The final CVI match is over, and that means one thing: goodbye preseason, hello regular season. MLS is set to return to action this week, and while I’ve already given my league-wide season predictions, it’s high time we narrowed our focus and took a look at the world with our Black and Blue glasses firmly in place. Today, we’ll take a look at how the Loons’ roster has changed this offseason, put the season expectations into perspective, and generally get ourselves ready for another 34-game roller coaster in the best league in the world. Let’s do it.

The Roster

So, a pretty quiet offseason, right? Sarcasm never comes across well in writing, but you probably caught it there. The transfer window will remain open for business until March 26, but at the time of writing, your Loons have already signed nine players and seen 10 leave the club through various means. That doesn’t even take into account the coaching changes, with Eric Ramsay and Dennis Lawrence taking over at West Brom and Cameron Knowles taking charge of the Black and Blue. Assistant Coach Josh Wolff stepped in as well, bringing a new voice to the squad. 

Check out the list below to get your bearings before we dive any deeper:

Players Out

• M - Hassani Dotson (11/26/25 - out of contract)

• D - Kipp Keller (11/26/25 - option declined)

• M - Robin Lod (11/26/25 - option declined)

• F - Loïc Mesanvi (11/26/25 - option declined)

• M - Samuel Shashoua (11/26/25 - option declined)

• GK - Dayne St. Clair (11/26/25 - out of contract)

• D/M - Joseph Rosales (12/23/25 - trade to Austin FC)

• GK - Wessel Speel (1/16/26 - loan to Shelbourne FC)

• M - Hoyeon Jung (1/24/26 - loan to Suwon Samsung Bluewings FC)

• D - Matúš Kmeť (2/3/26 - loan to FK DAC 1904 Dunajská Streda)

Players In

• M - Peter Stroud (12/16/25 - trade from Red Bull New York)

• D - Britton Fischer (12/17/25 - MLS NEXT Pro)

• F - Tomás Chancalay (12/26/25 - trade from New England Revolution)

• GK - Drake Callender (12/29/25 - trade from Charlotte FC)

• GK - Kayne Rizvanovich (1/16/26 - homegrown)

• F - Mauricio González (1/20/26 - transfer from Deportes Tolima)

• F - Marcus Caldeira (1/28/26 - SuperDraft)

• M - James Rodríguez (2/6/26 - free)

• D - Kyle Duncan (2/13/26 - free agent)

With nearly a third of the roster turned over from last year and a fresh set of eyes leading the team, there are plenty of questions to answer in 2026. The biggest one in this writer’s mind is simple: how will the Loons play? And, while we’d all love a simple, cut-and-dried answer to that question, there are some nuances to explore before we get to it. 

For Coach Knowles, the style of play will be dictated by a few things: who’s available, what strengths they have, and how he believes he can get the most out of the group. Sure, there will be some tactical influence from the head coach’s own view of the game, but the best coaches in the world know that they need to play in a way that gets the most out of the squad available, and that means adapting is key. 

This year’s roster has some key changes, with Robin Lod and Dayne St. Clair the most notable absences from the squad that worked so well together in 2025. The addition of Drake Callender puts a fresh pair of capable hands at the back, while the addition of James Rodríguez instantly gives the Loons one of the league’s most talented players, effectively plugging the biggest roster holes and altering what this team is capable of.

In early interviews, Knowles has already shared that he’d like to see his side defending a bit higher up the pitch, without completely abandoning the sound structure they built last season. This year will be an evolution, adding a little bit more comfort in possession and using the momentum of the match to their advantage. These kinds of changes happen slowly, but you’ll likely notice them early this season. 

I know you wanted me to give you a specific formation and a one-sentence summary of how the tactics are going to play out. That would be nice, but it would also be super unrealistic. Formations adapt to availability, tactics adapt based on efficacy, and while I have a talent for predictions, I cannot, in fact, see the future. The Loons have exciting new pieces to work with, fresh perspectives guiding and instructing those pieces, and a whole season ahead of them to grow and evolve. The mindset heading into this season is fresh and clean; it’s truly an entirely new beginning, and it’s full of promise. 

The Expectations

Year over year, the easiest measuring stick for success is comparison to the previous season. But haven’t you ever been told not to compare apples to oranges? Sure, it’s still a fruit, and some of the faces are the same, but we’ve already established that this is far from a rinse and repeat of 2025. One way or another — whether the Loons experience a similar or vastly different outcome at the end of 2026 — this season offers plenty of opportunities. 

Your Loons will compete for a total of four trophies this year: the Supporters’ Shield, MLS Cup, U.S. Open Cup, and Leagues Cup. Given the parity of this league, it’s hard to say that there are ever any true favorites to take home any of the aforementioned titles, meaning that a seat at the table is enough to say you’ve got a chance at adding something to the trophy case. This squad has an intriguing mixture of veterans with experience, youngsters with promise, and star power that can influence a game before it’s even played. That’s a combination that most clubs struggle to assemble.

It would be awfully nice to tie this preview up with something bold. I could say that the Loons are going to win every trophy available, qualify for next season’s Concacaf Champions Cup, and set records every week. I could say the opposite, if I were so inclined. But I don’t think either claim fits quite right. The expectations for this team are the same as always: put in the work, compete on all fronts, and prepare to rise to the occasion at hand. Every season in MLS is a roller coaster, after all. Here’s to taking it day by day and loving every second of it. 

Come on, you Loons; it’s go time.