As the game keeps growing north of the border, so too does the contingent of Canadians plying their trade in MLS.

In 2017, they’ll be jockeying for spots not just with their clubs, but with a yet-again-rebuilding Canadian national team. Some are established veterans, while others have yet to make their full impact.

With that in mind, here are 10 Canadian MLSers to keep an eye on this season.

10. Kwame Awuah, New York City FC

The 21-year-old midfielder/fullback was at the head of the Canadian class at this year’s MLS SuperDraft, going 16th overall. He impressed NYCFC head coach Patrick Vieira during preseason and signed with the club in mid-February. He was teammates with Cyle Larin (we’ll get to him in a minute) at both Sigma FC and the University of Connecticut, but they now find themselves as Eastern Conference rivals.

9. Jordan Hamilton, Toronto FC

He started from the bottom, now he’s here. The 20-year-old striker, who’s been working his way through TFC’s system since 2011, got a real shot at the senior level in 2016 and produced five goals in 18 appearances (including a brace in the Canadian Championship semifinal first leg). He’ll start this season behind the likes of Sebastian Giovinco and Jozy Altidore on the depth chart – but if called upon, he’s shown he can deliver.

8. Tosaint Ricketts, Toronto FC

After a tumultuous seven years abroad, Ricketts found a comfortable home in Toronto last summer, and he immediately made a splash with some crucial goals off the bench during the Reds’ run to MLS Cup. With a new contract that will keep him at Toronto for the “foreseeable future,” there’s no telling what the 29-year-old – who’s already among Canada’s top all-time scorers – could achieve this year.

7. Anthony Jackson-Hamel, Montreal Impact

For a coming-of-age striker, the chance to play and train alongside Didier Drogba – which Jackson-Hamel had for the past two years – is irreplaceable. But with the Ivorian legend now gone, the 23-year-old Quebec City native will be in the mix to fill that goal-scoring void. He’s been nibbling around the edges of the Impact first team (and the Canadian program) for three years; this is his big chance to sink his teeth in.

6. Jay Chapman, Toronto FC

When the soccer gods close a door, they open a window. The offseason departure of Will Johnson (and oh yes, we’ll also get to him in a minute) has created space in the TFC midfield that the 23-year-old homegrown player could exploit. He’s got the full-throated support of at least one MLS analyst, and head coach Greg Vanney has shown a willingness to let younger players prove themselves in meaningful situations.

5. Russell Teibert, Vancouver Whitecaps

The shining star of the Whitecaps’ system for years, the 24-year-old finds himself at a crossroads. He entrenched himself in the midfield mix in 2013, but saw a precipitous decline in his role last season, when he started just eight league games. With other homegrown players angling for first-team minutes, this season could be Teibert’s last chance to assert himself with a club he’s called home for nearly a decade.

4. Will Johnson, Orlando City SC

The 30-year-old’s tenure with his hometown club didn’t exactly go as planned in 2016; Johnson felt “disrespected” by TFC and departed in the offseason. The move to Orlando reunited him with head coach Jason Kreis (they won the 2009 MLS Cup with Real Salt Lake), and as a presumptive leader on a Lions side hungry for a first MLS postseason berth, Johnson will certainly be gunning for redemption this season.

3. Patrice Bernier, Montreal Impact

It’s a rare luxury for a player to go out on their own terms, but the 37-year-old has signed a final, one-year contract to end his pro career with the Impact. He won’t get the same year-long retirement hoopla as Landon Donovan did, but Bernier’s influence on soccer in Montreal can’t be overstated – not to mention that, as he showed in 2016, he’s still got gas left in the tank.

2. Cyle Larin, Orlando City

Although Larin differs stylistically from the legendary Dwayne De Rosario, the 21-year-old target man has assumed DeRo’s role as the Canadian striker that chills the blood of MLS defenses on a weekly basis. Last year he answered the “will he suffer a sophomore slump?” question with a resounding “no.” This year, the question is: Can he become the first Canadian since De Rosario to win the MLS Golden Boot?

1. Alphonso Davies, Vancouver Whitecaps

Look, we all know that excessive hype can play a part in sidetracking young players. So if the Caps’ teenage phenom doesn't fulfill his immense career potential, articles like this will bear partial responsibility. But with the skill and maturity he showed as a 15-year-old last season, it's impossible not to be excited. Indeed, tracking Davies’ progress in 2017 will be one of the most fascinating storylines not just in Canada, but throughout the league.