Toronto FC will choose ten players during tomorrow's expansion draft. Each MLS team was allowed to protect 11 of their 28 players. What follows is a look at who the Fire protected... and more importantly, who they didn't. The Fire might not lose anyone... but from this list they could lose one player.
Protected
- Goalkeeper - Matt Pickens
- Defenders - Jim Curtin, Dasan Robinson, Gonzalo Segares
- Midfielders - Chris Armas, Thiago da Rosa Correa, Ivan Guerrero, Justin Mapp, Logan Pause
- Forwards - Andy Herron, Chris Rolfe, Chad Barrett
Thoughts...
The aforementioned players cannot be chosen by Toronto in tomorrow's draft.
I can't really argue with any of these choices. Most of their best young players (Pickens, Robinson, Thiago, Mapp, Herron, Rolfe and Barrett) will all return for 2007. Veterans (and members of the innaugural Fire team) Chris Armas and Gonzalo Segares are also protected.
Toronto can, however, choose one of the following players. And with that, I have a few problems.
Unprotected
- Goalkeepers - Zack Thornton and David Mahoney
- Defenders - C.J. Brown, Jeff Curtin, Leonard Griffin, Jared Montz, Tony Sanneh, Idris Ughiovhe, Jordan Russolillo
- Midfielders - Pascal Bedrossian, Craig Capano, Floyd Franks, Diego Gutierrez, Ryan Johnson, Bryan Plotkin, Adam Ruud, John Thorrington
- Forwards - Calen Carr and Nate Jacqua
More Thoughts...
Pickens is obviously the Fire's goalkeeper of the future. That was proven when he took the starting job away from injured, eight year veteran Zack Thornton and managed to keep it once Thornton got healthy. Thornton is 33 and as a goalkeeper probably has a few decent seasons left in him. With his proven track record and veteran clubhouse leadership, he'd be a great fit for an expansion team. Plus, the Fire simply don't need him anymore. It will be interesting to see how this one plays out.
As far as defenders are concerned, none of these picks are surprising either. C.J. Brown and Tony Sanneh were both integral parts of the Fire defense in 2006. But Sanneh is 35 and spent part of this season injured. While Brown is only 31, his eight years as an MLS defenseman suggest a vehicle about to surpass 100,000 miles. You've been able to rely on it for a long time but are scared that it's only a matter of time until it starts to break down. Neither of these players will be terribly missed.
Most of the midfielders left unprotected are young and inexperienced. Of the young players left unprotected, only Franks and Plotkin received signifcant playing time this season. Diego Gutierrez is a 34 year old, nine year veteran and is unlikely to be chosen in the expansion draft anyway.
I am however perplexed by the two forwards left unprotected by the Fire in this year's expansion draft. Frankly, if I were coach Dave Sarachan, I wouldn't want to lose either player.
Nate Jacqua was the team's lone representative at the All-Star game and was second on the team in goal's scored. And he's only 25 years old.
When I thought about who I wanted to focus my 2007 preview on, one of the first players who came to mind was Calen Carr. In very limited MLS action (most of it coming in the late minutes of games the Fire were trailing) Carr had one goal and one assist. He was also critical to the Fire's 2006 victory in the Lamar Hunt U.S. Open Cup where he tallied three goals and an assist in only three games. Carr was a 23 year old rookie at the beginning of the 2006 season. I hope he's around to begin 2007 in a Fire uniform.
So judging from the players the Fire chose not to protect, I'd say there's a fair chance they could lose either Thornton, Jacqua or Carr. Thornton would certainly be the least damaging loss.
Stay tuned for the results of the expansion draft this Saturday and a look ahead to 2007 next week.
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