Goal's predictions for the 2016 MLS season

The wait is over.

The 21st Major League Soccer season kicks off with 10 matches Sunday, as teams across the league take their first steps on the long journey to the MLS Cup final.

Will the LA Galaxy's star-studded roster bring a sixth title to Southern California? Can the Seattle Sounders get over the hump and win that elusive first championship? Is this the year that big spenders like Toronto FC, New York City FC and Orlando City become true contenders?

Well Goal editors and writers have taken a stab at answering those questions, and plenty more. Here are our staff's predictions for the 2016 MLS campaign:

IVES GALARCEP:Clint Dempsey. The American star will have to carry the load even more now with Obafemi Martins gone, and early signs are that he's ready to have a monster season.

JON ARNOLD:Mauro Diaz. The FC Dallas playmaker will need to stay healthy all year, but his high goal and assist totals will seduce voters.

THOMAS FLOYD:Sebastian Giovinco. Let's not forget just how dominant Giovinco was last season, and this year he has a better supporting cast at Toronto FC. He could miss games while with Italy, but the MLS schedule-makers have lessened the impact of international matches this year.

ALLEN RAMSEY:Fabian Castillo. He may catch a case of not getting enough of the spotlight to win it, but certainly has the talent — both in his own game and around him at FCD — to be the top player in the league this season. 

RUDI SCHULLER:Kei Kamara. Bolstered by a big designated player deal, and with another year alongside the likes of Federico Higuain and Ethan Finlay, the Columbus Crew striker will put up similar numbers to his 2015 campaign.

BEN VALENTINE:Bradley Wright-Phillips. The striker has never had an issue scoring in MLS — he has 49 goals over the past two years — and the New York Red Bulls should be even more cohesive in attack in Jesse Marsch’s second season.

SETH VERTELNEY:Mauro Diaz. If the dynamic playmaker can stay healthy, he has the ability to be a game-changer for FC Dallas in every match. He's good enough to put up Giovinco-like numbers.

GALARCEP:Oscar Pareja. A second choice for the award the past two seasons, Pareja finally gets the honor that has eluded him as he navigates FC Dallas to another stellar season.

ARNOLD:Greg Vanney. TFC has the talent, but it's yet to harness it. That will change this year

FLOYD:Oscar Pareja. Look for Dallas to again hold its own against — and likely surpass — the big-money Western Conference powers. At some point, he has to win as a recognition for his body work.

RAMSEY:Patrick Vieira. Honestly, Vieira has walked into a nice situation with New York City FC and, while his credentials as a manager may not be the best, has the clout to have the respect of his bigger stars. 

SCHULLER:Greg Vanney. Toronto FC showed flashes of dominance last year, but finished the season with a .500 record. With a rebuilt defense and one of the most fearsome attacks in the league, TFC is due for a big boost — and Vanney will be the beneficiary.

VALENTINE:Greg Vanney. Toronto FC finally seems to have all the pieces necessary to have an MLS Cup contender season, and Vanney should reap the benefits of that.

VERTELNEY:Gregg Berhalter. Despite a relatively low payroll, the Crew have become one of the league's top sides. Finishing ahead of the Eastern Conference big spenders will earn Berhalter the award.

GALARCEP:Matt Hedges. The Dallas defender has consistently been one of the best defenders in the league for the past three seasons, and this year he puts it all together and lands his first award.

ARNOLD:Gaston Sauro. After joining Columbus midseason in 2015, the Argentine will take advantage of the knowledge he gained to continue shutting down the league's attackers.

FLOYD:Gaston Sauro. This award tends to go to flashier defenders more often than not, and the bruising 6-foot-2 center back fits the bill.

RAMSEY:Chad Marshall. He's simply the best defender in MLS. Imagine what he may be able to do in Seattle with Joevin Jones and Roman Torres beside him. 

SCHULLER:Kendall Waston. This should be an award shared with the likes of Matias Laba and David Ousted, but the big man gets the plaudits as the anchor of a stingy Vancouver back line that will continue its miserly ways.

VALENTINE:Matt Hedges. Hedges could have won Defender of the Year in 2015. Another strong season in the Dallas back line will get him further consideration.

VERTELNEY:Matt Hedges. After finishing third in the voting last year, it will all come together for Hedges in 2016 as he enters the prime of his career.

GALARCEP:David Ousted. The Vancouver Whitecaps shot stopper had a very strong case for the award a year ago, and this season he removes all doubt.

ARNOLD:Stefan Frei. Although Seattle's defense will improve with Roman Torres' return from injury, the Swiss shot stopper will have plenty to do before then (and probably after too).

FLOYD:Jesse Gonzalez. The 20-year-old broke out with some stunning performances last fall. With plenty of raw skill and a strong back line in front of him at FC Dallas, Gonzalez should post some gaudy numbers.

SCHULLER:David Ousted. Another year in MLS means another shot at this prize for the league's best goalkeeper.

VALENTINE:Jesse Gonzalez. The young 'keeper will look good behind what should be a very solid Dallas defense and leave United States fans disappointed he decided against switching his national allegiance from Mexico.

GALARCEP:Shkelzen Gashi. Though Nigel de Jong should be a standout for the LA Galaxy, attacking players tend to land this award and Gashi should be a dynamic attacker for a Rapids squad that has made several changes to improve in 2016.

ARNOLD:Ronald Matarrita. After Kemar Lawrence's breakout across town, it's time for another CONCACAF left back to make a splash. The Costa Rican can do it all and will help shore up an NYCFC unit that was really poor last season.

FLOYD:Shkelzen Gashi. The quality is definitely there — the only question is whether the Rapids have surrounded him with a strong enough roster for the Albanian winger to put up big individual numbers.

RAMSEY:Nigel de Jong. De Jong has plenty of quality to his game, but most importantly he'll have a lot asked of him with the Galaxy and will get the chance to show what he does well.

SCHULLER:Antonio Nocerino. He might not pile up the flashy attacking stats, but he'll play a vital role in freeing up Kaka to do what he does best for Orlando City.

VALENTINE:Shkelzen Gashi. Over his last two and a half seasons in the Swiss league, Gashi scored 44 goals in 73 appearences. It's not crazy to think he might put up around 20 goals in his debut campaign in Colorado.

VERTELNEY:Roland Alberg. The Philadelphia Union midfielder has a proven track record in the Dutch top flight and will have plenty of opportunities to make an impact in the Philly attack.

GALARCEP:Jordan Morris. He won't put up Cyle Larin-like numbers, but Morris should approach the 10-12 goal mark and be a regular starter on a strong Seattle side.

ARNOLD:Brandon Vincent. Already drawing Jurgen Klinsmann's attention, the ex-Stanford defender is a top candidate to make an immediate impact.

FLOYD:Jordan Morris. Vincent is a tempting choice, since he should start for a much-improved Chicago Fire squad. But Morris also is starting from day one and will benefit from being a part of Seattle's loaded attack.

RAMSEY:Jordan Morris. The most hyped rookie in the league will have more than a few chances to find the net playing up top with a high-powered Seattle team.

SCHULLER:Jordan Morris. The script is written for the kid to shine, and he'll get lots of playing time on a talented Sounders side looking to fill an Obafemi Martins-sized hole in the attack. The U.S. international's presence will make Martins' exit a lot less painful.

VALENTINE:Jordan Morris. Morris landed in a favorable situation, especially with Obafemi Martin’s departure freeing up playing time. He should be an important part of the Seattle attack.

VERTELNEY:Brandon Vincent. Rookies need playing time to flourish, and as a player already capped by the U.S. national team joining a Fire side in desperate need of defensive help, Vincent will get plenty of minutes.

GALARCEP:Lucas Melano. A designated player may not be the best candidate for this award, but Melano should have an outstanding year after a relatively quiet first season in Portland. Also keep an eye on Matt Polster, who is a more traditional pick and will be a key to Chicago's hopes of a turnaround.

ARNOLD:Andre Blake. Hey, turns out this kid is a pretty good goalkeeper. Who'd have known before Philly gave him a shot?

FLOYD:Maximiliano Urruti. A lethal finisher, the 25-year-old is a perfect fit for Dallas' highly technical system. Get used to seeing him bury setups from Mauro Diaz and Fabian Castillo.

RAMSEY:Brandon Vincent. He'll be second fiddle to his former Stanford teammate in the Rookie of the Year voting, but I expect Vincent to be a star in Chicago before the year is out. 

SCHULLER:Gilberto. It feels a bit strange to put a third-year designated player in this spot, but everything is in place for the Brazilian become hugely influential for a Chicago team starved for some magic.

VALENTINE:Joevin Jones. The left back has displayed his talent on the international stage for Trinidad and Tobago but was hidden away on a poor Fire team last year. He’ll get space to operate in Seattle, and plenty of excellent attackers to combine with as well.

VERTELNEY:David Accam. The speedy Ghanaian managed to score 10 times in 2015, despite adjusting to MLS in his first season, missing 12 games and also playing for an awful Fire team. If he's healthy this season, watch out.

GALARCEP:David Villa. The Spanish striker scored 18 goals during a tumultuous first season for NYCFC, and should score even more with a full season of Andrea Pirlo and with Patrick Vieira's emphasis on attacking.

ARNOLD:Kei Kamara. He'll be content in Columbus and getting the kind of service he thrived on during the second half of last season. Expect to see lots of hearts made with hands.

FLOYD:David Villa. The 34-year-old showed admirable durability during his first season in MLS, scoring those 18 goals while making 29 starts. He'll do even better now that NYCFC has filled out a once-patchy roster.

RAMSEY:Robbie Keane. With so much attacking talent around him in LA, Keane should be able to hit a big number. 

SCHULLER:Kei Kamara. Columbus' entire attack is based around the big target man, and he'll continue to score goals in bucket loads without missing any games for international duty.

VALENTINE:Bradley Wright-Phillips. Sebastian Giovinco is tempting, but he may miss time at Euro 2016. Wright-Phillips won’t and should be in position to grab 20 goals as a baseline.

VERTELNEY:Sebastian Giovinco. The Italian is just too talented to not at least approach his numbers from last season. As he becomes even more comfortable in MLS, he could even surpass them.

GALARCEP:Vancouver Whitecaps. The Whitecaps are young, and in a stacked Western Conference, but if Vancouver's youngsters keep improving, Octavio Rivero finds more consistency and Kekuta Manneh reaches all-star form, the Whitecaps could be a monster.

ARNOLD:Orlando City. Adrian Heath's team got better in the offseason and there's no way the club will suffer the same amount of injuries in 2016 as it did last year.

FLOYD:New York City FC. Frederic Brillant, Ethan White and Ronald Matarrita should stabilize that back line, and a full season of Andrea Pirlo running the show will be invaluable. Also look for Patrick Vieira to get the most out of Mix Diskerud.

RAMSEY:New York City FC. This is a second-year team loaded with high-end talent that could be in line to really break out if Patrick Vieira can figure things out by midseason.

SCHULLER:Orlando City. The Lions finished last year on a magnificent run of form, and only an earlier swoon kept them from sneaking into the playoffs. This year everyone is a year wiser, including coach Adrian Heath, and Orlando could be a force to be reckoned with in the fall.

VALENTINE:San Jose Earthquakes. Dominic Kinnear knows what he’s doing and his team has solid depth in the midfield. With a strong defense on paper, if the attack can get going the Earthquakes could be dangerous.

VERTELNEY:San Jose Earthquakes. With a healthy Innocent up top alongside Chris Wondolowski and a full season of Anibal Godoy next to Fatai Alashe in the middle, Dominic Kinnear has plenty to work with.

GALARCEP:Columbus Crew. Arguably the deepest team in MLS, the Crew have few weaknesses and look like the clear class of a weak conference.

ARNOLD:FC Dallas. Oscar Pareja has an incredibly talented group that understands what the grind of the MLS season entails. It's also his deepest group yet.

FLOYD:Columbus Crew. The Crew returned all 11 starters from the team that lost the MLS Cup final, and bolstered their already-deep roster with the likes of Emil Larsen, Ola Kamara, Corey Ashe and Amro Tarek. This is a team built for the regular season grind.

RAMSEY:FC Dallas. The roster looks dangerous up and down, is young, and has enough depth to cover through the long summer months. 

SCHULLER:Columbus Crew. Consistency is the name of the game here, and the Crew showed the ability to play at a high level for most of the season last year. With a largely unchanged roster, the East could be the Crew's for the taking — and with it, the Shield.

VALENTINE:New York Red Bulls. The loss of Matt Miazga is a concern, but the rest of last year’s Shield-winning team will largely return intact, and its key players likely aren’t going anywhere during Euro 2016 or the Copa America Centenario.

VERTELNEY:Columbus Crew. Having Wil Trapp healthy all season is a huge factor for Columbus, which appears to have few weaknesses after a run to MLS Cup final last season.

GALARCEP:FC Dallas over Columbus Crew. Oscar Pareja's impressive project in Dallas is rewarded with the club's first MLS Cup as the Crew fall just short of pulling off a Cup-Shield combo.

ARNOLD:New York Red Bulls over FC Dallas. Jesse Marsch's men flip the script, losing the Supporters' Shield but winning the Cup thanks to Felipe and Dax McCarty's calming influence and Bradley Wright-Phillips continuing to pour it in (plus getting Damien Perrinelle back from injury during the year.)

FLOYD:Seattle Sounders over Toronto FC. The additions of Clint Irwin, Drew Moor, Steven Beitashour and Will Johnson will eventually make TFC the team to beat in the East. But with Clint Dempsey on a mission, Roman Torres returning from injury and cap room freed up for a big midseason signing, Seattle is poised to win that elusive MLS Cup.

RAMSEY:Seattle Sounders over Toronto FC. The defense in Seattle should take a huge step forward this season if Roman Torres can get right, and a second year of Sebastian Giovinco in Toronto is a scary thing. 

SCHULLER:Toronto FC over FC Dallas. TFC won't be the best in the East over the course of the regular season (see above), but it will have learned its lessons and figured out how to play in the postseason. Toronto's overall experience trumps Dallas' extremely talented youth.

VALENTINE:Toronto FC over FC Dallas. With a revamped back line, a strong central midfield, a sleeker Jozy Altidore and, oh yeah, Sebastian Giovinco, TFC will prove to be too difficult to stop in the postseason, even for a very good young Dallas core.

VERTELNEY:FC Dallas over Columbus Crew. Two of the league's best coaches get their teams to the final, where the Crew fall for a second consecutive year.