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Western Conference
FC Dallas
2016 • 17-8-9, 60 points, Supporters' Shield winners, U.S. Open Cup champions
Established figure • Mauro Diaz: The 25-year-old attacking midfielder is healing from a ruptured Achilles tendon but is considered one of the league's best playmakers
Breakout player • Cristian Colmán: The young DP Paraguayan forward will be called upon to be the center striker FC Dallas has lacked in recent years
2017 outlook • The deepest, most well-rounded team in MLS are contenders across the board
Seattle Sounders
2016 • 15-6-13, 48 points, MLS Cup champions
Established figure • Nicolas Lodeiro: Perhaps the most-timely signing in league history, the Uruguayan attacking midfielder changed the complexion of a lost season to a run at the Cup crown
Breakout player • Cristian Roldan: The two-way midfielder is considered one of the most underrated players in MLS, but that will change in 2017
2017 outlook • Can the Sounders mesh Clint Dempsey back into the fold as soon as possible?
L.A. Galaxy
2016 • 12-6-16, 52 points, lost in Western Conference semifinals
Established figure • Jelle Van Damme: The Belgian center back is one of the best and versatile defenders in MLS
Breakout player • Sebastian Lletget: Still just 24, the midfielder will benefit from being more of a focal point with the old Galaxy era having moved on
2017 outlook • No Arena, Keane, Gerrard or Donovan. L.A. reloaded, but with younger big-money talent
Portland Timbers
2016 • 12-14-8, 44 points, finished 7th in the West
Established figure • Diego Valeri: The Argentine, now surrounded by more talent in the attacking third, remains one of the top playmakers in MLS
Breakout player • David Guzmán: Not a splashy signing like new DP Sebastian Blanco, but the Costa Rican defensive midfielder rounds out a dynamic front-6
2017 outlook • Can the Timbers find another center back to pair with Liam Ridgewell?
Sporting Kansas City
2016 • 13-13-8, 47 points, lost in first round of Western Conference playoffs
Established figure • Dom Dwyer: The relentless forward with 50 goals since 2014 needs more goal-scoring help this year
Breakout player • Gerso Fernandes: SKC's new DP will be counted upon to help Dwyer stretch opposing defenses
2017 outlook • Loaded with championship vets, SKC can be a pest if in striking range late in the year
Real Salt Lake
2016 • 12-12-10, 46 points, lost in first round of Western Conference playoffs
Established figure • Yura Movsisyan: Year 2 back in MLS will demand more of the RSL forward, who needs to be a double-digit goalscorer if RSL is to contend
Breakout player • Albert Rusnák: The Javier Morales replacement has a lot on his plate in his first year, starting with producing the way Morales did for a decade
2017 outlook • Younger, faster and more athletic, RSL must improve defensively from a year ago
Colorado Rapids
2016 • 15-6-13, 58 points, lost in Western Conference final
Established figure • Tim Howard: The 37-year-old star goalkeeper added even more stinginess to the best back line in MLS in 2016.
Breakout player • Bismark Adjei-Boateng: Rapids will need the Man City product to produce the way last year's big signing, Shkelzen Gashi, did.
2017 outlook • Colorado's strength is in the back, but who is the reliable go-to goalscorer?
Houston Dynamo
2016 • 7-14-13, 34 points, last place in the West
Established figure • DaMarcus Beasley: The veteran defender returns to Houston and should continue to serve as the voice of the locker room for a team in transition
Breakout player • Alberth Elis: The new 21-year-old Honduran striker rounds out a remade Dynamo attack this offseason
2017 outlook • The roster is stacked compared to 2016, but can the new players gel in crowded Western Conference?
Vancouver Whitecaps
2016 • 10-15-9, 39 points, finished 8th in the West
Established figure • David Ousted: One of the league's top shot-stoppers has the ability to keep the Caps in games, but will the back line improve?
Breakout player • Alphonso Davies: At 16, Davies will be asked to contribute to a Vancouver front line in need of more production
2017 outlook • Fredy Montero is a solid DP signing, but how does he mesh with Manneh, Techera and Co.?
San Jose Earthquakes
2016 • 8-12-14, 38 points, finished 9th in the West
Established figure • Chris Wondolowski: The man with 121 career goals and counting needs help for what has been an anemic San Jose attack in recent years
Breakout player • Danny Hoesen: Former FC Groningen striker had 15 goals the past three seasons and might be the ideal partner alongside Wondo
2017 outlook • Dom Kinnear's seat likely is warming up with a new GM in town
Minnesota United
2016 • One of two MLS expansion franchises this year
Established figure • Kevin Molino: Adrian Heath snagged his playmaker from Orlando, and Molino will be the focal point of a team that did not sign a DP
Breakout player • Johan Venegas: The Costa Rican midfielder will have a larger role in Minnesota than he did in Montreal, and the Loons will need him to shine
2017 outlook • Expansion clubs struggle in Year 1. That's life in MLS.
Eastern Conference
Toronto FC
2016 • 14-9-11, 53 points, lost in MLS Cup final
Established figure • Sebastian Giovinco: The Italian star is the best player in MLS with 39 goals and 31 assists in his first two years in the league
Breakout player • Victor Vazquez: The Barcelona product was signed to be the final attacking link in a team that has Giovinco and Jozy Altidore
2017 outlook • TFC is a cut above the rest as long as it avoids serious injury
New York City FC
2016 • 15-10-9, 54 points, lost in Eastern Conference semifinals
Established figure • David Villa: With 41 goals in his first two years in MLS, Villa has asserted himself as one of the best DP signings in recent history
Breakout player • Jack Harrison: The former No. 1 overall pick exuded flashes of his potential as a rookie with four goals and seven assists
2017 outlook • NYCFC's roster has turned over but features more talent than before
New York Red Bulls
2016 • 16-9-9, 57 points, lost in Eastern Conference semifinals
Established figure • Sacha Kljestan: Coming off a 20-assist season, Kljestan is the new captain at Red Bulls after stunning trade of Dax McCarty to Chicago
Breakout player • Sean Davis: On a roster stacked with homegrown talent, Davis, tapped to replace McCarty, needs to produce in Year 1 as a starter
2017 outlook • More offseason turmoil as GM Ali Curtis moved on, but Red Bulls have makeup to contend again
D.C. United
2016 • 11-10-13, 46 points, lost in first round of Eastern Conference playoffs
Established figure • Bill Hamid: The oft-injured goalkeeper is the anchor of a team that regularly has relied upon his shot-stopping capabilities
Breakout player • Ian Harkes: The homegrown midfielder signing enters with lofty expectations for what he should achieve in his first year
2017 outlook • Ben Olsen's group finally fits his identity, but is there enough of a scoring punch?
Philadelphia Union
2016 • 11-14-9, 42 points, lost in first round of Eastern Conference playoffs
Established figure • Chris Pontius: The versatile attacker put behind him injury-prone years and scored 12 goals for the Union a year ago
Breakout player • Jay Simpson: One of several solid offseason signings, the English striker joins a striker corps of C.J. Sapping, Fabian Herbers and Charlie Davies
2017 outlook • Philly's roster is as solid as it's been in MLS. Can the Union make another jump?
Atlanta United
2016 • One of two MLS expansion franchises this year
Established figure • Kenwyne Jones: The Trinidad & Tobago forward arrives in Atlanta after a successful career in England as a dependable goal-scorer
Breakout player • Miguel Almirón: Atlanta dropped cash, and Almirón is the lead as one of four hyped attacking players with Jones, Hector Villalba and Josef Martinez
2017 outlook • Atlanta bucks trend, becomes first expansion team to qualify for the postseason
Montreal Impact
2016 • 11-11-12, 45 points, lost in Eastern Conference final
Established figure • Ignacio Piatti: Returns to Montreal after overtures from Argentine clubs, but the midfielder will need to produce more with Didier Drogba gone
Breakout player • Matteo Mancosu: The Italian had three goals and four assists in seven starts a year ago and enters as the primary striker for the Impact
2017 outlook • It all revolves around Piatti, who Montreal must keep healthy to contend
Chicago Fire
2016 • 7-17-10, 31 points, last place in the East
Established figure • Dax McCarty: The face of a tremendous offseason, McCarty joins a revamped Fire midfield, including former L.A. Galaxy man Juninho
Breakout player • Nemanja Nikolic: Chicago's new Hungarian DP striker must partner well with David Accam to revitalize the Fire attack
2017 outlook • If new pieces adapt and Nikolic and Accam hit it off, Chicago could be surprise team in the East
New England Revolution
2016 • 11-14-9, 42 points, finished 7th in the East
Established figure • Kei Kamara: After a tumultuous 2016, Kamara is settled in with the Revs, but can he to be the dynamic goalscorer New England needs?
Breakout player • Xavier Kouassi: The DP suffered a season-ending injury before 2016 began, so 2017 will be a trial run for the midfielder who must become a connecting force.
2017 outlook • Revs haven't changed much in recent years. Does this group have a run in it left?
Orlando City
2016 • 9-11-14, 41 points, finished 8th in the East
Established figure • Kaká: Soon-to-be 35, Kaká will have to build upon his first two years in MLS if he wants to lead Orlando to its first postseason berth
Breakout player • Jonathan Spector: One of Orlando's few offseason signings, the American defender comes to MLS needing to be the voice of the back line
2017 outlook • Former RSL coach Jason Kreis continues to make over a roster that still needs moves to improve
Columbus Crew
2016 • 8-14-12, 36 points, finished 9th in the East
Established figure • Wil Trapp: The face of the franchise moving forward, Trapp is one of the top two-way midfielders in the league
Breakout player • Ola Kamara: The Norwegian striker will be asked to be the main threat in the Columbus attack after scoring 16 goals a year ago
2017 outlook • The Crew shored up their defense, but were there enough improvements across the board to warrant a playoff run?