The early part of the season was unpredictable, as squads were still gelling and shaping their tactical identities. But around week 10, things began to settle — at least in terms of the standings.
AFCT have been top of the table since, with Montreal and Ottawa trailing behind in second and third, respectively. Vancouver and Calgary have been the only teams to change spots in the past six weeks. Halifax continues to struggle at the bottom of the table, but are within 3 points of fifth place Calgary.
In terms of team statistics, Ottawa’s +8GD leads the league. Halifax’s -14 is indicative of their troubles on both sides of the pitch so far this season. AFC Toronto’s 150 shots, 67 on target illustrate their offensive firepower courtesy of Hunter, Okoronkwo, Small and co.
Overall, pass accuracy across the league is relatively low, Ottawa’s 79.5% topping the league. It’s low compared to leagues like the NWSL or WSL, where top clubs average closer to 83-85%, but comparable to mid-table teams in the Premiere Ligue Feminine or Bundesliga. This is an area of improvement for all NSL clubs but is also indicative of the style of play deployed across the league so far. As is customary in North America, there’s an inherent directness and verticality even for clubs like Vancouver or Ottawa who have the most possession-oriented systems.
On to the individual performers. It’s been exciting to see young prospects excite fans, established stars live up to the hype, and previously unknown players make names for themselves. The Rapid’s DB Pridham stole the headlines with her 11-goal campaign and epic cellies. She leads the league in goals (11), points (12), shots (44), shots on target (24), and goals per minute (goal every 109 minutes). If she keeps this up, the shouts for the 27-yo dual-national from California will only get louder.
17-yo Kaylee Hunter is second in all of the above categories. 4x Rookie of the Week, 3x Player of the Week, 8 goals, 10 points, 31 shots, 18 on target, and a goal every 134 minutes. Impressive for a teenager who has only competed at the League 1 and YNT levels so far. Hunter has developed a dangerous partnership with Esther Okoronkwo who contributed 4 goals and 3 assists before missing a chunk of games while she was away, winning Nigeria’s 9th WAFCON title. Toronto’s going to need a miracle if they want to keep both their strikers around given the attention they’ll be getting from scouts.
There are four iron-women who have played every single minute for their clubs - Ottawa’s Jylissa Harris, Toronto’s Emma Regan and Colby Barnett, and Vancouver’s Shannon Woeller, impressive given the miles (on and off the pitch) they’ve logged so far. It’s no surprise that they are all key players for their teams. Woeller and Harris lead the league in passes, 960 and 850 respectively. Woeller, Harris, and Barnett are top 3 in touches. The only players to join them in the 1000+ touches stat are AFCT’s Nikayla Small and the Wild’s Grace Stordy.
The two young Canadians have been impactful on and off the ball. 23-yo Stordy leads the league in tackles (67) and has been a dynamic presence on the right side of defense for Calgary. 22-yo Small is tied for second with 58 tackles (= Eva Fremaux) and ranks highly in a number of other statistical categories, including points (7), assists (5, tied for first), indicating first and foremost how well-rounded she is as a player, and how central to Toronto’s success. Her versatility is clear, given that she has jumped in as right wingback on multiple occasions and looked very much up to the task.
Another Canadian talent who has shone on the international stage with CanXNT as of late is Holly Ward. The first-year pro has the most star of the week nominations (3, tied with Pridham and Hunter) thanks to consistently electrifying performances. The left winger has 3 goals and 4 assists for the Rise. Her national and club teammate, Quinn has missed a third of the season due to injury but has been instrumental in the games that they’ve played. 5 goals, including a couple of bangers and three ice-cold penalties, and two assists has them tied for 4th league-wide. This clinical side of Quinn (needs only 2.6 shots and 160 minutes per goal) is a welcome new side to the midfielder. Hopefully Quinn stays healthy enough to continue to impress and regain their spot on the national team.
We cannot sleep on the best goalscoring duo in the league - Tanya Boychuk and Latifah Abdu. They’ve accumulated 13 points between them and often assist each others’ goals. It’s hard to single people out in Montreal’s system as they play such a cohesive, team-based system but the importance of both players for Montreal’s success cannot be overstated. Their constant threatening runs across the line and channels, as well as pressing ability and combination play make them a nuisance to play against. Most of all, they’ve been clinical and punished teams early in games, allowing the Roses to execute a dominant and thoughtful gameplan.
In terms of other international players Megumi Nakamura from the Tides stands out, being Halifax’s top-scorer (3 goals) and second-best tackler (39 tackles, only 5 fouls against). Veteran midfielders Ellen Gibson (2 assists) and Charlotte Bilbault (1G, 2A) have also been a treat to watch. Both have been lynchpins for their respective teams, Ottawa and Montreal, dictating the pace of play and breaking lines to create chances.
With so many standout performers shaping the season, tomorrow’s Super Saturday promises more exciting moments as teams compete to become the first NSL Champion. The inaugural NSL final takes place at Toronto’s BMO field on November 15th.
Check out our mid-season team reviews, next.