Impact takes care of its image and a Canadian roster spot with Sutton signing

The Montreal Impact finally has a Canadian player on its roster.

In a move that has to be seen as very sentimental in nature, the club has signed veteran keeper Greg Sutton. The deal now gives the Impact three keepers on its MLS roster for 2012. Sutton joins Evan Bush, who took over the No. 1 job with the Impact during its final NASL season, and former MLS Goalkeeper of the Year Donovan Ricketts, whoo was acquired in a deal with the Los Angeles Galaxy.

Sutton was acquired on loan from the New York Red Bulls during the Impact’s final NASL season. But he couldn’t usurp the excellent Bush for the No. 1 job — as Bill Gaudette sat on the sidelines with an injury.

With Ricketts and Bush already in camp, it’s hard to see Sutton as being anything more than a roster filler at the moment. But, Sutton was with the Impact from 2001-06, and was named the USL’s/A-League’s Goalkeeper of the Year four straight times from 2003-06. So, this is a nice way for the Impact to honour one of its former greats.

“We are very pleased Greg will be joining us for 2012,” Impact coach Jesse Marsch said in a statement. “His experience in MLS, with Toronto FC in their inaugural season and with New York, as well as his experience with the Impact franchise, makes him a terrific fit for our organization. His addition to our goalkeeping corps gives us great depth, knowledge and talent at that position.”

And, maybe more importantly, it allows Montreal to fill up one of the three required Canadian roster slots. There is no requirement for the three Canadian MLS teams to have Canadian players on the field, but each club needs to have three domestics on its roster.

Sutton is the 21st player the Impact has signed — and the first Canadian. So, roster room is running out and Canadians have to be made priority signings.

Sutton had been on the Re-Entry Draft list, after being left exposed by the Impact two weeks ago.