Three LA Galaxy players available for MLS Re-Entry Process

CARSON, Calif. (Wednesday, November 30, 2011) – The LA Galaxy announced today that the club has elected not to pick up the 2012 contract options on forward Adam Cristman, midfielder Jovan Kirovski and defenders Frankie Hejduk and Dasan Robinson ahead of next week’s MLS Re-Entry Process. Kirovski has elected not to take part in the Re-Entry process, meaning only Cristman, Hejduk and Robinson are eligible for the Stage 1 Draft of the Re-Entry Process, though they may elect to opt out prior to the 2 p.m. (PT) deadline on Friday, December 2.

Note: As of December 2, Adam Cristman has withdrawn his name from the Re-Entry Process.

The Stage 1 Draft will be held, via conference call, on Monday, December 5 at 2 p.m. (PT). The Stage 2 Draft will take place a week later on Monday, December 12. Both Stage 1 and Stage 2 Drafts will be conducted in the same order as the traditional Waiver Draft, with the Galaxy selecting 18^th in each stage of the Re-Entry Process.

Cristman finished his first season with the Galaxy with 21 games played in all competitions, including three in the MLS Cup Playoffs. A starter in MLS Cup 2011, Cristman was acquired in from D.C. United in exchange for a first round draft pick in the 2011 MLS Supplemental Draft. He was the only Galaxy player to score a goal in the five different competitions that the club played in this year, tallying once in the MLS regular season, once in the U.S. Open Cup, once in the CONCACAF Champions League and once in the Herbalife World Football Challenge as well as twice in the MLS Reserve League. He helped to set up Robbie Keane’s goal in the Galaxy’s 1-0 win over the Indonesian Selection on Wednesday night in Jakarta.

Hejduk, arguably the most accomplished right back in U.S. Soccer history, is a two-time World Cup veteran who was acquired by the Galaxy in a trade with Sporting Kansas City in exchange for rights to Luke Sassano, who the Galaxy had selected in the Stage 2 Draft of the Re-Entry Process last year. In his first season with Galaxy, the 37-year-old Southern California native was instrumental in helping the Galaxy qualify for the CONCACAF Champions League quarterfinals and winning MLS Cup for a third time in club history. Hejduk played in 10 games, in all competitions, including nine as a starter.

Robinson, who was acquired on September 15 from Toronto FC in exchange for defender Kyle Davies, played seven games, in all competitions, for three teams this season. His only appearance in a Galaxy uniform came on October 23 in Houston against the Dynamo in the MLS Regular Season finale. A versatile defender who can play at right back as well as in the center of defense, Robinson played the second half of LA’s 1-0 win over the Indonesian Selection in Jakarta on Wednesday night. A six-year MLS veteran, the 27-year-old Robinson has played in 86 regular season games, making 74 starts while logging a total of 6,630 minutes in his time with the Galaxy, Toronto and his first club, the Chicago Fire, for who he played in and started eight playoff games during that time.

Per Major League Soccer rules, in the Re-Entry Process, each club may either select a player from the eligible player list, or pass. Once a team has passed, they may no longer participate in that stage of the Re-Entry Process. Each stage will continue until all 19 clubs have passed on the available players.

Clubs must exercise the option for, or extend a Bona Fide Offer to, players selected in Stage 1. Players that were out of contract may either accept or reject the Bona Fide Offer. Should a player reject the offer, the drafting club will hold the right of first refusal for that player in MLS. Players with option years left on their contract will automatically be added to the drafting club’s roster.

Any player selected in Stage 1 will remain on the drafting Club’s 2012 budget at the option price or Bona Fide Offer price until April 1, 2012. Clubs and players may not mutually renegotiate that price to a lower number until April 1, 2012. Clubs may not select their own players in Stage 1. Players will have the opportunity to negotiate contracts and sign with their previous clubs after Stage 1 is complete until 2 p.m. (PT) on Friday, December 9.

In Stage 2, clubs may select from players that are under contract and those not under contract. If a player is not under contract, the drafting club will be required to make a genuine offer to the player within seven days. In the event that an agreement cannot be reached between the drafting club and an out-of-contract player, the drafting club will hold the right of first refusal for that player in MLS. Clubs may select their own players in Stage 2 only after all other clubs have declined to select those players.

If a player is not selected in either stage of the Re-Entry Process, that player will be available on a first come first serve basis to all clubs.

Click HERE for full rules and details of the Re-Entry Process. Click HERE for Re-Entry Process selection order.

Players Eligible for Selection in the Re-Entry Process (alphabetical by club): (updated 12/2/11)