SCOTTSDALE, Ariz.—It would be difficult for Kelyn Rowe to project anything other than relaxation as he sits down on under a poolside cabana at this luxury resort. The pool water glimmers under the midday sun to his right. On his left, Camelback Mountain provides a stunning backdrop.



Still, Rowe’s contented disposition stands out. The 27-year-old midfielder is happy—and it has been a while since he felt that way.



“At the moment I think the best way to describe it,” Rowe says, a smile stretching across his face, “is I’m having so much fun.”



Rowe is in a new home for the first time in his career. After seven seasons with the New England Revolution, he was traded to Sporting Kansas City as part of a three-way deal with New England and the Colorado Rapids early this offseason. The move to Kansas City has provided a reset button Rowe desperately needed.



Rowe saw his 2017 season end prematurely with a knee...