Nov
12
2010 Expansion Draft List: Seattle Sounders FC
Steve Zakuani should be one of the 11 protected Sounders. (Getty Images)
The expansion draft will be here before we know it. The expansion kids of two years ago now face a tough challenge of seeing their two new rivals picking in the draft. Today begins the first look of the playoff eight in the expansion draft lists. I’m sticking with the point-based line-up so that is why Seattle is up first here; Columbus, New York and RSL will follow next week.
To recap what I’ve covered so far here are the list for the Chicago Fire, Chivas USA, D.C. United, the Philadelphia Union, the Houston Dynamo, the Kansas City Wizards, the New England Revolution, and Toronto FC. As always for those curious about the expansion draft rules click here (there are some funky rules about international players and what not).
Seattle will be interesting to see this season. They know they slipped up in leaving Sebastien Le Toux unprotected last year and you know they’ll be reminded of it yet again once their official list comes out. They do have some higher priced players that seem like good candidates for exposure. But having a couple DPs may also be interesting if one or both of them lack a no-trade clause. For this we’ll just assume they have the no-trade clause.
Below are the 11 players I see being protected:
- Osvaldo Alonso – A leader for the club and a rock in the midfield.
- Brad Evans – One of their more reliable midfielders.
- Jhon Kennedy Hurtado – I wonder where their defense would have been had he been healthy all season long.
- Fredy Montero – Easy pick.
- Steve Zakuani – One of my favorite midfielders in the league.
- Blaise Nkufo – A DP, he’ll be protected either way I’d imagine.
- Alvaro Fernandez – Their other DP, he’ll be protected.
- Jeff Parke – One of their better defenders.
- Leo Gonzalez – Quality left-backs are tough to find in any league.
- Patrick Ianni – He’s really grown for Seattle this past year.
- Michael Fucito – A quality role player that is going to continue to get better.
Players unprotected:
- Kasey Keller
- Nate Jaqua
- Terry Boss
- David Estrada
- Taylor Graham
- Roger Levesque
- Tyrone Marshall
- Pat Noonan
- Miguel Montano
- Sanna Nyassi
- James Riley
- Mike Seamon
- Nathan Sturgis
- Peter Vagenas
- Zach Scott
- Tyson Wahl
Seattle has a slew of players unprotected since they have no more GA players or Home Grown Talent on their roster. The big names that may jump out to some are Jaqua, Sturgis, Nyassi, Marshall, and Noonan. Keller’s salary is high and I have no doubt in my mind that Vancouver and Portland will not take a keeper in this draft as it is. I know a lot of Seattle fans will want him protected and for good season too but I’d just be surprised if he was protected this year.
I put Fucito in my 11 because what I’ve seen out of him over the last several months of the season were that he’s grown a lot for the Sounders. He could be a budding star that just needs a little more time to develop. I could see them protect Jaqua over him though.
