Crepeau Lifts Canada Soccer Good Hands Award for 2020.

Former Impact ‘keeper Maxime Crépeau (26), now of the Vancouver Whitecaps, yesterday was named the 2020 winner of the Allstate Canadian National Teams Good Hands Award.

Crepeau who has been in inspiring form for the Whitecaps since joining in 2019, injured a thumb playing against Seattle Sounders at the MLS-is-back tournament in Florida in July.

The damage necessitated an operation and Crepeau not being able to move his thumb for six weeks, giving an opportunity to another young Canadian shot-stopper, Thomas Hasal, who produced some notable performances between the Vancouver sticks.

Crepeau now has some 30 appearances behind him for the ‘Caps in MLS, and seems certain to add to his 5 full Canadian caps when health, fitness and international football returns.

The award decided by an online fan vote from Nov. 19-26, recognizes the top save by a Canadian national team ‘keeper during international play.

Crepeau’s save came in the 76th minute of Canada’s 1-0 loss to Iceland in Irvine, Calif., after a shot from Kristjan Finnbogason flew through a defender’s legs towards his near post. The ‘keeper was forced to change direction, diving to his right to deflect the ball wide.

A further goalkeeping crisis, with injury to Hasal occurred later in the season, sending former team-mate Evan Bush out west from Montreal to help the Whitecaps, and now with Youssef Dahha working with the Vancouver goalkeepers as coach, there’s quite a Montreal-influenced net-minding community developing at BC Place.

Crepeau was bitterly disappointed to have had his season curtailed, but the announcement of today’s award will provide at least some consolation.

Photo by Mark Brown/Getty Images