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Sandy • It's been nearly two years since Jeff Cassar had to sit idly by as two of Real Salt Lake's longest-tenured starters were suddenly snatched off its roster. It was the 2014 MLS Expansion Draft, and former RSL coach Jason Kreis picked midfielder Ned Grabavoy and defender Chris Wingert to aid New York City FC's inaugural year in Major League Soccer in 2015.
"We lost a lot and it took us a little bit of time [to recover]," Cassar said. "Now we're back to where we want to be."
RSL and the other 19 MLS clubs have to brace themselves for another expansion draft on Dec. 13, as the league welcomes Atlanta United and Minnesota United FC in 2017. The losses won't be as heavy this time, though. MLS announced earlier this week that this expansion draft would be different. Clubs will still protect 11 players and homegrown players will be exempt from selection. But instead of losing as many as two players, a franchise can lose just one.
Atlanta and Minnesota will each pick five players. If one team loses a player, it will automatically be removed from the rest of the draft. RSL general manager Craig Waibel believes it's a positive changes.
"I think there will be a time where it doesn't make sense to do an expansion draft," Waibel said. "We're not there yet. Financially, it's very difficult to assemble these rosters. We're a growing league and a growing business and these are growing pains."
Cassar said expansion drafts not only can thin rosters, but important roster slots.
"At the end of the day, if they do decide to take someone [off a roster], they're going to get somebody good," he said.
Mulholland for Morales
Javier Morales, as expected, missed RSL's home match against the Houston Dynamo on Saturday night. The 36-year-old attacking midfielder suffered a quadriceps strain in last weekend's loss at Portland.
"He's borderline right there," Cassar said.
Versatile Luke Mulholland got the starting nod at the attacking point of RSL's 4-3-3 formation against the Dynamo a week after Jordan Allen started in the loss at Portland.
Maund update
RSL remains entrenched in the waiting game regarding starting center back Aaron Maund (toe fracture). The 25-year-old has yet to be ruled out for the remainder of the season, Cassar confirmed earlier in the week.
"He was penciled in to come in right at the end of the year," Cassar added. "It won't be any miraculous recovery [before]."
Maund started 20 regular-season matches for RSL before suffering the fracture the first week of August.
Twitter: @chriskamrani