The 2021 Canadian Premier League season is about to begin, with The Kickoff presented by Volkswagen set to get underway this weekend in Winnipeg, and each club is finalizing its roster.

Crucial to each of the eight CPL squads will, of course, be youth contingents — with the league increasing its quota for U-21 minutes to 1,500 this year, young Canadians will be called upon to play significant roles for their teams.

With squads pretty much set, we have a good picture of which CPL sides might lean on their youth more heavily than others. York United FC leads the way with eight eligible U-21 players, while Forge FC and Atlético Ottawa boast just three apiece.

Last year, Valour FC led the way by offering 1,532 minutes to U-21 Canadians in just seven games played; Pacific FC blew the competition away in 2019 with a staggering 13,532 U-21 minutes.

Which side might win that particular title this time around? Here are all 39 CPL players eligible to count toward U-21 minutes in 2021.

HFX Wanderers FC

GK – Kieran Baskett
DF – Jake Ruby
DF – Kareem Sow
MF – Scott Firth
FW – Samuel Salter

Atlético Ottawa

GK – Teodor Obadal
DF – Keesean Ferdinand (ON LOAN)
MF – Antoine Coupland

York United FC

DF – Ryan Lindsay
DF – Felix N’sa
DF – Terique Mohammed (ON LOAN)
MF – Cedric Toussaint
MF – Isaiah Johnston
MF – Ijah Halley
MF – Max Ferrari
MF – Jordan Faria

Forge FC

GK – Baj Maan
DF – Monti Mohsen
DF – Robbie Cleary
MF – Johnny Son
FW – Santiago Frias

Valour FC

GK – Jonathan Sirois (ON LOAN)
DF – Tony Mikhael
FW – Sean Rea (ON LOAN)
FW – Jared Ulloa (ON LOAN)

Cavalry FC

DF – Karifa Yao (ON LOAN)
DF – Daniel Kaiser
MF – Victor Loturi
FW – José Hernández

FC Edmonton

GK – Darlington Murasiranwa
GK – Joseph Holliday
DF – T-Boy Fayia
MF – Antony Caceres
MF – Tomas Giraldo
FW – Marcus Velado-Tsegaye

Pacific FC

DF – Kunle Dada-Luke
DF – Chris Lee
MF – Sean Young
MF – Alessandro Hojabrpour