Stage 1 of the MLS Re-Entry draft takes place today at 3 p.m. Eastern, but for as much as we’ve been talking about the process, it occurs to me we haven’t really stopped to talk about not only what the draft is. Or why it is.
Before we get to the order and player lists, here are some quick bullet points. And as always, if you want to know more, this is a decent starting point:
- The first Re-Entry Draft was in 2010, instituted as a compromise between players’ desire for free agency and owners’ unwillingness to provide it.
- First stage is today; next stage is next Friday.
- If a player’s out of contract (expired, option not picked up) and meets some age/service requirements (23+ years old/3+ years of service; 25+/4; 30+; 8) he’s eligible.
- It’s essentially a waiver draft. Teams pick is reverse order of finish from the previous MLS season.
- Out of contract players selected in Stage 1 must have a Bone Fide Offer made to them in seven days. Even if the player doesn’t take it, that allows the selecting team to hold the player’s rights.
- If the player had an option, the new team picks up that option (and gets the player).
- The week between rounds gives sides time to negotiate a deal. Within that time, there’s an opportunity for teams to re-sign their own players.
- Players not on teams by next Friday go into stage 2. In the second round of stage 2 teams can pick their own players.
- Anybody not picked in stages 1 and 2 is a free agent. Anybody select has their first refuse rights tied to a club.
The order of selection:
1. Toronto FC
2. Chivas USA
3. Portland Timbers
4. New England Revolution
5. Philadelphia Union
6. Colorado Rapids
7. FC Dallas
8. Montreal Impact
9. Columbus Crew
10. Vancouver Whitecaps FC
11. Chicago Fire
12. Real Salt Lake
13. New York Red Bulls
14. Sporting Kansas City
15. San Jose Earthquakes
16. Seattle Sounders FC
17. D.C. United
18. Houston Dynamo
19. LA Galaxy
And the players that are eligible:
| OUT OF CONTRACT PLAYERS | |
| CHV | Ángel, Juan Pablo |
| CHV | Vagenas, Peter |
| COL | Marshall, Tyrone |
| COL | Palguta, Scott |
| DAL | Guarda, Bruno |
| DAL | Hartman, Kevin |
| DAL | De Guzman, Julian |
| HOU | Clark, Colin |
| SJ | Alexandre, Jean |
| SJ | Ward, Tim |
| TOR | Avila, Eric |
| OPTION DECLINED PLAYERS | |
| CHI | Nolly, Jay |
| CHI | Bone, Corben |
| CHV | Califf, Danny |
| CHV | Moreno, Alejandro |
| CLB | Hesmer, Will |
| CLB | James, Julius |
| COL | Casey, Conor |
| COL | Freeman, Hunter |
| COL | Smith, Jamie |
| COL | Joyce, Ian |
| COL | Nane, Joseph |
| COL | Wahl, Tyson |
| DC | Chabala, Michael |
| DC | Dos Santos, Maicon |
| DAL | Sealy, Scott |
| KC | Aiyegbusi, Olukorede |
| KC | Sassano, Luke |
| LA | Barrett, Chad |
| LA | Boyens, Andrew |
| LA | Jordan, Bryan |
| LA | Noonan, Pat |
| MTL | Thomas, Shavar |
| NE | Murray Tim |
| NE | Gavin, Blair |
| NY | Gaudette, Bill |
| NY | Keel, Stephen |
| PHI | Harrison, Chase |
| POR | Palmer, Lovel |
| RSL | Araujo, Paulo Jr. |
| RSL | Reynish, Kyle |
| SEA | Weber, Andrew |
| SEA | Seamon, Mike |
| SJ | Corrales, Ramiro |
| SJ | Gjertsen, Joseph |
| SJ | Opara, Ike |
| SJ | Stephenson, Khari |
| TOR | Cann, Adrian |
| TOR | Hall, Jeremy |
| TOR | Harden, Ty |
| TOR | Wiedeman, Andrew |
| VAN | Thorrington, John |
