Atletico Ottawa Adds Defender Karl Ouimette

Atletico Ottawa has brought in its first brand new player ahead of the 2023 CPL season with defender Karl Ouimette, who arrives to TD Place on a two-year deal.

We’d heard that the capital city club had long been a subject of interest for Atletico Ottawa, especially with the club needing to replace veteran defender Drew Beckie following the captain’s retirement.

The thirty-year-old defender has been a free agent following the 2022 USL Championship season, where his minutes with Indy Eleven saw a considerable drop before he was loaned to Detroit City FC for the remainder of his contract.

A veteran Canadian with high-level experience playing in a back-three certainly sounds like a good fit for Atletico Ottawa gaffer Carlos Gonzalez, who describes him as a versatile defender who can also be utilized as a defensive midfielder.

Ouimette began his career with the Trois-Rivieres Attak before making history as CF Montreal’s first academy-to-first-team player signing. He’d remain with the MLS side for three more seasons, etching himself into more history books by scoring the goal which sent CF Montreal into its first postseason.

He wound up with the New York Red Bulls after being waived by CF Montreal in 2015, but found minutes there harder to come by. Loans to New York Red Bulls II and the Jacksonville Armada followed, with Ouimette then helping the San Francisco Deltas to an NASL title before the club’s closure.

He’s been with Indy Eleven ever since, making 100 league appearances and wrapping up his time there with a loan to Detroit City last season.

Atletico Ottawa went from worst-to-first last season after the club recruited smartly in its roster rebuild, adding key few players who had winning experience. Ouimette delivers in that regard: he was a squad member for two Canadian Championship titles with the Montreal Impact, an MLS Supporters’ Shield with the New York Red Bulls, the USL Championship with the New York Red Bulls II, and an NASL Soccer Bowl Championship in 2017 alongside Kyle Bekker and the San Francisco Deltas.

“Karl is an experienced defender that has played throughout North America and is sure to bring even greater quality to our strong backline,” added Atletico Ottawa CEO Fernando Lopez. “His 18 appearances for Canada and track record of performing in high-pressure environments will be key as Atletico Ottawa push for more titles in the coming years.”

Atletico Ottawa will kick off the 2023 CPL season with a home match against the Halifax Wanderers on Saturday, April 15.