A year ago, it was the New England Revolution that made it all the way to the MLS Cup Final only to lose to the LA Galaxy in extra time. The defending champion Galaxy and Seattle Sounders are the two projected frontrunners to win it all in 2015 while the Revolution are projected to be the biggest obstacle for either team out of the Eastern Conference. They’re among one of the top choices from the East and we’ve got two other good bets who have an excellent chance to win the conference.
New England Revolution
Odds To Win MLS Cup: +800
The Revolution absolutely dominated en route to the MLS Cup Finals where they finally met their match in an LA Galaxy team that took care of them in extra time. That playoff run has made several New England players subject to trade rumors as management put everyone on the microscope to examine why they fell short. However, it appears – at least on the surface – as if they still deserve to be considered the favorites in the Eastern Conference. The Revolution acquired Juan Aguedelo and Tristan Bowen to help make up for the loss of promising young striker Patrick Mullins, and while they failed to significantly upgrade their back line, they don’t project to be much worse defensively than they were when they won the East a year ago. A lack of activity could come back to haunt them if injuries take their toll but on paper, New England certainly deserves to be considered the favorite out of the Eastern Conference.
DC United
Odds To Win MLS Cup: +900
United went in to the offseason without needing to do a lot of work in order to be a contender, so when they acquired Andrew Driver and signed Markus Halsti, it pushed them in to the picture as one of the best teams from the East. Driver is an experienced midfielder that can push the pace with his talent and creativity, while Halsti will help provide depth as a player that could thrive in both the midfield and on defense. DC will once again rely on Eddie Johnson and Fabian Espindola to carry their attack up front and that decision could make or break their season. If Johnson and Espindola live up to their potential and excel, then United will be among the top contenders from the Eastern Conference. However, things haven’t started off on the right foot as Johnson endured some kind of injury as was slated to miss three weeks because of “medical reasons” as of late January. If he’s out long-term or if this tandem struggles, this team will slide down the standings.
New York City FC
Odds To Win MLS Cup: +1500
It’s amazing to see an expansion club make this list but New York City’s newest team made some major splashes over the winter. They aren’t planning to ease their way into the MLS; they are looking to announce their arrival very early. If everything comes together, they could have a chance to contend in the Eastern Conference.
Frank Lampard won’t join the team until his Premier League season with Manchester City is complete but he will be an excellent fit in the middle. He’ll also be a solid compliment to the team’s other designated player in David Villa. NYCFC managed to sign Thomas McNamara, Ned Grabavoy, Chris Wingert, and Adam Nemec, and they are particularly deep up from with Villa, Nemec, and Patrick Mullins. The only real area of weakness on this roster could be the club’s back line but even then they aren’t in a terrible situation as long as George John and Kwame Watson-Siriboe play to the level they are expected to. It’s a lot to ask of a team to expand, arrive and gel so quickly and while New York City FC’s debut season could be a roller coaster, after a strong offseason, it wouldn’t be a major shock if they were among the contenders at the top of the Eastern Conference.
