Dates to be circled in your calendar in preparation for 2019
Rejoice, Montreal Impact supporters. The curtain may have closed on the Bleu-blanc-noir’s 2018 season, and although the wound is still delicate, there’s plenty to look forward to in the coming weeks that’ll get you excited for the upcoming season.
Here are some of the key dates coming up before and after the holidays that you should absolutely circle on your calendars.
Option Exercise Deadline: November 26
Clubs no longer competing in the Audi 2018 MLS Cup Playoffs must notify the League Office in writing of players whose options they are exercising and/or players who are receiving bona fide offers. Consult the Impact’s list here.
Half Day Trade Window: December 9, 9am to 1pm
Following a three-month roster freeze, MLS clubs may begin adjusting their rosters. This is a four-hour window in which clubs may sign and trade players (both non-Re-Entry Draft eligible players and Re-Entry Draft eligible). After the window closes however, no more moves may be made until the expansion draft.
2018 MLS Expansion Draft: December 11, 2pm
This year, Cincinnati FC joins MLS as the 24th team in the league, integrating into the Montreal Impact’s Eastern Conference during the 2019 season. That means another expansion draft is in order, and it’ll be a little different than the one last year featuring LAFC.
Because each round of expansion in MLS since 2014 has always featured two teams, FC Cincinnati and LAFC will be considered as one expansion round – carried out over two years. That means that the teams who had their players selected last year will be exempt this time around, although LAFC’s unprotected players are up for grabs.
Expansion drafts are exciting, and often unpredictable. Don’t forget that each team can only protect 11 players, with the rest remaining unprotected. Cincinnati will be able to select five players, but no more than one from each team. Here’s last year’s draft, to give you an idea.
2018 MLS Waiver Draft: Dec 12, 4pm
The Waiver Draft consists of players who have been waived by clubs and do not meet minimum years of service requirement for Re-Entry Draft or Free Agency; the Waiver Draft is conducted in reverse order of 2018 season finish, taking into account postseason performance, with expansion FC Cincinnati selecting last.
2019 schedule release: January
This is the big one. Once the official schedule is released by MLS sometime in January, you can almost smell the new season. Plus, it’s the perfect time to start organizing road trips to go and see the Bleu-blanc-noir on the road in 2019.
Adidas MLS player combine: January 3-9
The MLS player combine gives every MLS club’s technical staff a closer look at some of the prospects entering the 2019 draft. The combine has proven quite useful in the past, giving players a chance to shine in an environment where coaches and scouts from every MLS team can see you. For a second straight year, the combine will take place at Orlando City Stadium in Florida.
2019 MLS SuperDraft: January 11
The MLS SuperDraft is always an exciting event. Every team’s representatives are cooped up in the same room for a few hours, intensively scrutinizing every pick made, while wheeling and dealing until it’s finally their turn to choose.
You’ll remember that the Impact ended up trading two of its picks for $350,000 in allocation money, while selecting the young Ken Krolicki in the third round, who ended up playing 24 games, including 18 starts, in his first MLS season with the Bleu-blanc-noir.
