Only days before the 2016 NWSL Draft, the Houston Dash, Western New York Flash and FC Kansas City made a major trade Wednesday night.

Trade breakdown

In the first of two separate trades, Kansas City acquired forwards Tiffany McCarty and Jessica McDonald from the Houston Dash in exchange for a first-round (No. 8 overall) pick in the 2016 NWSL College Draft and an international roster spot.

FC Kansas City then traded McDonald, a 2017 second-round draft pick, which was acquired from Orlando earlier this offseason, and an international roster spot to Western New York for Leroux.

The deal fortifies the Blues offense, which will lose Amy Rodriguez for most of the year due to pregnancy. Rodriguez paced the squad with six goals last year, followed by Shea Groom and Sarah Hagen with four each.

Leroux, 25, has a total of 35 goals with the U.S. Women’s National Team. The British Columbia native helped the USA win their third FIFA Women’s World Cup title last summer.   

Reaction to the trade

"We are very excited to add one of the most energetic strikers in the world to our team," said Kansas City director of soccer operations and GM Huw Williams said. "We think her abilities will blend very well with our system and anticipate that she will be an important cog in helping us attain our goal for the three-peat."

“I’m really happy to have Sydney [Leroux] on the team," Coach Vlatko Andonovski added. "She is a proven goal scorer that every coach would love to have on the team. Her persistence and determination are on a whole different level. I feel blessed for the opportunity to work with her."

Leroux's NWSL history

This will be Leroux’s fourth NWSL team in as many seasons. During her inaugural campaign, she led the Boston Breakers with 11 goals and finished second before being traded to Seattle for the 2014 season, where she helped the Reign finish at the top of the standings with five goals. Last season, she appeared in three games and scored once for Western New York Flash, after being acquired in a mid season trade.

"I’m thrilled to be playing in Kansas City, a place that my husband and I call home," Leroux said. "FC Kansas City is an organization with a history of excellence and fans who are passionate and loyal. I couldn’t be more excited to join FCKC as we work towards a third consecutive NWSL championship."

McCarty, 25, was selected by Houston in the 2014 NWSL Expansion Draft from the Washington Spirit. In two seasons with the Dash, she recorded five goals in thirty appearances.

"Tiffany [McCarty] has shown the ability to be a difference maker in this league as both a starter and as a change of pace player off the bench," Williams said. "We are very happy to have her on our team."

"FC Kansas City is an incredible organization and I am excited to join the team and contribute in every way I possibly can," McCarty added. "I am also looking forward to getting started with the players and coaching staff."

McCarty will have to be a difference maker for the Blues since they will be not only without Rodriguez, but will also lose Leroux, Heather O'Reilly and Becky Sauerbrunn during the Summer Olympics.

For the Dash, they will now have the fifth, sixth and ninth picks in the upcoming draft.