On a wintry, cold Saturday night in Toronto, Major League Soccer will crown its latest champion, a moment that will conclude the 2016 season.
For Sporting Kansas City — and its MLS counterparts — it's an opportunity to officially flip the switch to 2017.
In a hurry, too. Commencing with a three-hour trade window at 8 a.m. Sunday, the MLS offseason will kick into high gear, with the second year of free agency, transfer acquisitions and four drafts (expansion, waiver, re-entry and college) on the docket.
A Sporting KC club that has failed to advance past the knockout round in three straight postseasons opens a pivotal offseason seeking to bolster its roster, positioning resources both domestically and internationally.