2014 MLS expansion draft explained

2014 MLS Expansion Draft
Date:November 19–December 10, 2014
Expansion Teams:New York City FC
Orlando City SC
Expansion Season:2015
Merging Teams:Chivas USA
(folded in 2014)
Prev:2011
Next:2016

The 2014 MLS Expansion Draft was a draft for the Major League Soccer expansion teams New York City FC and Orlando City SC that took place between November 19 and December 10, 2014. The first two rounds of the draft (which were known as the 2014 MLS Dispersal Draft) were held to distribute players who were formerly contracted with Chivas USA, which was dissolved by the league in October 2014 shortly after the end of the 2014 MLS season.[1] [2]

As determined by a "priority draft" that was conducted on September 24, 2014, Orlando City SC selected first in the expansion draft, which was held via conference call at 2:00 pm EST (UTC-5) on December 10, 2014.[3] The order of the dispersal draft was conducted through a random weighted draw that took place on November 14, 2014.[4] The league confirmed on November 7, 2014 that Chivas USA striker Erick Torres would not be made available in the dispersal draft.[5]

Draft format

Player selection

Round 1

Pick # Drafting team Player Position
1Goalkeeper
2 Midfielder
3 Pass
4 Midfielder
5 Pass
6 Defender
7Pass
8 Forward
9 Forward
10 Pass
11 Pass
12 Pass
13 Pass
14 Midfielder
15 Pass
16 Pass
17 Pass
18 Pass
19 Pass
20 Pass

Round 2

Pick # Drafting team Player Position
1Pass
2 Pass
3Pass
4Pass
5Pass
6Pass
7Pass

Expansion draft

PickMLS teamPlayerPrevious team
1Portland Timbers
2Real Salt Lake
3Colorado Rapids
4New England Revolution
5Seattle Sounders FC
6San Jose Earthquakes
7Philadelphia Union
8Toronto FC
9D.C. United
10New England Revolution
11Columbus Crew
12Vancouver Whitecaps FC
13Montreal Impact
14FC Dallas
15Colorado Rapids
16D.C. United
17Houston Dynamo
18Sporting Kansas City
19Columbus Crew
20Real Salt Lake

Five teams lost two players in the draft: Colorado Rapids, Columbus Crew, D.C. United, New England Revolution, and Real Salt Lake. Three teams did not lose any players: Chicago Fire, LA Galaxy, and New York Red Bulls. The remaining teams lost one player each.

Unselected players

The following players were on the final roster of Chivas USA but were not selected in the first two rounds of the draft. This list does not include players who were on loan to Chivas USA.

Other Chivas USA assets

Two draft picks held by Chivas USA at the time of its contraction were deleted from the 2015 MLS SuperDraft and not made available for selection in the dispersal draft. These two deleted draft picks were Chivas USA's natural third-round and fourth-round selections. Had Chivas USA not been contracted these would have been overall selections #48 and #69 in the 2015 SuperDraft.

Prior to being contracted, Chivas USA had already traded away its natural 2015 SuperDraft round 1 (pick #6 to Toronto FC) and round 2 (pick #27 to Seattle Sounders FC) selections. It had also acquired a round 4 pick from D.C. United but Chivas had later traded this pick to Colorado Rapids. These picks, along with a round 2 selection in the 2016 MLS SuperDraft traded to Columbus Crew SC, remained with the clubs which acquired them.

As of August 2015, the league had not announced the fate of the extra permanent international roster slot acquired by Chivas USA from Real Salt Lake in November 2004.

Notes and References

  1. Web site: MLS releases 2014-15 offseason calendar with draft, combine and trade window schedule . November 6, 2014 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141107191446/http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2014/11/05/mls-releases-2014-15-offseason-calendar-draft-combine-and-trade-window-sched . November 7, 2014 .
  2. Web site: Goalkeeper Dan Kennedy selected first as MLS holds Chivas USA Dispersal Draft . MLSsoccer.com . 2014-11-19 . 2015-04-08 . 2015-05-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150512022008/http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2014/11/19/expected-goalkeeper-dan-kennedy-goes-first-chivas-usa-dispersal-draft . dead .
  3. Web site: MLS Expansion Draft: Listen in live as New York City FC & Orlando City SC build out rosters MLSsoccer.com. dead. https://web.archive.org/web/20141228135858/http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2014/12/09/mls-expansion-draft-listen-live-new-york-city-fc-orlando-city-sc-build-out-r. 2014-12-28.
  4. Web site: FC Dallas to have first pick in next week's MLS Dispersal Draft . MLSsoccer.com . 2014-11-14 . 2015-04-08 . 2015-01-17 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150117202812/http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2014/11/14/fc-dallas-have-first-pick-next-weeks-mls-dispersal-draft . dead .
  5. Web site: Major League Soccer to hold Chivas USA Dispersal Draft on Nov. 19 . MLSsoccer.com . 2014-11-08 . 2015-04-08 . 2015-05-12 . https://web.archive.org/web/20150512000415/http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2014/11/07/major-league-soccer-hold-chivas-usa-dispersal-draft-nov-19 . dead .
  6. Web site: Orlando City take top picks in 2015 Expansion Draft, MLS SuperDraft; NYCFC atop Allocation Ranking. MLSsoccer.com. 29 October 2014. 27 October 2014. https://web.archive.org/web/20141027022558/http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2014/09/24/orlando-city-sc-take-top-picks-expansion-draft-2015-mls-superdraft-nycfc-atop-2. dead.
  7. Web site: 2014 Expansion Draft Rules PRESS BOX . pressbox.mlssoccer.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141120085546/http://pressbox.mlssoccer.com/content/2014-expansion-draft-rules . 2014-11-20.
  8. Web site: 2014 Expansion Draft Rules PRESS BOX . pressbox.mlssoccer.com . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20141120085546/http://pressbox.mlssoccer.com/content/2014-expansion-draft-rules . 2014-11-20.