NSL by Position: Midfielders

With the NSL just ten days away, we thought it would be a good time to introduce you to some of the players in the league you may not know yet. While stars like Quinn, McLeod, Scott, and Regan steal the show, there is plenty of talent waiting to be discovered. Here are 3-4 players I expect to make an instant impact in year one, by position, and a few U22 players to keep an eye on, too. The parameters include recent form, pro and international experience, and statistics.

Midfielders

For the midfield, choosing National Team players like Quinn, Scott, Regan, or Pickett is almost too easy. Therefore, here are three more players who I think will make a big impact in year one.

My first vote went to Meggie Dougherty Howard, who was a late coup for Calgary in late February. The 28-yo NWSL alumni played just under 9,000 minutes for Washington, Orlando, San Diego, and Angel City and was a Rookie of the Year Finalist in 2017. In 2024, she was a regular starter for ACFC. The central midfielder has been part of the USYNT program and excelled for Florida in college. Used both defensively and in a more box-to-box 8 role, she influences games by setting the tempo and has been known to contribute offensively as well. Her highest-rated statistics compared to players in her position are assists, through balls, and expected goals. It’s great to see the Wild snag a midfielder of her quality and coach Bedford will rely on her heavily to implement her desired style of play and lead the team through the ups and downs of the inaugural season.

Although she was omitted from the most recent CanWNT camp, Samantha Chang has been in and around the senior national team since 2021, and having a breakout year with Vancouver could be her ticket to more regular call-ups. The 24-yo from Mississauga is versatile and can play offensive and defensive roles in midfield, and has been used as a defender with the Youth national teams. Since turning pro in 2022, she’s thrived at both her stops so far. First in Portugal with Torreense and then she joined Danish side HB Koge six months later. In Denmark she hit the ground running, playing nearly 3,000 minutes and averaging a 7.4 Sofascore rating over 1.5 seasons. She’ll be a key part of a stacked Rise midfield with Quinn and Nikki Stanton, projected to be the best in the league.

Samantha Chang | Photo Credit: Canada Soccer

Last but not least, you can’t look past French veteran Charlotte Bilbault. The 34-yo midfielder has 50 caps for Les Bleus, played in two Euro Cups and one World Cup. This will be her 19th pro season. She most recently played for Montpellier in the Premiere Ligue (formerly D1), but has featured for Paris FC and Bordeaux as well. You can expect her to be the Montreal Roses’ engine given her reputation as a ball-playing CDM. Her strengths lie in the areas of pass completion, range, distance, and ball regains and retention, including tackles, interceptions, and generally making very few errors. The question remains how her fitness will look after roughly a year away from the pitch, but regardless her presence and leadership will make a big difference for the Roses in year one, especially given their crop of talented, but inexperienced midfielders.

My honourable mention is Jaclyn Sawicki, who has one of the coolest, non-traditional stories in Canadian soccer. Her path to the top of the game was complicated and unexpected but includes leading the Philippines to their first ever World Cup (and win), and culminates in an epic homecoming story. The 32-yo midfielder from Coquitlam is expected to lead the Wild, both on and off the pitch, alongside players like Dougherty Howard, Meikayla Moore, and Sonia O’Neill.

Jaclyn Sawicki (#4) | Photo Credit: Philipinas National team

Beyond the four veteran midfielders, there is an exciting group of young playmakers itching to make their mark. Pay close attention to Vancouver Rise’s Anais Oularbi who showed out at last year’s League 1 Interprovincial Championship with CSMRO. The Algerian YNT Captain, born in Montreal, is a creative attacking midfielder and could be used further up the field too.

Second, Nebraska alumni Florence Belzile is one to watch in Ottawa. The 2004-born central attacking midfielder moved around the country as a kid but spent her formative years in Ottawa. She recorded an impressive 28 assists and 10 goals for the Cornhuskers during her collegiate career.

Third, AFC Toronto’s Colby Barnett is another player I’ll have my eye one thanks to impressive NCAA stats, including over 5,000 min played for Santa Clara, 20 assists, and 6 goals (5 game-winning). The Californian who had interest for NWSL clubs is a 3-time WCC All-Star and is likely to start either alongside Regan and Pickett or on the wing.

Fourth and finally, the youngest midfielder in the league, Felicia Roy. The 18-yo came up through CF Montreal’s academy and the CanW17s. The diminutive #8 plays a classic box-to-box role. She was ready to take advantage of the opportunity to learn from experienced pros and increase her level of exposure to the national team and Canadian fans.

Oularbi, Belzile, Barnett, and Roy