By Gino Fuentes (@Gino_Fuentes)

With Major League Soccer's opening weekend upon us, it's time to take a look ahead at what will be the MLS's 21st season after what was a hugely successful 2015 campaign that saw the arrival of two new teams in New York and Orlando; bringing the total number of sides in America's top flight to 20 - on par with most of the world's top soccer leagues.

In recent years, the West coast has been the go-to pick when predicting a champion, with the nine of the last ten MLS Cup winners coming out of the Western Conference. So we'll start there. 

Portland Timbers

While the Portland Timbers came out on top last season, their championship run was largely the result of a perfectly timed hot streak and a truly unique home-field advantage which carried them all the way through the playoffs. Portland returns much of the same squad from last season.

Their obvious chemistry and the experience gained from last year should once again get them to the playoffs, but they'll need to find some help for Fanendo Adi in attack if they are to reach another level this year.

FC Dallas

FC Dallas is coming off of their best statistical season in club history; having gone into the postseason as the #1 seed in the West before bowing out in the Western Conference Finals. FCD enters the year with much of last year's core intact and has added experienced depth at every position, along with an influx of developmental talent. Dallas look like a lock to make the playoffs with their depth but their offense will be under a microscope with the departure of Blas Perez.

Los Angeles Galaxy

The Los Angeles Galaxy are the most successful side in MLS history, are regarded as the highest-profile team in the states and have arguably the most star-studded lineup the MLS has ever seen. Robbie Keane and USMNT starlet - Gyasi Zardes were joined by Steven Gerrard and Giovani dos Santos last season and the Galaxy have added even more world-class talent over the winter, with the arrivals of Nigel de Jong and Ashley Cole.

The biggest question this squad faces will be their defense with Omar Gonzalez leaving for Pachuca. With the sheer talent in the lineup though, the Galaxy should be considered the favorite to win MLS Cup this season.

Seattle Sounders

The Seattle Sounders enter 2016 with about as much uncertainly as any playoff team from last season, dealing with the departures of midfield trio Lamar Neagle, Marco Pappa and Gonzalo Pineda. Add to that, Obafemi Martins' recent sale and you've got what might be the most unpredictable side in the league heading into the season.

Seattle figures to switch for a more open 4-3-3 look in 2016 but it may take a bit for things to gel. Rookie of the Year hopeful Jordan Morris will be forced into a prominent role alongside Clint Dempsey immediately and the team will need rely on its league-best defense from 2015 to keep things stable at first.

Vancouver Whitecaps

Just across the border, the Vancouver Whitecaps were once again bounced from the playoffs at the first hurdle, despite finishing second in the West standings. Vancouver's young and talented squad allowed the fewest goals in MLS last year. The squad remains mostly intact and will no doubt be aided by the arrival of offensive support coming from Blas Perez and Japanese import Masato Kudo. Expect them to be right in the thick of things again come late October.

Sporting Kansas City

Sporting Kansas City backed into the postseason last year, gathering just 11 points from their last 12 matches - a slump that followed them into the playoffs, where they crashed out in the first round. Benny Feilhaber really came on last year and carried the side into the postseason but Dom Dwyer & Graham Zusi really fell off.

Brad Davis might help out the offense but with the departure of Krisztian Nemeth and uncertainty in defense heading into the season, KC might find themselves on the outside looking in come playoff time.

Real Salt Lake

One team that might be looking to make its way back into the playoff picture is Real Salt Lake. RSL failed to reach 50 points or make the playoffs for the first time in half a decade and struggled to adapt to Jeff Cassar's style of play, but the return of Yura Movsisyan and his potential pairing with Burrito Martinez in attack might be just the kick RSL's underachieving attack needs to get them back into the playoff conversation.

San Jose Earthquakes

The San Jose Earthquakes just missed out on the postseason in 2015 with what was the very definition of an average regular season performance. With no one other than Chris Wondolowski providing anything in the way of significant goal-scoring prowess, that's not likely to change.

The Quakes will be without two of their most prominent youngsters in the opening months of the season as well, with Marc Pelosi and Fatai Alashe recovering from offseason surgeries.

Houston Dynamo

The Houston Dynamo found themselves outmatched last year after making the move to the Western Conference, conceding more goals than any team in MLS while managing just two road wins all season. A lot is riding on Will Bruin’s continued development, with Brad Davis’ departure likely adding to Houston's troubles. 

Colorado Rapids

The Colorado Rapids were the owners of the league's most impotent offense - netting just 33 goals in 34 games. They did bring in Marco Pappa from Seattle and Zach Pfeffer from Philadelphia, but in all likelihood that won't be enough to get Pablo Mastroeni's squad to the playoffs. The big wild card with the Rapids will be how Kevin Doyle performs after a full preseason with the squad. He will be leaned on to provide the goal scoring that Colorado will need if they are to make any noise.