Welcome to CPL50, a series where we’ll reveal the top 50 players from the 2021 Canadian Premier League regular season, as voted on by a panel of coaches from all eight teams and media from OneSoccer and CanPL.ca.
For more information on the voting process and method, click here.
The first HFX Wanderers FC player to make the CPL50 is experienced utility man Jérémy Gagnon-Laparé, who impressed in his first season in Halifax this year.
Gagnon-Laparé played the second-most minutes for the Wanderers in 2021 with 1,838 spread across 22 CPL matches, providing a consistent presence to a club that was rocked by injuries in other positions this year. The 26-year-old from Sherbrooke, Quebec was one of the most formidable defensive midfielders in the league, finishing fourth in the entire CPL in tackles with 41. He also made some important contributions to the attack, with three assists for the Wanderers this year.
Over the 2021 season, Gagnon-Laparé also proved to be one of the most versatile players in the CPL; though he’s most comfortable pulling strings in the middle of the park, he played some important minutes on both flanks as a wide midfielder and, perhaps more impressive, a significant amount of time as a left-back.
Gagnon-Laparé came into the fold in Halifax to provide some veteran savvy and composure to the squad. Although only 26, he arrived at the club with 140 professional appearances at clubs like the Ottawa Fury, Montreal Impact, and Vitré in the French fourth division.
GOAL ??
Mamadi Camara gets his first @CPLsoccer goal for @HFXWanderersFC to give his side a 2-1 lead over @YorkUtdFC just moments before HT!#CanPL ?? | ? TELUS ch. 980 | ? https://t.co/hishXepRT3 pic.twitter.com/e23uYOnuzm
— OneSoccer (@onesoccer) October 3, 2021
The rest of the CPL50 countdown is available here. Five more players will be revealed per day until December 22.