Eikon Sports clients have already started to heat up as Canadian soccer kicked off again in April.

It’s been just about a month since we saw the return of Canadian soccer, as the CanPL kicked off early on in the month, already pulling in viewers with some incredible goals and results. Similarly to previous seasons, the CanPL is packed with Eikon Sports athletes who are looking to impress for their respective clubs. Eikon athletes have certainly made their mark in previous seasons, such as when Akeem Garcia won the 2020 Golden Boot, but this season has the potential to be really special for a number of our athletes. More than half of the CanPL now has at least one Eikon athlete on their roster, and nearly all of them are playing significant minutes and contributing toward results.

Moses Dyer & William Akio

A surprise to nobody – arguably the CanPL’s most efficient attacking duo got off to a red-hot start in the 2022 season, as Moses Dyer and William Akio fueled Valour’s roller-coaster of an April. Midfielder-turned-striker Moses Dyer currently leads the league in goals, coming off the back of a brace in Valour’s emphatic 6-1 win over Ottawa. Seeing as Dyer has carried his late-2021 goalscoring form into the 2022 season, his transition into a pressing number 9 is one of the most intriguing storylines to watch this season. Dyer continues to set the pace up top for Phillip dos Santos’ team and is proving to be one of the best strikers in the league.

William Akio may not technically have a goal or an assist to his name just yet in the CanPL, but anyone who watched Valour’s first few matches knows that this is just down to some poor luck. It’s also a reminder not to judge players solely on their statistics. Akio provided us with nothing short of a spectacle in Ottawa a couple weeks ago, tearing apart their backline on a number of occasions, ultimately providing key contributions in 3 of their 6 goals, along with hitting the post once with his weak foot. Although he provided the final ball on 2 of those 3 goals, he wasn’t credited with an assist for either as they both took slight deflections on their way to the finisher. Despite that, Akio was the key creator for Valour with his directness down the right flank. One Soccer’s Kristian Jack even described it as “one of the best individual performances in CanPL history”.

Ollie Bassett

If you’re ever starting a new job and need some advice on how to hit the ground running, just ask Atletico Ottawa’s Ollie Bassett. In his first month with his new CanPL club, Bassett earned himself a spot in the team of the week not once, but twice! What makes this even more impressive is that Bassett is playing in a much different role for Ottawa than he did for Pacific last season. While Pacific used him mostly in an attacking midfield role with the occasional appearance at left-wing in their 4-2-3-1 system, Ottawa coach Carlos Gonzalez has decided to start Bassett in a more disciplined central midfield role in his 4-4-2, next to the more defensive-minded Ben McKendry. Bassett has clearly taken well to a much different role and will certainly be a key player for Ottawa throughout the season.

Akeem Garcia & Ryan Robinson

While Stephen Hart’s HFX Wanderers have seen plenty of change throughout their 4 CanPL campaigns, including a radical shift in style of play last season, one player that has been a mainstay is Akeem Garcia. After winning the league’s golden boot award in 2020, Garcia has become one of the most recognizable players in the CanPL, renowned for his darting runs in behind the opposition defence and 1on1 finishing capabilities. Garcia scored his first goal of the new season in April, netting a penalty in HFX’s 3-1 win over Edmonton. Garcia is, and will continue to be, a key forward for HFX as they look to mount a playoff challenge to build on their success 2 seasons ago when they finished as runners-up.

While Garcia is experienced, his teammate and fellow Eikon athlete Ryan Robinson is taking his first steps into professional soccer with Stephen Hart’s team. The former TFC academy product has come off the bench in all four of Halifax’s matches thus far, nearly scoring in his debut against York United in the opening match of the season. With Joao Morelli out for the season, expect to see a bit more of Robinson as the season continues.

Matteo de Brienne

One of the most exciting young players in USports last season, Matteo de Brienne adds some youthful spark and versatility to Valour’s already strong team. Capable of playing as both a full-back and a forward, De Brienne has seen some action off of the bench in each of Valour’s 3 matches thus far. With his versatility and a rather small (and injury-prone) squad, I would expect to see De Brienne more often as the season progresses. Valour was so convinced by his abilities, remember, that they snapped him up just before the USports draft to prevent other teams from getting their hands on him first. The former Atletico Ottawa man is also just 19 years of age, and already has a bit of experience in the Winnipeg soccer scene following a stint with FC Manitoba last summer.

Wesley Timoteo & Marcus Simmons

It’s been a tough start to the 2022 CanPL season for FC Edmonton, but both Wesley Timoteo and Marcus Simmons have been bright spots for Alan Koch’s team. Timoteo has been an extremely versatile member of the Edmonton squad already, featuring as a wing-back, right-winger, and an attacking midfielder in their first five matches. Arguably his most important contribution came off the bench in the Eddies’ opening match against Valour, where Timoteo provided a brilliant cross into the box for Tobias Warschewski’s bicycle kick – which is the clear front-runner for goal of the season already.

Marcus Simmons is also an extremely versatile member of the Edmonton squad. The young winger has provided some quality at left wing-back in Alan Koch’s 3-4-3 system, marauding down the flanks and providing some width for the Eddies. Simmons has an impressive engine and has taken well to professional soccer despite being under difficult circumstances in Edmonton. In his most recent start in a 0-0 draw against defending champions Pacific, Simmons played in a forward role alongside Timoteo and Warschewski, proving his versatility.

Christopher Lee

Lastly, we must remember that the CanPL and MLS aren’t the only professional leagues operating in Canada anymore. MLS Next Pro kicked off its inaugural season this year, and Eikon athlete Christopher Lee has played a key part for Vancouver Whitecaps 2. The former Pacific draft pick has featured at left-back for Vancouver 2, providing an assist in his first start in a whopping 4-1 win against Sporting KC II.