Three questions to consider as Cavalry FC embarks on the 2025 CPL season

The (short) wait is nearly over.

Less than two months after bowing out of the CONCACAF Champions Cup following their second-leg defeat to Pumas UNAM in Mexico City, Cavalry FC’s 2025 Canadian Premier League season will officially get underway this Saturday.

And it will be an intriguing way to kick things off, as the Calgarians travel to Hamilton to face Forge FC, in a rematch of last season’s CPL championship bout.

It’ll be an interesting season for Cavalry FC, as they attempt to defend their first-ever North Star Cup, while also attempting to claim the CPL Shield for the first time since 2023 and make a deep run in the Canadian Championship.

Here are three questions worth asking as Cavalry’s 2025 campaign gets going:

Has the team done enough to reinvent itself?

If it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.

The old adage seems to be how Cavalry’s coaching staff are approaching the 2025 campaign, with only a few personnel changes from the squad that won the CPL championship five months ago.

Focusing on continuity makes sense, considering Cavalry’s 2024 line-up was probably their strongest to date. And the decision already seems to be somewhat vindicated, considering the club’s impressive first-leg performance against Pumas, which included a starting 11 that was nearly identical to the team that lined up against Forge last November. Ten of the 11 starters from that final are still with the club.

But with Forge (in particular) and a few other CPL club making a splash in the transfer market this off-season, it begs the question of whether Cavalry’s squad is too similar from 2024. Will other teams already know what to expect when they take on the team from Spruce Meadows?

Granted, there have been a few key holes to fill, including the departures of centre back Daan Klomp (arguably Cavalry’s best ever player) and central midfielder Charlie Trafford, who announced his retirement earlier this week. That’s not to mention a few others who have parted ways, including forwards Malcolm Shaw and Lowell Wright, and winger Willy Akio.

To replace these names, there have been a few notable additions – such as native Calgarians Caniggia Elva (who this writer has previously speculated would be a good fit for Cavalry) and Mihail Gherasimencov, who returns to Calgary on loan from Vancouver Whitecaps II. And on Wednesday, Cavalry announced the addition of Michael Baldisimo, a former Whitecap who also played for San Jose Earthquakes in MLS.

Those three signings will likely play important roles this season, and their ability to slot into the squad seamlessly will be crucial for a club that enters the 2025 season as a perennial powerhouse in the CPL, but with the added pressure this year of being the defending champions.

“There’s players that always move on, especially from a championship-winning team,” head coach Tommy Wheeldon Jr. said in a pre-game press conference on Thursday. “It’s always tough to say goodbye, but we’re very thankful for the memories from Klompy, Charlie Trafford, Malcolm Shaw, Lowell Wright, Willy Akio – these guys were a good part of our history.

“But as a young club, we’re now making new memories, and when leadership leaves, it creates space for others to come through. And from the young talent that we’ve got…to the new faces, like Mihail Gherasimencov, Michael Baldisimo, and Caniggia Elva, these are good pieces that come from quality environments.”

How will Cavalry’s defence fare without Klomp?

You can’t sugar-coat it: Losing Daan Klomp is a big deal and he’ll be sorely missed in Cavalry’s back line. Not only was he Cavalry’s defensive linchpin, but he was also a consistent goal-scorer and a constant danger from set pieces.

Klomp’s importance to the team, particularly in 2024, can’t be overstated. The dynamic Dutchman played 90 minutes in every game but one, finished first in the league in blocks, second in aerial duels won, and deservedly took home his second consecutive defender of the year honour.

He was also heavily involved in Cavalry’s attack, scoring six goals and completing more than 1,400 passes – the third most completed passes in the league.

Cavalry was the CPL’s best defensive team last year, with 27 goals against, and that strength at the back was largely thanks to Klomp’s near-constant presence. It felt rare to watch a game without him committing a goal-saving block or tackle.

The club hasn’t brought in a high-profile centre back to replace Klomp, (yet) which means it will be up to Callum Montgomery, Eryk Kobza, and perhaps Tom Field to make sure Cavalry’s centre of defence remains sound in 2025. While they performed admirably in the two matches against Pumas, time will tell if they can keep that level up all season.

Can Cavalry win it with kids?

This year is, notably, Cavalry’s youngest ever roster, with an average age of just 24.6.

The current squad features nine U21 players – Mihal Gherasimencov (20), Jay Herdman (20), Niko Myroniuk (19), Michael Harms (19), Joseph Holliday (20), Maël Henry (20), Chanan Chanda (18), James McGlinchey (17) and Neven Fewster (17).

While not every one of these players will feature regularly, it’s clear that Tommy Wheeldon Jr. is putting more of his faith in youth this campaign than in years previous.

“Continuity and chemistry are hard to teach,” he said Thursday. “You have to keep them together and keep giving them new challenges. But in doing so, you can’t take your eye off what this league is about. It’s about Canadians, and in particular, young Canadians. And we’ve got a great batch of young players.”

The retirement of Charlie Trafford means there are now only three players on Cavalry with a 3 in front of their age – Sergio Camargo, Fraser Aird, and Bradley Kamdem-Fewo, all of whom are 30. Will that be enough veteran presence?

Perhaps another question is if you necessarily need to be in your 30s to be considered a veteran. Many of the players on Cavalry’s roster this season are either 27 or 28, such as stalwarts like Marco Carducci, Ali Musse and Diego Gutierrez.

But it will be interesting to see if Wheeldon Jr.’s gamble in youth and continuity pays off in 2025.