11 Players LA Galaxy Need To Protect During Expansion Draft

Stefan Ishizaki has been a lot more successful than the Galaxy's last Swedish acquisition. He has started in 22 matches, scored five goals and made seven assists. He’s a great midfielder for the club, and he is the kind of midfielder that any team could benefit from. The Galaxy need to keep him away from the new clubs.

Dan Gargan signed with the LA Galaxy early this year and has slowly become one of the best defenders in the club. He is big part of the reason why the Galaxy was able to return to top form this season, and it would be a mistake to not secure him on the roster.

Marcelo Sarvas has been with the LA Galaxy since 2012, and he has become quite the constant. He may not be the best midfielder in MLS, but he works well with the Galaxy. The partnership he has with Juninho compares to no other, and the Galaxy would be foolish to not make sure Sarvas stays put.

Alan Gordon’s return was not appreciated from the start, but after he began scoring goals for the club once again, he started to earn fans’ support once more. He is a powerful super sub who truly earned his spot on the club. It would be wrong for the LA Galaxy to let another club steal such a great goal scorer.

Robbie Rogers had a rough start when he first joined the LA Galaxy, but he has bloomed since then. As a defender, Rogers has played as well as he used to before his short hiatus. The Galaxy have struggled to find a perfect back four with Sean Franklin’s departure, but now Rogers is there to fill the gap. It would be a mistake to leave Rogers up for grabs.

Juninho has been with the LA Galaxy for many years and is as much as a part of the team as any other veteran player. His goal in the Western Conference championship reminded fans just why he is so loved by the club. His partnership with Marcelo Sarvas does wonders for the team, and it would be ridiculous for the Galaxy to not protect him during the draft.

Jaime Penedo has been the LA Galaxy’s best goalkeeper since Josh Saunders’ fall. He’s struggled in recent matches, but he makes incredible saves when it matters. There is no better goalkeeper on the squad, and it would be a mistake not to secure him for next year’s lineup.

A.J. DeLaGarza is one of the most underrated players in MLS. He is a great defender who is always ready to cover his goalkeeper’s slip-ups. He signed multi-year contract extension in October, which is a clear sign that the LA Galaxy want to keep his talent.

Omar Gonzalez was one of the first defenders to be signed as a Designated Player. He is one of the top defenders in the league, and it would be a mistake for the Galaxy to lose him in an expansion draft. The team needs to secure their best defender if it hopes to continue its strong back line.

Gyasi Zardes has graduated to the first team, and therefore his Homegrown Player status no longer keeps him safe. He had quite a year in goal scoring, and he would be a hot player for any club. This is why the LA Galaxy should be sure to protect Zardes during the expansion draft.

Protecting Robbie Keane is a no-brainer. He’s a designated player who recently signed a multi-year contract extension in March, and he’s been a MVP finalist for two years in a row. He’s a top goal scorer, and probably the best forward in the league.