2017 MLS Preseason Power Rankings
The 2017 MLS season is right around the corner, with the Portland Timbers kicking things off against expansion outfit Minnesota United at Providence Park on Friday.
With a full preseason under each team's collective belts, here's how each side ranks ahead of MLS First Kick:
1. FC Dallas
Mauro Diaz's injury forced the signing of Javier Morales and with FC Dallas enjoying Champions League football, no other team can claim the No. 1 spot.
2. Toronto FC
Toronto FC added key figures Chris Mavinga and Victor Vazquez to its ranks in a quiet offseason, and expectations for an avenged MLS Cup will be high.
3. Seattle Sounders
The Seattle Sounders welcomed Clint Dempsey back and signed midfielder Gustav Svensson, strengthening the 2016 MLS Cup winner for its title defence.
4. New York City FC
Patrick Vieira has rebuilt New York City FC: David Villa is now paired with Maxi Moralez and Andrea Pirlo partners Alexander Ring in midfield - exciting stuff!
5. Montreal Impact
The Montreal Impact have officially entered the post-Didier Drogba era and this group will rely instead on their own talents, spearheaded by Ignacio Piatti.
6. New York Red Bulls
It's hard to tell how the New York Red Bulls will fare this season, but losing Dax McCarty and Ali Curtis might have violently and needlessly rocked this boat.
7. Portland Timbers
Sebastian Blanco is a really exciting and underrated acquisition and might be the piece needed to make the Portland Timbers a consistent force in MLS.
8. Atlanta United
Atlanta United has certainly piqued our curiosity. Gerardo Martino has put together a truly talented cast of characters - we predict a great debut as such.
9. Colorado Rapids
We're unconvinced the Colorado Rapids can replicate its 2016 successes but Pablo Mastroeni's side deserves a little bit of credit, to uncertain end.
10. D.C. United
D.C. United's young star Ian Harkes takes to the field, following in his father's footsteps. In truth, he is but one piece in Ben Olsen's ever more talented side.
11. Sporting Kansas City
Gerso Fernandes is an interesting signing for Sporting Kansas City, but will he be enough to bring this team back under the limelight? Time will tell.
12. LA Galaxy
The LA Galaxy's biggest loss was not Robbie Keane or Steven Gerrard, but Bruce Arena. We imagine the club will take this year to find itself once more.
13. Chicago Fire
The Chicago Fire added McCarty, Juninho, and Nemanja Nikolic, then won all six of its preseason matches, beating both Montreal and Toronto 4-1 - What!?
14. Real Salt Lake
We're not quite sure what to make of Real Salt Lake's preseason, with Albert Rusnak the only acquisition of note alongside a returning Luis Silva.
15. Orlando City
Change was needed at Orlando City, both good and bad, and in Jonathan Spector the Lions gain a much-needed defensive leader.
16. Philadelphia Union
We like the signings of Haris Medunjanin and Oguchi Onyewu, but pay close attention to Jay Simpson, who scored 25 goals last season for Leyton Orient.
17. New England Revolution
Once again failed to spend and bring in star talent. As such, the New England Revolution seems destined to remain, forever, as Robert Kraft's other team.
18. Columbus Crew SC
The worry for Columbus Crew SC is that too little has changed, but to be fair, Gregg Berhalter's side probably wrote off 2016 before finding their form again.
19. Vancouver Whitecaps
The Vancouver Whitecaps finally signed a striker in Fredy Montero, but MLS has changed since he last called it home so we're in wait-and-see mode here.
20. Houston Dynamo
The Houston Dynamo raided the Caribbean and South and Central America for as much talent as it could, but all of those new signings are unproven ... for now.
21. San Jose Earthquakes
The San Jose Earthquakes remain as irrelevant to the MLS conversation as ever and unfortunately the club's preseason offerings don't inspire much hope.
22. Minnesota United
That feeling you get when you know something is going to end disastrously, but you can't do anything to stop it from happening? That's Minnesota United.
(Photos courtesy: Action Images)