To be in compliance with MLS roster rules prior to Saturday’s season opener at PPL Park against Sporting Kansas City, the Union had to make a move.

That action came on Thursday, as the club traded 22-year-old striker Chandler Hoffman to the LA Galaxy for a conditional draft pick in the 2014 MLS SuperDraft.

The condition is the amount of games Hoffman plays in a Galaxy jersey.

"Chandler and I had an honest conversation about where he stood and we decided that this trade gives him an opportunity that he would not have had within our team this season,” said Union manager John Hackworth. “Our organization thinks very highly of Chandler, both on and off the field, and we wish him the best of luck as he continues to develop in his career.”

The Union’s first-round (13th overall) draft selection in 2012, Hoffman came highly touted out of UCLA. However, buried behind Jack McInerney and Antoine Hoppenot last season, the talented college scorer managed just two starts and appeared in seven games in 2012, scoring no goals.

Entering the 2013 campaign, Hoffman wasn’t just behind McInerney and Hoppenot up front, but also former 2010 MLS Cup MVP Conor Casey and returning Union star Sebastien Le Toux. The Union’s off-season roster additions would have made it impossible for Hoffman to see significant time.