If a soccer season can exist without on- and off-field drama, that's news to Minnesota United FC.

Excitement and uncertainty abound for a team with both North American Soccer League championship aspirations and a pending elevation to Major League Soccer that only needs a firm start date.

The Loons, who split their first two road matches of the season, come home Saturday to the National Sports Center Stadium in Blaine for a night match against Fort Lauderdale.

Here are six things to know about the 2016 season and beyond:

The MLS question

Minnesota is bound for Major League Soccer. The last big question is when. The holdup reportedly is tied to getting final legislative approval for tax concessions United says it needs to build a stadium in St. Paul's Midway neighborhood. No significant legislative opposition has materialized. It's possible the Loons will be in the home stretch of their spring season by the time the Legislature reaches its May 23 adjournment date. With a 2017 MLS start anticipated and stadium construction not likely to begin until summer, United FC likely would play in Target Field or TCF Bank Stadium the first season.

Players in the MLS mix

A confirmed start date triggers the signing of current players to MLS contracts. High-end younger players on the current roster include forwards Christian Ramirez and Stefano Pinho, defenders Justin Davis and Kevin Venegas, and goalkeeper Sammy Ndjock. The signing process typically begins six to nine months from the team's MLS start date.

'Stoic' Craig in charge

How will new head coach Carl Craig do in his role? One victory and one loss does not make for a huge sample size. But players got a positive first impression. "He's very stoic, not too high or low, and I think we'll feed off that," defender Justin Davis said. An assistant coach since 2010, Craig helped revamp United's training methods before the 2014 season. The team ranked among the league's best the past two seasons. After the victory at FC Edmonton last week, team captain Aaron Pitchkolan "presented the match ball signed from all the lads that said 'Congratulations on your first win,' " Craig said. "But it never crossed my mind. My mind is on what I've got to do." The pressure is on Craig, who is not guaranteed to coach after this season, to deliver a championship.

Fantastic forwards

Scoring a league-best 101 goals the past two seasons earned the Loons a reputation for offensive wizardry. Ramirez plus offseason signings Pinho and Ben Speas give Minnesota striking depth up top. Ramirez and Pinho won the past two Golden Boot awards, given to the league's top scorer. And Speas showed his skills with two goals at Edmonton. "The way we're set up, our formation, is definitely an attacking formation," Speas said. "That's how we want to play, putting the other team under pressure." Craig hopes his forward corps passes the baton all season. "Benny got his chances and put the ball in the net," Craig said. "We didn't say that often enough about enough players last year."

More than just scoring

While often less glamorous, the midfield and defensive positions are critical to the Loons' success. Craig said Ibson, perhaps the team's most talented player, is "highly likely" to see his first action of the season Saturday. Injuries wiped out the veteran Brazilian midfielder's preseason training. Asked how Ibson, a league Best XI selection last season, will fit into the mix, Craig said: "The bigger challenge is for the other guys to raise their standard to keep him out of the mix. That kid, some of the stuff he does is amazing. If he can transfer that into our team on a consistent basis, he's going to be a special player for us." Defensively, younger players Damion Lowe and Brent Kallman anchored the central defender positions in the absence of injured veteran Tiago Calvano. "I'm sure a lot of people were questioning our depth back there but those two stepped up and played really well," Davis said.

Bye, Blaine

If Minnesota United FC has its way, Saturday's home opener will be the last held at the National Sports Center in Blaine. Anticipating more fans this season, the team has added 500 seats to the east side of the field. Last year, the Loons averaged almost 9,000 fans per home match and reported several sellouts.

David La Vaque • 612-673-7574