2021 CPL–U Sports Draft

The 2021 CPL–U Sports Draft was the third annual CPL–U Sports Draft. Eight Canadian Premier League (CPL) teams selected 16 eligible U Sports athletes in total when the draft was held on January 29, 2021.[1][2]

2021 CPL–U Sports Draft
General information
SportSoccer
Date(s)January 29, 2021
Time3:00 PM ET
Network(s)OneSoccer, Twitter, YouTube
Overview
16 total selections in 2 rounds
LeagueCanadian Premier League
Teams8
First selectionThomas Gardner, FC Edmonton

Format

Each CPL team made two selection in the U Sports Draft. Players could be selected if they had years of U Sports eligibility remaining and had declared for the draft.[1] In 2021, a total of 48 athletes declared for the draft.[3]

The draft used a snake format with the order reversing directions between the two rounds. The selection order in the first round is the reverse of the previous season's standings.[4]

Player selection
* Denotes player who has signed a professional contract for the 2021 season
^ Denotes player who has signed a developmental contract for the 2021 season

Round 1
Pick #CPL teamPlayerPositionNationalityUniversityLast team/academy
1 FC EdmontonThomas Gardner^MF CanadaUBCTSS Rovers (USL2)
2 Atlético OttawaCristopher MalekosDF CanadaCarletonOttawa South United (PLSQ)
3 Valour FCYuba-Rayane YesliGK Algeria[lower-alpha 1]MontréalCS Fabrose (PLSQ)
4 York UnitedChristopher CampoliMF CanadaOntario TechWoodbridge Strikers (L1O)
5 Pacific FCChris Lee^DF CanadaUBCVancouver Whitecaps FC Academy
6 Cavalry FCVictor Loturi^MF CanadaMount RoyalCavalry FC (CPL)
7 HFX WanderersStefan Karajovanovic*FW CanadaCarletonOttawa South United (PLSQ)
8 Forge FCGarven-Michée Metusala*DF CanadaConcordiaAS Blainville (PLSQ)
  1. Qualifies as a domestic player

Round 2
Pick #CPL teamPlayerPositionNationalityUniversityLast team/academy
9 Forge FCJosé da CunhaDF PortugalCape BretonPortugal G.D. Estoril Praia B
10 HFX WanderersKareem Sow^DF CanadaMontréalMontreal Impact Academy
11 Cavalry FCEthan KeenDF CanadaMount RoyalCalgary Foothills (USL2)
12 Pacific FCVictory ShumbushoFW DR Congo[lower-alpha 1]UBCVictoria Highlanders (USL2)
13 York UnitedDanial RafisamiiMF CanadaOntario TechToronto Skillz FC (L1O)
14 Valour FCTony Mikhael^DF Lebanon[lower-alpha 1]CarletonOttawa South United (L1O)
15 Atlético OttawaReggie LaryeaDF CanadaYorkSigma FC (L1O)
16 FC EdmontonJackson FarmerDF CanadaUBCCalgary Foothills (USL2)

Retained

The following players signed development contracts with their respective CPL teams in 2020 and had U Sports eligibility remaining. Their CPL clubs chose to retain their rights for another year, exempting them from the draft.[4]

DraftedCPL teamPlayerPositionNationalityUniversity
2019 (7th) Forge FCGabriel BalbinottiFW CanadaUQTR
2019 (14th) HFX WanderersJake RubyRB CanadaTrinity Western
  1. Qualifies as a domestic player

Selection statistics

Draftees by nationality
RankCountrySelections
1 Canada12
2 Algeria1
 DR Congo1
 Lebanon1
 Portugal1

Canadian draftees by province
RankProvinceSelections
1 Ontario5[lower-alpha 1]
2 Quebec4[lower-alpha 2]
3 Alberta3
 British Columbia3[lower-alpha 3]
  1. Mikhail's hometown is in Ontario, but represents Lebanon internationally
  2. Yesli was born in Algeria, but resides in Quebec since his youth
  3. Shumbusho was born in Congo, but resides in British Columbia since his youth

Draftees by university
Rank University Selections
1 UBC 4
2 Carlton University 3
3 Université de Montréal 2
Ontario Tech University
Mount Royal University
6 Concordia University 1
Cape Breton University
York University

References
  1. "Canadian Premier League announces amended plans for 2020 CPL-U SPORTS Draft". Canadian Premier League. December 8, 2020. Retrieved December 9, 2020.
  2. "FC Edmonton take UBC's Thomas Gardner 1st overall in CPL-U SPORTS Draft". Canadian Premier League. January 29, 2021. Retrieved January 29, 2021.
  3. "2021 CPL-U SPORTS Draft: The full prospect list". Canadian Premier League. January 26, 2021. Retrieved January 27, 2021.
  4. "2021 CPL-U SPORTS Draft to take place on January 29". Canadian Premier League. January 22, 2021. Retrieved January 22, 2021.
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