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2022 CPL-U SPORTS Draft Watchlist: 40 top prospects to look for
2022-01-17
by
Charlie O’Connor-Clarke, Digital Content Editor (@charliejclarke)
2022 CPL-U SPORTS Draft

With the fourth ever CPL-U SPORTS Draft set to take place on Thursday evening at 8 pm ET, there’s a huge pool of candidates available for CPL clubs to consider.

This year’s pool of eligible players features 165 names — some of them new, and some of them familiar to CPL sides — so coaches have their work cut out for them, as do fans trying to sift through the list of potential draft picks. With the help of the CPL’s Football Development department, which has been tracking eligible U SPORTS players all year, we at CanPL.ca have put together a shortlist of 40 players who could hear their names called on Thursday night.

RELATED: Canadian Premier League announces date for 2022 CPL-U SPORTS Draft

Here are the players most likely to be among the 16 selections made by CPL teams at Thursday’s draft (live on OneSoccer and the CPL’s social media channels):

Svyatoslav Artemenko — GK, University of Guelph

Formerly signed as a third ‘keeper by Valour FC, the 2000-born Winnipeg native is very comfortable on the ball and has played an important role both at the U SPORTS level and in League1 Ontario for Guelph United.

Jacob Begley — CB, Ontario Tech University

A six-foot-five defender who’s been one of the most dominant aerial forces in the OUA for Ontario Tech. Begley scored twice in 10 games for the Ridgebacks in 2020, his third season for the team. The Markham-born defender was an OUA All-Star in 2021.

Gabriel Bitar — FW, Carleton University

Previously selected in the CPL-U SPORTS Draft in both 2019 and 2020 by Cavalry FC, Bitar is a highly sought-after striker who has been consistently filling the net for Carleton. The 23-year-old also had a brief stint in 2021 with Lebanese Premier League club Al Ansar.

Jakob Bosch — CM, University of Alberta

Bosch went 11th overall to FC Edmonton in the 2020 draft, but he has re-entered this year’s pool of candidates after another strong season in Canada West. A former member of the FCE academy in his hometown, Bosch is a confident midfielder who’s comfortable distributing the ball across the pitch.

Julien Bruce — WM, University of Montréal

A native of Paris, France, Bruce is a dynamic and athletic winger who played a key role for the Carabins this season in attack. The 22-year-old scored in extra time of the U SPORTS national championship match, as Montréal went on to win the gold medal on penalties.

Christopher Campoli — AM, Ontario Tech University

Picked fourth overall by York United in the 2021 draft, Campoli returns to the mix hoping to break into the CPL. The 20-year-old is a strong attack-minded midfielder who can create scoring opportunities from all over the pitch, both for himself and for his teammates. He scored a team-high 12 goals in 11 games in 2021, third-most in the OUA.

Jacob Carlos — CM, Ryerson University

Another U-21 eligible player, the Ryerson midfielder has quite a lot of experience beyond U SPORTS — both in the Toronto FC Academy and with clubs in Sweden and Portugal. Carlos is a strong technical player with good versatility, though a little undersized. Produced two goals and two assists for Ryerson in 11 games this past year (his first at the U SPORTS level).

Kairo Coore — FW, Cape Breton University

The 2001-born forward moved to Cape Breton from NCAA Div. II school Saginaw Valley State to enter the CPL-U SPORTS Draft. A native of Whitby, Ontario, Coore scored 15 goals in 12 games (most in the Atlantic conference), and he added a goal in the national bronze medal match to secure some more hardware for the AUS-champion Capers in 2021.

Jose da Cunha — CB, Cape Breton University

As a left-footed centre-back, da Cunha may be a hot commodity in this year’s draft. He was picked in 2020 by Forge FC, ninth overall, but re-enters the draft this season after getting some experience in U SPORTS under his belt after the cancelled 2020 season. Born in Portugal, da Cunha spent time in the prestigious academy of Sporting CP before coming across to Canada.

Carson Debison-Larabie — DM, Cape Breton University

An U-21 eligible defensive midfielder, Larabie is another player who swapped the NCAA (in this case, Div. I’s Oakland University) for Cape Breton. A strong, physical presence in the middle of the park, the Ajax, Ontario native could be a useful player for a coach who can find the best way to deploy him at the CPL level.

Emmanuel Dolo — WM, Memorial University

An undersized, pacey winger, Dolo was one of the best attacking threats in the AUS this year for Memorial, scoring 11 goals and adding seven assists in 12 games — his first year playing for the Sea-Hawks. He also helped local club Feildians to the Newfoundland and Labrador Challenge Cup in September, earning himself NLSA Player of the Year honours for 2021. The 1999-born attacker is looking to finally make the jump to the pro level this year.

Sean Freeman — FW, Saint Mary’s University

One of the youngest players in the draft, Freeman is a 2003-born striker who was a revelation for the Huskies in his first year this past season. Freeman, a diminutive attacker with an excellent workrate and a healthy dose of grit, scored seven times and added five assists for Saint Mary’s this year en route to a spot on the U SPORTS all-rookie team for 2021. Played under HFX Wanderers assistant coach Mesut Mert, who doubles as head coach for the Huskies.

Raphael Garcia — RB, Carleton University

A familiar name to CPL fans, Garcia is a very confident right-back who already has experience at this level, having played 16 games for Valour FC in the 2019 season. The 22-year-old is a hard-working player whose determination in fighting for the ball has taken him a long way. He was a First Team U SPORTS All-Canadian this past year in his first season at Carleton, and he was key to capturing the national silver medal.

Luke Green — CB, St. Francis Xavier University

A young centre-back from Halifax, Green has already had a taste of the pro game, having played a game for HFX Wanderers at the Island Games in 2020. In addition to his recent season for St. FX, Green has played for Calgary Foothills recently in USL League Two. The 19-year-old is a good ball-playing defender, though he may need to improve his physical ability in one-on-one battles at the CPL level.

Tareq Hamad — RB, Carleton University

A talented ball-playing defender who can slot in as both a fullback and a centre-back, Hamad (24 years old) is one of the more experienced players in the draft pool. He’s a smart player who can distribute the ball from the back well, having developed partly in Germany with FC Internationale. He was named to the All-Star team from the U SPORTS national championship tournament. Also represented the U-23 national team of Jordan in 2019.

Aaron Hidalgo-Mazzei — LB, University of Saskatchewan

Previously invited to Valour’s pre-season training camp in 2020, the 1997-born Winnipeg native had a strong season in 2021 with Saskatchewan. He’s a technically-sound left-back who’s very comfortable on the ball. A former academy player for MLS outfit Real Salt Lake, Hidalgo-Mazzei could potentially make an impact quickly in the CPL as a player at the older end of the draft pool.

Parmpreet Johal — AM, University of Guelph

A technically strong attacking midfielder out of Brampton, Ontario, Johal has done well both for the Gryphons and for Guelph United in League1 Ontario. He also suited up for Humber College in 2019, helping them to a provincial championship. Has previously been on trial with a club in England.

Markus Kaiser — CM, University of British Columbia

A 19-year-old with good passing range who can cover most of the field, Kaiser had a good year in central midfield for UBC, helping them to the Canada West championship. He has recently played for Calgary Foothills in USL League Two as well, and his brother Daniel played for Cavalry FC in 2021 on a U SPORTS Development Contract despite going undrafted.

Eryk Kobza — DM, University of Calgary

A Vancouver-born defensive midfielder with roots in the Vancouver Whitecaps academy, Kobza played professionally in the Polish third tier in 2021 before returning to Calgary for the fall U SPORTS season. The six-foot-three, 2001-born midfielder is a physically strong presence on the pitch who has an ability to control the play with both his size and technical ability. Played all but 12 minutes of the Dinos’ 10-game season this past year.

Bennett McKay — GK, University of British Columbia

The 19-year-old was the regular starting goalkeeper for UBC in 2021 as they went on to win their conference championship and play in at U SPORTS nationals. He posted six clean sheets for the Thunderbirds, and it looks like McKay has excellent potential for a future professional career.

Giuliano Montagliani — DM, UBC Okanagan

Had a strong season for UBC Okanagan in 2021, his second campaign with the team. The 20-year-old is a capable defensive-minded holding midfielder with a high workrate, who has a knack for breaking up plays. He appeared in all 12 matches for the Heat in 2021.

Soji Olatoye — WM, York University

This 22-year-old winger has a solid resume, with time spent with Sigma FC as well as La Salle University in the NCAA. In 2021 he was a U SPORTS Second-Team All-Canadian and OUA East All-Star. Olatoye has good pace on the wing, with a talent for beating defenders one-on-one and cutting inside. Previously trialed with Forge FC.

Jaytin Pabla — RB, York University

A former Toronto FC Academy prospect, Pabla is a good technical fullback who reads the game well and can make an excellent impact when playing at the top of his game. He played nine games for York in 2021, his first year at the U SPORTS level, and he has previously appeared at several Canada Soccer youth showcase camps.

Carlos Patino — AM, University of Alberta

Another familiar name. Patino, a 26-year-old midfielder born in Colombia, played 11 games for Cavalry FC in 2019 before going back to school in Alberta. Patino has played in various locations around the world, from Sweden with Vänersborgs IF to Seattle Sounders FC 2 in USL. He’s a very technically aware midfielder with more experience than most in the draft.

Quentin Paumier — AM, University of Montréal

A member of the national champion Carabins, the 1998-born midfielder was an RSEQ All-Star — and a U SPORTS national tournament All-Star — in 2021. A native of Marseille, Paumier came to Montreal from the presitigous Côte Bleue academy in France. He’s comfortable on the ball and capable at managing a game, and he offers a set-piece threat with his ability to deliver a free kick.

Brandon Phelps — RB, Concordia University

The 19-year-old fullback played in the CF Montréal Academy and represented Canada at the 2017 Concacaf U-15 Championship before joining Concordia at the U SPORTS level this past year. A Dartmouth native, Phelps trained with HFX Wanderers in pre-season in 2021. Phelps is a technically sound fullback who will hope to make a bigger impact at the CPL level.

Guillaume Pianelli Balisoni — CB, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières

Pianelli-Balisoni is another member of the international contingent in this year’s draft pool, coming from the French island of Corsica. He went undrafted in 2021, but another strong season with UQTR might get the ball-playing defender some more CPL attention this time around. He previously played closer to home for ÉF Bastia, and upon arriving in Canada he has consistently made an impact at both the U SPORTS and the PLSQ levels.

Danial Rafisamii — CM, Ontario Tech University

A 19-year-old who went 13th overall to York United in the 2021 U SPORTS Draft, and he finds himself back in the mix for 2022. He did well in League1 Ontario previously with Toronto Skillz FC, and he was an important cog in the middle for the Ridgebacks at the OUA level this past year. Rafisamii is a technically strong midfielder with good passing range, though he’s a little quiet on the attacking side of things.

Luca Ricci — CM, University of Montréal

Ricci is a highly-touted central midfielder who was named a tournament All-Star at the U SPORTS Championship in the fall. The 22-year-old is comfortable on the ball, though occasionally lacking the finally product, and he has a lot of experience from years in the CF Montréal Academy. He had a very brief taste of the professional level with temporary stints at Phoenix Rising and the Ottawa Fury in 2018 and 2019, and since then he’s been a crucial player for the Carabins.

Jonathan Rinaldi — CM, Thompson Rivers University

A U-21 eligible midfielder, Rinaldi is still a development project but he has strong technical ability and excellent potential. The five-foot-eight Kamloops native had a good year for TRU in 2021, his first at the university level, as the WolfPack went on to finish third in the West Division of their conference.

Caden Rogozinski — CB, Mount Royal University

Another 19-year-old from the Canada West conference, Rogozinski is a physically strong centre-back with excellent potential. In 2021, the Calgary native was named to a Canada West Second-Team All-Star, and he was named to the U SPORTS All-Rookie team at the end of the season. He has experience with the Calgary Foothills as well.

Christian Rossi — FW, Trinity Western University

Recently named the U SPORTS Rookie of the Year for 2021, the native of Surrey, BC scored a team-high five goals for Trinity Western in his first season. The 2002-born attacker is good coming in on goal from wide angles and beating defenders one-on-one. Rossi also has a knack for shooting from distance, which he can do from most areas around the box.

Daniel Sagno — RB, Thompson Rivers University

The fullback from Winnipeg has a versatile skillset, who has developed into a more well-rounded player who can contribute to buildup play. He has played previously for WSA Winnipeg in the PDL, and he represented Canada at the 2015 Concacaf U-17 Championship alongside current CPLers like Tristan Borges, Terran Campbell, and Kadin Chung. Sagno also trained with Valour at pre-season training camp in 2021.

Doryan Soualem — CB, Laval University

Another native of France, the 21-year-old Soualem was a high-impact defender for the Rouge-et-Or in 2021, earning himself a nod to the U SPORTS All-Rookie Team and the RSEQ First All-Star Team. He reads the game well, though he has a penchant for taking risks with aggressive passing. He scored twice in 11 games for Laval this year, demonstrating his ability to get to a ball in the air.

Anthony Stolar — LB, Cape Breton University

The first-year Caper out of Mississauga, Ontario provided good width for Cape Breton on their road to yet another Atlantic championship in 2021. Born in 2003, Stolar is U-21 eligible, and he could prove a solid addition at left-back for a CPL side.

Tristan Torresan — CM, Trinity Western University

Another former Whitecaps Academy player, Torresan is a central midfielder who’s comfortable in possession and likes to create from deep-lying positions. He was named a Canada West Second Team All-Star in 2021, providing four assists for the Spartans in 12 games. The North Vancouver native is 20 years old, having just completed his second season with Trinity Western. His younger brother Brandon is also eligible for the 2022 Draft.

Olivier Villeneuve — RB, Laval University

This U-21 eligible defence-minded fullback has been a reliable option for Laval in 2021, as a player who’s strong bringing the ball out from the back — though he’ll be hoping to add better final-third passing to his arsenal. Villeneuve, a 20-year-old from Blainville, Quebec, could be a reliable addition for a CPL club looking to improve defensively in the wide areas.

Gabriel Wiethaeuper-Balbinotti — AM, Université du Québec à Trois-Rivières

Yet another draft candidate with past CPL experience, Balbinotti played five times for Forge FC in 2020 en route to their championship at the Island Games. He also had a brief USL stint with the Ottawa Fury in 2018, and he developed in the CF Montréal academy before that. He has a strong track record for filling the net, which he has done with UQTR as well as at the PLSQ level.

Justin Yarde — WM, Ontario Tech University

A winger with experience in the Toronto FC Academy who has attended Canada Soccer youth national team camps at the U-15 and U-20 levels. He missed out on the 2021 OUA season for Ontario Tech due to injury, but he still has hopes of catching the eye of a CPL coach in the draft. He won a gold medal with Team Ontario at the 2017 Canada Games.

Ali Yildiz — DM, MacEwan University

The 17-year-old is the youngest eligible player in the draft, and he’s already caught the eye of at least one CPL team. Yildiz appeared on the bench for FC Edmonton in a CPL game this past season on a Canadian Developmental Contract, having earned the club’s attention from strong performances at BTB Soccer Academy in Edmonton. Yildiz has excellent potential and he’s very strong in possession, though he’ll need to add strength to make an impact at the professional level.

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