Seattle Reign 2017 roster change predictions

My take on the upcoming roster changes. 

I think Harvey will be much more active in the off-season than in the last couple of years... It's going to be exciting to watch.  Here i have categorized players by what i expect to happen.  This is just a guess.

Not going anywhere. 

(Under contract through 2017.) 

• GM extraordinaire Laura Harvey 
• 10 Jess Fishlock, our Welsh Dragon (she has said she would probably end her career with the Reign) 

Remaining Reign!. 

(Have stated they are returning. -- i realize that's not a formal commitment on either side )

• 14 Gabriëlla Melis (A healthy Manon up front will frighten the rest of the league.)
• 15 Megan Rapinoe (A healthy Pinoe with few USWNT commitments will be a huge help!) 
• 36 Naomi Kawasumi (A full season of Naho runs!) 

Solid Seattle. 

(Core team, no brainer.) 

• 3 Lauren Barnes (Barnesie is a deserving winner of the NWSL defender of the year in 2016!) 
• 13 Kendall Fletcher (A couple more seasons of Super-FLETCH!) 
• 17 Beverly Gobel Yanez (Why she hasn't been called to the USWNT is baffling.)
• 28 Haley Kopmeyer (#KOP2019)

  Most likely staying 

(I can't see her being traded, released or walking away.)

•  4 Rachel Corsie (May have SCT national team commitments in Euro 2017, but i don't think she would have spent three months here in Seattle recovering from her MCL tear if she wasn't staying.)
• 16 Carson Pickett (2015 top draft pick. Developing nicely. May have a future on USWNT.) 
• 19 Havana Solaun (2014 top draft pick -- possibly will be #10 if Little leaves) 
• 20 Rumi Utsugi (Left Back or more likely filling the gap left by Keelin at DM.) 

  I expect retirements.

• 7 Elli Reed (One good year in 2014. No roster space, so will probably be allowed to retire.)
• 25 Kiersten Dallastream (A 4 year Reign bulwark who really can't keep up. No roster space so will be allowed to retire.) 

Almost certainly going to Europe. 

• 1 Hope Solo Stevens (Treated TERRIBLY by the USWNT. Is loyal to Seattle, but has lots of offers in Sweden, France, Germany, UK) 
• 8 Kim Little (Sad for us, but she's going places: probably a good paycheck at Man City and a high finish for Scotland in Euro 2017.) 

  The always disappointing retirements .

• 18 Dani Foxhoven (Retired early in the 2016 season for health reasons.) 
• 14 It's safe to say we're still reeling from Steph Cox's retirement for financial reasons last year. 
• 11 Now we've lost the irreplaceable Keelin Winters for financial reasons. (I'm still sobbing about that.) 

We need a NWSL Commissioner who cares about the league and can do the job. These athletes must be paid! 

Unknown -- but Reign still owns the rights 

• Paige Nielson (playing in Greece, possibly on loan) 
• Summer Green (was injured when drafted, have heard nothing since) 
• Antonia Göransson (is recovering and playing in a lower level league at home in Sweden) 
• Verónica Pérez Murillo (playing in Sweden but still has Seattle links) 
• Arianna Romero Tellez (playing in Iceland(??))

  That leaves:

• 6 Lindsay Elston (2016 walk-on, Seattle native, might not make the team, but probably not going anywhere else) 
• 9 Merritt Mathias (who probably has decent trade value, but would be great to keep at right back) 
• 21 Michelle Cruz (who Harvey must believe in because she's been kept on the roster for 3 years without playing!!) 
• 24 Andi Tostanoski (maybe stays on as 3rd keeper?) 

Incoming

From what i can tell, in January's College Draft we've got two 1st round picks, and a 3rd and 4th, which i think means 3rd, 6th, 26th and 36th overall. Harvey is a know wizard in the trading market.

We also have fewer US/CA/MEX NT members than any team, i personally think we should be owed at least one more.  The National Team allocation wheel resets on October 9th and we should be 6th on that wheel. (Portland loses their first spot on that wheel when the 2016 Championship match kicks off!)  Pinoe, Fletch and Jess are all over 30 and likely have 2 seasons each in them, so some proactive drafting could fill those holes ahead of time. But i think we have at least one championship season left with them.

The big issues for 2017 are:

• Little and Winters leave a huge hole to be filled in midfield, 
• we need a backup keeper, 
• and we still need to fill that gap at left back. 
• In addition, if next season is anything like this one, we're going to need a couple of baseball players just to make the tiebreaker into the playoffs. 

 Pickett and Barnes may be able to hold down left back, but neither is close to Steph Cox at that position. I really like Andi, but i don't think she's ready to be the #2 keeper -- maybe i'm wrong.

I see Utsugi slotting in for Keelin and a new acquisition in Kimmie's #10. (My dream is Daniëlle Van De Donk or Mana Shim there, but there is absolutely no evidence of either.)