There will be a 2021 season - pending the approval of provincial authorities to allow clubs to play in their home stadiums. The NHL creates the precedent to allow CPL to have a full season. Target start date is the long weekend of Victoria Day (Saturday May 22) 28 games - Full Season Mandatory Canadians U21 minutes will be raised from 1000 minutes to 1500 minutes while maintaining the requirement to sign at least 3 Canadian U21 "This year, we will build on the success created by demonstrating our resolve to deliver the 2021 Season that our Supporters and Fans deserve."An update on the 2021 #CanPL season from Commissioner David Clanachan ⬇️https://t.co/KqPYZhTpEO— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) January 19, 2021 CPL off-season roster tracker https://canpl.ca/article/cpl-off-season-roster-tracker-whos-in-and-whos-out-for-2021 A few notes per teams Atletico Ottawa - Not to be underestimated The club will finally get the chance to play at their home Stadium TD Place in Ottawa. The pitch was recently upgraded. They have recently re-signed Ben McKendry, Brandon John and Malcom Shaw. They have just started making move on their roster. The departure of Francisco Acuna is tough but also speaks to how Liga MX club Necaxa view the quality of the league. The coach Mista has been able to implement a sound system which takes cues from how Atletico Madrid plays, if the club can add the right pieces to execute consistently this style of play, they could be a dark horse this season. Cavalry - All In for a title The club is still working on their roster but they look as dangerous as ever. The case of Dominick Zator will be one to watch as he was linked to a loan in Championship last fall. He is arguably the best defender in the league. They added LB Tom Field who has Championship experience which boost their back line. They signed Joe Di Chiara who was phenomenal for York United at midfield and Brazilian forward Richard Luca along with Argentinian forward Matias Roskopf.The core of the club which has made this team so dangerous are coming back with the likes of Sergio Camargo and Jose Escalante who's currently on loan in Honduras. FC Edmonton - Nowhere to go but up Alan Koch became the new manager of the club and the recent signing makes it obvious that this will be a much stronger team this time around. Adding Shamit Shome from CF Montreal and re-signing Amer Didic is a massive boost to the club. The return of Easton Ongaro from his loan from Denmark and the addition of Peruvian winger Raul Tito should make them more dangerous offensively. With the re-signing of their keeper Connor James, FC Edmonton have a strong core to build around but the club needs an clear vision and identity going forward. Forge - The Champions The reigning champions have not yet made any moves and are still awaiting the CSA announcement on the date they will face Toronto FC for a CCL berth. Daniel Krutzen is currently on trial in the top tier in Sweden while David Edgar retired. While the coach said he wanted to keep most of the team intact and adding some pieces, I don't see Forge winning a third time in a row. Other clubs have caught up. Halifax Wanderers - The new elites The club just announced the signing of midfielder Jeremy Gagnon-Lapare. The club kept most of their core with the fantastic duo of Golden boot winner Akeem Garcia and Brazilian Joao Morelli. They swapped RB with York United by adding Morey Doner while strengthening the back line by adding Brazilian defender Eriks Santos. Definitely favorites for this year trophy. Pacific - The kids are growing up Their stadium will be call Starlight Stadium after the club recently sold the naming rights. They have virtually kept the entire team intact except for Zach Verhoven while adding former York United captain Manny Aparicio who's deadly on free kicks. The club having a long term strategy aims to grow with their young core with the experienced and talented leadership group with Marco Bustos, Jamar Dixon and Thomas Meilleur-Giguere under the leadership of inspirational coach Pa Madou Kah. Valour - The Wall The club continues to build from the back. While Julian Dunn was instrumental to Valour turning things around, Andrew Jean-Baptiste was the core of the back line and he's staying. Perhaps there will be a play to have Dunn back but this will be a priority for the team. They played much better football and they kept most of their midfield but they were lacking upfront. The coach seems to have lots of faith in Venezuelan attacker Ronny Maza but can he do it on his own after the departure of Fraser Aird to FC Edmonton? York United - CPL Toronto's club Once again, this "new" club fresh from a rebrand with an upgraded pitch & stadium waiting for them are contenders...on paper. They have went into a rebuild with moves such as signing Cavalry's backup Giantstopoulos as their #1, downgrading Nathan Ingham as the back up. While keeping their young promising core, they added Chris N'Sa at RB from Halifax. They added Colombian Sebastian Guttierez, Argentinian duo Lisandro Cabrera as an attacker and midfielder Mateo Hernandez. They kept the talented Spaniard Alvaro Rivero while adding German Julian Ulbricht and Brazilian William Wallace. Replacing Ironman Luca Gasparotto with Roger Thomson who's coming back from Sweden adding much needed leadership and experience. Is this the year where they will live up to the expectation or a change in coaching might be necessary? Expansion? Expect an announcement of 1 or most likely 2 new clubs in the province of Quebec (Quebec City and Montreal Region) for 2022. With the failed Montreal Impact rebrand into CF Montreal, the "Snowflakes" created the situation allowing the CPL to be bold and even putting a club on the Island of Montreal, potentially even downtown where CF Montreal are nowhere to be found instead of the northern Jesus Island in the city of Laval Stadium Percival Molson anyone?
The CPL - USports draft Tune in for the 2021 CPL - @USPORTSca Draft on Friday, January 29th at 3 PM ET live on https://t.co/I1vocz3gPj, Twitter and @onesoccer 📺#CanPL l 📝: https://t.co/bs7SjT0SOg pic.twitter.com/jxGF3312tz— Canadian Premier League (@CPLsoccer) January 22, 2021
The CPL is also helping CONCACAF nations in expending their pool. Federico Pena from Valour has been called up by Trinidad for their upcoming games against the US Federico Peña has been selected for the @TTFootballAssoc Men's National Team squad for their friendly against the USA. #ForValour | #CanPL pic.twitter.com/4n0BNqBKPM— Valour FC (@ValourFootball) January 27, 2021
Massive signing for York United who grabs the best CB of the league Dominick Zator. York United Football Club is thrilled to announce the signing of Canadian defender Dominick Zator on a two-year deal.#YorkUnited | #WelcomeDominickhttps://t.co/FDzTHbdYMt— York United FC (@yorkutdfc) February 1, 2021
Zator has been loaned to Sweden D2 York United Football Club can confirm defender Dominick Zator has joined Swedish side Vasalunds IF on a short-term loan.The 26-year-old Calgary native will return in the summer.#YorkUnitedhttps://t.co/HYOu4xMw3n— York United FC (@yorkutdfc) February 2, 2021 Forge resigned 2 defenders ahead of the clash against TFC............If they don't get locked out … and so is Dom Samuel (@YoursTruelyDS)! ⚒🗞: https://t.co/WP7IaKtgYX#ForgeFC | #CanPL pic.twitter.com/jhUfOwo49e— Forge FC (@ForgeFCHamilton) February 2, 2021
And if it ever gets scheduled. I sort of thought that the CSA would have hosted it indoors somewhere by now.
Further evolution of our playing pyramid is more loans for promising MLS youngsters to CPL who won't get time in MLS and will get lost in the shuffle in USL... Le Club prête Karifa Yao et Keesean Ferdinand en Première ligue canadienne pour la saison 2021 >>> https://t.co/jaTp4GIspwThe Club loans Homegrown players K. Yao and K. Ferdinand to CPL clubs for the 2021 season >>> https://t.co/nkNhcS2FpIBonne chance les gars! 👊#CFMTL pic.twitter.com/vPpg9TbT8J— CF Montréal (@cfmontreal) February 3, 2021
There were three (?) such loans last year and they seemed to work out well for all concerned. Good to see the clubs working together for player development.
TFC Boskovic was atrocious for Cavalry, I think TFC let him go But yeah, Julian Dunn was the best loan to CPL
I'd missed Boskovic entirely. I was thinking of Dunn, Pantemis (Montreal to Valour), and Facchineri (Vancouver to Ottawa). So there were four. Actually, wikipedia reminds me of Dante Campbell (TFCII to Valour) so that makes five. Yes. And also for the MLS teams because by the time a player is much over 21 they are probably making a decision on him anyway. Aside from how such loans might help my favourite CPL or MLS team, as a CNT fan I'm happy to see any player get time at whatever place is going to be best for his development.
Canadian midfielder Keven Alemán has been signed by Valour and loaned to Costa Rica top Tier until May 2021. We have signed Canadian midfielder Keven Alemán and subsequently loaned him to @guadalupefccr until May 2021.📝 | https://t.co/8UGpqPQl2b#ForValour | #CanPL pic.twitter.com/09siplnO4Q— Valour FC (@ValourFootball) February 4, 2021
Noah Verhoeven signs with York United from Pacific FC on a 2+1 contract York United Football Club is proud to announce the signing of Canadian midfielder Noah Verhoeven on a two-year deal, with an option for a further twelve months.#YorkUnited | #WelcomeNoahhttps://t.co/7Kq2vA3AaK— York United FC (@yorkutdfc) February 4, 2021
Interesting. I'd have thought he'd be one of the players that Pacific would have wanted to lock down.
It looks like a straight up swap between Manny Aparicio and Verhoeven. Aparicio is the best Free Kick taker in the league by a mile but I think that long term, Verhoeven has a higher ceiling
CPL is going to be impossible to predict this year. York could be fantastic, or not. Same with Valour. How much of an effect will player departures have on Cavalry? I'd expect Pacific to continue to get even better this year. I think Halifax takes a step down with Sissoko leaving the club. The only two clubs that I think stink right now are Edmonton and Ottawa. However, there is plenty of time to add impactful players.
I think you are right. Aparicio is where he is going to be. Verhoeven is still 21 and has room to climb.
CF Montréal loaning more players to CPL amidst MLS U23 league uncertainties. Regarding the #CFMTL U23 team: Renard adds that he looked at #CanPL loans because there are still uncertainties regarding the league the U23 team would play in. On CPL: The clubs wanted our players, they reached out to us for them. #CavsFC #Ottleti— Tristan D'Amours (@tristandamours) February 8, 2021
Samuel Salter to HFX Wanderers. https://hfxwanderersfc.canpl.ca/article/halifax-wanderers-sign-canadian-forward-samuel-salter
Ontario approves AHL teams resuming play. This looks good for CPL being able to play their games in their home stadiums NEW👇 my statement on the return of the AHL in Ontario. @TorontoMarlies @BellevilleSens pic.twitter.com/9Sj6beqFbo— Lisa MacLeod (@MacLeodLisa) February 12, 2021
Looks like that CPL will ask for more of this in the future. "No recall clause" ANNOUNCEMENT ALERT! ⚽️⚽️FC Edmonton and Club de Foot Montréal of Major League Soccer (MLS) have reached a loan agreement for midfielder Tomas Giraldo without a right to recall for the 2021 season, the club announced today.#OneOfOurOwn pic.twitter.com/Wva3lXa8Xn— FC Edmonton (@FCEdmontonNow) February 12, 2021
wish that york rebrand only last a single season and they back to their origins Angus McNab made the club lost its identidity
Forge re-sign CB Daniel Krutzen in a 2+1 deal. He is vital to Forge back line after the retirement of David Edgar. Arguably one of the top defenders in the CPL… and he’s back in #HamOnt! ⚒️🗞: https://t.co/2gMx70QT9b#ForgeFC | #CanPL | @FirstOntarioCU | @Danielkrutzen pic.twitter.com/i4VMrHcbMC— Forge FC (@ForgeFCHamilton) February 16, 2021 Forge will need another top CB and a better RB than Grant and Samuels in my opinion to resist TFC. Awuah can do the job at LB. Paolo Sabak will need to play much better to add more creativity to Forge midfield which as kept Bekker, Cisse, Tissot and Achinioti-Jonsson. Antony Novak having signed in Portugal, they need to upgrade upfront with all due respect to Baboulli. Choiniere is fantastic but they are missing firepower upfront.
Great pic by FC Edmonton FC Edmonton has signed Tobias Warschewski to a contract for the 2021 season. Warschewski is from Dortmund, Germany & received his football education at the academy of SC Preussen Münster. In 2016 he made his professional playing debut with that club. Welcome Tobias! ⚽️ pic.twitter.com/hzeXq1ttIR— FC Edmonton (@FCEdmontonNow) February 19, 2021