RBNY Escapes MLS Expansion Draft Unscathed

After much fretting, worrying, arguing and pouring over multiple mock drafts, New York Red Bull Supporters can rest easy.  The Major League Soccer Expansion Draft, in which Orlando City Soccer Club and New York City Football Club had their pick of the 19 other team's unprotected players, has come and gone and RBNY is none the weaker for it.   After ten rounds, neither expansion team decided to take any Red Bull players, leaving fan favorites like Peguy Luyindula on the red side of New York City, at least for the time being.

Just because there were no Red Bulls selected, it doesn't mean the picks had zero impact on the locker room in Harrison.   With their first pick, Orlando chose to go with Portland keeper and multiple "save of the year" nominee Donovan Ricketts.  This pretty much squashes the rumors that New York would be sending keeper Ryan Meara down to Florida on loan for the 2015 season.

Other picks of note include one time Metros, Mehdi Balloucy (sixth round, NYCFC), Heath Pearce (seventh round, OCSC) and Stephen Keel, who was protected in the seventh round by FC Dallas.

So there you have it.  One draft down, five hundred and seventy three drafts to go.  It's going to be a long off season.