Just 12 weeks after Toronto FC raised their first ever MLS Cup, Major League Soccer returns on Saturday for its 23rd season. And with the addition of a 23rd team and more high-profile off-season acquisitions across different teams, it’s fair to call the 2018 MLS season the league’s biggest yet.

Of course, the start of any season brings both anticipation and questions to be answered. The Athletic asked three of their MLS writers, Jeff Rueter, Guillermo Rivera and Joshua Kloke, to consider some of the most pressing questions heading into the season. We couldn’t help ourselves and decided to add in some predictions for a few season-end standings and awards as well.

Agree? Disagree? Let us know your thoughts in the comments section.

Which club had the best offseason?

Joshua Kloke: I really like what the Montreal Impact did in shedding veterans who could not make a difference for the team and going all in on a youth movement. Twenty-year old Chilean midfielder Jeisson Vargas will add some much need dynamism to their attack, 22-year old midfielder Raheem Edwards could likely find his way with an increased role, and distributor Saphir Taider could make a difference after joining from Serie A. They’ve doubled down on their youth movement by hiring Remi Garde, a coach who has managed young prospects in the past and could very well assign minutes based on talent, not experience. This doesn’t necessarily mean the Impact will see their fortunes turn around immediately, but in my books, going younger is almost always a promising move.

Guillermo Rivera: I don’t believe there was a clear offseason “winner” this winter, but I do like what Atlanta United was able to do despite one significant loss in Carlos Carmona. Adding Ezequiel Barco provides more firepower for an already impressive attack. Barco is out with injury to start the season, but Atlanta is good enough to get results with what its got right now. Argentine defender Franco Escobar will help solidify them in back at either right back or center back. Darlington Nagbe will get a chance to deliver more often than he did in Portland with a different cast around him. Replacing what Carmona gave them will be difficult but the additions make them even more entertaining to watch in 2018.

Jeff Rueter: Despite serious financial constraints and having three returning DPs, the Los Angeles Galaxy turned last year’s Wooden Spoon winners into a real postseason contender. They were fortunate to keep David Bingham interested in MLS, and Ola Kamara should thrive in front of Gio dos Santos and Romain Alessandrini. Possibly most important was the ensnarement of vagabond midfielder Perry Kitchen, who returns after being lost in Europe. His presence adds plenty of bit to a midfield that lacked it last season.

Sacha Kljestan should help Orlando City this season. (John E. Sokolowski/USA TODAY Sports)

Which team will have the biggest turnaround from 2017?

Kloke: With the amount of spending Orlando City did across the board in the off-season, it’s hard not to see it improving on its 10th-place finish in the Eastern Conference last season. Sacha Kljestan and Justin Meram are bonafide MLS veterans who have proven that they can create offense. I’m looking forward to how these two will work together, especially given that neither is hamstrung to a specific position. Throw in 19-year old new DP signing, Paraguayan international attacking midfielder Josue Colman and there will likely be enough goals to push the Lions safely into a playoff position.

Rivera: Orlando City made some big splashes that should push them into a playoff spot in a very competitive Eastern Conference. After a disappointing 2017, the additions of proven MLS performers Sacha Kljestan and Jason Meram along with Oriol Rosell via allocation certainly gives them the potential for a top-six finish. The acquisition of Dom Dwyer last season didn’t provide much of a spark given the odd pairing with Cyle Larin up top but with Larin now gone, Dwyer should be more comfortable as the lead striker. There are still some holes and chemistry concerns but Orlando City should be good enough to jump from a distant 10th-place finish into playoff contention.

Rueter: The Galaxy’s renaissance comes at an important time: LAFC long seemed poised to overthrow the Galaxy as Los Angeles’ biggest team, but a shaky roster-building process may stunt that process. Factor in a fairly top-heavy and wide-open Western Conference, and it’s prime time to build some positive momentum.

Which team will take the biggest slide down the table?

Kloke: The Houston Dynamo didn’t make enough of a splash in the offseason to offset the loss of Erick Torres and his 14 goals in 27 games. Their fourth-place finish in the Western Conference last season was quite the accomplishment considering they won just four games through four months during the summer. I don’t see how they can get place that high again by just keeping their head above water.

Rivera: The Chicago Fire finished third overall in MLS last season on the strength of an eleven game summer unbeaten run, but they faltered in the last two months of the season and were throttled 4-0 in a home playoff game by the New York Red Bulls. The Fire will still be competitive due their veteran central midfield corps of Bastian Schweinsteiger, Dax McCarty and now Tony Tchani, but they traded away their most explosive offensive weapon in David Accam and replaced him with a bit of a gamble in right-sided attacker Aleksandar Katai. Their most glaring need in a facilitator to fit behind Nemanja Nikolic has yet to be addressed and if they can’t do that this summer, the Fire will fall into a battle for their playoff lives in October.

Rueter: It’s easy to forget that the Whitecaps needed just one point in their final two games to clinch the Western Conference top seed. Back-to-back losses dropped them to third, and while they easily dispatched the Earthquakes, they looked absolutely toothless against Seattle. Now, Fredy Montero is gone, and Kei Kamara will hope to reclaim the magic from his 2015 career season. If Tim Parker is on the outs, the team’s defensive identity takes an even greater hit.

The Fire may miss David Accam this season. He was traded to Philadelphia. (Bill Streicher/USA TODAY Sports)

What trend will develop within the league this season?

Kloke: The use of data and analytics to inform decisions within MLS clubs is still relatively new and I’d like to see statistics beyond goals and assists discussed more openly in broadcasts and public forums. This is coming from someone who is still learning the ins and outs of many advanced soccer stats, but by being a league that takes what some would perceive as a risk and utilize stats in a way that other leagues might shy away from, it’s possible to attract an entirely new breed of fan and forge ahead as a progressive, intriguing league.

Rivera: An off the field trend is already starting with relation to MLS local television broadcast rights. In January, Los Angeles FC announced a jersey and broadcast partnership with YouTube TV. The deal included pre and post-game programming and original content to supplement the matches. The Seattle Sounders have followed up by signing an exclusive local broadcast deal to stream their matches exclusively on the service. With teams looking to increase revenue streams outside of the difficult cable and broadcast television markets, this option may become more attractive. The Fire and San Jose Earthquakes are the last two clubs that have yet to announce 2018 local television schedules.

Rueter: MLS may not be as much of a copycat league as years past, but teams still learn from what works. Last year, Toronto thrived playing a variation of a 3-5-2. Over the past few years, MLS fullbacks have gone from being expert lockdown defenders to true two-way players. Converting them to wingbacks and adding an extra CB would suit quite a few teams this year.

Who will be the most interesting newcomer to watch?

Kloke: I mean, how do you not always keep an eye on 18-year old young DP signing Ezequiel Barco in Atlanta this season? Yes, the Argentinian midfielder will miss the next four to six weeks with a quad strain, but any time a player commands the largest transfer fee in MLS history ($15 million), it’s worth waiting to see what he’s capable of. The attacking prowess he has on the ball could easily replace Yamil Asad’s value to the Atlanta lineup, or he could prove to be a work in progress. Still, after he dummied two Minnesota United defenders in the pre-season en route to this stunning goal, I’m better on the former.

Rivera: It’s almost impossible not to say Ezequiel Barco given the amount of money Atlanta United plunked down to get him and his potential to establish MLS as a more viable landing spot for young international attackers. He’s flashed some of those skills already in preseason and is unquestionably the newcomer with the most eyes and expectations on him to start the season. That all may change in July if Zlatan Ibrahimovic brings his show to Los Angeles.

Rueter: FC Dallas’ demise last fall is well-documented, but the downfall began long ago, when Fabian Castillo ripped the bandaid and left MLS. Last year, Oscar Parjea’s side failed to find a replacement for the pacey winger. Now, fellow Colombian Santiago Mosquera seems like the most inspired attempt to fill Castillo’s boots. If he can adjust to the league quickly, FC Dallas will be incredibly thankful.

What could derail one of the MLS’s best teams?

Kloke: Few teams have the kind of engine that Toronto FC have in defensive midfielder Michael Bradley. His ability to begin a lethal TFC attack is almost unprecedented. But should Bradley go down with injury, TFC would be incredibly exposed: His backup, 20-year old Liam Fraser, was signed as a homegrown player in January and has never played a single minute in MLS. Bradley logged more minutes than any other Red last season so we know he’s durable, but no player’s loss would hurt TFC’s chances to repeat more than Bradley.

Rivera: As age continues to creep up one the likes of Osvaldo Alonso, Chad Marshall and Clint Dempsey, the Seattle Sounders window for winning with the current core of players becomes shorter. Nicolas Lodeiro was not as influential in 2017 as he was when he arrived during the summer of 2016, so any additional drop-offs from this group of players may push Seattle down a peg. They’re still arguably the best team in the Western Conference but they need to start planning for long term replacement of some of the core along with finding someone to fill Jordan Morris’ shoes this season.

Rueter: Ezequial Barco’s injury hurts in the short-term, but Atlanta United may have a serious problem on their hands if they can’t find a replacement for Carlos Carmona. He was one of the team’s least praised players, but the dirty work he did with Jeff Larentowicz allowed the front four to be free-flying. With Carmona back in Chile and The Ginga Ninja shifting to centerback, there isn’t a clear midfield bruiser, especially with Chris McMann slotting in at left back. Barco and Darlington Nagbe are great pieces, but neither are terribly interested in defense and chippy midfield play. Without a fix, teams like Toronto, New York City, and the Red Bulls will thrive in bossing the center of the pitch.

Sebastian Giovinco could lead Toronto FC to much more this season. (Kevin Sousa/USA TODAY Sports)

Predictions

Supporters Shield

Kloke: Toronto FC

Rivera: Toronto FC

Rueter: Toronto FC

Eastern Conference Champs

Kloke: Toronto FC

Rivera: Toronto FC

Rueter: Toronto FC

Western Conference Champs

Kloke: Real Salt Lake

Rivera: Seattle Sounders

Rueter: Portland Timbers

MLS Cup Champs

Kloke: Toronto FC

Rivera: Toronto FC

Rueter: Toronto FC

MLS MVP

Kloke: Miguel Almiron

Rivera: Sebastian Giovinco

Rueter: Bradley Wright-Phillips

Josef Martinez is expected to do big things in MLS this season.

Golden Boot winner

Kloke: Josef Martinez

Rivera: Josef Martinez

Rueter: Josef Martinez

Defender of the Year

Kloke: Leandro Gonzalez Pirez

Rivera: Matt Hedges

Rueter: Lamine Sane

Goalkeeper of the Year

Kloke: Alex Bono

Rivera: Andre Blake

Rueter: Zack Steffen

Coach of the Year

Kloke: Jason Kreis

Rivera: Jason Kreis

Rueter: Gregg Berhalter

(Top photo: Kevin Sousa/USA TODAY Sports)