Kreis back to Real Salt Lake after expansion draft (SportsTicker)

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NEW YORK (TICKER) -- Jason Kreis was not a member of Toronto FC for long.

Hours after acquiring the rights to Kreis in the MLS expansion draft, Toronto dealt the league's all-time leading scorer back to Real Salt Lake for a partial allocation.

"Real Salt Lake emerged from today's expansion draft with its roster intact," Salt Lake general manager Steve Pastorino said. "In conversations with Toronto FC this week, there were several players discussed that we were not prepared to lose. Both teams accomplished their goals today.

"It is important to our ownership, our coaching staff and our entire organization that Jason Kreis continue, and ultimately, conclude his playing career in an RSL uniform. His abilities, character, leadership and professionalism set a tone for us on and off-the-field."

Toronto had picked Kreis seventh in the expansion draft earlier Friday. It came two years to the day that expansion Real Salt Lake acquired Kreis from FC Dallas for future considerations.

Kreis had eight goals and five assists with Salt Lake this past season and has 108 goals and 74 assists in 301 career games.

"When I was first informed of the decision (to be left unprotected), I was certainly disappointed, Kreis said. "But I also understood where the team was coming from. Even though I didn't necessarily agree with their decision, I respected what they had to do.

"Everyone handled the situation very well and I would like to publicly thank (owner) Dave Checketts for communicating and keeping me informed. When the decision was made to leave me unprotected, Dave picked up the phone and called me; I can't tell you how much that means, that the owner of our franchise would take time out of his schedule to personally communicate with me."

Toronto picked a player from each of the six Eastern Conference teams and one from four Western Conference squads, including top selection and midfielder Paulo Nagamura from the Los Angeles Galaxy, who had four assists in 29 games this season.

New York Red Bulls midfielder Danny O'Rourke was Toronto's second pick, followed by New England Revolution forward Jose Cancela, Houston Dynamo midfielder-defender Adrian Serioux and Chicago Fire All-Star forward Nate Jaqua.

D.C. United midfielder Rod Dyachenko, Chivas USA defender Tim Regan, Columbus Crew defender Ritchie Kotschau and Kansas City Wizards goaltender Will Hesmer also were selected.

Dallas and the Colorado Rapids were the two teams that did not have a player picked.

After the draft, Toronto sent Serioux and a second-round draft pick to Dallas for midfielder Ronnie O'Brien and dealt O'Rourke and Hesmer to Columbus for a partial allocation.