Spring is the time for hope. Any fanbase that gives up before First Kick has an ownership group that should divest.
In Seattle there's plenty of reason for hope. Seattle Sounders will be near the top of all power rankings as their highest highs of 2025 include the avalanche of goals against Cruz Azul, the dominance against Inter Messi, a massive nine-match home streak without a loss, and one of their best offenses from 2009 to the present.
Just how much could go better in 2026 after only slight roster shifts? A lot. Here's five bold predictions for what could be Seattle's best chance at a Shield run since the heady days of Oba-Deuce.
At least four Sounders with 10+ all comps goals
You probably liked the Seattle attack of 2025. It had been too long since a diverse set of threats showed up challenging from multiple parts of the pitch. Three players finished with 10+ all comps goals, despite two DPs missing significant time due to injury. Plus, we didn't see Jesús Ferreira fully integrated until Leagues Cup.
How the attack will work is a problem the staff solved. Now it's about health, sharing the ball, statistical regression and a dash of long runs into the multiple tournaments (none should starve the club of goals like the Club World Cup did).
Who are the men who could put up 10+?
- Albert Rusnák (lock) put up 13 last year with 11 the season prior. All but one of his attacking seasons since 2018 Rusnák scored 10 or more. Being the primary set piece threat on a team with too many attacking options to handle should get him plenty of ball time.
- Pedro De la Vega starts the season injured, but showed that even with limited play in 2025 he can be a goal threat. Last year's 10 was his best scoring season ever, with a .51 goals/90. Even a regression to .40G/90 should be enough because the club should expect an increase of total minutes when he gets back.
- Jordan Morris lost time to a freak shoulder injury, putting up only 5 goals in 2025 with a solid .44G/90, a low mark for Morris as a forward. Last year in MLS play that number was a more typical .60G/90. With regression and as a primary forward Jordan should be expected to put up 12+ goals. With good health that number could crack 15 dominating the club's history books.
- Jesús Ferreira moved to more of a provider role after the Leagues Cup and then became a scoring threat. Four of his five all comps goals came when he shifted his demeanor. Able to pick up better opportunities with more space, his scoring exploded particular in the summer at home – due to the Men's World Cup the Sounders will have a couple longer than typical warm weather home streaks.
- Danny Musovski shocked everyone with his 16 all comps in 2025. Repeating that should not be expected. But even with a significant fade 10 goals is in the realms of reality.
- Osaze de Rosario surged to five goals in 2025, in quite limited playing time. He's clearly capable of more playing time. Falling off from an MVP level .82G/90 to something closer to mundane like .50/90 while more than doubling this playing time will have him right on the edge.
The biggest challenge to the four at 10+ goals prediction is playing time. Sharing the ball will not be. Seattle moves the ball well. Ball movement is why the offense worked in 2025. To hit this prediction they'll need a deep run in at least two knockout tournaments (CCC, Leagues Cup, Playoffs).
At least 60 points
That's not a Shield threat in 2026 – the East has too many weak teams that will help its best put up 70 or more. But 60 is a benchmark Seattle hit only three times and that 1.76 ppm mark only one other time (2020 covid season).
How do the Sounders get back to this level?
Defense. Defense. Defense.
A regression to close-to-normal Seattle defensive prowess, some from having better defenders playing more often (Obed's replacement, Moose with less playing time) and solving the freakishly bad set-piece defending.
Since the Sounders aren't normally horrid on set-pieces this one is pretty easy to expect to improve. They'll be mid-table or better there, which means another positive move on the goal differential chart. Part of that set-piece defending improvement will come from more Jordan Morris instead of Danny Musovski.
For all of Obed's strengths, Hassani Dotson and Snyder Brunell are better defenders (they're probably both better at late runs into the box too, but that may hurt the defense – let me wish cast). A small margin there should make things a bit easier on Andrew Thomas, who showed his peak abilities in Leagues Cup.
And yes, the offense needs to be close to last year's performance to hit 60 points. The stuttery schedule should help the health of the team as well.
At least three more calls from Defiance, with one from The Pipeline becoming a new rotational player
Seattle already signed two from last year's Defiance team. I'm suggesting that at least three more will get long looks. The Pipeline didn't run dry. That's why Peter Kingston and Tino Lopez went to Iberia. Defiance also already signed forward/winger Mark Bronnik from League One powerhouse Union Omaha and midfielder Xavi Gnaulati from Monterey Bay and San Diego Loyal of the USL Championship.
Bruner, Webber & Co. keep reloading. There will be youth coming up from below, stewing in the environment that helps Seattle sell/trade Obed, Danny, Josh, Chris all from one position group.
Who will be the additional three to get calls? Who will be the one that follows OdR into rotational or better greatness?
The joy of The Pipeline is you won't know until it happens and that when it does you'll be able to tell your seatmates in Lumen that you knew that guy when.
At least one full stadium match
How does this happen? A trophy final or a semifinal against a huge draw (Miami, Portland) or the Men's World Cup increasing attention on MLS so much that the club and league decides to fill out that rival day scheduled between the World Cup semis and the final.
I think it happens. With a portion of the team being for sale the club's sales and marketing departments will be under a bit of pressure to not just staunch the reduction of attendance, but explode it. Hosting Club World Cup and the Leagues Cup Final should help remind the People of the Sound that their Sounders are capable, local and easy to watch.
Two or more league award finalists
If bold prediction one comes true at least one of those guys is up for MVP (either one that hits 20 goals or the best provider from the group). Albert is the most likely from this group, barring Jordan hitting 2020 form or Jesus returning to the status that had him on a 8-figure sale to a Russian club.
What other awards can Seattle short list for ahead of the season?
Comeback player of the year – the top opportunities here are Jordan Morris fulfilling bold one coming off a down season with that bizarre shoulder injury. Pedro de la Vega was probably too good in 2025 to get it, but a 15/15 dream season could have him short listed. Non-injured defenders never get this nod, so don't expect that to change.
Defender of the year – both Yeimar and Jackson Ragen have been in the conversation before, and easily could show back up if bold prediction two comes true.
Goalkeeper of the year – voters here tend to like stellar, flashy shot stoppers and Andrew Thomas could be helped by the expectedly better defense. Yes, it would be very weird to have Frei's replacement get the award, but the majority eastern time zone voters had two things going against Frei – his lack of flair and his familiarity. A bright new face, a top three finish in clean sheets, the expected shift in defensive improvement being miscredited, and small team improvements in save percentage and goals against could see a Seattle keeper get the nod.
Coach of the year – this will be the hardest for Seattle to earn. It would take Seattle putting up BIG Shield-winning points numbers. The actual coach of the year always finishes in the top two of the Shield standings. But if bold prediction one and two both come true that would be a shining light on Brian Schmetzer. 65+ goals and 65+ points would be where you'd want to see the Sounders for Schmetzer to be in the top three – even in a West that's more competitive than the East.
Yes, all these bold predictions are a best case scenario. But spring is the time for best case scenarios. It's the time for hope and dreams of glory. It's time to remember that the upper left runs this league.
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An error in The Songs We Sing was corrected. The every match songs by ECS are;
- Pregame - Brian Schmetzer's Rave Green Army
- Kickoff - Seattle (aka Bluest Skies)
- 12' - Roll On Columbia
- 74' - Sounders 'Til I Die
Catching up on Sounder at Heart
Here's what you missed on the site this week.
Sounders
Next match: Sunday, February 22 vs. Colorado Rapids | 6 pm PT | Apple TV/FS1
- Osaze De Rosario ready to make a name for himself
- Are Sounders in need of a ‘bounce back’ season?
- Cristian Roldan reflects on experience at ‘Latino Bowl’
- A sit-down with Paul Rothrock
- Sounders reveal the Evergreen State Kit
- MLS valuations: Sounders closing in on $1 billion
This newsletter was made possible through the support of Full Pull Wines, a boutique wines reseller that has been sponsoring us since 2011.
Reign
Next match: Sunday, March 15 at Orlando Pride | 1 pm PT | Victory+ (a new free-to-view partner of the NWSL)
- Preseason is currently underway in Coachella, Calif. There is an upcoming match against Angel City on FOX 13+ with Day Passes available for people local to the match on Saturday, February 21 at 1:30 p.m. PT at Empire Polo Club.
- Seattle competed in one closed-door preseason game against San Diego.
Defiance
Next match: Sunday, March 1 vs. LAFC II| 7 pm PT | Streaming TBD
Looking back at the news
Everything else you need to know
- Forbes MLS Valuations 2026 List: Most Valuable Major League Soccer Teams (Forbes) Slight variations from Sportico's listings.
- Apple TV expands bar access to MLS, F1 via EverPass (Sports Business Journal)
- Casey Wasserman Is Putting His Talent Agency Up for Sale After Epstein Fallout (Wall Street Journal)
- ‘Casey should resign’: Abby Wambach leaves Wasserman after Epstein files (The Guardian) Wambach was the biggest soccer name to pressure the agency.
- LA28 board backs Casey Wasserman after Epstein files stir scrutiny (AP)
- How a Minnesota women's soccer team is putting community first amid ICE raids (New York Times)
- Africa must boycott the 2026 World Cup (Al Jazeera)
- ICE will be at the World Cup, director says (Axios)
- ‘We want this movement to be massive’: how Chilean women’s football is leading the way (The Guardian)
- Are the Whitecaps about to die? Vancouver sound alarm bells amid difficult sale process (The Guardian)
- Sources: Leagues Cup to play in Mexican venues for 4th edition (ESPN)
- My first Power Rankings vote of the 2026 MLS season (Tactics Free Zone by the now indie Matt Doyle - like and subscribe) Seattle is 4th in the West, 6th overall.
- An end to my days at MLS, and my plan for what's next (Tactics Free Zone)
Armandino Batali left a deep legacy with food and human connection
Batali passed in November, but this story of his legacy is a reminder of the power he held in Seattle's food scene, by focusing on people.
