Montreal Impact's Johan Venegas, left, and Vancouver Whitecaps' Steven Beitashour vie for the ball during first half Canadian Championship final soccer action in Vancouver, B.C., on August 26, 2015. Toronto FC added a key piece to its defensive puzzle Friday, acquiring Iranian international defender Steven Beitashour from the Vancouver Whitecaps for a second-round draft pick. THE CANADIAN PRESS/Darryl Dyck

TORONTO - Toronto FC wrapped up a productive week Friday, bolstering its roster with Canadian international midfielder Will Johnson and Iranian international defender Steven Beitashour.

Combined with the midweek signing of veteran free agent centre back Drew Moor, Toronto has added three players with a combined 634 regular-season MLS games between them. The eight starters from the 3-0 playoff debacle in Montreal who are still with TFC have a combined 621 regular-season MLS games under their belt.

That was Toronto's first ever playoff game. Johnson, Moor, and Beitashour have played in 35.

All three newcomers should help stiffen a defence that lacked cohesion while leaking a league-worst 58 goals last season.

Add in the fact that Johnson and Moor captained Portland and Colorado, respectively, and have won MLS Cups and Toronto's locker-room just got a major boost in class and moxie.

Toronto sent Portland a conditional second-round pick in the 2017 MLS SuperDraft and targeted allocation money for Johnson. Vancouver got Toronto's second-highest second-round pick in the 2016 draft for Beitashour, who fills Toronto's need for a right back.

It was good business all around.

Balking at a salary that was a whisker short of US$200,000 last season, Vancouver opted not to pick up Beitashour's contract option. The Whitecaps lost a starter but at least got an asset and some salary cap relief in return.

Johnson, who suffered a serious leg break 15 months ago in Toronto, was on the bench when the Timbers won the MLS Cup earlier this month. At $334,333, the 28-year-old was an expensive spectator when he regained full health. Portland sheds that salary while stockpiling targeted allocation money, which can be used to sign marquee or big-ticket players.

Johnson, who had only good things to say about the Portland organization, pronounced himself "100 per cent healthy and fit and ready."

That means a player with a huge gas tank who is not averse to being a midfield enforcer when needed.

"Staring a potentially career-ending injury in the face is not something that you want to do. But I do feel like I've come out stronger on the other side and I've learned a lot," he told Toronto reporters. "I feel I'm a different person and actually a different player in terms of patience through all the things I've learned."

How Toronto deploys Johnson will be interesting. Coach Greg Vanney is looking to change tack next season by playing a more defensive midfielder to allow captain Michael Bradley to roam more.

Toronto hopes Beitashour, a 28-year-old California native whose parents were born in Iran, will finally stabilize the right side of the backline.

"Our team defence and our right back position in particular was an area we wanted to address this off-season," GM Tim Bezbatchenko said. "In our mind, Steven is one of the top right backs in the league. "

"We've had our eyes set on Steven for a number of not just months but years," he added.

TFC tried a variety of players at right back last season with Morrow, shifted from left to right, the best of the bunch.

This week's transactions will likely help tighten the TFC bonds. Johnson and Bradley are fast friends, having played with one other as young teenagers growing up in the Chicago area as well as briefly spending time together in the Netherlands with SC Heerenveen. They were at each other's weddings.

Beitashour spent four seasons in San Jose with Justin Morrow, Toronto's left fullback, with Morrow attending Beitashour's wedding.

Morrow and Beitashour will likely flank Moor and Polish international Damien Perquis next season in an improved but costly backline.

"Toronto's doing a lot of good things right now," Beitashour said. "They deserve a winning team and hopefully I can help bring that winning to the club. I'm excited for the next two years."

"You look around on paper now and we have a pretty good team," added Johnson, who was born in Toronto to English parents.

Toronto continues its search inside and outside the league for a veteran goalkeeper.

Bezbatchenko helped set the stage for this week's moves by shedding $700,000-plus in salary by parting ways with veteran forward Robbie Findley, goalkeepers Joe Bendik and Chris Konopka, Brazilian defender/midfielder Jackson and young Canadian midfielder Manny Aparicio.

Then again, money never seems to be an issue with Toronto, despite the league's salary cap. The club does not have to sort out its roster until March 1.

———

Follow @NeilMDavidson on Twitter.

News from © The Canadian Press, 2015