It has been a winter of change across the Canadian Premier League landscape.
Some of the league's biggest stars swapped kits over the past few weeks, during a tectonic shift of talent that will certainly take some adjustment for long-time fans of the CPL.
After seven seasons, two Golden Glove awards, and a CPL title, Cavalry FC captain Marco Carducci left his hometown of Calgary for the Halifax Wanderers. His replacement is the man whose side defeated his in the 2025 CPL Final, ex-Atlético Ottawa captain Nathan Ingham. Forge original David Choinière, meanwhile, is headed home to join FC Supra du Québec and Inter Toronto said goodbye to captain Elijah Adekugbe, before signing former Atlético Ottawa midfielder, and 2022 CPL Player of the Year, Ollie Bassett.
Players switching clubs within the league has undoubtedly been a trend in recent off-seasons, and was a major story a year ago. Dan Nimick leaving Halifax for Forge and Thomas Meilleur-Giguère joining the Wanderers, in particular, were headline-grabbing signings. But neither had quite the legacy or the silverware as many of the players on the move this year.
With the exception, perhaps, of Kyle Bekker at Forge, no player has been quite as intrinsically linked to a club in the CPL's history as Carducci with Cavalry. The club's starting goalkeeper throughout their seven seasons in the league, and club captain in recent years, this might just be the biggest intra-league move in CPL history.
It's all going to be a little bit weird for a bit, adjusting to a new normal. From seeing Ingham, not Carducci, between the sticks in Calgary, to David Choinière not wearing orange, and to Ollie Bassett on the other side of one of the league's most electric rivalries.
But within this adjustment comes an important progression in the league's narrative as history and legacy tie into rivalry.
It could represent a shift of power in the Canadian Premier League. Can Carducci and Choinière, key ingredients for the league's two winningest clubs, help bring that mentality to Halifax and Supra? Can Ingham help Cavalry back to the summit after scaling it himself in the nation's capital? Can Bassett, who led Atlético Ottawa to a CPL Shield in his first season, lead Inter Toronto to their first silverware?
There is also, of course, the fun of the villain role. It's hard to see Calgary turning on Carducci, Hamilton on Choinière or even Ottawa on Ingham. But Bassett's move from the nation's capital to the provincial one is certain to draw the ire of Atleti faithful after he became a fan favourite with that club during his time in 'Olliewood'.
Last year, we saw the sort of heat that Nimick's move to Forge added to the rivalry with Halifax. Now this year, Halifax's first trip to Calgary becomes a must watch, as does Cavalry's to the nation's capital. A contest between provincial rivals Inter Toronto and Atlético Ottawa that already delivered the most fouls in CPL history during the 2025 season adds a tantalizing new narrative for 2026. Even the famed Forge-Cavalry rivalry will look different without one of its protagonists in Carducci.
There are still plenty of moves to come as teams fill out their rosters for the 2026 season, not to mention FC Supra constructing their inaugural squad. But it's safe to say that the off-season is already off to a fascinating start, and that as the calendar flips, the 2026 CPL season cannot come soon enough.