It’s the holiday season, and regardless of the holiday you celebrate, there’s more than likely an element of gift giving. The NWSL had its own version of a gift exchange in 2021. Because of not one, but two expansion teams joining in 2022, the league instituted an expansion draft. That expansion draft added insanity to a season that didn’t need any more of it. A lot of gifts have exchanged hands, but there are five that stick out as the cream of the crazy. Here are the top 5 NWSL trades of the 2021/22 offseason.
Let’s start at number five.
5. OL Reign trade for partial expansion draft protection
Angel City FC receives – $25,000 in allocation money
OL Reign receives – Expansion draft protection for forwards only
This trade doesn’t stand out because of the number of players. It doesn’t catch attention because of a big name’s involvement. This trade shows how far teams are willing to go to protect their rosters.
In the expansion draft, the 10 current NWSL teams can’t lose more than one player from the four player groups. NWSL required teams to put their players into either a goalkeeper, defender, midfielder or forward grouping. OL Reign wanted to lower the odds that one of their young standout forwards gets taken.
Now, a player like forward Tziarra King has a smaller chance of leaving the team.
4. NJ/NY Gotham FC trade away two goalkeepers
San Diego Wave FC Receives – Goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan
Gotham FC receives – Expansion draft protection & $130,000 in allocation money
Angel City FC receives – Rights to goalkeeper DiDi Haricic
Gotham FC receives – Expansion draft protection & $50,000 in allocation money
Number four on the top 5 NWSL trades is technically two trades, but they combined to leave one big hole. Something Gotham could tout in 2021 was their strength in net. While starting goalkeeper Kailen Sheridan was away for Canadian National Team duty, DiDi Haracic stepped up big.
As the season neared its end, it felt like a certainty for Gotham to lose one of their goalkeepers. No one outside of the club themselves could’ve imagined both leaving within four days of one another. Luckily for Gotham supporters, that hole didn’t stay empty for long.
3. Sam Mewis leaves North Carolina
Kansas City Current receives – Midfielder Sam Mewis & North Carolina’s second round pick in the 2022 NWSL draft
North Carolina Courage receives – Defender Kiara “Kiki” Pickett, Kansas City’s first round pick in the 2022 NWSL draft & discovery rights to Bordeaux defender Malia Berkely
The move that got offseason moves going was midfielder Sam Mewis’ move to Kansas City Current. Mewis played her entire career with the Courage/Western New York Flash; dating back to 2015. Outside of a stint with Manchester City in England’s Women’s Super League, Mewis has stayed in one organization. Now she’s in the Midwest.
Mewis’ move also had expansion draft implications. Another rule of the upcoming draft is that teams can only protect one allocated player. An allocated player is someone that is paid by the United States National Team, but is allocated to a specific NWSL club. The Courage made the tough decision of getting rid of either Mewis or forward Lynn Williams.
North Carolina made a savvy move to ensure that they didn’t lose a national team player with nothing in return.
2. Krashlyn crashes New York City
Orlando Pride receives – Gotham’s first round pick in 2022, third-round pick in 2023 & $50,000 in allocation money
Gotham FC receives – Defender Ali Krieger and goalkeeper Ashlyn Harris
Gotham didn’t wait long to make their replacement at goalkeeper, while also improving an already strong backline. Sports power couple Ashlyn Harris and Ali Krieger moved north. Harris brings a highlight reel of saves in 2021, especially from the penalty spot.
Krieger, at age 36, didn’t slow down. The former US international defender started 23 of 24 matches for the Pride. In those matches, Krieger intercepted 26 balls, 12 possession winning tackles and assisted twice on offense. Krieger’s experience as a fullback and center back brings versatility to Gotham’s defense.
This move might keep Gotham at the same level on the field, but it elevates the club off the field. Harris and Krieger bring a massive following, adding to the already growing supporters for the metropolitan side.
1. Chicago’s mass exodus
Angel City FC receives – Midfielder Julie Ertz, defender Sarah Gorden & an international spot for 2022 & 2023
Chicago Red Stars receive – Expansion draft protection
A day after the Chicago Red Stars lost the NWSL Championship in a thrilling 2-1 extra time match, everything changed. A late Sunday evening press release saw the resignation of longtime Chicago Head Coach and General Manager Rory Dames. What followed, on Monday, was accounts of abuse within the Red Stars.
The Washington Post story involved Angel City forward Christen Press and other former Red Stars outlining mental and emotional abuse by Dames. Soon after, Chicago saw five players from the 2021 roster leave the club. Sarah Gorden and forwards Katie Johnson, Makenzy Doniak and Nikki Stanton all requested moves.
There’s no word that any of the moves were connected to the Dames story, but the biggest of Chicago’s trades involved Gorden and US international Julie Ertz. Gorden hadn’t missed a minute of time on the field since April 2019. In 2021, she was crucial in Chicago advancing all the way to the championship game.
World Cup-winner Ertz went down to injury in the first match of the season, prompting the big defensive year by Gorden. Gorden’s exit hurts the most. The Chicago-native played at DePaul University, in Chicago, and rose up the professional ranks in the same city. While Ertz brings name recognition, Gorden leaving will be harder to replace.
The move, and the events surrounding it, make it number one for the top 5 NWSL trades.
Honorable Mentions
These weren’t the only moves in 2021. Some other big names moved, and some gave teams expansion protection, but didn’t match the gravity of the top 5 NWSL trades. Here are some right outside of the top 5:
Forward Christen Press traded to Angel City FC, giving Racing Louisville FC full expansion draft protection
The move that started all the draft protection happened during the season. In 2020, Racing Louisville FC selected the rights to US international Press. The move looked more like a bargaining chip than a real chance to see her suit up in Louisville lavender. Louisville’s gamble paid off and each team got what they wanted.
Gotham FC trades rookie, and former college star, Brianna Pinto for $125,000 in allocation money to NC Courage.
Brianna Pinto’s rookie season was odd. Someone with big potential out of college was underutilized by Gotham FC. Now Pinto gets the chance to join a Courage side that’s getting younger and younger.
Those are the biggest moves in 2021, so far. The NWSL Expansion Draft and college entry draft take place December 16 and 18, respectively. After those marquee offseason events, the trade window opens back up. There could be moves that make this list obsolete.
Follow Beyond Women’s Sports for more from the world of soccer. Thomas Costello is on Twitter too. Follow him @1ThomasCostello.
