After being overlooked in the MLS SuperDraft, it didn't take long for Mississauga, Ont.-born midfielder Evan James to find an MLS club in Tuesday's Supplemental Draft. The expansion Montreal Impact grabbed the University of North Carolina-Charlotte product first overall in a rather unsurprising pick, as head coach Jesse Marsch had announced his intentions ahead of the draft.
The optimist would herald this as good news for a promising young Canadian player, and a positive sign for future Canadians taking part in the MLS draft process. The cynic would suggest Montreal was merely looking to fill its league-mandated Canadian quota, as James would join Patrice Bernier and Greg Sutton as the three Canadians on the Impact's roster.[PRBREAK][/PRBREAK]
It's yet to be seen which of those perspectives is nearer the mark, though the truth likely falls somewhere in the middle.
Elsewhere in the first round of the MLS Supplemental Draft, the Vancouver Whitecaps took Gienir Garcia (defender, Cruz Azul) second overall, while Toronto FC took midfielder Michael Green (University of New Mexico) fourth overall and defender Nick Blake of the University of Connecticut at #14.