Inconsistent is the best way to describe winger Derrick Etienne Jr.’s tenure with Toronto FC up to this point.
The club was expecting great things from Etienne when they acquired him in a trade with Atlanta United early in the 2024 MLS season. But thus far, he has provided the Reds with modest returns, just six goals and seven assists in 59 appearances across all competitions.
The Virginia-born, Haitian international could add to those stats on Saturday when Toronto (3-2-1) hosts FC Cincinnati, looking to win its third in a row and extend its unbeaten run to five games.
Etienne Jr., 29, played in 25 MLS games in 2025 for TFC, two more than the previous year, but he made only 10 starts (down from 19) and logged 983 minutes (down from 1,654). The club originally declined its contract option on him for 2026 after last season was over before eventually re-signing him to a new deal in January.
“There were opportunities to go elsewhere, but I felt like it was best for me to stay for what I have going on this year, and the way I see the team going. I think it was in my best interest to be in Toronto,” Etienne Jr said.
He started to repay the team’s faith in him when he scored in TFC’s 3-2 road loss to FC Dallas in their 2026 season opener in February. Since then, he’s made three more appearances for the Reds, offering them a stabilizing presence at times, while also being able to play through the middle as a midfielder and a forward.
“I just tried to put myself in a position to get a goal,” he said about scoring in Dallas.
“Hopefully I'll continue and keep going. I want to get goals. I want to get assists. To be an attacking player and get on the score sheet the first game of the year, to get the ball rolling was good. So, I’m looking forward to more."
Still, Etienne Jr. knows he has a point to prove this season, especially after failing to score a single goal last year, which he admits was “unacceptable.”
“I see a lot of things are said about me on social media and what I try to do is I don't really try to prove people wrong. I just try to prove myself right. I just try to go out there, play the best that I can, create chances, defend, attack, and do everything that I need to do just to win,” Etienne Jr. stated.
He later added: “(My game) can be better. I think I still have another level that I can get to.”
Coach Robin Fraser considers Etienne Jr. one of his most trusted lieutenants on the pitch, valuing him for his experience and the positional versatility he can provide.
"From the very beginning, Derrick provided us with a level of consistency as a (No. 9). He's an extremely intelligent player ... Obviously, he started the first two games (of the regular season), and then since then, we've had more players come about, and playing time is maybe more sporadic," Fraser said.
"But there is never a dip in appreciation for what Derrick gives us. I said this to him when I took him off the field late last year: the reason why he plays is because I can trust (him), and I can rely on (him), and I know that at the end of the day, he does whatever the team needs him to do.
"I've asked him to play wingback, left wing, right wing, as a nine, eight. I've asked him to play a lot of different places and wherever he plays, he gives his best effort for a coach. That's a really good thing."
Elsewhere in MLS this weekend:
• After starting the season with six consecutive road games, CF Montreal will finally get to play its home opener this weekend when they host the Philadelphia Union. Saturday’s match at Stade Saputo couldn't have come at a better time for Montreal, which has just one win to go along with five losses, including a 3-0 defeat to the New England Revolution last week.
The fact that Montreal is facing the last-place Philadelphia Union (0-6-0) makes this homecoming even better. But should the team incur a sixth loss, it’ll be interesting to see if CF Montreal keep the faith with coach Marco Donadel or feel the need to make a change in order to salvage a season that would be in danger of slipping away from them before the calendar turns to May.
• At the other end of the MLS spectrum are the Vancouver Whitecaps, who sit in second place in the overall league table thanks to a record of five wins and just one loss. The Whitecaps will try to build upon their impressive record when they host New York City FC on Saturday at BC Place.
Editor’s note
John Molinaro is one of the leading soccer journalists in Canada, having covered the game for over 27 years for several media outlets, including Sportsnet, CBC Sports and Sun Media. He is currently the editor-in-chief of TFC Republic, a website dedicated to in-depth coverage of Toronto FC and Canadian soccer.
Vancouver has been near perfect this season, benefiting from an attack that has scored a league-high 17 goals and one of the best defensive records in MLS (just four goals conceded). American midfielder Sebastian Berhalter leads the team in goals across all competitions in 2026 with eight (four goals, four assists) and should give NYCFC all they can handle this weekend.
