11 players drafted since 2012 have featured in MLS
Recruitment at the club level can take many forms. If trades, international transfers, free signings or the promotion of academy players exist in various forms in world football, the SuperDraft is unique in itself – and strongly inspired by other North American professional sports leagues. Since the Bleu-blanc-noir joined MLS, 11 players drafted by the Impact played at least one MLS regular season game, ten of them having done it with Montreal’s jersey.
Looking at the Impact’s current roster, the leader in terms of games played, with 34, and goals scored, with five, is Michael Salazar, selected in the second round of the 2016 SuperDraft. In terms of games started and minutes played, Kyle Fisher, also selected in 2016, but in the first round, is at the top of the list, having been selected 17 times on the staring XI and accumulating 1,635 minutes played. Nick DePuy, a first-round selection in 2017, and Shamit Shome, a Generation Adidas Canada player selected in the second round last year, have also represented the Bleu-blanc-noir in MLS.
It’s worth noting that former Impact players Andrew Wenger, Callum Mallace, and Eric Miller all have at least 80 matches of MLS experience. Cameron Porter, the hero who scored the last-minute goal in the Impact’s most important CONCACAF Champions League match, is also a SuperDraft selection. Blake Smith too, drafted in 2014, played for the club momentarily, just like Romario Williams.
Brad Stuver and George Malki all entered the league with the Impact through the SuperDraft, though they never wore an Impact jersey. Although the first two have played a few minutes in MLS, Malki has never played a game in the North American first division, although he did feature in Columbus Crew SC’s lineup last year.
