Canadian Premier League soccer club Forge FC has officially signed David Choinière to a new multi-year contract. The forward was a key member of Forge FC in 2022, as the team won the CPL for a third time. Choinière was voted man of the match during the CPL's final against Atletico Ottawa.
The winger helped Forge FC finish second in the CPL's regular season with 47 points from 28 matches. Forge FC qualified for the four-team playoff where they defeated Cavalry FC of Calgary 3-2 on aggregate before downing Ottawa in the final.
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Forge FC won the CPL championship in 2019, 2020, and 2022, with Choinière playing an important role in each win. He helped the Hammers reach the CONCACAF Champions League and became the first-ever CPL player to score a goal in the competition. Choinière's goal came against Mexico's Cruz Zaul at the famed Estadio Azteca in Mexico City.
Choinière is just 25-years-old and in the prime of his soccer career. He has played 105 times for Forge FC in all competitions, scoring 19 goals and assisting 12. Before joining Forge FC in 2019, the Quebec native played for CF Montreal (formerly the Montreal Impact). Between 2016 and 2019, Choinière played for the Major League Soccer club, but his found opportunities were limited. The forward made a mere 7 appearances for CF Montreal, scoring just 1 goal.
The CPL has been a launching point for several players since it started in 2019. One of the most notable players to play in the CPL was Alejandro Diaz of Mexico, who appeared 55 times for Pacific FC. He scored 26 times and earned a move to Norway's Sogndal in the summer of 2022. Pacific sold Diaz after receiving the second-largest transfer fee in the league's short history.
With the increase of MLS teams year-on-year, there may have been some interest in Choinière south of the United States-Canadian border. However, few players are granted second chances at an MLS career once their time in the league ends.
The CPL's continued progress could see the relationship between both leagues increases. The Canadian league is developing players, especially players from the Great White North. Yet, it is attracting players from Europe, Africa, and South America to help develop the game.
The league currently has eight teams after FC Edmonton were withdrawn from the competition after the 2022 season due to ownership. The league would like to expand, with two cities, Saskatoon and Windsor, being tipped as the next locations for CPL teams. However, no timeline has been placed on the CPL expanding to the two markets.
According to a CBC report in November 2022, the minimum CPL player salary for 2023 will be $30,000. It is an increase of $8,000 from the 2022 campaign. The total player compensation budget for 2023 must be between $750,000 and $1.125 million.