MLS Expansion Priority Coin Toss tonight - what would you choose?

[cfof]

What would be your personal order of preference?

[...] For Whitecaps fans, however, there is no doubting what the most eagerly anticipated part of the evening will be - halftime. The interval will play host to the "Expansion Priority Coin Toss", where 'Caps director of professional teams Greg Anderson, and Portland Timbers head coach and general manager Gavin Wilkinson, will join MLS executive vice president Todd Durbin for the coin toss.

The outcome of the coin toss will play a significant role in Vancouver's preparations for their inaugural MLS season in 2011. The club that wins Wednesday's coin toss will then declare their first priority in one of the following mechanisms listed below on August 11. The Whitecaps and Timbers will then alternate choices through the priority list.

PRIORITY LIST

First pick in the MLS Expansion Draft

First pick of those players left unprotected by existing MLS clubs.

First pick in the MLS SuperDraft

First pick in the college and Generation Adidas entry draft.

USSF D-2 Player Priority on opening of signing period

The Whitecaps and Timbers will be given priority over other MLS teams, if they wish to sign a player out of the USSF D-2 Pro League.

Allocation Ranking

Priority on any MLS or USA international players returning to the league.

Designated Player Ranking

If two MLS clubs wish to negotiate with a Designated Player (DP), the club with the higher DP ranking slot will receive priority.

Discovery Ranking

If two MLS clubs wish to discover the same player, the club with the higher ranking slot has priority to negotiate with the player.

Lottery Ranking & Waiver

Whitecaps FC will occupy either the 17th or 18th slot in priority.

[JohnnyCanuck]

In order of importance to me, since they will be alternating on the 7 topics...

Allocation, Expansion, Superdraft, DP, Tier 2, Discover, Lottery

[Seb of Mtl]

does this mean that the mlsmontreal 2012 will get first in all of these "drafts"

[Trident]

does this mean that the mlsmontreal 2012 will get first in all of these "drafts"

Unless there's another 2012, yes.

I hope theres no one but us.

[the biologist]

^ The one-year delay is kind of a blessing in disguise for that matter. Not a big deal though. I would have still preferred to be in for 2011...

[Trident]

^ The one-year delay is kind of a blessing in disguise for that matter. Not a big deal though. I would have still preferred to be in for 2011...

Yeah.

Here's hoping that Vancouver brings back quite a lot of Canadians to North America, then is unable to protect all the suitable ones, for us to steal.

[Jeremy]

Man we would have sucked big time if there were 3 new teams in 2011.

[Blue and White Army]

In order of importance to me, since they will be alternating on the 7 topics...

Allocation, Expansion, Superdraft, DP, Tier 2, Discover, Lottery

Have any two MLS clubs ever fought over a potential DP player? Without knowing these things in detail, it's arguably the least important item.

I'd like some clarification on USSF D-2 Player Priority. Is this for players from clubs other than Vancouver and Portland, or are players from Vancouver and Portland included? Or, to put it another way... does Vancouver have first dibs on Vancouver D-2 players, Portland have first dibs on Portland D-2 players, and this cointoss item applies to players from all other D-2 clubs? Or could Vancouver sign Portland players (e.g. Ryan Pore) and Portland sign Vancouver players (e.g. Russell Teibert)?

Still have no clue what "Lottery" is about.

[tmcmurph]

SuperDraft - The least expensive and most potential of all the items on list especially if they are GenA

Expansion Draft - Mostly players other teams don't want or are too expensive to fit under their cap. Some gems but mostly journymen.

After that I don't see much point really. You can put the rest of these in any order AFAIC.

USSF D-2 Player Priority - Not worth much. If a D2 player is that good he will likely try his luck in Europe first.

Allocation Ranking - Let Portland have this one. We will take priorty on any Canadians returning

Designated Player Ranking - Has this ever happened?

Discovery Ranking - I'm not sure this has ever happened either.

Lottery Ranking & Waiver - 17th or 18th? By then who will be left of any quality?

[jpg75]

^ You have it pretty much bang on, you want the #1 pick in the Superdraft, the expansion draft isn't as important so let Portland have it. But you will want the #1 Allocation ranking, even if you don't want the player you can always pick them up and hold a team that wants him up for ransom.

[matthew]

I think taking the top pick in the Super Draft is the no-brainer. It's an obvious great source of young, affordable talent - provided you have a scouting staff who knows what they're doing.

I've been saying this for years now, but I think the Expansion Draft can be crucial. At this point it's just idle speculation, but if I were stocking an MLS team I'd be looking at 2-3 proven starters from the Expansion Draft and hope that from the next seven pics you find a handful of young, cheap prospects that crack your squad and contribute. Most teams beg off those more pricey players, but you should be able to find a few proven MLS starters who don’t quite make six figures and who are under-30 to stabilize your squad.

If you do that, draft a college player who is ready to step in (Steve Zakuani and Mo Edu come to mind) and play significant minutes and then add three big money signings (I mean six figures big money, not DP big money, though one of those makes sense out of the gate) — a creator, a finisher and a defensive leader in the back — and you’re halfway to having a good team. Jay Nolly should be fine in goal and just like that you have the rest of the Caps vets, seven young/cheap MLS expansion draft picks and the rest of your draft picks fighting for three starting spots.

cheers,

matthew

[canucklefan]

http://www.vancouversun.com/sports/Whitecaps+pivotal+coin+toss+over+Portland/3334516/story.html

VANCOUVER - The Portland Timbers beat the Vancouver Whitecaps 2-1 last week to grab the Cascadia Cup – a trophy that symbolizes on-field soccer superiority in the Pacific Northwest.

But the Caps are smiling today after beating the Timbers in a coin toss Wednesday at the Major League Soccer all-star game in Houston, Texas.

That win gives Vancouver the option of taking the first pick in either the MLS expansion draft of unprotected players in November or the SuperDraft of eligible college and youth players in January. They have to make that choice by Aug. 11.