Hockey

Montreal CF has already identified top talent for 2026
Maxime Truman
Montreal CF has already identified top talent for 2026
Credit: Maxime Truman

It's all very well to say that the statistics (the famous expected goals) paint a better picture than the team's position in the standings, that luck wasn't there, that the referees – often pro-USA – weren't impartial, that it was better after “the letter”, but one fact remains: Montreal CF has just had the worst season in its history since entering MLS.

The club racked up just six narrow wins in 34 MLS games – only two of them at home – and was (again) knocked out of the Canadian championship by CPLside Hamilton Forge. 28 points in 34 games is the club's worst points total in MLS history, tied with the 2014 season… but the club had won the Canadian championship and played matches in the CONCACAF Champions League that year. In 2025, there was ZERO reason to rejoice, sports-wise, and yet Luca Saputo and Marco Donadel's end-of-season review yesterday at Stade Saputo was heavy only in the tone of the two questions posed by Jeremy Filosa. How do you explain this vibe?First, when you see someone get down on one knee, take the blame and assume responsibility, continuing to beat them up doesn't help.Secondly ,the club's transparency and cooperation help to make the general vibe at these formal press conferences much lighter than in the past. When someone shows you respect, you're more inclined to show it back. And when you understand something, you're less inclined to engage in conspiratorial explanations and negative feelings. Yesterday, we didn't feel as if we were the club's enemies, as has (too) often been the case in previous years.In fact, we had a lot of (sou)laughs for a report whose mandate was to conclude such a difficult season….Third, by having already announced which players would be leaving (end of contract and non-activated options) and by having clarified Marco Donadel's contractual situation – which was starting to become a tad ridiculous, if you ask me – you leave less room for the bad vibe.

By quickly turning the page on this 2025 season, Montreal CF has in a way exorcised its demons and put the emphasis on what's coming next year, rather than on what went (very) wrong this year.

Alexandre Panneton, Hassoun Camara, Chris Moore and Tristan d'Amours clearly deserved every dollar of their respective salaries this week; they managed to control the message THE RIGHT WAY.content-ads]What do I take away from Luca Saputo and Marco Donadel's end-of-season review?1. I reacted on the spot with my friend and colleague Gavino da Falco. For a few insider tips on the club, I invite you to watch the replay podcast:2. Marco Donadel signed a two-year contract.3. Luca Saputo has said on several occasions that he sees the season in two parts: before and after the letter. Since announcing a rebuild, the Senior Sports Director, Recruiting and Sports Methodology has seen progress,but the club still ended the year with just one win in its last six games, three of which were played in front of its home fans. And in those last three games at Stade Saputo, Montreal CF scored just one little goal, you know…4. I asked Luca and Marco what they were looking for in their future players, in order if possible. They replied as follows: – a desire to come here, – French-speaking talent on the ball, – tactically, a strong backbone, – more experience to surround the young talent, – intensity, mentally and physically; in short, character. Luca confirmed that he still intends to go with the “two designated players and four U22 initiative players” model next year. He has already identified the key players he'd like to bring to town, but doubts they'll all be with the club for the opening of training camp in January, as the winter mercato has just opened. Reminder: currently, the club has one D.P. (Ivan Jaime) and two U22 initiative players (Jalen Neal and Hennadii Synchuk)

5. Luca Saputo indicated that Ivan Jaime has been a great challenge: he has played in three different leagues in one year, and he arrived here at the end of the season, when he was in preseason form. Luca has seen a good adaptation and recognizes the Spaniard's qualities and talent, but he will still take advantage of the window he has (until June 30) to decide whether or not to activate the purchase option in his case.6. Luca wouldn't comment on Jonathan Sirois' future:

“We'll evaluate Jonathan's situation during the off-season,” he said, “but

I really have the feeling he could leave Montreal and join another MLSclub .7. Luca Saputo said yes, investments are coming. The club has flexibility in terms of money, MLS accounting and roster spots. Contracts that have not been renewed and the sale of some players in 2025 help Montreal CF in this respect.8. The club's recruitment is not based on a precise tactical scheme (e.g. four-man defense vs. three-man defense). It's more a question of profiles, according to Luca Saputo, as Marco Donadel is not closed to any one scheme.9. A few CF Montreal players will be going to Bologna forpractice after the Montreal club ceases operations. Yes, CF Montreal is still training at Stade Saputo this week…Thomas Gillier is one of the players who will be flying to Italy in the next few days. However, according to Luca Saputo, Gillier will be in Montreal in January; he's just keeping fit in Bologna

10. Matias Coccaro and Jahkeele-Marshall Rutty are still under contract with CF Montreal. I asked Luca Saputo if there was any chance of seeing them back in Montreal in January

: “Matias, it's going to be more difficult. Jahkeele, it's the plan (for now) for him to be here in January. “

11. Luca Saputo confirmed that Prince Owusu will be with the club next season and that for now, he's returning as a TAM player (not D.P.).12. What's the target for next season? Luca Saputo has not taken up this year's objective (dictated by his president Gabriel Gervais) of winning a trophy.) The objective will be to develop, progress and win. According to Luca Saputo, the club isn't aiming for success for just a month or a year,so fans will be urged to be patient for a while longer.13. Buying out the contracts of Sunusi Ibrahim and Mahala Opoku is an option according to Luca Saputo. Only if it helps the club and makes sense for the organization, though…In short, they'll have to be less greedy, hehe... 14. Luca Saputo repeated that he'd like to have more Québécois and Canadian players on the roster. He spoke of the new generation at the academy and the talent currently flourishing there. However, he refused to give hope to those who dream of seeing Maxime Crépeau return to Montreal in 2026:

“We've got four goalies under contract right now, we don't need a fifth. We'll see what happens”

15. Marco Donadel admitted to me that he doesn't always have a good relationship with referees, adding that he needs to control himself better. He admits he has difficulty dealing with injustice, while Luca said he prefers this type of character (vs. those who lack passion). Marco and Luca will sit down in the next few days to decide whether they will keep all the club's assistants, or whether Marco will have the chance to add one or two of his men to his staff. I get the impression that the fate of David Sauvry, whose contract expires on December 31, is not yet sealed.16. Yanick Bouchard and Caroline Proulx Frédéric Plante were in the room for this end-of-season review. They recorded a live 5 à 7 segment from Saputo Stadium afterwards. spacer title='Prolongation']We had the chance to speak with quite a few of the players on Tuesday in the team's dressing room at Saputo Stadium. Here's what stood out for me from my conversations with Samuel Piette, Hennadii Synchuk, Thomas Gillier, Jonathan Sirois, Ivan Jaime and Olger Escobar:

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