Offseason additions make the Impact most Canadian team in MLS

Offseason departures and impactful retirements meant the Impact’s roster was always going to look a little different in 2018. These factors, combined with the arrival of head coach Rémi Garde and a new batch of players, gave the dressing room a new face. However, some of the Impact’s newest additions aren’t so unfamiliar to everyone.

“For our supporters, these are new faces,” explained Anthony Jackson-Hamel. “But for us that are here that play with the national team – I’m talking about Samuel Piette, Louis Béland-Goyette, James Pantemis – these are people we know well, which means there’s already a certain chemistry between us. It shows on the field after.”

The Impact now has seven players from Quebec and 10 Canadians on the roster, five of those having been called up at least once by the Canadian Men’s National Team. Piette, Edwards, Jackson-Hamel and Petrasso were also part of the Canadian roster for the CONCACAF Gold Cup this past summer.

“I played with Louis a couple of times, Petrasso and Jackson too,” said Edwards. “I played with Sam a little bit too. I love Sam, he’s a clown and a joker. Those are the guys I played with the most. It’s a huge step for Canadian soccer, signing so many Canadian internationals on one team, and a lot of Canadians that can perform as well.”

Many of these players, all in their early to mid-20’s, have known each other since their first experience with Canada Soccer playing with its youth teams. Petrasso, for example, has known Piette since he was 15 years old. Seven years later, most of them spent playing soccer in Europe, the two are back on the same team, this time at club level.

“It’s very good coming back and knowing a bunch of players on the team that I’ve played with since I was a kid,” said Petrasso. “Especially Piette, who I’ve known since I was 15. Playing with players for a long time brings chemistry. You know what to expect from a player, you know what they’re going to do, and they know what you’re thinking. I think that’ll help our team and help us this season.”

Other than the offseason additions of Petrasso and Edwards, the Impact also signed two homegrown Canadian players, goalkeeper James Pantemis and defender Thomas Meilleur-Giguère, to first-team contracts, highlighting how important it is for the Bleu-blanc-noir to have a local product on the field. Both players have also been a part of Canada Soccer from a young age.

“Having players from the national team here with the Impact is obviously very positive,” said Piette. “It means the chemistry that we’re going to create and develop with the Impact is going to translate with the national team, and vice-versa. Having more and more Canadian international players developing and playing at home is something that’s so important for Canadian soccer."

"It’s amazing for the Canadian program," added James Pantemis. "It’s something they push a lot. To see so many Canadians, and so many from Quebec, on the same team, it’s extraordinary."