By Canadian Press

MLS teams wheel and deal around Atlanta, Minnesota expansion draft

Dec 13, 2016 | 1:27 PM

TORONTO — Goalkeeper Clint Irwin and fullback Donny Toia were briefly members of expansion Atlanta United on Tuesday.

Both were taken in Tuesday’s MLS draft that saw Atlanta and Minnesota United pick five players each. But Toronto moved to reacquire Irwin and Toia, taken first overall from the Montreal Impact, was subsequently traded to Orlando.

Under the draft rules, none of the existing teams could lose more than one player. The Vancouver Whitecaps were unscathed by the draft but added right back Sheanon Williams from the Houston Dynamo in exchange for general allocation money.

Montreal picked up a defender by acquiring Chris Duvall, a former Red Bull taken second overall by Minnesota in Tuesday’s draft. The Impact, who also got general allocation money, sent Costa Rican midfielder Johan Venegas to Minnesota to complete the deal.

Duvall is a right back who has also played at centre back.

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To get its No. 1 goalkeeper back, Toronto sent reserve fullback Mark Bloom and general allocation money to Atlanta. The 29-year-old Bloom, a former starter, had four assists in 44 appearances in all competitions for Toronto.

“Our hope was to not lose anyone in the expansion draft. No matter how you work your protected list, due to the depth of our roster we knew it was a possibility and we had to prepare accordingly,” Toronto GM Tim Bezbatchenko said in a statement.

The deal was likely made in advance of the draft. Atlanta United president Darren Eales confirmed that  several “pre-arranged trades” had been in place.

Orlando got Toia for a first-round pick — eighth overall — in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft.

“We are happy to acquire Donny,” assistant GM Niki Budalic said. “He’s an athletic fullback with MLS experience that will fit into (coach) Jason (Kreis’) style.”

Kreis has ties to Toia, who came up through the Real Salt Lake academy. He was the first homegrown player to be signed to a pro contract by RSL in March 2011, while Kreis coached the senior team.

Toia made 17 appearances for the Impact this season with 15 starts.

“We had to make difficult choices in this process in order to come up with our protected list and unfortunately, one of our players was selected,” Impact technical director Adam Braz said in a statement.

Midfielder Collen Warner, a former Toronto and Montreal player most recently with Houston, went to Minnesota in the draft.

After Toia, Atlanta United chose defender Zach Loyd of FC Dallas, Irwin, defender Mikey Ambrose of Orlando City and goalkeeper Alec Kann of Sporting Kansas City.

Minnesota also selected Columbus midfielder Mohammed Saeid, Real Salt Lake goalkeeper Jeff Attinella and New England forward Femi Hollinger-Janzen.

The Whitecaps are hoping that the 26-year-old Williams, a seven-year veteran with 177 MLS regular-season appearances, can be their answer at right back.

“Sheanon is an athletic, solid defender with an attacking mind,” Whitecaps head coach Carl Robinson said in a statement. “Since joining the league back in 2010, Sheanon has been a regular starter and has a great reputation throughout the league as someone with outstanding character. We are excited to welcome him to our locker room.”

Williams has played on other teams with Vancouver’s Giles Barnes, Jordan Harvey and Andrew Jacobson.

“I’m excited for the new opportunity,” said Williams. “I can’t wait to join up with the club and get things moving.”

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Neil Davidson, The Canadian Press