Thursday will be a big day for Canada’s Major League Soccer clubs. It could also be one on which Canada makes history in North America’s top flight.

Canada’s MLS clubs have five combined selections in the first 13 picks of Thursday’s 2015 MLS SuperDraft, including a trio for Toronto FC.

But the greater headline for Canada on Thursday could come from University of Connecticut striker Cyle Larin. The 19-year-old Brampton, Ont.-native is the consensus number one prospect for the MLS SuperDraft and could become the first Canadian taken with the top selection in the SuperDraft’s 16-year history.

Larin is one of the top names available in the draft, and TSN Soccer Analyst Jason deVos believes he is poised to make an impact in the League.

“Cyle Larin has the tools needed to succeed in MLS, with a mix of size, speed, technical ability and an eye for goal,” deVos said. “The fact that he has already been called up to Canada’s men’s national team is an added bonus, as he will not be intimidated by making the transition to the professional game.

He is expected to be selected by Orlando, who hold the first pick, but if he isn’t, don’t expect Larin to drop very far on the draft board.”

Larin topped mock drafts conducted by web sites SBI Soccer and Top Drawer Soccer as well as one compiled by MLSsoccer.com. He did not attend last weekend’s MLS Draft Combine, instead representing Canada at the CONCACAF U20 Championships in Jamaica.

The first two picks in Thursday’s draft are held by expansion cousins Orlando City SC and New York City FC. The Montreal Impact have the third pick.

Toronto FC is selecting sixth, ninth and 11th in the first round. TFC has extra selections thanks to trades that sent an international roster slot to Chivas USA (granting them the sixth pick) and one that sent Maximiliano Urruti and an international roster slot to the Portland Timbers for the 11th.

The Vancouver Whitecaps step up to the podium with the 13th overall pick.

However, the odds of Larin coming to play in his native land may be long. MLSsoccer.com’s experts echoed deVos’ predictions, sending the striker south.

“Taking Larin at No. 1 has been part of the Orlando plan for a long time,” wrote MLSSoccer.com’s Jonathan Yardley, “and it would take a hefty offer to get them to move from this spot.”

His fellow mock drafters – Matthew Doyle and Nate Sulat - echoed the sentiment, the latter writing: “Larin honed his skills playing as a target forward this year, but he's a multi-dimensional striker that will integrate nicely with the insane midfield stable OCSC has built.”

While MLS clubs have alternate means of adding talent, the SuperDraft can still prove fertile ground for acquiring and developing talent.

“As more and more MLS clubs look to their own academies as a source of developing their own talent, the MLS SuperDraft is becoming less of a primary source of players for MLS teams. That being said, there are still needs that can be addressed via the draft,” deVos said.

“Players can be viewed as projects that can be developed into potential first team players, rather than expected to carry the weight of expectation right from the start of their professional careers.”

Montreal’s top selection from 2014 was defender Eric Miller (fifth overall), who suited up in 21 games for the Impact, including 18 starts.

As for this year?

“The Impact will need to replace the retired Marco Di Vaio - but that won’t happen through the draft, so expect Montreal to look to the international market for Di Vaio’s replacement,” deVos said. “The Impact will need options up front, however, and may look to add depth to their already thin forward line by selecting an attacking player, either a striker or wide midfielder, with the third overall pick.”

Toronto FC got full value from their 10th-overall selection in 2014 as defender Nick Hagglund appeared in 25 of the club’s 34 games (starting 23) and chipping in two goals and three assists as a rookie.

“Toronto FC needs to add another central defender to their squad, but require someone who can play now, as opposed to someone that they can be patient with and develop over time. Toronto FC did well to get Hagglund last year, so a proven commodity who can play alongside Steven Caldwell while Hagglund develops is the option that TFC would likely prefer,” deVos said.

“Toronto FC has three first round draft picks, some of which may be traded to acquire other assets - such as allocation money - that can be used to sign seasoned professionals within the league,” deVos added.

The Whitecaps got four appearances out of top 2014 pick, centre-back Christian Dean.

DeVos stated that, like TFC, the Whitecaps will also look to solidify their back line. However, they too may be in greater need of more immediate help, so the team may not make great strides with its first-rounder in terms of the 2015 pro roster.

While SuperDraft selections are not as likely to make immediate impacts as first-rounders from North America’s other pro sports leagues, the selections can go a long way to building a team’s foundation as evidenced by Hagglund and other recent SuperDraftees to Canadian MLS clubs.

The Whitecaps selected their second- and third-leading scorers from the past season – Kekuta Manneh and Erik Hurtado - with successive picks in 2013. The Impact, meanwhile, got two strong seasons out of 2012 first-overall selection Andrew Wenger before dealing him for striker Jack McInerney in early 2014.