Not that the Reds needed a reminder, but the hype surrounding the Toronto Raptors has TFC fans pondering the future.

Toronto FC, playoff-less since 2007 — its inaugural season — and watching the city explode with NBA excitement, is looking forward to what it hopes will be similar excitement if it finally snaps an unprecedented seven-season MLS playoff drought.

“The players have seen it, everybody has seen it,” TFC head coach Ryan Nelsen said. “It has been so brilliant what the Raptors have done. As you say, it starts tweaking the imagination for if Toronto FC can get there because obviously the passion with our fans would be even more which would be really exciting.”

Sports Club Stats currently lists TFC’s playoff chances at 66% following a 3-3-0 start that has the Reds just outside the playoff line with multiple games in hand.

“We’ve had a very tough start, which we’ve said before,” TFC captain Steven Caldwell reminded reporters this week. “We’ve had to go west three times against great sides and we went away for four of our first six games. We’re happy to be home for a period here and we know how important it is we capitalize on that.”

If they don’t, most of the pre-season buzz surrounding the rebuilt franchise will be lost on MLSE’s other teams – and the boys of summer, who like TFC continue to push for a playoff spot that always seems to be just out of reach.

THE BIG NUMBER

Seven Designated Players have represented the Reds since 2009 — Julian De Guzman, Mista, Danny Koevermans, Torsten Frings, Gilberto, Michael Bradley and Jermain Defoe.

Those seven have been eligible to compete in 248 MLS matches during that time.

On average, DP’s have appeared — individually — just 60% of the time due to injury or international absence, an shockingly low number bolstered by Koevermans’ season-long absence.

On Saturday against New England, the Reds are expected to have all three of their current DPs available for just the second time this season when Defoe makes his much-anticipated return.

“We were very disappointed to lose him,” Caldwell said of Defoe. “We know how much quality he has and how clinical he can be.”

Defoe spent the last four weeks recovering from a hamstring strain suffered in Salt Lake. He’s expected to return in time for Saturday’s six-pointer against the visiting Revolution, who currently sit two points up on the Reds and will be looking to extend its recent run of form.

The Revs were unbeaten during the month of April.

“(New England head coach) Jay Heaps did so well with them last year,” Nelsen said. “Kind of an underrated team last year that performed so well. He’s kept a good core of them together. They are a very difficult team ... We’re looking forward to it. It will be a great test for us.”

NATIONAL TEAM WATCH

Nelsen says the Reds have yet to be contacted by England’s FA regarding Defoe’s potential inclusion in manager Roy Hodgson’s World Cup preparations.

Hodgson, as we’ve outlined, is planning to name a 23-man roster alongside seven reserves in two week’s time.

We asked Nelsen this week if he’d want Defoe to join England’s pre-World Cup camp if he’s named as one of Hodgson’s seven, non-travelling squad members — players who will be on standby if a last-minute replacement is needed.

“(We’ll) have to cross that bridge when it comes,” Nelsen said. “We’ll have to react when it happens.”

While it’s unclear what choice TFC’s front office will have in the matter, it would undoubtedly be a waste of time to send Defoe to England’s tune-up camp if he’s not in the manager’s plans.