on Thursday. The winner will be picked at the Frozen Four championships on April 10 in Washington.

Thiessen, in his third season at Northeastern, has recorded six shutouts and has a .931 save percentage and 2.12 goals-against average in 41 games.

The 23-year-old previously played for the Penticton Panthers and Prince George Spruce Kings in the BCHL.

Gilroy, a defenceman, had eight goals and 28 assists in 43 games for Boston this season, his fourth. The North Bellmore, N.Y. native has a younger brother, Kevin, in his first year at Boston University.

Teammate Wilson is the son of longtime Calgary Flame Carey Wilson. He was born in Greenwich, Conn., when his father played for the NHL's Hartford Whalers.

Wilson has 15 goals and 37 assists in 41 games this season and represented the United States for the second straight year at the world junior championships.

He was selected overall in the first round of the 2007 draft by the Nashville Predators. Gilroy and Thiessen went undrafted.

Boston University was ranked first in the U.S. for most of the season, and is the top seed for next weekend's national semifinals. The other finalists are Bemidji State, Vermont and Miami (Ohio).

Last year's winner of the Hobey Baker award was Phoenix Coyotes prospect Kevin Porter. Notable winners in recent years have included Buffalo Sabres goalie Ryan Miller, New York Rangers forward Chris Drury, and Calgary Flames defenceman Jordan Leopold.

The award is named after the former Princeton University player who died in a plane crash shortly after serving in the First World War.

With files from the Associated Press