The 2022 Canadian Premier League (CPL)-U Sports draft is set to take place this Thursday at 8 p.m. The Carleton Ravens men’s soccer team has a large presence on the eligible prospect list, with 13 players registered.
Only the University of Alberta, with 15 registered players, has more.
The draft consists of two rounds, with the eight teams drafting based on the order they finished in the 2021 season. Atlético Ottawa, which finished 2021 with a 6-8-14 record, has the first and ninth pick.
Draft picks will be invited to preseason training in the hopes of securing a developmental contract, which preserves their eligibility to return and play in U Sports.
With only 16 of the 165 prospects on the prospect list being chosen, here’s a look at the Ravens most likely to be drafted.
Gabriel Bitar | Forward
Bitar has been fundamental to the Ravens squad and one of U Sports most prolific strikers since his debut in 2017. He was the Raven’s top goal scorer in two of his four seasons (2017 and 2018) and finished as the second-best goal scorer in his other two seasons.
He was drafted first overall by Cavalry FC in the 2018 CPL-U Sports draft, playing three games. In the summer of 2021, Bitar played for Beirut-based club Al Ansar in the Lebanese Premier League.
Bitar is a forward who can lead the attack as a traditional number nine, play a supporting role out wide or even drop into the midfield as a false nine. Whether it’s running at defenders with sound dribbling or holding up play with his back into defenders, Bitar has a variety of tools to create chances and score goals.
Dario Conte | Central midfielder
Conte has long been a starter for the Ravens. Over his four seasons with Carleton, Conte has contributed 20 points (11 goals and nine assists) in 43 games—an impressive mark for a midfielder who traditionally plays the holding midfielder role. He made the 2018 and 2019 U Sports men’s soccer All-Canadian First Team.
Despite his accolades, Conte had a slow 2021 season filled with injuries, scoring only two goals and failing to register an assist. Although 2021 may have hurt his draft ranking, Conte showcased his flexibility as a midfielder during nationals in November, playing in a more attacking position.
Raphaël Garcia | Right fullback
Garcia already has CPL experience, having played in Winnipeg for Valour FC for two seasons at fullback. He took his experience from the CPL and applied it to his first season in U Sports, earning a place on the men’s soccer All-Canadian Rookie Team.
A defender who is known to move forward and get involved with the attack, Garcia will look to return to the CPL after a successful debut campaign with Carleton.
Tareq Hamad | Centre back/fullback
Starting all seven games he played in this season, Hamad was one of the first names on the team sheet, only being left out for injury purposes or squad rotation. Like Garcia, Hamad also showcased his versatility as a defender. He began the season at right fullback but moved to centre back to fill gaps in the backline.
Hamad performed well at the position. His ability to win tackles and keep up with speedy forwards helped Carleton earn five clean sheets with only seven goals conceded, the ninth-best in all of U Sports. He also assisted fellow teammate Matteo de Brienne’s viral, highlight-reel goal with a stellar long-range pass.
By maintaining composure and keeping possession in tough situations, Hamad exemplifies the profile of a modern-day defender, which is required in the Raven’s possession-based style of play. It’s also something that many clubs will look for when drafting for the physical, fast-paced CPL.
Notable mentions: Scott Mazzotta and Ricky Comba
Central midfielder Comba and wide midfielder Mazzotta are two valuable players worthy of a draft spot but ultimately lacking the accolades of fellow blockbuster teammates.
Comba and Mazzotta were both part of the illustrious Ravens recruitment class of 2017 and have been pillars of the Carleton squad for the last four seasons.
Comba has played 49 games over his four seasons. He has only scored nine goals with four assists, but this is largely due to his ability to play multiple positions. As captain of the Ravens this season, Comba played on the wing of an attacking front three, in the middle as a box-to-box midfielder and as part of the back line at left fullback.
Mazzotta has been another reliable source up front for the Ravens. In 2021, he scored three goals and contributed two assists for a total of five points in nine games. He described the 2021 season as the best year of his life.
“Being in an impactful position within the team was honestly the most fun experience I’ve had in a long time,” Mazzotta told the Charlatan. “It’s not that the other three years at Carleton weren’t fun, but when you have a real position within the team on the field, there is nothing like it.”
Also on the eligible prospect list for the Ravens are Daniel Assaf, Quinn Honeyman-Wootton, Moses Kafeero, Alban Meto, Hasan Mohasar, Mitchell O’Brien and Kyle Potter.
Notably missing from the prospect list is Carleton rookie de Brienne, who forwent the draft and signed a professional contract with Valour FC on Tuesday.
The CPL-U Sports draft can be streamed live at 8 p.m. on Thursday on YouTube, Twitter, Facebook, CanPL.ca and OneSoccer.
Featured image provided by the Canadian Premier League.
