Good Friday morning Caps fans, hope you all are having a good week and are gearing up for some relaxation this weekend.

It was a good week in Caps-world as well, with the club confirming what we all had been hoping: Ryan Gauld will remain in Vancouver. The Scot put pen to paper on an extension that will keep him around until 2027 in a major statement of intent from the club.

It has been a fairly underwhelming offseason so far. But this move goes a long way to making the team relevant, not just in the upcoming season but in seasons to come. The Caps’ window with Gauld’s deal dwindling was perilously short. Gauld signing an extension eases that pressure to win immediately.

Gauld was effusive in his praise for the club and city (which could point to the speculation that he might be targeted for the Canadian National Team) and hinted at unfinished business with the club.

“From day one, the support in the city has been great. My fiancée and I have felt welcomed by everyone in and around the club,” Gauld said in the team’s press release. “To know that I’m going to be in Vancouver for the next four years is a good feeling. We’ve loved the time we’ve had here, and we are looking forward to what’s to come.”

Gauld is one of the best players in the league — but those types of players fall into one of two categories. On one hand you have the Thiago Almeda mold of young players using MLS as a waystation on their way to a big European move. On the other are guys like Hany Mukhtar or Carlos Vela, who have gotten their move to a big league and are content hanging around MLS, being a foundational piece for their team and collecting a much bigger paycheck than they would get in a similar league abroad.

Gauld seemed a logical fit in that second category but the lack of action seemed worrying. It turns out no news was good news and combined with other extensions handed out to Brian White and Andres Cubas, the core of this team remains intact (or will require a large transfer fee to pull away).

Whether more signings are on the way to join him seems like a “when” rather than an “if” proposition, with Vanni Sartini saying he was fully prepared for new arrivals. The Richie Laryea situation seems stuck in neutral but it is possible some looming Financial Fair Play sanctions and the closure of the transfer window in England could force the hand of Nottingham Forest.

For now though, enjoy the positive development. Few guys have given more for the badge than Gauld has in the club’s history and few have had as transformational impact. The guy deserves a bag and it seems he will get one.

Best of the Rest

Canada Soccer Business are headed to court in a rights dispute that impacts national team and Canadian Premier League matches

A look at where the offseason stands for the Caps and the entire Western Conference

In a rare bit of wisdom from MLS’ central office, the league nixed a possible transfer of FC Dallas’ Jesus Ferreira to Spartak Moscow (whose owners are under U.S. sanctions)

The league’s refs have signed off on a strike, making it all but certain that the season will begin with replacements

Bev Priestman also earned a contract extension until 2027 this week. Meanwhile, Canada Soccer General Secretary Alyson Walker stepped down shortly after taking the job due to an unforeseen personal matter