May 16, 2008

1. Los Angeles Riptide
After finishing 6-6 and missing the playoffs in its inaugural season, Los Angeles' run to the 2007 MLL championship might have surprised some -- but not the Riptide. With nearly the entire squad returning this year, plus a couple of key additions, LA is a dangerous team intent on becoming the league's first champion from the Western Conference.

"It wasn't just getting to that game," Riptide general manager G.W. Mix said of his team's 16-13 loss to Philadelphia last August. "We had a lead in the fourth quarter."

Hoping to propel the team to the top will be midfielder Kyle Harrison and lockdown defenseman Brett Hughes, who were acquired in a trade with New Jersey last December. The acquisition of Hughes became even more important following the retirement of veteran Sean Donnelly.

The only question mark for the Riptide is attackman Michael Watson, the team's second leading scorer (31g, 9a). The top pick in the 2006 MLL expansion draft and thus the team's longest tenured player, Watson was undecided about playing this season at press time.

--Nathan Maciborski

Rival Coach's Take: The marquee addition of Kyle Harrison and Brett Hughes is crucial. It'll add a lot of pop up and down the lineup. LA is definitely making a run at the championship right now.

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2. Denver Outlaws
The future is now for the Denver Outlaws.

After reaching the MLL championship in 2006 and getting knocked out in the semifinals last season, the Outlaws made a bold trade in the offseason, acquiring attackman Ryan Powell and midfielder Nate Watkins from the San Francisco Dragons for future draft picks.

Powell -- the first player to win multiple MVP awards in the MLL -- was the Dragons' team leader in points last season. The 30-year old attackman scored 18 goals and dished 22 assists for San Francisco in 2007. He has 329 career points in seven MLL seasons.

Denver general manager and head coach Brian Reese labeled Powell as one of the most talented players in the MLL. He added he has confidence Powell will fit in nicely with the Outlaws' offense.

"We want the same style on offense, maybe run a little more and try to get some easier opportunities and some transition goals," said Reese, who has been general manager since 2005 and took over the coaching reigns in the middle of last season.

The Outlaws are built for the present as San Francisco received the seventh overall pick, a second round pick and Denver's first round pick in the 2009 draft.

"We just want to take it one game at a time and not squander any opportunities like last season," Reese said.

--Steven Russolillo

Rival Coach's Take:
I think they're going to have to do some things to make room for Ryan Powell, which remains to be seen, in regards to the salary cap. That will impact them to a degree, I just don't know to what degree. But they're certainly going to be a favorite to win the West.

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3. Chicago Machine
Chicago looks to use a couple of strong wins last season as momentum heading into 2008.

The Machine -- which lost all 12 games in its inaugural season in 2006 -- posted a 3-9 record in 2007.

Chicago won two of its final five games and held a four-goal fourth-quarter lead against Los Angeles before losing by one in overtime to finish the season. Nevertheless, Chicago gained confidence that could prove beneficial.

"The fact that we won a bunch of games down the stretch last year will give guys lots of positive reinforcement heading into this season," Chicago assistant general manager Mike Culver said. Chicago tabbed defenseman Robert Smith of the University of Delaware as the No. 1 pick in the league's supplemental draft. Additionally, the Machine acquired defenseman Mitch Hendler and midfielder Greg Rommel in early March from San Francisco. "I think we just need to focus on winning our first game," Culver said. "That's really the only goal I'm concerned with right now. Small steps, that's the way we're going to get this thing done."

--Steven Russolillo

Rival Coach's Take:
They beat some good teams last year. They beat Denver, and that's a huge win for them. They're growing, they're enthusiastic and they've got a lot of good young players. As time goes on, they're going to get better and better.

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4. San Francisco Dragons
After going from a 7-5 playoff team in 2006 to a disappointing 4-8 last year, San Francisco didn't just turn the page; it began a whole new chapter.

A new head coach, a new home field and a host of new faces highlight the new-look Dragons, but it's the one body that will be absent that has sparked the most talk. On March 13, the Dragons sent leading scorer Ryan Powell, along with midfielder Nate Watkins, to Denver for three upcoming draft picks.

Three selections in the first 17 picks of this year's draft "gives us a chance to improve our club immediately," said Dragons GM Doug Locker. But allowing Denver, which was an overtime goal away from ousting Philadelphia in the playoffs last year, to acquire one of the game's top talents is not good news for the rest of the league.

At the least Dragons will have a winning attitude at the top. New coach Tom Slate was an assistant for the league-champion Barrage in 2006 and 2007.

--Nathan Maciborski

Rival Coach's Take:
They're rebuilding right now. They're going young, and with the Powell trade they are obviously building for `09. It's going to be a bit of a rocky road this year for them.