Houston Dash select three player in NWSL dispersal draft

The Houston Dash had an interesting day in the NWSL Dispersal Draft opting to take a retired player with their first pick. With the league going down to nine teams they elected to hold a dispersal draft to help place players from Boston with clubs for 2018.

For those who haven’t kept up with the latest event in the NWSL, the Boston Breakers have folded and will no longer exist as a team. To divvy up the players the league held a dispersal draft on Tuesday. Players available in the draft were players who were under NWSL contract with their rights assigned to the NWSL, players whose rights were controlled by Boston, and players on Boston’s Discovery List. Players had the option of opting out of the draft if they wanted to explore playing overseas but would but unable to return to the NWSL until after 2018 if they chose to opt out.

The league held a weighted draft to determined team selection order. Initial draft selection order looked like the following:

1. Sky Blue FC
2. Washington Spirit
3. Seattle Reign FC
4. Portland Thorns FC
5. Utah Royals FC
6. Houston Dash
7. Chicago Red Stars
8. Orlando Pride
9. North Carolina Courage

Players who were signed with Boston and taken in the dispersal draft would essentially be free additions for 2018 to the teams with none of the typical roster rules applying. Selections would not count against the roster limit or salary cap nor would any international players occupy an international roster slot. However, if a team selected player on Boston’s discovery list or a retired player that player would count on the roster and against salary cap if they signed with the team that selected them.

Teams were allowed to trade their picks around prior to the start of the draft so when things got underway they actually looked like this:

1. Washington Spirit (via NJ)
2. Sky Blue FC (via WAS)
3. Seattle Reign FC
4. Portland Thorns FC
5. Utah Royals FC
6. Houston Dash
7. Chicago Red Stars
8. Seattle Reign FC (via ORL)
9. North Carolina Courage

With their first pick, number six overall, the Dash selected Kyah Simon, a forward. A head scratching selection given that the player is retired and was not signed with Boston. This means that should she play for the Dash she would take a roster slot, count against the cap and take an international roster slot.

Many were surprised to see the club take a retired forward when the club is much thinner at other positions. While it is possible that the Dash will use Simon’s rights for a deal in the future it’s hard to say what the club has in mind for the player.

In the second round of the dispersal draft the Dash selected defender Lotta Okvist. Their third round selection was Sammy Jo Prudhomme, a goalkeeper would would bring the teams goalkeeper total to four (assuming Henninger returns and they sign their college draft pick). They passed in the fourth and final round of the draft.

At least one Houston Dash player is super stoked for the Prudhomme selection.

Players who were not selected in the draft are now discovery eligible.