Toronto FC made 10 selections in the 2006 MLS Expansion Draft on Friday, plucking one player from each team in the league except for the Colorado Rapids and FC Dallas.
The club then announced several additional transactions, including sending Canadian international Adrian Serioux and a second-round draft pick to FC Dallas in exchange for wide midfielder Ronnie O'Brien.
Additionally, discussions with Real Salt Lake resulted in that club reacquiring the rights to forward Jason Kreis, whom Johnston had selected in the draft. Toronto FC will receive a partial allocation in return.
In a third deal, Toronto dealt midfielder Danny O'Rourke and goalkeeper Will Hesmer to the Columbus Crew in exchange for a partial allocation.
Chicago Fire target forward Nate Jaqua, whose status for next season is also questionable, now headlines Toronto's front line. He has openly expressed his desire to try his luck in Europe and rumors of a move to either of the Los Angeles clubs have surfaced, but Johnston said he hopes to convince the 25-year-old to stay in the Queen City.
"I spoke to him yesterday. He's a commodity at the moment," Johnston said. "I want to invite him up here and let him see the organization, see the stadium, sit him down and give him the plans for the upcoming year."
Rod Dyachenko, who just completed his rookie season as a member of D.C. United., was also snatched up by Johnston. Though he failed to find the back of the net in any of his nine appearances for the Black-and-Red, Johnston was still impressed with the UNLV product.
"He's one of the guys I don't really want to trade," Johnston said. "He's an up-and-coming young player; he's a youth international. I believe there's a huge upside to him and I'm very excited at having him on board."
Johnston's top defensive selections were Tim Regan and Ritchie Kotschau, though Regan could be shipped elsewhere before all is said and done. He spent the 2006 season as a member of Chivas USA, putting together his finest campaign since entering the league in 2003 as a member of the MetroStars (now New York Red Bulls). Regan and Johnston could be reunited after spending time together in New York.
"Timmy Regan knows what I think of him. Timmy Regan's a wonderful person," Johnston said. "He's had a wonderful season under Bob Bradley but right now I'm looking at different options in terms of trades so it's to be determined in the next 24 hours to 48 hours."
Kotschau will move to his third team in as many years after spending 2006 as a member of the Crew. He played 26 games under Crew coach Sigi Schmid in Ohio.
Johnston picked up a solid defensive midfielder in Paulo Nagamura, who also just completed his second season in the league. He played in 54 career games for the Los Angeles Galaxy, totaling six assists from his defensive midfield role.
Uruguayan Jose Cancela appears set to play the No. 10 role in Toronto, as Johnston took him away from the New England Revolution. Cancela spent four seasons with the Revs, during which he scored six goals and provided 27 assists. However, he settled into a reserve role for New England head coach Steve Nicol and played no part in the Revs' penalty-kick shootout loss to Houston Dynamo in MLS Cup 2006.
"I think he's a wonderful talent," Johnston said of the playmaker. "Obviously the minutes that he received weren't up to his standards. When someone possesses that sort of ability you have to pick him. He's not up for (trade) talks."
Jonathan Nierman is a contributor to MLSnet.com. This story was not subject to the approval of Major League Soccer or its clubs.
