Toronto FC gets Hassli, while Whitecaps stockpile high draft picks

Eric Hassli in action against FCE's Chris Kooy in the Canadian Championship. PHOTO BOB FRID/CANADA SOCCER

Martin Rennie’s continuing renovations of the Vancouver Whitecaps saw him make another blockbuster move on Friday.

The Whitecaps traded Designated Player Eric Hassli, who had slipped out of the starting lineup, to Toronto FC, a team that desperately needs a physical forward to replace Danny Koevermans, who is out for the rest of the year with a torn ACL.

In the last three weeks, the Whitecaps have seriously changed its chemistry, despite being a team in a playoff position. Gone are strikers Hassli, Sebastien Le Toux and midfielder Davide Chiumiento. Barry Robson, though signed earlier in the year, made his debut for the Whitecaps only a few weeks back, and the club brought in Scottish international striker Kenny Miller. With the emergence of first-round draft pick Darren Mattocks as a starting striker, Hassli had become surplus to requirements.

Ironically, Hassli scored the first-ever MLS goal for Vancouver — against Toronto.

“Trading Eric has been a difficult decision and we really appreciate all that he has done for the club. With the emergence of our young strikers and recent additions, we felt that this is the right time to make this move,” said Rennie in a release issued by the club. “We wish Eric the best of luck in Toronto.”

Hassli has 12 goals in 44 MLS matches, and three more in eight Canadian Championship games.

“Adding a player of Eric’s ability gives an immediate improvement to our club,” said Toronto FC Head Coach and Director of Soccer Operations Paul Mariner in a statement. “He has had a lot of success in this league and we are pleased to bring him to Toronto.”

TFC and Vancouver haven’t been unafraid to trade in the past. Last year, the Whitecaps sent Terry Dunfield to the Reds.

The Whitecaps get TFC’s 2014 first-round SuperDraft pick in exchange. Remember, the Whitecaps already nabbed Philadephia’s top pick in exchange for the rights to select defender Bakary Soumare. Now, the Whitecaps have TFC’s pick in 2014. That gives Rennie a lot of cards he can use next year at the Draft, or plenty of ammunition to pull another deal down the road.