With the CPL offseason now roughly finished other than a few last-minute additions, it’s time to look at how each team has done. Every team has announced which players left during the offseason and which ones the team is keeping around, in addition to what players the teams have brought into the fold. This gives me enough information to give each team a letter grade on how well their offseason is going so far. This is the second half of a two-part series where I grade each team’s offseason and give my thoughts. The first half of this series can be found here “Grading Each CPL’s Team Offseason So Far
Pacific FC
Mid Offseason Grade-D
End of Offseason Grade-C
Roster 20/23
Number of U21-3
Internationals 3/7
Pacific lost their core during this offseason with the likes of Callum Irving, Jamar Dixon, Marco Bustos, Gianni Dos Santos and Jordon Brown leaving the team they had a lot of rebuilding to do and I’m not sure they did that the right way. In total twelve players left the team at the end of last season and ten new players have joined.
The attacking from the team has done better, getting Ayman Sellouf from the Netherlands second division, Easton Ongaro who is the second all-time leading goalscorer in the CPL and having Kekutah Manneh join the team are all positives. If Manneh still has the speed he did when he was a member of Vancouver Whitecaps he will give the defences in the CPL a hard time.
Vancouver FC
Mid Offseason Grade-D
End of Offseason Grade-B
Roster 21/23
Number of U21-4
Internationals 6/7
Vancouver was actually able to string together enough players that they don’t need to beg the other team to play five aside.
All jokes aside Vancouver has put together a decent roaster for their first season in the CPL, with a mix of proven CPL talent, new faces, and some old the roster looks good.
Experience comes in the face of Callum Irving who switched sides and joined Vancouver from Pacific as the club’s first signing, Kadin Chung is back in the CPL after a stint with Toronto FC. Rocco Romeo, Marcus Simmons, Elliot Simmons, Gabriel Bitar, and Mamadou Kane all provide proven CPL experience which will be key to getting the expansion side off to a good start and through their first season.
Now, let’s just hope the stadium is built in time.
FC Edmonton
Mid Offseason Grade-F
End of Offseason Grade-F
Roster 0/23
Number of U21-0
Internationals 0/7
RIP Edmonton gone but not forgotten. I’m sure your roster would have been terrible so you get an F but you live on in the hearts of many CPL fans.
Cavalry FC
Mid Offseason Grade-C
End of Offseason Grade-C
Roster 18/23
Number of U21-2
Internationals 6/7
Cavalry has always been one of the strongest teams in the league during the regular season (playoffs are another story). But this offseason might change that. With twelve players gone and only seven new players joining the squad is the smallest at the time of writing in the CPL and is looking a little thin.
Cavalry’s had three of their most used centre-backs leave the club with only one staying, this will most likely result in a different defensive shape than what we are used to when it comes to the team. The mainstay at the back Marco Carducci is still with the team, so look for him to bail out the defence as they find their footing. The attack looks as solid as ever, with Joe Mason, Myer Bevan and Ali Musse all staying with the team their attack should provide goals.
S. 2 Ep. 21: Canada Doing What Canada Does – FC13 Podcast
Valour FC
Mid Offseason Grade-A
End of Offseason Grade- B
Roster 20/23
Number of U21-4
Internationals 6/7
The good news for Valour this offseason is the CPL changed their playoff format so if Valour finishes fifth for the third straight season they will finally make the playoffs.
Valour had a busy offseason with sixteen players leaving including key players Jonathan Sirois, Sean Rea and Brett Levis, among others. Valour brought in thirteen new players with a mix of CPL and European experience.
Key players that they brought in include Kian Williams, Jamie Siaj and Pacifique Niyongabire who will all feature up top while Jordan Haynes and Abdou Samake will feature in the backline. Rayane Yesli will most likely be the main man in the net now that Sirois is with Montreal.
York United FC
Mid Offseason Grade-A
End of Offseason Grade-A
Roster 23/23
Number of U21-3
Internationals 4/7
York had a very busy offseason with seventeen players departing and ten players joining York now has a full squad, which may come to hurt them. Knowing York half the team will get sold during the season anyway.
The York roster is exciting, the team added CPL talent and bolstered their already hot attack even more. York added four new defenders to their team with Jonathan Grant joining from Forge being the most notable. Their midfield has been bolstered by Elijah Adekugbe, Jeremy Gagnon-Lapare, and Oussama Alou and their attack added the experience of Briann Wright to provide a more senior voice in the dressing room. Most importantly York was able to keep Niko Giantsopoulos, Osaze De Rosario and Mo Babouli who were all key to the 2022 season.
Forge FC
Mid Offseason Grade-F
End of Offseason Grade-B
Roster 20/23
Number of U21-3
Internationals 3/7
Forge has finally provided some insight into their roster moves this off-season. After being dead quiet for the first half Forge finally spoke up and made some moves, not a lot but some.
Forge has had four players move on to better things, with only one new player coming into the team so far in the name of Manjrekar James. Forge has managed to keep most of their championship-winning roster in place. So look for Forge to yet again challenge the microwave plate unless an utterly spectacular collapse occurs (we can all hope).
Atletico Ottawa
Mid Offseason Grade-C
End of Offseason Grade-B
Roster 20/23
Number of U21-3
Internationals 5/7
The 2022 Regular Season Champions (we need a name for this trophy) went into their offseason with one thing in mind, how can we stay on top? To answer this question the team let go of thirteen players and had eight new players join. The most notable departure was Ballou Tabla who was sold to a second-division Turkish side and Drew Beckie who retired at the end of the season.
Ottawa added Canadian International Karl Ouimette as almost a like-for-like replacement of Drew Beckie and bolstered their attack with Sam Salter and Dianni Dos Santos joining from within the CPL. Ottawa has also added to their midfield with young players such as Gabriel Antinoro and Jean-Aniel Assi who will look to learn from league MVP Ollie Bassett.
Look for Ottawa to most likely play like they did last season with a solid defence led by Diego Espejo, and a quick counterattack orchestrated by either Ollie Bassett or new signing Noah Verhoeven.
Halifax Wanderers FC
Mid Offseason Grade-B
End of Offseason Grade
Roster 23/23
Number of U21-3
Internationals 5/7
Halifax Wanderers’ have a new coach and a lot of new players. Fifteen players left the club including both of their goalies, while thirteen new players joined. The big question this season is how will this all go together and will the fans in the Kitchen finally get to experience a playoff game?
The team currently has a full roster and that is not including injured Joao Morelli who isn’t expected back until sometime this summer. This means someone will need to leave in order to get Morelli back into the fold of things. The attack for the team will be the biggest question as it was lacklustre last season. Look for Lifumpe Mwandwe, Theo Collomb, and Massimo Ferrin to try to find a spark.
Something interesting to note is that Patrice Gheisar has brought over three players from his former team Vaughan Azzurri in League 1 Ontario. It will be interesting to see how these players do in the more competitive and professional CPL.
Do you agree with the grades? If not comment below and let us know what you think they should be.
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