Six Whitecaps FC Players Eligible for MLS Re-entry Draft Process

This article was last updated on April 16, 2022

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Vancouver Whitecaps FC announced today that they will not exercise the club options on goalkeepers Joe Cannon and Jay Nolly, defender Greg Janicki, as well as midfielders John Thorrington and Peter Vagenas, while defender Jonathan Leathers is out of contract. As a result, all six players may be eligible for selection in the 2011 Major League Soccer Re-Entry Draft Process; however, Whitecaps FC may still sign their Re-Entry Process eligible players through December 2. Additionally, eligible players may opt out of the Re-Entry Process between now and 2 p.m. PT on December 2. 

The Stage 1 Draft of the Re-Entry Process will take place on Monday, December 5, and the Stage 2 Draft will take place on Wednesday, December 12. The two drafts will take place via teleconference with all 19 clubs represented. 

Both Stage 1 and Stage 2 Drafts will be conducted in the same order as the traditional Waiver Draft, with Whitecaps FC selecting first. For more information on the 2011 MLS Re-Entry Draft Process and Player Eligibility Rules visit pressbox.mlssoccer.com. 

Clubs must exercise the option for, or extend a Bona Fide Offer to, all 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. 

Cannon, 36, joined Whitecaps FC last November after being selected in the 2010 MLS Expansion Draft from San Jose Earthquakes. In 2011, the product of Los Altos Hills, California, started 20 regular season matches for 1,800 minutes of action. Cannon also started the second leg of the 2011 Nutrilite Canadian Championship final. 

Nolly, 29, signed with Vancouver before the start of the 2008 United Soccer Leagues First Division (USL-1) campaign. In three seasons with Vancouver at the North American second division level, the product of Littleton, Colorado, started 109 matches for the club. In 2011, the former Real Salt Lake and D.C. United goalkeeper returned to MLS with the ‘Caps, where he started 14 regular season matches for 1,260 minutes of action. Nolly also started three matches in the 2011 Nutrilite Canadian Championship. 

Janicki, 27, arrived in Vancouver at the start of the 2010 United States Soccer Federation Division-2 Professional League season, making 33 appearances during the club’s final year at the North American second division level. This past season in MLS, the native of New Baltimore, Michigan, made 10 regular season appearances for 752 minutes of action, while also playing in two Nutrilite Canadian Championship matches. 

Thorrington, 32, joined Vancouver last November after being selected in the 2010 MLS Expansion Draft from Chicago Fire. The product of Palos Verdes Peninsula, California, made 11 appearances for 740 minutes of action during the 2011 season. 

Vagenas, 33, signed with Vancouver as a free agent last April. The native of Pasadena, California, made 16 appearances for 1,042 minutes of action with the Blue and White. 

Leathers, 26, joined Whitecaps FC last November after being selected in the 2010 MLS Expansion Draft from Sporting Kansas City. This past season, the native of Athens, Georgia, made 22 appearances for 1,840 minutes of action, as well as four starts in the Nutrilite Canadian Championship.