Ottawa Fury FC will kick off the 2015 spring season in Carolina against the RailHawks as the North American Soccer League club readies for a playoff push in its sophomore year.

The NASL released its full spring schedule Tuesday at the same time as head coach Marc Dos Santos and his staff are in the process of negotiating and signing a number of new players to help improve on an eighth place finish in Fury's expansion season.

After opening in Carolina April 4, Fury will also visit the Atlanta Silverbacks the following weekend before kicking off its home schedule April 18 against Minnesota United FC at TD Place.

Fury will have a bye week between home games against Tampa Bay (May 9) and Indy Eleven (May 23). Following the final home game of Ottawa's spring season May 29 versus Edmonton, Fury will close out the campaign with road games June 6 and 13 against the expansion Jacksonville Armada and San Antonio Scorpions, respectively.

Fury will have a much different look by the time training camp and the season-opener rolls around, with as many as eight or nine new players expected to sign in Ottawa. Fury had already announced it wasn't picking up contract options on defender Ramon Soria and Kenny Caceros and forward Pierre-Rudolph Mayard. The club also decided not to re-sign Brazilian striker Vini Dantas. Dos Santos wants to improve up top but would have kept Dantas in the mix had he not occupied a valuable international roster spot.

"Last year showed how competitive the NASL can be and I am sure 2015 will be similar," Dos Santos said Tuesday. "We are excited to play a full season at TD Place and we hope we can make it a fortress with the help of our fans.

"We are working very hard to build a strong team that could become a championship one and I know our fans will be there to support them when they take to the field at TD Place on April 18."

The winner of the spring season earns one of four post-season spots following the fall season, the schedule for which will be announced in January.

Ottawa Fury FC 2015 NASL Spring Season Schedule:

April 4 @ Carolina RailHawks

April 11 @ Atlanta Silverbacks

April 18 vs Minnesota United FC

April 25 vs Fort Lauderdale Strikers

May 2 @ New York Cosmos

May 9 vs Tampa Bay Rowdies

May 16 - Bye Week

May 23 vs Indy Eleven

May 29 vs FC Edmonton

June 6 @ Jacksonville Armada FC

June 13 @ San Antonio Scorpions FC

All home games at TD Place

Twitter: @chrishofley