| GREG LALAS, VP, CONTENT | |
|---|---|
| Champion: New York Red Bulls | Runner-up: Seattle Sounders |
| After two years of tinkering by Jesse Marsch, the Red Bulls are finally a fully balanced team, with the right mix of composed experience and energetic youth, playmaking in the midfield (Kljestan), a clinical goalscorer (BWP), and one of the most consistent goalkeepers in MLS history (Robles). Put it all together, and it spells T-R-O-P-H-Y. | |
| SIMON BORG, EDITOR-IN-CHIEF | |
|---|---|
| Champion: FC Dallas | Runner-up: Philadelphia Union |
| The Union, a tougher team than many give them credit for, will be the Cinderella story of the playoffs. But their dream run stops in Frisco, where FC Dallas cap the greatest season by any club in MLS history. | |
| MATT DOYLE, SENIOR EDITOR | |
|---|---|
| Champion: New York City FC | Runner-up: Colorado Rapids |
| I have a feeling that NYCFC aren't done serving me crow just yet. Look for them to beat Colorado 2-1 in the final. | |
| ANDREW WIEBE, SENIOR EDITOR | |
|---|---|
| Champion: Toronto FC | Runner-up: LA Galaxy |
| In money time, the stars come through for the Reds and Galaxy, but nobody can match Sebastian Giovinco in the playoffs and the Great White North lifts the MLS Cup at BMO Field. | |
| ARIELLE CASTILLO, SENIOR EDITOR | |
|---|---|
| Champion: FC Dallas | Runner-up: New York Red Bulls |
| Dallas are hungry for the domestic treble and if any year is theirs, this is it. Bolstered by their Shield win, they should be able to dispose of most of their Western Conference foes, depending on the schedule. RBNY, meanwhile, sit at the top of the East, and the chip on their shoulder — along with a Golden Boot winner and an assist king — should easily take them to the final. | |
| BEN COUCH, SENIOR EDITOR | |
|---|---|
| Champion: New York Red Bulls | Runner-up: Seattle Sounders |
| The drought is ending for one of these hard-luck franchises – the most in-form team in each of their respective conferences. Pair that with impact offenses and solid D, and that’s a recipe to rise above the randomness. But RBNY have been better for longer, and I bet they learned from last year’s heartbreaking loss to Columbus. | |
| BEN BAER, ASSOCIATE EDITOR | |
|---|---|
| Champion: New York Red Bulls | Runner-up: Seattle Sounders |
| Seattle are the hottest west team going into the playoffs, but they will be stopped by a Red Bull team that is finally ready to hoist the Cup. | |
| NICK ROSANO, NEW MEDIA EDITOR | |
|---|---|
| Champion: Colorado Rapids | Runner-up: Toronto FC |
| Giovinco is starting to find his stride again and that will carry into the playoffs, while the timely return of Jermaine Jones will give the Rapids the extra edge they need to reach MLS Cup and gut out a win. | |
| CHARLES BOEHM, CONTRIBUTOR | |
|---|---|
| Champion: Colorado Rapids | Runner-up: New York Red Bulls |
| This year's field is wide open. But I have Colorado winning the whole thing. That defense — along with DSGP's oxygen-deprived mile-high air — is too suffocating, and the playoffs' format injects just enough chaos to disrupt the league's ruling elite again, much like Portland did a year ago. | |
| FRANCO PANIZO, Contributor | |
|---|---|
| Champion: New York Red Bulls | Runner-up: FC Dallas |
| The Red Bulls are on an incredible run of form with no losses since July, and the momentum they have and depth on their squad will finally give them that all-too-elusive MLS Cup — while stopping FC Dallas just short of an historic treble. | |
| SAM STEJSKAL, CONTRIBUTOR | |
|---|---|
| Champion: New York Red Bulls | Runner-up: Seattle Sounders |
| Seattle's magical run will continue all the way through the West, but this is the Red Bulls' year. All that regular-season success will finally carry over into the playoffs, with New York beating longtime rival D.C. and outlasting Toronto in an epic series before taking care of the Sounders at Red Bull Arena. | |
| DAVE ZEITLIN, CONTRIBUTOR | |
|---|---|
| Champion: Toronto FC | Runner-up: LA Galaxy |
| Giovinco, Jozy and Bradley are just too good to allow Toronto FC to get bounced from the playoffs early again. And not only will they guide the long-suffering franchise to their first-ever playoff win, they’ll also take them to the MLS Cup and get the better of the Galaxy’s own stars once they’re there. | |
| ALICIA RODRIGUEZ, CONTRIBUTOR | |
|---|---|
| Champion: FC Dallas | Runner-up: NYCFC |
| NYCFC will shock the East and tear through the field. But FC Dallas will prove the doubters wrong by grinding through the Western Conference and taking care of business at home against the playoff newcomers, completing a historic haul of trophies in the process. | |
