MLS releases details of Montreal expansion draft
Impact will select 10 players during draft on November 23


Head coach Jesse Marsch and the 2012 expansion Montreal Impact have signed two players to date: defender Nelson Rivas and midfielder Hassoun Camara. On Wednesday, they learned when they'll be able to get some teammates, as MLS announced the date and details of the 2012 MLS Expansion Draft.

The draft will take place on Wednesday, November 23, beginning at 2 pm ET.

As in past years, the expansion draft will last 10 rounds, meaning the Impact will select 10 players.

Current MLS clubs will be allowed to protect 11 players from their 2011 roster, though there are several categories of players who have special status. Generation adidas players and Homegrown Players on the team’s Off-budget Roster are automatically protected, without counting as one of the team’s 11 protected spots.

Designated Players do not have to be protected unless the player’s contract includes a no-trade clause.

Clubs must submit their protected roster to MLS on Monday, November 21.

Click here for complete 2012 MLS Expansion Draft rules: http://pressbox.mlssoccer.com/content/2012-expansion-draft-rules

After failing to make the NASL play-offs and essentially being relegated from the D2 level of soccer, the Montreal Impact need all the help they can get.

The Montreal Impact announced Friday they had secured the services of American goalkeeper Evan Bush for their opening season in Major League Soccer. He is now the third player signed on for next season after Nelson Rivas and last year’s MVP Hassoun Camara.

"I’m very excited and proud to get back in Montreal,” said Bush. “I’m pleased to be a part of the plans as the club moves to Major League Soccer. This past season opened my eyes on how professional this organization is. I am ready to take on the next challenge.”

Bush played most of last season with the Impact in the North American Soccer League after first choice Bill Gaudette went out injured and has impressed ever since.

“Evan has shown in 2011 that he can be a top goalkeeper,” said Impact head coach Jesse Marsch. “With his performances during the last season, he has earned the right to join the Impact for its move to MLS. I am looking forward to challenging him at the next level.”

The Impact confirmed last week that defenders Philippe Billy and Cameron Knowles, midfielders David Testo and Luke Kreamalmeyer, as well as forwards Ali Gerba, Pierre-Rudolph Mayard and Marco Terminesi will not be in the side next season.

Final decisions on the remaining players from the Impact’s 2011 season will be made within the next six to eight weeks.

According to Quebec site 98.5Sports…… In a conversation with their agent Tulio Tinti, the latter expressed a desire to make contact with the Impact and sporting director Nick DeSantis as to whether the team has an interest in these two players. “Luca Toni and Filippo Inzaghi have a certain age and may have an interest in this kind of experience. We would consider seriously, as they will both be free agents after the season

http://www.mls-rumors.net/

The Impact technical staff working hard behind closed doors

10 players to be selected this Wednesday

“We have already been in contact with a lot of teams looking to discuss some potential pre-draft deals,” said the former Impact goalkeeper, also a veteran of eight seasons in MLS. “But we’ve decided to wait until the list of unprotected players was released before we got into serious negotiations. We expect many more phone calls over the next couple of days by teams either offering us a deal to select someone for them, or by looking to protect a player they were forced to make available. We’ve already got one deal done when we acquired Ryan Pore on loan from the Portland Timbers last season, getting an extra foreigner spot in that deal.”

http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/news/20...nd-closed-doors

Big names highlight unprotected Expansion Draft list
Several stars, DPs, veterans available as Impact prepare picks


Changes are afoot throughout MLS this week.

Clubs released their lists of protected and unprotected players ahead of the Expansion Draft. On Wednesday, the Montreal Impact will select 10 of the available names to add to their roster.

Several big names highlight the unprotected list, including Freddy Adu, Omar Bravo and Andrés Mendoza. The Peruvian finished fourth in the MLS scoring charts, but Columbus left him exposed. “You never really know how other teams view your own players,” Crew technical director Brian Bliss said. “It's always a calculated risk, and you try to mitigate it as much as you can.”

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/20...sion-draft-list

Watch the 2011 MLS Expansion Draft LIVE

Expansion Draft to be streamed online at 3pm (ET)

Log on to this page tomorrow to watch the 2011 MLS Expansion Draft LIVE!

The draft will be streamed online at 3pm (ET). Head coach Jesse Marsch will be announcing the names of the players selected as well as trades made by the Montreal Impact. Highlights of the players will be a part of the event.

Don’t miss any of this historic event !

http://www.impactmontreal.com/en/news/2011/11/watch-2011-mls-expansion-draft-live

Impact acquire Wahl in exchange for allocation money

Seattle trades DEF to Montreal in Expansion Draft opening salvo

NEW YORK – The Montreal Impact didn’t wait long to make their first move on Wednesday, working out a trade with the Seattle Sounders before the Expansion Draft even started.

The Sounders sent left back Tyson Wahl to Quebec in exchange for allocation money, landing the defender on his second expansion side. Seattle acquired him in the 2009 Expansion Draft from Kansas City.

Wahl had a career year for Sigi Schmid in 2011, starting 22 of his 23 appearances for the Sounders and adding a goal and two assists. The defender has played six seasons in MLS – three with Kansas City and three with Seattle – since being drafted in the second round (19th overall) of the 2006 SuperDraft from California Berkley.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/11/23/impact-acquire-wahl-exchange-allocation-money

Ching, Mapp headline Montreal expansion draft picks

Impact go for big names, youth and defense; trade Riley to Chivas

MONTREAL -- The Montreal Impact threw a few surprises into their picks in Wednesday's Expansion Draft, selecting several marquee names, including Houston's Brian Ching and Philadelphia's Justin Mapp.

Ching has gone on the record to say he would not move to Montreal if picked. How that will play out remains to be seen, and Montreal coach Jesse Marsch said he is still open to various options.

Mapp was one of two high-profile Union players on offer, the other being Freddy Adu. On Tuesday, Marsch indicated that Adu was a possibility, but in the end, chose his teammate, who does not come with as high a salary and is more established in the league on the field.

Elsewhere, Marsch chose to bolster the backline, acquiring San Jose centerback Bobby Burling, Columbus left back Josh Gardner, Sporting KC left back Seth Sinovic, Vancouver right back Jeb Brovsky, and Chivas USA right back Zarek Valentin.

The selection of Colorado midfielder Sanna Nyassi provides some good speed on the flanks, and Real Salt Lake's Collen Warner is an up-and-coming attacking midfielder who showed flashes in 2011.

The final pick, Seattle right back James Riley, was shipped to Chivas USA immediately in exchange for forward Justin Braun and midfielder Gerson Mayen.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/11/23/ching-mapp-headline-montreal-expansion-draft-picks

In Safe Hands

Jamaican veteran to guard Impact net in inaugural MLS season

The Montreal Impact continue to make a splash in the transfer market.

Just hours after the club acquired midfielder Davy Arnaud from Sporting KC, they added yet another veteran weapon on Monday, picking up 34-year-old goalkeeper Donovan Ricketts from MLS Cup champs LA Galaxy in exchange for allocation money.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/11/28/montreal-pick-ricketts-la-allocation


Impact deal Sinovic for Sporting KC veteran Arnaud

After decade in Kansas City, veteran sent packing to Montreal

The Montreal Impact continued a busy six-day stretch with another trade to shore up their veteran leadership on Monday, dealing for Sporting Kansas City midfielder Davy Arnaud.

The Impact shipped defender Seth Sinovic and allocation money in the deal, less than a week after they picked up Sinovic from Sporting KC in the MLS Expansion Draft last Wednesday. Sporting left the young defender unprotected for the draft and the Impact swooped in, but it appears they may found Sinovic expendable after a recent deal for Seattle Sounders defender Tyson Wahl came through last week.

http://www.mlssoccer.com/news/article/2011/11/28/impact-deal-sinovic-sporting-kc-veteran-arnaud