Forge Signs Draft Pick Trio Ahead Of Continental Tilt

Forge boss Bobby Smyrniotis is making sure his roster has options ahead of his club’s Concacaf Champions Cup tilt against Tigures UANL tomorrow.

The Canadian Premier League side has confirmed that it has signed both of its 2026 draft picks to short-term player contracts ahead of the game, along with the return of 2025 draft pick Maxime Filion.

The two fresh faces in camp are defender Noah Bickford and midfielder Maxime Bourgeois, whom Forge selected as the eighth and fifteenth overall picks in this year’s draft.

21-year-old defender Noah Bickford clocks in with a high pedigree for a draft pick: known as a ball-playing defender who helped TMU finish second in their division whilst also captaining League1 Ontario side Simcoe County Rivers, he has also represented Oakland University in NCAA Division I action.

Qebecois midfielder Maxime Bourgeois had progressed from the CF Montreal Academy to the MLS side’s U-23 ranks before enrolling at Sherbrooke. Known as a strong performer in the middle of the park with an eye for a good pass, Borgeois earned RSEQ First Team All-Star and U-SPORTS All-Canadian Second Team honours this year.

The right-footed midfielder also also a key cog for Ligue1 Quebec side Celtix du Haut-Richelieu, contributing two goals in 16 appearances this season. Suffice to say, he’s a baller with plenty of upside if FC Supra wish to take a chance on him.

Maxime Filion, 22, returns on a short-term deal after featuring for the side last year. During that time, the Universite de Montreal midfielder racked up three goals in twenty appearances for the hammers.

With Forge having added League1 Ontario MVP Anthony Aromatario and German goalkeeper Sjard Strauss on short-term deals last week, that means the Forge roster will be bolstered with five university talents ahead of tomorrow’s continental tilt.

This weekend saw the club add French defender Antoine Batisse and DR Congo international keeper Dimitry Bertaud.

Header Image Photo Credit: John Jacques