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The fourth season of the Western European Championship League (WECL 4) has come to a close with a spectacular grand final performance by Pirates eSports, who claimed the title in dominant fashion. With a 4-0 sweep over Owned Hexa, Pirates eSports left no doubts about who ruled the ice this season.   🏆 A Final of Control and Precision From puck drop to final buzzer, Pirates eSports executed a game plan built on possession, disciplined defense, and explosive offense. While Owned Hexa showed flashes of potential, including a tight 6-7 OT loss in Game 2, the Pirates consistently capitalized on turnovers and controlled the tempo in each game. Their fluid passing, structured zone entries, and relentless forecheck suffocated their opponents and set the tone early in every match. In the deciding four-game series, Pirates outscored Owned Hexa 27 to 10, with standout performances across their entire lineup.   📊 Pirates eSports - Player Statistics (Final Series) Player Goals   Assists   Points    +/-   Shots   Hits       AdriF_23  4   14   18  +16    18   0       JimmyCooks-_-  6   6   12  +17    17   13       Winci-_o  12   6   18  +17    34   8       Tromi13  2   6   8    +15    10   9       RaphaIsky69  2   8   10  +17    13   5       MANU-LLORIS-16 (G) Saves: 38, SV%: 74.51%   ⭐ MVP of the Finals: Winci-_o While the entire Pirates roster performed at an elite level, @Winci-_o stood out with an incredible 12 goals and 18 total points in 4 matches. His offensive awareness, finishing, and consistency made him a nightmare for defenders and the clear MVP of the WECL 4 Final.   👑 Champions of WECL 4: Pirates eSports Congratulations to Pirates eSports, the undisputed champions of WECL Season 4. With clinical precision, unrivaled synergy, and unshakable confidence, they have earned their place in WECL history. Their run was not just dominant — it was championship caliber at every level. Pirates eSports, take a bow. This was your season.   Pirates eSports  👑 Championship Lineup 👑 #1    Margaux @Andy Caper Mameri  #9    Emmanuel @Emmanuel Peltier Peltier #13  Jake @NotzPanthers Leversuch #14  Nick @xCocii Suzuki #17   Raphalsky @Raphalsky69 Maverlinsky #23   Patrik @Winci-_o Wenzel #33   Calum @Calxm41 Mcateer-Ellis #50  Kieran @KnightK10 Knight #68   Adrien @AdriF_23 Frinkelin #73   Max @Tromi13 Tromeur #77  - @Pekedipeks Pekedipeks   🙏 Thank You to All Teams & Players The WECL 4 journey wouldn’t be the same without the passion and dedication of every team that participated. We extend our deepest thanks to:  Brothers In Gaming Brothers in Gaming 2 EKH GLEBOGRYZARKA  Hawks HC,  HC UKRAINE  HK Bricks  Owned Hexa  Pirates eSports  Pylsais  Silver Sword Griffins  Three Stars  Valence Hockey  Wildcats esport I The WECL administration values the contribution of every single player toward building this competitive and respectful community. Your spirit makes this league thrive.   💬 See You in WECL 5 With the curtain closing on an unforgettable season, we’re already looking forward to the next chapter. Until then — stay sharp, stay united, and we’ll see you on the ice in WECL 5. — WECL Administration Team

Two weeks have passed since the start of the ECL 25 Spring season, and now we’ll analyze a few teams and how some have performed so far this season! Stats and points are current as of April 23rd, 01:00 EET. Trending Up Three Stars The Latvian group has surprised a lot of teams this season, raking in a PPG of 2.25 so far, leading the entire Pro division. This exciting team plays an incredible style of eHockey, combining skill, puck movement, and good team defense. An impressive season is capped by @artusjo’s point production, sitting at 8th in points with 48 (21+27). With fewer games played than those above him, he is a favorite to top the leaderboards by the end of the season — although good team success must be the priority. Important games coming up: Golden Buffalos Vizio Vizio, who has been around for quite a while now, has finally hit that booster button. Now sitting at the top of their group (for now) with 45 points in 22 games, they have established themselves as a force to be reckoned with. When talking about Vizio, the first guy, of course, is team captain and Finnish champion @artuzio. But this time, he is not the one we’re highlighting. @Jetsu28 has been lighting it up for Vizio this season with 32 goals, putting him in 3rd place behind @Konsuk05 and @Winci-_o of the top scorers in the league. If the rest of the team can keep up, we’ll see Vizio go further than the predicted first round. Important games coming up: Afterlife Pirates eSports After splitting with Owned Hexa and creating their own team, Pirates immediately made a statement by winning the WECL. After their dominant championship run, they now continue their remarkable form in the ECL and take on the rest of Europe. Sitting nicely in the top 3 of their group, the most eye-catching thing about the Pirates has been their offense, averaging an astounding 4.6 goals per game. If they keep this pace, we’ll see the Pirates in the top 4 for sure. @AdriF_23 has taken his team on his back with an astounding 75 points (27+48), leading the entire Pro division in points. Close to him is his partner in crime @Winci-_o Important games coming up: ROBE Esports Trending Down Owned Hexa After parting ways with their entire identity, Hexa has now dug themselves into a deep hole. With 7 points in 16 games, there is little hope they will avoid relegation. However, an experienced squad might still have a trick or two up their sleeve to survive for next season. Important games coming up: Chiubigigle Sunne IK eSport A team we had predicted as playoff-bound has had a rough start to the season. With 0 wins in 8 games so far, Sunne IK faces a tough decision: stick with the roster that won them SCL gold, or change their lineup to chase wins in the coming weeks. A few more losses and it’s goodbye playoffs, hello relegation. Important games coming up: HC Lugano eSports Blegi After the departure of @koleslaav_ , Blegi hasn’t been able to live up to the expectations of a playoff-bound team. Now with @tapppu moving to RW and @Kahvinpapu playing at RD, they still have half the games left to play. Sitting at 8th isn’t terrible, but they need to find their game and push for a top 4 position. Important games coming up: Falun Coal Miners Jury’s Still Out Otukset Still an uncertain team. They haven’t had the start we all expected, but are still playing well. They have started strong on offense, averaging 3.79 goals per game. Considering they’ve played mostly against teams above them in the standings and still raked in points, they might still end up with a good playoff seed. Important games coming up: Poggers SSK Prospects With a fairly new team, it’s always touch-and-go for a while before we see the real potential of a squad. They still haven’t shown their true colors as they look to find their starting lineup — 9 players have played so far, making it tough to know who you’re playing with or against. So far they’ve been carried by their star @dippen04 , who has continued where he left off in the SCL. If the rest of the team can support their star player with points and goals, they might just set the record straight. Important games coming up: Aspyre Unique A solid roster usually gets you solid results — but now, it’s not that clear. Unique have the talent and the chemistry to do well in the regular season, but currently sit 12th with a point per game of 1.19. It’s a long road ahead. Difficult? Yes. Impossible? No. Their most experienced player, @Esko-etikka , has been strong this season despite his somewhat struggling teammates. He sits at a 79.19% save percentage, which isn’t bad but could be better. Now, he faces the challenge of playing well while hoping his team delivers the necessary goals to win some games. Important games coming up: Herlev Eagles

ECL ELITE - WEEK ONE STORYLINES We're seven days into the ECL '25: Spring season and are already seeing storylines develop across the Elite division. We've seen everything from early-season surprises (both good and bad), to significant transfers that could very well change to outlook of a team's season. Considering all of that, let's take a look at some of the biggest storylines that we saw take place throughout the first week of action in the Elite Division. Also, thanks again to @Mozjayh for his contributions to this week's article! Defending Champs Looking To Recapture Last Season's Magic As of this writing, Parasite has scored just 13 goals despite registering a staggering 129 shots on net. That is an average of 2.17 goals on 21.5 shots per game. Even though we all know that the goals will come eventually, this is the total opposite of what we saw from this team last season. During the Winter season, Parasite averaged 5.32 goals for per game, which is an ECL record. The team's newest addition, Aaro, has also been held scoreless in their first 6 games. Despite the team's slow start offensively, its defense and goaltending have made up for it plenty, as Parasite has the fewest goals allowed per game by a landslide at 1. This shouldn't be anything to worry about. Parasite is one of the best teams in the world and its only change in the lineup was replacing one of Europe's best wingers (NikkeDangles) with another one of Europe's best wingers (Aaro). They will find their scoring touch eventually and when they do, this will be a non-story. After all, it's not like they aren't creating chances. Still, though, it's something to keep an eye on considering how steep of a drop it is from their Winter season goals number. Tohtorit's Surprisingly Slow Start After back-to-back seasons of finishing in the Top 4 in the standings, Tohtorit is off to a much slower start to their Spring campaign; getting only 2 wins in their first 8 games with only one of them being in regulation. Their start also includes 4 OT losses. Considering the fact that this team brought back its entire lineup from a group that earned the finish 2nd in the regular season standings and made it to the Semifinals just three months, it's surprising to see them struggle to find their form. The reason for their struggles can be pointed at a few factors. One would be their struggles on the penalty kill, something that was a sizable flaw for this team a season ago. So far, Tohtorit has taken 16 PIM and is 50% on the penalty kill. Not good. Additionally, last season's goaltender of the season Stammer has not been up to his usual form, sporting just a 75.7SV% in his eight starts. In comparison, he ended the Winter season with an 86SV% while starting all 28 games. Tohtorit ended their week by playing over 186 in-game minutes in two matches against vNexs. A big 3rd-period comeback in the second game after trailing by two goals earned the team a victory in OT, one that feels much needed after six straight losses going into that game. Mythix Making A Statement Early The story surrounding Mythix coming into the season was whether they could emerge as a true championship contender. One week into the season, and so far they've answered that challenge. Through their first six games, Mythix have earned a total of 16 out of possible 18 points; placing them 2nd in the standings only behind Last Dance. Their offense has been dominant so far, leading the league in goals for per game with 4.67 and a total of 28 goals scored. Sokkelo has been the stand-out player amongst the group, scoring a staggering 14 goals and 21 points in those games, both of which lead the division. They've also been lethal on the man advantage, boasting a 58.33% power play with a total of 7 goals scored. The most impressive part about was Mythix is doing is that they are doing this against multiple playoff-caliber teams; as they were able to sweep both EXEN and Tohtorit in their series' this week. They were especially impressive in the two games against EXEN, and very well could've scored even more with the number of counterattacks they had (they outscored EXEN 10-3 in the series). There's still plenty of hockey left to be played, but based on Week One, Mythix looks like a legitimate championship threat. Combine this with their recent FCL and I think you can officially say that Mythix is the hottest team in Europe right now. Time will tell if they can keep this up, but if they can, look out. Heimo Back On The Rise? Speaking of hot starts, let's talk about Heimo for a minute. The group finished the first week with only 1 loss in 6 games played while having one of the most productive offenses in the division. They've also been able to do this against a pair of playoff teams from a season ago in Last Dance and The Black Jacks, as well as a notable playoff hopeful in Polski Boys. The biggest story for this group has been the offensive boost that their new acquisitions have provided. Last season, Heimo had the second-lowest goal total in the division, scoring just 56 goals and averaging 2 GF/GP. That is only three goals more than the lowest-placed team, which was Renascor. So far this season, the script has completely filled, as Heimo now has the second-most goals scored at 24 and are averaging 4 GF/GP, doubling their number from the Winter. KingOfApes' return to the Elite division has started off with quite a bang, as he's managed to put up an unheard of amount points for a defenceman to begin the season. Through six games, KingOfApes has tallied 18 points, which ranks second in the division. Just to give you an idea of how insane that is, he is currently on pace to finish the season with 90 POINTS. AS A DEFENSEMAN. Is that not unreal??? The most notable series was against Last Dance, who currently sit at the top of the Elite standings. This series saw a totally opposite pair of games, as Heimo managed to earn a 7-1 win followed by a 5-1 loss. They also saw a pair of dramatic games against Polski Boys; losing a lead with just four seconds left on the clock in Game 1, and tying the game with only two seconds left in Game 2. Both games resulted in overtime wins. Can they continue this form? That'll be put to the test on Monday when they play against the defending champions, Parasite. Multiple Notable Transfer Moves Krike - FA -> GOONS A long-standing piece to this GOONS has officially made his return in Krike. Though he hasn't played in any tournaments the whole year, everybody knows his ability and the impact he can bring to a team. In 130 career games as a defenseman, Krike has put up 146 points and 903 hits while being a +56 when on the ice. He'll slot in at LD in GOONS' starting lineup and will not only be someone who can make an immediate impact, but will also be able to fit in well with a group that he is familiar with, as three of his current GOONS teammates were with the team when he last played in the ECL 24 Spring season. This should make for a seamless and smooth transition for all involved. JM98 - Polski Boys -> Vapor Replacing Jemmmuu and taking the LW spot with Nieppii switching wings, JM is a veteran, goal-producing winger who will make an impact on Vapor's forward core. His Elite division resume goes back to as early as ECL 6 with Unlucky Boys, and he's scored as many as 32 goals at this level, doing so with YMCA Esports in ECL 12. In its two games this week against Last Dance, Vapor were held to a pair of one-goal losses and mustered just three goals in the series, averaging 11 shots per game. Though his goal-scoring numbers have gone down in each of the last three seasons, he also found himself on the division's lowest-scoring teams in each of those three seasons with Polski Boys and Renascor. A change of scenery paired with two other proven forwards in Dzouvi and Nieppi should make for a respectable forward trio. Jemmmuu - Vapor -> Polski Boys It's funny how things work out. JM goes to Vapor taking Jemmu's spot, and Jemmu winds up going to Polski Boys, JM's former team. Jemmu played in two games with Vapor this season, registering one point in a pair of one-goal losses to Last Dance. Jemmu has played in one ECL season prior to this season, as he put up 44 points and 36 assists in 30 games with Gotham Knights in the Pro Division last season. He also tallied 59 points in 16 FCL games with TIKI TALK, which ranked second on the team was was 30 more points than the next closest player on the team. With Polski Boys having already played eight games prior to the move and struggling for goals (they averaged just 1.75 goals for per game), it'll be interesting to see if Jemmu can earn his place in the starting lineup as a rookie on a team with a ton of experience and chemistry. Lakritsipiippu - ONSE Esports -> Blackbirds The departure of Blackbirds starting goalie Jeerik17 was followed by a slightly controversial move with ONSE Esports starting goalie Lakritsipiippu switching teams within the division midseason. The rookie goaltender has been able to prove himself by having the third-highest save percentage so far with 86% in six starts, including two with his new team on Sunday, where Blackbirds were able to split the series with the defending champs Parasite. ONSE obviously had to react quickly and were able to acquire Hulkkoo. Hulkko was ONSE's starting goalie last season in the Pro division when they were still known by their previous name Ismon Valinta. He posted a 78.9SV% in the regular season while starting all 30 games. xCurhed - Brynäs IF Esport (Pro Division) -> SSK ESPORTS SSK was able to add to its forward group with the transfer of Curhed. Curhed the season in the Pro division, scoring 25 points in 8 games for Brynäs. Last season was his second ECL season and the most action that he has seen in his ECL career, as he played 28 games with Devilz in the Pro Division, notching 51 points, 23 goals, and 28 assists. Prior to that, he played eight games with Section A12 in the Lite Division in the ECL '24: Spring season, but the team DNF's the remainder of the season. He made his Elite debut on Sunday against GOONS, putting up 3 points with a goal and two assists. The 19-year-old Swedish rookie started at LW in both games. Adaaaam_2 - Brynäs IF Esport (Pro Division) -> SSK ESPORTS Another transfer to SSK ESPORTS from Brynäs IF Esport, Adaaaam will add another defenseman to an already plentiful SSK roster. Adaaaam managed to notch 8 points in his eight starts with Brynäs IF this season, and managed to earn himself 27 points in 28 games with AFTERLIFE in the Pro Division last season. The rookie defenseman played in SSK’s season-opening series against GOONS on Sunday and managed to contribute two assists and 7 takeaways. The two teams split the series with a win-a-piece. Adaaaam started at LD in both contests. Want to keep up with everything happening ECL in the this season? Make sure to follow/subscribe to SportsGamerGG on Twitch, YouTube, and X.

Meet the ECL '25: Spring Cover Gamer: Lauri "sopulii_" Enström The ECL '25: Spring season is here, and leading the way as the Cover Gamer is none other than Lauri @sopulii_ Enström of Blackbirds. A Pro division champion, competitive floorball player, content creator, and a driving force behind Blackbirds' esports project, Enström embodies what it means to be an ECL athlete both on and off the ice. We caught up with him to talk about his journey, his team's rise through the divisions, the connection between virtual hockey and floorball, and what it means to represent Blackbirds on two fronts.   List of previous ECL cover gamers: ECL 8: Erik @Eki Tammenpää  🇫🇮  ECL 9: Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen  🇫🇮  ECL 10: Casper @ICappeI Lundgren 🇸🇪  ECL 11: Tuukka @FlyerKungen Kuha  🇫🇮  ECL 12: Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen  🇫🇮  ECL '22: Winter: Johan @Lehmannens Lehmann  🇸🇪 & Hampus @l-Furyan-l Duvefelt 🇸🇪 ECL '23: Spring: Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen 🇫🇮 ECL '23: Winter: Erik @Eki Tammenpää 🇫🇮 ECL '23: Spring: Tomi @tomboo- Laitinen 🇫🇮 ECL ‘24: Winter: Adam @dzouvi Menšík 🇨🇿 ECL ‘24: Spring: Perttu @Beniittto Kemppainen 🇫🇮   Interview with Lauri "sopulii_" Enström Congrats on becoming the ECL '25: Spring Cover Gamer! What does this recognition mean to you personally and as part of the Blackbirds organization? Thank you, being named cover gamer is of course a great honour considering the cover gamers in the past. It is very cool to be able to represent the league as a team that was just promoted to Elite for this season. The journey we've had with this team has been unbelievable and finally, after so many seasons in lower divisions, we have our chance to give it all we have at the highest level.   Your journey in the ECL has been steadily rising season by season—how did it all start for you, and what motivated you to keep pushing to this level? I personally started in ECL 11 during NHL 21, but the story of the modern-day Blackbirds really began in the ECL'23 Winter season with xBots. Finally, we were able to build a team around the Xbox community since this was the time cross-play was added to the game. We were also the first and only Xbox team to compete that season, and we managed to push into the Lite division in the qualifiers. Our group has always been pretty close, so I think over the years that has been our strength - being able to really stick together as a group even through the tough times.   Blackbirds had a dominant Winter season and capped it off with the Pro title. What do you think made the difference this time compared to earlier seasons? This is a pretty simple one to answer - we played much more together than any previous season. And we played with this exact roster a lot. Most seasons during our club's existence have seen sometimes even up to 10+ players playing throughout the season. But this past season it was really the first time we were able to play a stable season without a huge amount of roster variance between games. The current roster was mainly 1v1 oriented players in the past meaning the motivation to play a lot of 6s wasn't really there.   You’ve been part of the team’s core through multiple seasons and changes. How has the chemistry evolved, and how important is that off-the-ice connection to your success? I think the off-the-ice chemistry is a huge strength of ours - and has always been. The core of our team has been friends ever since around 2020, so the club was created much after we knew each other. What separates the current lineup from the ones in the past is probably the way we're all more or less on the same page about how we want to play and what our expectations/goals are. It's a young team but I think the past 2 seasons have given us so much growth as a team - both on the ice and off it.   Are there any teams or players in Elite you’re especially looking forward to matching up against? The floorball derby - Blackbirds vs Heimo. Both teams are representatives of Finnish floorball clubs (Blackbirds, Kerava & Westend Indians). Funny enough we have a player playing for Heimo in real life, so this is a matchup I'm looking forward to. SportsGamer was even kind enough to schedule this matchup as a broadcast game.   You’re not just a top-tier NHL player—you also compete in floorball at a high level. How do the two sports complement each other for you, if at all? I've said this for years and I still believe it's true - the virtual hockey gameplay resembles floorball much more than real hockey. So I really think they do complement each other in a lot of ways. The principles of the games are very similar - a good play in one is very likely a good play in the other. The gameplay allows for much more control than real-life hockey does, meaning it's possible to make for example passing plays the same way it can be done on the field in floorball.   What does it mean to represent Blackbirds in both physical and digital arenas? That’s a pretty unique position to be in. Haha, yeah. I've represented Blackbirds in real life for almost 10 years now and it is always a cool feeling to step on the field or virtual ice at "Kurkela Garden". Tune in to the Season Opening Broadcast Tonight! Stay tuned as Lauri and Blackbirds take on their biggest challenge yet in the Elite division. Watch them live this season on twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG and twitch.tv/BlackbirdsUnited follow their journey across both the esports and floorball arenas. Both Blackbirds and ONSE Esports kick off their maiden ECL Elite broadcast matchup together, starting tonight at 19:45 CEST, followed by NOVA taking on Polski Boys - be sure to tune in!  

The time has come – the most thrilling esports hockey competition in Europe is back! 🏒🔥 ECL '25: Spring is officially here, and we’re in for another action-packed season. Whether you're a diehard fan eagerly awaiting the action or a newcomer curious about the excitement, now's the perfect time to get involved. Fire up those systems because the competition is about to reach new heights! 🎮🚨 In this preview, we’ll dive into a few teams and their key players taking center stage in the fierce battle for supremacy in the prestigious ECL. From the experienced veterans to the rising stars looking to make their mark, this season promises to be full of high-stakes matchups and unforgettable moments. Stay tuned as we explore what makes this spring’s ECL so special and what fans can expect as the season unfolds! 🌟🏆 Almost Famous It wasn’t many seasons ago that Almost Famous won the Pro title, with a few different players of course, nonetheless this is a new team with new expectations. @Ikavalko headlines this roster as he usually does, this veteran player takes his age-old team into ECL once again and is now looking to win the Pro title once again, with a revamped squad. Player to watch: @kkostiiii 👀 Season Prediction: Title Contenders 🏆 Carnages With newcomers from qualifiers it’s quite hard to give a good read or estimate, but plowing through the qualifiers in stage 1 and gaining the Pro spot as group winners surely made a statement for other teams in the Pro division. Captain @Fin_S1su has assembled a worthy team for the Pro division that will be fighting for a playoff spot this year and beyond, with great goaltending from their leader and solid offense we might just see that happen. Player to watch: @Bugimir🧤 Season Prediction: 1st round of playoffs 📈 Chiubibigle After a few rough seasons in the Pro division (former Devilz), this team continues to stay alive and keep their spot in the second highest division, now after qualifiers they claim their spot once again in Pro, with their main goal to not be playing qualifiers at the end of the season. However, with a completely new look this season, Devilz have gotten some experience in the form of @Haldeem & @Original-SnuS, if the whole team can find some chemistry to begin the season, Devilz might just find them pushing for a playoff spot. Player to watch: @I_Alex28_I 🎯 Season Prediction: Relegation 📉 Falun Coal Miners After a disappointing season in Elite, they had another chance at redemption in the Elite qualifiers but didn’t quite pull through, another top performance is highly likely in the upcoming Pro division for the experienced Swedish team. With a lot of experience comes different ways to play the game, and Falun Coal Miners surely knows how to do that at the Pro level, if they can put up a similar effort as their last Pro season they surely are a favourite. Player to watch: @STRANDMANNEN11 💪 Season Prediction: Title Contender 🏆 F U R Y Fury comes in with one of the most experienced of new teams in Pro. Players from different teams come together and take a Pro spot and immediately become favourites to go far in the playoffs. @LE1PAKONE nordzman headlines the newly founded team and is looking to pave his way back to the Elite division, now as a forward Nordzman has to make it work with some new teammates and big expectations on his shoulder. Player to watch: @Konsuk05 🎮 Season Prediction: 2nd round of playoffs 🚀 Golden Buffalos This one sure is an interesting one, as everyone watches and wonders what this team has done, and is going to do we’ll give a fair evaluation at the mid-season report when it’s clear who plays at what position, with new signings like @Patzlaf , @FlyerKungen & @Eken45jr who have played in Elite for their entire careers, we’ve never seen anything similar in the Pro division, so buckle up and follow this team closely this season. Player to watch: @xSauron_96 👑 Season Prediction: 2nd round of playoffs 🔥 Golden Sticks After a strong playoff performance in ECL 24, the team faced a bit of a setback during the offseason, losing several key players to transfers and other commitments. Despite these challenges, they narrowly avoided relegation to the Pro qualifiers, managing to stay in their current league by the slimmest of margins. With a renewed focus and a few strategic additions to the roster, the team is now looking to bounce back and make a stronger push this season, aiming to build on their playoff experience and overcome the difficulties they faced in the past. Player to watch: @peppenntur 🧊 Season Prediction: Relegation 🚨 HC Lugano eSport After a solid regular season for Lugano, their playoff hopes got squashed by eventual semifinalists and qualifier winners Nova, and are now looking for redemption. This season Lugano needs to prove that last season's regular season finish wasn’t a fluke, and that this is their true level. Now with some more experience under their belt, Lugano are looking to build something great and go deep in the playoffs with the same roster from last season. Player to watch: @CMB-wf- 🧱 Season Prediction: 1st round of playoffs 🎯 Kertoimia Vastaan After a difficult Pro qualifier, Kertoimia Vastaan made it to Pro and now want to cement themselves as a playoff team immediately, that’s going to be tough with some new teams and a lot of dark horses. One who can stand out for them this season is @HopeaKypara99, he has that Pro experience and he knows what it takes to succeed at this level. If Kertoimia Vastaan can get a hot start, they can fight for a playoff spot. Player to watch: @HopeaKypara99 🎯 Season Prediction: Relegation 📉 Nurnberg IceTigers eSport Landing in Pro for the season and not seeing a big change from last season for the German team might just be what they need, more time to get their ducks in a row and start progressing as a team. Now they need that little bit of a push to be more competitive, and @Flo_goes_grazy flgr93 has that needed flair any team needs to be a good team in Pro, but can the rest of the team keep up? Player to watch: @Flo_goes_grazy flgr93 ⚡ Season Prediction: No-man's land 🗺️ Otukset Always a team that competes well in the Pro division, again quite close as they made the Elite qualifiers, but they were outclassed and sent packing. Now a new season in Pro and their goal has to be a deep playoff run, a very skilled team with a lot of games played together under their belt, and once again a heavy favourite to win it. Player to watch: @Mikka mikkaah 🎯 Season Prediction: 2nd round of playoffs 🚀 REALISTIC A team that played well in FCL, and took a Pro spot and is eager to show that this is where they belong, now Realistic has everything going for them and need to capitalize on that. @N44TTI_16 naatti__ joins Realistic after a few seasons in Elite with good numbers, and is going to be one of many who might be after the top scorers position in Pro this season, if his team can keep with him, they might just find themselves in a good position at the end of the season. Player to watch: @N44TTI_16 naatti__ 🏹 Season Prediction: 2nd round of playoffs 🔥 Blegi An experienced squad who some have played in the highest level of ECL, now they begin their climb back up with a new squad, with uncertainty in the squad who plays yet it will be interesting to see who starts when the season starts. After an interesting FCL campaign, Blegi sure has a lot of doubters, and wants to prove them wrong, recent Elite standout @koleslaav_ who captains Blegi surely wants to win more games than most now has something to prove once again. Player to watch: @ItzPoro 🎮 Season Prediction: No-man's land 🌫️ Pivto4ka Another newly founded team in Pro with some good experience, this Russian side is spearheaded by veteran @NyambI4. Advancing through the qualifiers and eventually making it, this team had its issues with finding chemistry early on, it’ll be an interesting season for them if they keep having the same issues. Player to watch: @muzhichok39 xbelzzyy 🧩 Season Prediction: No-man’s land 🚧 Sunne IK esport The newly crowned SCL champions are headed to the Pro division! Has a nice ring to it, right? Or maybe ECL 25 Winter champions, either way this team has accumulated a ton of experience and trophies on the way, and now they’re looking for one more. After a few seasons in ECL, Sunne IK really found their groove and leading the way is @forreberra, the talented winger really can put on a show, so Pro defenseman, be ready. Player to watch: @benjamint737 ✨ Season Prediction: 1st round of playoffs 💪 Vizio A mainstay now in Pro for a few seasons, this Finnish side seem to have found that groove that it takes to play in the Pro division. Now is the time to build on their upwards trajectory, after a tough ending to the season last ECL where they were held off of making the playoffs in the last regular season game. The team gets some well needed boosts this season, notably experienced defenseman @SirLateksi who has built a resume worthwhile, now helping Vizio hopefully to the playoffs. Player to watch: @Artuzio 🛡️ Season Prediction: 1st round of playoffs ⚔️ ECL Pro Format: 2 Groups - 33 Teams Team license required: Yes Player license required: Yes Gamedays: Mon, Tue & Thu Regular season starts: 7.4 Transfer deadline: 25.4 23:59 CEST ⚠️ Regular season ends: 8.5 Playoffs (BO7) Round of 16: Monday 26.5 Tuesday 27.5 Thursday 29.5 Quarterfinals: Monday 2.6 Tuesday 3.6 Thursday 5.6 Semifinals: Monday 9.6 Tuesday 10.6 Thursday 12.6 Finals: 16.6- 17.6* Promotion & Relegation games are to be played shortly after the season, however dates are flexible. * Dates are subject to change as broadcast productions are confirmed. We would recommend everyone to go through the ECL Essentials - A Guide to the ECL. If you face any problems, feel free to contact us through the Support Tool. Welcome to the season. Let the games begin!

As most of the divisions have officially reached the half way point of the season, the Elite Division table is beginning to take shape and the playoff picture is becoming clearer. With most of the league having played over 15 games, let's take a quick look at each team and how they've done during the first half of the season. We'll be going in order of the standings as of Monday, April 28th. At the end, I'll then rank these teams into different tiers to evaluate where they stand after the first half of the season. Mythix (46pts) - 1st in standings - 10 games remaining Though I wouldn't say that this team is the biggest surprise of the season, I will say that Mythix have definitely surpassed expectations three weeks into the season. Sitting in first place and sporting the division's second-highest scoring offense at 3.6 goals per game, Mythix have made a statement and have introduced themselves into the tier of championship contenders. Three of their skaters currently take up the Top 5 spots in points. @Sokkelo__ is leading the division in points (48) and goals (28), @temppanen is third in the division with 45 points, and @WeDuX_ is leading the division in assists (39) and has 11 more points than any other defenseman with 43. This team has taken a sizable step forward this season and should undoubtedly be commended for that. They've lost just 4 games all season and 3 of those have come against Last Dance (swept in the series with two regulation losses) and Mustaa Kultaa. Two of those losses were also by just one goal. I do think that they still have to prove that they can beat the expected championship contenders, but they have dominated many of the teams in the middle and bottom of the standings. Their biggest remaining series will be against Parasite, so they'll have their chance to prove that they can do so over the next two weeks. Considering that the highest team that they play in the standings outside of that is SSK ESPORTS in 7th, things line up favorable for Mythix to secure their best regular season finish in club history. Mustaa Kultaa (45pts) - 2nd in standings - 8 games remaining The biggest question for Mustaa Kultaa coming into this season was whether or not they'd be able to replicate to magical Winter campaign and so far, they look on pace to do so. Though they have cooled off a tad over the past two series, they find themselves squarely in the Top 4 for a second straight season and seem on pace to likely stay there. The group has gotten solid production from their usual core, with @Allupekkaz leading the way in points (37) and goals (22). Their defensive pairing of @NuariJamal and @Miseee96 have also been amongst the division's most productive, as Mustaa Kultaa have allowed a division-low 1.86 goals per game. Their steady goaltending duo of @LatveX and @karlssonadam_ also deserve a ton of credit for this, as both currently rank Top 10 in save percentage. The sudden and surprising transfer of @x-_-BoBi-_-x has also proven to be a fruitful addition for last season's Finalists. The Finnish LW has put up 22 points and 19 goals in his 10 games with Mustaa Kultaa since transferring from EXEN on April 22nd. This is a stark contrast in production from his time with EXEN, where he had just 8 points in 8 games played. Though every team in the division other than GOONS have games in hand over Mustaa Kultaa, they look well positioned to earn another high seed in the standings. A strong finish to their schedule will be key, as they'll face multiple teams who are in the thick of the playoff hunt and just outside of the Top 8. They will also have a critical series against Parasite, which could very well help determine the Top 4 seeds. Parasite (39pts) - 3rd in standings - 12 games remaining The defending champions have been as efficient as ever, losing just three games through their first 18 and only losing one game by more than a goal. Though they haven't replicated their ridiculous scoring numbers from a season ago, Parasite still find themselves with the third-best GF/GP at 3.33, pairing it with the second-best GA/GP at 1.89. The usual names for this team have stepped up with balanced efforts, though surprisingly, not a single Parasite skater ranks in the Top 15 in points, as @Beniittto leads the team with 35 points, which ranks tied for 18th. @Vattuyy however has emerged as one of the division's top goal scorers again however. His 23 goals ties for third-most in the division and leads a Parasite team that is loaded with talented scorers. They also lead the league in shots per game at 19.8. @uhNikke and @FINSeRe have once again been stellar sharing the goaltending duties for this team, with both being above an 80sv% and helping to backstop one of the best defensive teams in the division. Though they might not be winning in as flashy of fashion as they did a season ago, none of that really matters in the grand scheme of things. This team wins and they win a lot. They'll likely continue to do so in the home stretch of the season. They have three critical series coming up with 3 of the Top 5 teams in the division, as they still have to face off with Mustaa Kultaa, Mythic and Tohtorit over the next two weeks. After splitting their series with Last Dance this past week, Parasite have put themselves in a great position to secure a Top 2 seed. Last Dance (39pts) - 4th in standings - 14 games remaining Possibly the most impressive team of the bunch this season, Last Dance are currently on pace to finish 2nd in the Elite standings based on points per game, and have more games in hand than any of the current playoff teams. The big story for this group coming into the season was the significant changes that it made to its lineup, as they added @NikkeDangles and @Puantso to join @Eki in its forward group. Those three have been as great as advertised, averaging 3.63 goals per game, which ranks best in the division. The most compelling part about this team is that they do this without shooting the puck that often, as they average just 13.8 shots on net per game; showing that though they don't create a high volume of chances, the ones that they do create are high quality. As the old saying goes, quality over quantity. Outside of a 7-1 loss to Heimo in its second game of the season, Last Dance have yet to really see a bad result They swept their series' against Mythix and Mustaa Kultaa, split its series with Parasite and have lost just three total games this season, with one of those being an overtime loss. This team has everything that you want in a top-tier Elite division team. Skill, experience, good offense, stout defense, and the proven ability of being able to beat their fellow top teams. Tohtorit (36pts) - 5th in standings - 8 games remaining Even though Tohtorit currently sit 5th in the standings and look on track to make the playoffs, I can't help but feel like the first half of their season has been a little disappointing. This team brought back its entire starting lineup for a third straight season and were coming off of a Winter campaign where they finished 2nd in the regular season and made it to the Semifinals run before falling to Mustaa Kultaa. Unfortunately, a slow start to the season really plagued this group early, as they had lost 7 of their first 10 games to begin the season. In Tohtorit's defense, six of those losses were by just one goal, and five of them were in overtime. Since then, they've been able to steady the ship, going 5-4-1 in their last 10 games as of Monday. Still, though, this group has undeniably taken a step back from a season ago. Their GF/GP has gone from 2.79 in the Winter, to 2.50 in the Spring, which ranks just 10th in the Division Last season, they were ranked 6th. Their GA/GP has also jumped from 2.04 to 2.41, though to their credit, this still ranks Top 5 in the division, so it's not as if they have been bad defensively by any means. In terms of the positives, their captain @Ojala16 has put together another fine season at the LW spot, as he ranks second in Elite in both points (41) and goals (24). @Ricco (KDoneof1) has also recently stepped up in between the pipes. He's played in each of Tohtorit's last six games and has posted a 5-1-0 record with an 85.2% save percentage and a 1.33 GAA. He has also recorded two shutouts. I'm not ready to count this team out yet, but I can't say that I feel nearly as confident about their status as a championship contender as I did when the season began. Just 3 of their 11 total wins are against current playoff teams, which isn't particularly inspiring for a team of Tohtorit's caliber. Their last four series are against Last Dance, Parasite, EXEN, and Heimo. All of these teams could very well be in the playoffs in two weeks time and two of them are ranked in the Top 4 currently. These will be critical points that Tohtorit cannot afford to drop, so if they can find a way to secure at least 15 points out of that series (24 points are the maximum possible), then I'll feel a little better about where this team is heading into the playoffs. For now, I'm going to feel more reserved about how far this team can go. GOONS (33pts) - 6th in standings - 6 games remaining With the least amount of games remaining of any team in the division, GOONS find themselves in a rather similar spot as they did this time last season. In the playoff hunt, and holding onto a playoff spot for dear life. This team has been plagued by inconsistencies this year; going on runs of losing followed by runs of winning. Their longest winning streak this season is three, while their current four-game losing streak is their longest drought of the season. It's just difficult to earn points when you can't gain a consistent run of winning form. GOONS are playing their typical unique style of hockey. They constantly rip shots on net, they fly up and down the ice, and they lay down punishing hits that are a burden for opponents to handle. They lead the league in hits with 881, which is more than double the amount of any other team in the division. They also average 15.8 shots per game, which ranks second only behind Parasite, and they are the fifth-highest scoring team in Elite at 2.88 GF/GP. @tkantola has put together another solid season with 47 points in 24 games, which leads the team and currently ranks second in the entire division. Along with Kantola, each of their three forwards have scored 20+ goals this season, as he, @Xkeineri and @Lekxsa_70 each rank Top 10 in the division as of now. They did see a significant player transfer out in @kriketski17, who moved over to EXEN on April 20th. Kirk was one of GOONS' most productive players during his 12 games with the club, compiling 17 points, 137, and a +6 plus/minus. Their last three series are against Last Dance, Parasite, and The Black Jacks. Considering this, their limited games remaining and just an eight-point gap over 9th place, their playoff hopes feel up in the air as of now. They also look like a team that is trending in the wrong direction, as GOONS are just 3-5-2 in their last 10 games. Regardless of how they finish, they should more than likely avoid having to play in a relegation series, barring a major run from one of the teams that are currently in the bottom four. SSK ESPORTS (27pts) - 7th in standings - 12 games remaining I want to start out by apologizing to SSK ESPORTS. If you go back to the ECL Season Preview, I picked this team to finish last in the standings and said that the goal for this group would simply be growing and improving at the Elite level. Fast forward to Week Four, and SSK ESPORTS are firmly in the playoff hunt. A part of media is being honest, which sometimes means admitting when a peer or team proves you wrong. This team has done exactly that, so I want to make sure to give them their flowers this time around. It's certainly well-deserved. SSK ESPORTS have been one of the best offensive teams in the division during the first half of the season, averaging 2.94 goals for per game, which ranks fourth-best in Elite. They also sport the league third-strongest power play at 38.1%. This group also has a balance offensive attack and can produce all over the ice, as four of their five skaters have already reached the 30-point mark this season. One of the biggest keys to this teams success has been the production that they have seen from their transfers, specifically their midseason moves. @bystrom___ has proven to be a key addition for this team, as his 30 points ranks third in the division for defensemen. He came over from Unwanted in the offseason and has fit in seamlessly with some familiar faces. Their two midseason additions of @xcurhed and @Adam2 have proven to be especially fruitful. These two started the season with Brynäs IF Esport in the Pro Division and came into this season without a single game of Elite division experience. Fast forward to today, and Curhed currently leads this team in points (38) and goals (20), while Adam has been an efficient, two-way defenseman who has gelled seamlessly with Bystrom and has been a key piece to their defensive structure. Additionally, SSK have also shown that they can compete with other playoff-caliber teams, as they split their series with Tohtorit, GOONS, EXEN, and Polski Boys. Their most impressive feat this season came on Sunday, as they were able to sweep their series with Mustaa Kultaa and collected 5 out of 6 points. SSK still has some tough series to play against Last Dance and Mythix and two critical series against vNexs and Heimo, but they've positioned themselves well to secure a Top 8 spot and still have a series against two of the division's bottom three teams in Vapor and The Black Jacks. They are 6-3-1 in their last 10 game,s and if they can continue their current form, I don't see any reason why they can't end up with a respectable playoff seeding. vNexs (27pts) - 8th in standings - 12 games remaining Currently holding onto the eighth and final playoff spot as of this writing, vNexs have had a season mixed with ups and downs. The team have only gotten one series sweep, which was their two wins over Vapor, but they have managed to find their way to points in most of their series; as they've been able to earn at least one standings point in all of their series so far. They may not be a team that blows you away with blowout wins and lengthy winning streaks, but they consistently find their way to 1-4 points in every series they play in, and that adds up late in the season. In terms of individual performers, their forward trio of @AntonLxnd, @pappeen- and @antoniomannen004 have been the team's primary point producers this season, with each of them eclipsing 30+ points and no other skater on their team having more than 12. AntonLxnd leads the way for this team in both points (40) and assists (24), which each rank Top 10 in the division. @Skumboo has also been one of the division's most impressive goalies thus far, as his 84.56% save percentage ranks Top 5 in the league and second amongst goalies with at least 10 games played, trailing only karlssonadam from Mustaa Kultaa. He should be a candidate and a frontrunner for Goaltender of the Season if he is able to keep up his production. They've hit a bit of a slide in their last 10 games, posting a record of 4-2-4 during that time, but they're still accruing points, which is the important thing. With where they are with just a couple of weeks to go in the season, those points may be the difference between a playoff spot and no-man's land for a vNexs team that are looking to make it back into the Top 8 for the first time since ECL 24 Winter. EXEN (25pts) - 9th in standings - 14 games remaining After a scarily slow start to the season that saw this team ranked last in the standings for a breath period of time, EXEN have turned things around since Week One and find themselves in great form and arguably as one of the hottest teams in the division as of now. For context, this team lost six of their first eight games of the season, with all of those being regulation losses. They only earned 4 points out of a possible 24 points during that stretch. That is a run that's bad enough to seriously damage a team's season, but EXEN have completely flipped the script since and have gotten themselves in the thick of the playoff race halfway through the season. For lack of a better term, this team is weird on statically. They're 11th in the division in GF/GP, but 6th in GA/GP. Their 39.13% power play is second-best in Elite, but their 51.61% penalty kill is the worst in Elite by over 16%. They've also taken the fourth most PIMS in the division at 57. This group are really hard to figure out, and it's tough to tell whether or not they're a team that is just good enough to make the playoffs, a good enough to make a run, or if they're even a playoff team at all. Outside of their recent addition of @kriketski17, @Pikkarii has been far and away EXEN's most productive and consistent player. The center and former Elite division champion leads EXEN with 29 points and 20 assists this season. Behind him, the previously mentioned Krike, who joined EXEN a week ago and is already tied for the team lead in goals with 12 and tied for second in points with 19. @Kaz_zu has also quietly had another really impressive season, posting an 83.13% save percentage while starting all 16 games for EXEN. He should be an early candidate for goaltender of the season as things stand. If I'm being honest, I really don't know what exactly to think of this team. Only three of their nine total wins have come against teams currently in the playoffs, and they have a tough schedule remaining despite so many games in hand. Their series against the likes of vNexs, Polski Boys, and Heimo will be battles between bubble teams, while they will likely hope to steal points against a pair of current playoff teams in Mustaa Kultaa and Tohtorit. This group is really hard to figure out, and it's tough to tell whether or not they're a team that is just good enough to make the playoffs, a team that is good enough to make a run, or if they're even a playoff team at all. I guess time will tell! Blackbirds (25pts) - 10th in standings - 8 games remaining Though Blackbirds were viewed as a potential playoff sleeper heading into the season, the team has run into some of the expected growing pains that you see as a team that had zero games of Elite division experience in its lineup coming into the season. Having gotten to call this team's games multiple times on broadcast this season, I think that they've proven that they belong in the division. They're often competitive and keep games close, but seem to lack the consistent play to truly maximize their potential right now. They currently rank in the middle-to-lower end of the league in just about every single statistic and they haven't really created any significant strengths in those areas to help set them apart from other teams in the division. This ultimately hurts them in close games, and though they do keep many of their games close, they seem to be missing that one key element or play to turn those games into wins consistently. In fact, 5 of their 12 regulation losses so far are by one goal, and they've only taken one overtime loss this season while winning three overtime games. Those are critical points lost, and with where they currently stand in the table, it could likely be what hurts their playoff chances at the end of the season. This is the difference between them and teams such as vNexs or Tohtorit, who, despite not having the most wins, have placed themselves in a playoff position due to their ability to accumulate points in each series, even if it's only just two or three. @aomyo6195 and @sopulii_ have both been standouts at forward for this team this season. Aomyo has led the way with 41 points and 20 assists, while Sopuli is right behind him with 38 points and has scored a team-high 22 goals. Aomyo is currently Top 10 in the division in points and both of them currently rank Top 10 in goals. Both of them will likely be in the Rookie of the Season race at this current pace. @Lakritsipiippu has also been stellar for this team in goal. Since transferring from ONSE Esports after Week One, Lakritsipiippu has put up an 82.76% save percentage and a 2.78 GAA in 18 starts with the team. His total save percentage this season of 83.33% in 22 starts ranks him Top 5 in the division and third amongst goalies with at least ten games played. He could very well be a Goaltender of the Season and Rookie of the Season candidate in June. They ended a seven-game losing streak recently and have responded by winning four of their last six games, with three of those wins being against current playoff teams GOONS and Tohtorit, so they are showing improvement and are trending in the right direction at the right time. They have a difficult series on the horizon against Last Dance, but the remainder of their series are against teams on the playoff bubble or outside of it, as they'll play against vNexs, Polski Boys and Vapor. They will likely need to win at least six of these games to feel good about their playoff chances, as most of the teams around them have games in hand. But if they can at least avoid a relegation series, that will be a respectable result for an inexperienced team in their first Elite season. Polski Boys (24pts) - 11th in standings - 12 games remaining Another season, another tight playoff hunt for Polski Boys. It feels like this group consistently finds themselves in this position, whether that's for better of for worse. You can't help but respect it, this team consistently is in the thick of the race in Europe's toughest 6v6 competition, but at the same time, this is their fourth season in Elite, and they've yet to make a playoff appearance in their time here. Sooner than later, you'd hope to see them elevate and take that next step. They're still in the position to do so, but they certainly haven't made their job easy. Losing 5 of their first 6 games to start the season hampered this team early, but they've found their stride since and have earned series sweeps against current playoff teams Tohtorit, vNexs, and GOONS. They also managed to split their series with another playoff team in SSK ESPORTS. This sets Polski Boys up well in what is a tightly contested race, and could be a key factor for them at the end of the season. Though Polski Boys have struggled a bit on their own end, allowing 2.78 GA/GP and being 70% on the PK, their offensive game has been able to make up for it and ranks amongst some of the division's top teams, as they are tied for 6th with 2.83 GF/GP. Speaking of offense, Polski Boys are arguably one of the most balanced offensive teams in the division, as each of their five skaters have tallied 20+ points this season. @cTunkeilija leads this team in points (35) and assists (21), while the long-time captain @Brockela22 is the team's leading goal scorer at 16. Polski Boys have some tough series coming up, as they'll have to go up against two of the division's best teams in Last Dance and Mustaa Kultaa before the season ends, however, they will have some opportunities for points against fellow bubble teams such as EXEN, Blackbirds and ONSE Esports. Though they have a few teams that they'll need to pass, their remaining schedule is reasonable and they only sit 3 points outside of the final playoff spot as things stand. This team missed the postseason by just a single point a season ago and were bounced from the last available playoff spot on the final day of the regular season. They'll have the chance to rectify that heartbreak over the next two weeks. Heimo (23pts) - 12th in standings - 12 games remaining After a hot start to the regular season that saw them average 4 goals for per game during their first six games, Heimo have hit a rough patch and find themselves at a familiar crossroads, looking up at multiple teams in the playoff chase and posting a record of 2-7-1 in their last 10 games. It's disappointing to see how drastically their form has dipped after such a promising start to the season, as they've gone from one of the division's hottest teams, to arguably its coldest at the most important time of the season. Since that six-game start to the season, Heimo have earned just 10 points in their 12 games since. That's 10 points out of a possible 36 that they could've earned. As mentioned earlier with EXEN, stretches like this can doom a team's playoff aspirations, and Heimo are now in a situation where not only are they in the thick of a tight playoff hunt, but they are also looking for answers on how to recapture their early-season form. Similarly to Polski Boys, this team is a balanced offensive team, with each of their five skaters having 20+ points so far this season. The right side of the ice has been where their best point production has come, however, as their starting RW @Eeemill_ and RD @KingOfApes_ are tied for the team lead in points with 28, with Eeemil leading the team with 16 goals and KingOfApes leading the way in assists with 21. Where they have really struggled, however, is defensively, as their 3.44 GA/GP is the second-highest in the league, only ranking better than GOONS who average 3.5. Though I believe that this team has the skill and experience to make a push for a playoff spot, and they aren't that far behind at just a four-point gap, their recent play doesn't inspire a whole lot of confidence in them being able to turn things around. I do believe that their schedule favors them, as the highest team in the standings that they'll face for the rest of the season is Tohtorit in 5th. Everyone else that they play is either behind them in the standings, or within four points. In other words, they still control their own destiny, and it wouldn't be wise to count them out, however, they need to find the answers to their struggles and fast. They simply can't afford to drop any more points with so many critical series coming up, especially against fellow bubble teams such as SSK ESPORTS, EXEN, and ONSE Esports. ONSE Esports (22pts) - 13th in standings - 8 games remaining This is where I feel like the playoff cutline becomes a bit muddier. Though it's not impossible for ONSE Esports to make their way into the Top 8, they will need a near flawless run to end the season, as well as for a few results to likely go their way. I know that five points isn't a large gap, but they have multiple teams ahead of them with games in hand and aren't as close to the cut line as a team like Blackbirds, who are in the same position. This team is also in the same situation as Heimo to where they are arguably one of the coldest team in the division right now, as they're also 2-7-1 in their last 10 games. Though ONSE have been good enough on their own end, lack of offensive production has severely plagued the team so far this season.They average a league-worst 1.54 goals for per game, average just 10.9 shots per game, and have the second-worst power play in the division at 12%. They -23 goal differential also ranks last in the division currently. Though I feel like this group have shown potential at certain points of the season, these aren't the numbers of a playoff team, and it'll likely keep them out barring a significant change in form to end the season. In terms of positive things with this group, @Hulkkoo is someone that I believe deserves much more credit than he has likely received for his work this season. Hulkkoo has stepped up admirably and has arguably been ONSE's best player this season, as in 18 starts he's posted an 80.23% save percentage while playing on a team that has struggled to support him offensively. He's been a long-time staple for this team during their time in the Pro Division under the Ismon Valinta branding, so it's nice to see him proving himself in what is his first season in the Elite division. Outside of him, ONSE have just two players on its roster with 20+ points in @Puosu_ and @Jusu121. The one thing going in this team's favor over its next eight games is that none of their opponents are currently playoff teams. Two of those teams are even behind them in the standings. Though there are no easy game in the Elite division, their remaining strength of schedule of one of the weakest in the Division in terms of record and will give them the opportunity to play teams right around their place in the standings and could help get them out of a relegation series if they can take advantage. I personally don't see this team having a true chance to make the playoffs at this point, but if they can at least are their way into "no man's land", their first season in the Elite division will be ashamed of. The Black Jacks (17pts) - 14th in standings - 14 games remaining Though it may not be too surprising to some with the significant losses to their roster, I honestly didn't expect this team to have such a steep drop-off after making the playoffs just a season ago. Typically, The Black Jacks are right in the playoff mix this time of season; instead, they seem to be fighting for their right to even stay in the Elite division altogether. Both their offensive and defensive production have completely dipped this season, with both ranking fourth-worst in the division at 2.06 GF/GP and 3.19 GA/GP. The weirdest thing about this team is that they actually have been the definition of a see-saw. TBJ have alternated sweeps in each of their last five series. Two straight wins followed by two straight losses. Like clockwork. It's just tough to really get any momentum going in the standings when you continually alternate results like this, especially when those losses are mostly in regulation. Team captain @Timasy has primarily led the way for the group, leading the team in points (24), goals (11), assists (13) and game-winning goals (3). @ProfaneKiss has also proven to be a rather solid transfer addition with 20 points of his own. I hate to talk too much about former players, especially considering the circumstances in this case, but I'd be remiss if I didn't mention the obvious difference in The Black Jacks this season in comparison to past seasons. This team undoubtedly is not the same without@Keuschemisch. He had been a catalyst for so much of its offensive production over the years and even led this team in points in each of the last four seasons. It's difficult to replace a player of his caliber, but especially one that as so important to this team's system and play style offensively. This team just hasn't seemed to find the right adjustments yet to supplement that loss, and it's turned them into a pedestrian offensive team that can only afford to allow one or two goals to win games. They have more games in hand than many of the teams ahead of them and most of them are against teams in or around the playoff bubble, so TBJ isn't dead yet, but it's going to take them finding the answers to major questions that they haven't seemed to solve yet, and they are running out time to find those answers. Vapor (16pts) - 15th in standings - 10 games remaining This is another team that I didn't expect to have such a steep fall off. Vapor, formerly TIKI TALK, found themselves just outside of the playoffs last season and didn't even have to worry about playing in a relegation series. However, a few key roster loses always left the possibility for things to change, either for the better or for the worst. Unfortunately for Vapor, the latter has come to fruition. As of now, Vapor look like they will be out of the playoff and will be fighting for a spot in "no man's land", which at this rate, also seems like it could be out of reach as they trail 12th place by seven points with just 10 games remaining. Oddly enough, this team has actually run into the opposite problem that it ran into last season. Instead of being a high-end offensive team that struggled to keep other teams from scoring on them, now they are a stout defensively team that has serious struggles when it comes to generating offense. This team only allows 2.6 goals against per game, which actually ranks them 7th in the division and is ahead of multiple current playoff teams. However, they have the second-lowest GF/GP in the division at 1.75 and only average 11.8 shots per game. This is a significant dip for a team that returns multiple pieces from a group that averaged 3.11 GF/GP and ranked 4th in Elite in that category. Similarly to The Black Jacks, the loss of the heart of their offensive structure is a key reason for why there's been such a drop off in production. The team's two top point-getters in PardyTime and TeMex both departed the team in the offseason, and with those two, also went a combined 60 goals scored between them. 69% of their goals scored as a team last season came from those two players. That is a massive thing to have overcome, and unfortunately for Vapor, it just hasn't happened thus far. @Pensasmies leads the team in points as a defenseman with 24 points through 20 games. Despite the rough season overall for the team, they should be pleased with the performance from their goaltending duo of @I-Bysse-I and @Gresu__, as both are above an 80% save percentage while each playing 10 games this season. Unfortunately, this team's playoff hopes are pretty much dashed. Though they aren't officially eliminated mathematically, it would take miraculous circumstances for this team to make the Top 8. They still have critical games on the horizon against Blackbirds, Heimo and NOVA, who each could be fighting for spots to avoid a relegation series if they aren't able to make late playoff pushes. Otherwise, Vapor will unfortunately be playing for their place in the division for next season. NOVA (6pts) - 16th in standings - 20 games remaining It's tough to really judge this team, as they've only played in 10 games and haven't played a game since April 16th. Unfortunately for this team, what we saw from them in their first few series was not necessarily impressive. NOVA went 2-7-1 during that 10-game stretch with just one of those wins being in regulation. In their defense, six of those games were against current playoff teams in Mustaa Kultaa, Tohtorit and GOONS, while the other games were against teams just outside of the playoffs, Blackbirds and Polski Boys. They've been riddled with roster changes, as their two top point producers in @Easychasniper2 and @LaxenHD have each departed to new teams over the last two weeks. This team has so many games left to play that you can't really rank them properly right now. They have a ton of series' left against teams on or around the playoff bubble, and there is a wide range of possibilities for this group as of now. The positive is that they control their own destiny and have more games in hand than any other team in the division. The negative is that they've had to make significant roster changes midseason that they didn't expect, and they really struggled to start the season. I'll be honest that their circumstances aren't favorable, but maybe the time off and some fresh ideas within their lineup will do them some good. I apologize that I don't have more to say on this team, but it's hard to give a fair assessment with how little they've played compared to the rest of the division. Midseason Power Rankings & Tiers These power rankings are merely opinions and are based on how the teams have performed up to this point, as well as the teams that they have played against during that span. This is not a playoff or final standings prediction. Please do not take it personally where I ranked your team. I did this purely for fun and to maybe generate conversation for others to give their opinions, it's nothing personal and is all in good spirit! BEST OF THE REST (CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDERS): 1. Last Dance 2. Mythix 3. Parasite 4. Mustaa Kultaa LIKELY PLAYOFF TEAM (BUT NOT DEFINITE CHAMPIONSHIP CONTENDERS): 5. Tohtorit FRINGE PLAYOFF TEAMS (TRENDING UPWARDS): 6. SSK ESPORTS 7. EXEN FRINGE PLAYOFF TEAMS (NOT HOT OR COLD RIGHT NOW): 8. vNexs 9. Polski Boys FRINGE PLAYOFF TEAMS (BUT I HAVE CONCERNS): 10.GOONS 11. Blackbirds 12. Heimo LIKELY OUT OF THE HUNT (HOPING TO FINISH 9-12): 13. ONSE Esports 14. The Black Jacks 15. Vapor INCOMPLETE (CAN'T FAIRLY RANK AT THE MOMENT): NOVA Want to keep up with everything happening ECL in the this season? Make sure to follow/subscribe to SportsGamerGG on Twitch, YouTube and X.

Ahh, Spring. The birds are chirping, the flowers are growing again and the ECL Elite Division is back for another season. The last time we were all here, Parasite lifted the Elite Division trophy at Winter Assembly; capping off what will go down as one of the most dominant campaigns in ECL history. Now, they will hope to defend their crown against 15 contenders, each of them hoping to be crowned champions of the Elite Division for the Spring season. With the season officially getting underway this week, let's take a look at each of the division's 16 teams and catch up on some of the changes that we saw over the offseason. Also, though my name may be on the post, I have to thank @Mozjayh for helping put this piece together. Now without further ado, let's get into our Elite division preview. Blackbirds Last Season: Competed in Pro Division, ECL Pro Division Champions IN: - OUT: - After a Winter season where we saw multiple recently promoted teams make their name known in the Elite Division, Blackbirds are hoping to be the next breakout team in ECL's top tier after winning the Pro Division title in February. Despite not having a single game of Elite Division experience on its roster, Blackbirds returns its entire starting lineup from last season's championship team. What they lack in experience, they make up for in continuity and chemistry. This is a young and very skillful group who have a good philosophy in their game and have been able to use their individual skill as an advantage. Though the adjustment to playing Elite competition will be a viable concern for this team, many have said that they could be a dark horse in this season, certainly a team that I think no one expects to go down or be even close to it. I wouldn't expect this team to make a similar run as Mustaa Kultaa did last season in its inaugural Elite season, but their individual skill combined with their chemistry as a unit will help ease its transition in playing against the best teams that Europe has to offer. Though making it into the Top 8 feels like a lofty expectation, I do expect Blackbirds to catch a few teams by surprise this season. A successful season would be staying competitive and keeping themselves safe from the relegation zone; giving themselves something to build on for ECL '26. EXEN Last Season: Finished 7th in Regular Season standings, lost in Quarterfinals vs Tohtorit in 5 games IN: @x-_-BoBi-_-x from Mythix @h3rmu__ from FA OUT: @benuh_ to Falun Coal Miners @Mozjayh to Heimo @Lxndstrom to Last Dance EXEN's NHL 25 run has been one of the most fascinating stories there is. In last season's preview, I said that it was EXEN's most talented roster to date and that they should be a championship favorite. Six weeks later, EXEN barely made the playoffs and were ousted after just five games in the Quarterfinals. This team's biggest problem last season was goal-scoring and this showed up in the largest way in the playoffs. In their Quarterfinals series against Tohtorit, EXEN were outscored 8-2 and were shut out twice. Despite solid play on their own end, a lack of offense sealed this team's fate. This was an unmitigated disappointment for a group with championship-level talent, and arguably one of the biggest letdowns that we've seen in the Division in years. For whatever reason, things just never clicked for this group. This meant for multiple significant changes to the roster over the offseason to shake things up, as benuh_, Mozjayh, and Lxndstrom each departed to separate teams. To replace, them EXEN brought in one of the league's better point-producers in BoBi & an interesting signing in Hermu, who joins the team as a free agent after not playing since ECL 23 Spring in the Pro Division with Polski Boys. It would seem odd to sign someone like Hermu from an outside perspective, but he is a talented and mechanical winger who has so far fit in fine with the rest of the roster. Hermu will be making his Elite debut having only a total of 4 appearances in the lower Pro division. The loss of benuh also makes it clear that kaz_zu is the now uncontested starter at goalie for this team, as the two split times last season in both the regular season and playoffs. This group did play in the recent FCL, where they lost to Tohtorit again in the Round of 16, so the group has had some practice already. The expectations for this team are much more tame than they were six months ago, but they should still be a playoff team that should aim for a Top 4 finish in the standings. GOONS Last Season: Finished 8th in Regular Season standings, lost in Quarterfinals vs Parasite in 4 games IN: @Sakkem from Heimo @MrNipsuli from RYHTIC @LeiskaViis7 from Kymmenelta Clubille OUT: @sisu33_ to Almost Famous @Easychasniper2 to N0VA GOONS has been the rollercoaster team of the ECL for the past three years. They've seen the highs of an Elite Division Semifinals appearance, and the lows of being relegated to the Pro Division and having to earn their way back to Elite through a Qualifier last season. Considering that they had just hit what felt like rock bottom, many were surprised to see GOONS make the playoffs last season after not even being a lock for the Division just weeks before. GOONS are known for their unique, run-n-gun style of playing; powered by high-hitting numbers which has resulted in high-scoring games on both ends. Where they struggled however was in special teams, as besides Tohtorit, GOONS had the worst combined PP/PK in the division last season. GOONS returns most of its core from a season ago, but after a shockingly disappointing display in FCL, their young defensive pairing of Sisu and Easychasniper decided to go their own ways and leave the team. Replacing the duo are two experienced defenders in Sakkem and MrNipsuli, who each boast multiple successful seasons in the Elite Division. The team also added to their defense in Leiskaviis, a rookie who though has had some successful seasons in the Core and Lite divisions, played as a forward with Kymmenelta Clubille, who finished last in the Pro Division last season. Though to his credit, he was the team's leader in points with 42 and assists with 22. Thie biggest question for this team will be whether of not they can replicate last season. With increased parity and stiff competition in the mid-table, it'll be a tougher challenge for GOONS to find their way into the Top 8. I don't see this team elevating much more than it did last season, but they should be in the playoff conversation again and will hope to avoid the relegation battle. Heimo Last Season: Finished 12th in Regular Season standings IN: @Mozjayh from EXEN @KingOfApes_ from N0VA OUT: @xHatsi to FA @Sakkem to GOONS The last time we saw Heimo make the playoffs was two years ago in the ECL ’23: Spring season, back when they were under the JANO name. They switched to the Heimo name and brand after that season and haven’t made playoffs since, though core members of that team in SadaPoika, Eemil, and Vamoux have remained with the group during that time and are back again with the team this season as captains. Despite three straight disappointing finishes, Heimo made two key acquisitions in acquiring KingOfApes and Mozjayh. KingOfApes is back where he belongs in the Elite Division after spending last season in Pro, where he was instrumental in helping N0VA get promoted to Elite. It doesn't feel like long ago that KingOfApes was undoubtedly viewed as one of the best defenders in Europe and was an anchor for hREDS during their run of three straight Elite Division titles. I still believe that he has a level of form in him, though lack of team success since departing hREDS has hindered him over the last few seasons. Expect him to be a vocal point of this team and a frontrunner for Comeback Player of The Year throughout the season. Similarly to KingOfApes, Mozjayh was a key piece to a championship group, winning back-to-back championships with Tunnel Vision in ECL 23 and a third championship. with hREDS in the ECL 24 Winter Season. He spent the past two seasons with EXEN, but struggled to find his form last season with just 37 points in 28 games during the regular season. The former champion is now being given a fresh start with Heimo and will look to bounce back from what was a disappointing Winter. Any time you can bring in two players who were key pieces to a championship team, you do it. These are the type of moves that Heimo has needed for a while. Players that have skill, ambition, and championship pedigree. These two will bring exactly that as highly-demanding and accomplished players who will be motivated to make their way back to the very top where they were not long ago. I'd expect this team to be in the playoff hunt if all goes according to plan, with the potential to even make some noise if they can make it there. Last Dance (formerly Voittamaton) Last Season: Finished 4th in Regular Season standings, lost in Semifinals vs Parasite in 5 games IN: @NikkeDangles from Parasite @Puantso from Tiki Talk @Lxndstrom from EXEN OUT: @FlyerKungen to Golden Buffalos @Patzlaf to Golden Buffalos @temppanen to Mythix After multiple seasons of speculation and disappointing playoff exits, Last Dance decided to completely revamp most of its core for the first time in a while. As much as it may hurt, a shake-up for this team was needed. Formerly Voittamaton, Straikers, and Frolunda HC, the previous just wasn't able to get over the hump, as it had fallen in the Semifinals each of the last four seasons and last made the Finals in ECL '23, where it fell short to Tunnel Vision in both the Winter and Spring season. The departure of the most iconic duo in league history Eki and Patzlaf and a long-accomplished player in FlyerKungen is one that sent shockwaves around the league. The addition of NikkeDangles, who has been one of the best players in the scene for many, many years, caused even more. Puantso, a former long-time forward of this team, makes his return to the lineup after a short stint with TIKI TALK during the Winter campaign. This will give Eki - one of the league's most consistent players no matter the situation - a familiar face to pair with the new acquisition in Nikke at the wings. Is it actually the Last Dance? The team's name and the statement in its bio would suggest yet. Outside of NikkeDangles, this group has been long-starved for championship gold. Its last ECL Championship was in ECL 11. Time (apparently) is running out for this team to make it back to the top. Though it won't be easy, anything less than a Finals appearance would feel like a disappointment considering the circumstances. They'll hope that their "Last Dance" includes one more trophy. Mustaa Kultaa Last Season: Finished 3rd in Regular Season standings, lost in Elite Finals vs Parasite in 6 games IN: @Wpaanane from PANIC ON ICE @karlssonadam_ from Unwanted OUT: @xAaro89x to Parasite It's been a long time since we've seen a team rise as radially as Mustaa Kultaa has over the past two years. After the magical run and a great effort in the Elite Finals against Parasite, Mustaa Kultaa is back and hoping to make it one step further than it did in the Winter. A ton of credit has to got to Allupekkaz for the work he has done as the team's primary captain over the past year. It'll be interesting to see if they build on what was a dream debut season; especially considering that their leading scorer and point-getter, Aaro, transferred to Parasite over the offseason. Replacing him is wpaananen, who returns to the Elite division after a two-year stint with teams in the lower divisions. In his last Elite season in Spring 23, he finished fourth in the division in points with 71, helping lead JANO to a playoff birth and the division's third-highest scoring offense. Mustaa Kultaa did well with this acquisition considering the circumstances and how late in the offseason it was. This group also added another goalie in Karlssonadam, who was really able to prove himself in NHL 24 with Purification and Unwanted. It'll be interesting to see how the ECL 24 Winter Rookie of the Season will pair with last season's top rookie Latvex, as the two will likely split time despite both playing like unquestioned starters over the past year. We also have to note that the removal of golden abilities, particularly "One Tee", will be something to watch with this team, as it takes away what is a considerable part of Mustaa Kultaa's game. I’m sure that they will be able to adapt with this group having high-level players across the roster, but it's still something to keep in mind; especially during the earlier stages of the season. Though it'd be easy to view this team as "championship or bust" after falling just two wins short a season ago, I wouldn't expect them to surpass last season, nor would I put much pressure on them to do so. It's not that they aren't a playoff threat, but the only way this team could truly move up is by winning the championship, which feels like a considerable ask from a team that lost its most productive skater from its roster from a season ago. With that being said, this is still a team that can challenge for a Semifinals spot and potentially earn their way back into the Finals if everything clicks. Mythix Last Season: Finished 5th in Regular Season standings, lost in Quarterfinals vs Voittamaton in 5 games IN: @Sokkelo__ from Roots Gaming @temppanen from Last Dance (previously known as Voittamaton) @Akunkku from FA (Played ECL ’24 Spring in Heimo) OUT: @koleslaav_ to BLEGI @x-_-BoBi-_-x to EXEN @Valee__ to Almost Famous Coming into the season as the newly crowned Finnish champion, Mythix will look to carry over the momentum and form to the ECL season. This team has surprised some people as a consistent playoff threat in its first two Elite Division seasons; finishing 6th and 5th in the standings, but being bounced in the Quarterfinals each time. This season will be much different though than the last. Mythix returned all six of its starters for the Winter season, but lost multiple key players over the offseason and have undergone a significant roster revamp. Temppanen was one of the bigger additions in the offseason, as he joins Mythix after putting up 54 points and 27 goals with Voittamaton last season. He will replace Bobbi who has proven to be a high-productive forward with Mythix the last two seasons. The team also brought in Sokkelo who joins from the relegated, and now-defunct Roots Gaming team. Sokkelo is a good player who has unfortunately made history in the Elite Division for the wrong reasons unfortunately, as he has yet to make a single playoff appearance despite having 11 seasons in the Elite Division under his belt. Can he finally break the streak? This certainly felt like one of the best opportunities so far. As quietly as it's kept, he scored 32 goals last season with ranked sixth in the Elite division. Kunkku will join WeDux at defense and are hoping to prove themselves as a top defense pairing in the Division. They have shown that the potential is there and will be key if Mythix want to elevate to the next tier of teams within the division. This team and its form feel like it's improved over the past month. They brought in multiple skilled players and carried in more momentum than any team in the division to start the season. They even brought home their first trophy in club history. Now it's time for Mythix to take the next step in the ECL; proving themselves as a serious contender. NOVA Last Season: Competed in Pro Division, lost in Semifinals vs Blackbirds in 5 games, won Elite Relegation series vs Roots Gaming in 4 games IN: @Easychasniper2 from GOONS @Motzzyy from Renascor @LaxenHD from Unwanted OUT: @KingOfApes_ to Heimo @Nester4343 to Rusty X @letsgoat to Aspyre @XxKapUstaxX to MISSCLICK @Shaitan_Batyr to HC NAMOTKA After its best run as a club in the Pro Division last season, NOVA was able to break through and earn its way into the Elite division in their fourth season of competition. With promotion, however, comes the need for improvement, and NOVA got quite busy in the transfer window to try and make those improvements possible. Vlxddy and Dekko are the only skaters who remain from the previous season's promoted side, with Dekko moving himself to defense after spending last season at LW. Outside of the loss of KingOfApes, who was second on this team in points last season and led the team in assists. His departure will be considerable, as NOVA would've loved to have his experience and skill in their first season up, but the rest of its departures were players without previous prior Elite experience though, and their additions were all players who have played at this level for multiple seasons. Motzzyy will be a name to watch for NOVA. He'll likely be one of the more puck-dominant players in the league and looks to replace the production left behind by KingOfApes. He'll be a key part of NOVA's success this season. Easychasniper has the potential to be a great winger in this league. He's one of the best 1v1 players in Europe and his success in that scene has translated well to 6v6 so far. He comes over from GOONS after spending the prior two seasons at defense. It will be a significant adjustment for him, but the talent and potential are there. He will pair with another transfer in Laxen, who though playing just one game last season with Unwanted, was a solid player for Purification in his rookie season prior to that. This team feels like one of the more unpredictable groups in the field. With the additions they've made to their roster, they have the individual skill level to compete and play a high-tempo style of play. But is that enough in a long 30-game season? How much will their team game (on both ends) evolve and improve in that time period? That remains to be seen, but NOVA has the potential and the roster to potentially catch some people by surprise. ONSE Esports (formerly Ismon Valinta) Last Season: Competed in Pro Division, lost in Quarterfinals vs Blackbirds in 5 games, won Elite Qualifier vs Herlev Eagles in 4 games IN: @aJuti from Kolikot Esports @Sagee95 from RHYTIC @LucePro from Gotham Knights @Lakritsipiippu from DILAC @JoJuzz01 from FA OUT: @Ikavalko to Almost Famous @Jalkkin-- to Almost Famous @Hulkkoo to Almost Famous @xrikardo55 to Almost Famous @lycki10 to ROBE Esports @JoakimOilers to AFTERLIFE Earning it place in the Elite Division just days before the start of the season, ONSE Esports will look to make a name for itself in the ECL's top tier. Formerly Ismon Valinta, this group is captained by Jusu121 and have competed in the ECL 23 Spring season, where they began in the Core division. They spent the last two seasons in the Pro division and despite being just the 13th seed, made a run to the Quarterfinals before being ousted by Blackbirds, the eventual champions. Considering the amount of roster turnover that we saw from this team over the offseason, with five players entering and six exiting, ONSE Esports is presented with a unique challenge. Not only will they have to make th adjustment to the Elite division as a team with zero Elite experience on its roster, but it will also have to adapt to each other, as just three players return from last season's Ismon Valinta team. On a positive note, ONSE do return its to leading goal scorers from last season in Jusu and Puosu, who combined for 44 of Ismon Valinta's 82 goals during the regular season. They also have some positive momentum heading into the season, as not only did they win the qualifier to earn their spot into Elite, but they also had an impressive FCL run on top of it. ONSE Esports finished first in their Group which included an Elite division team in TIKI TALK (much of Vapor's roster was on that team). They eventually made it to Round 3 of the playoffs before being eliminated by Lemmenvelhot. Admittedly, it's tough to truly predict where the ceiling for this team could be with there being so many unknowns. They have multiple talented players from the Pro ranks, but lack experience at this level and were a mid-pack team in their group in the Pro Division last season, and it's not often that a team in that situation stays in Elite for very long. I don't think it means that they can't, as we saw TIKI TALK manage to stay up and even compete for a playoff spot despite similar circumstances, but the lack of experience that ONSE is a real concern. Their goal will be similar to many first-time teams in the division. Grow, be competitive, and fight to stay out of the relegation zone. If ONSE Esports can do that, their first season in the division will be considered a successful one. Parasite Last Season: Finished 1st in Regular Season standings, ECL Elite Division Champions IN: @xAaro89x from Mustaa Kultaa OUT: @NikkeDangles to Last Dance The defending champions are back and return the majority of their dominant core from a season ago. Their one loss however was the biggest of any team this season. The departure of NikkeDangles is a significant one. He's one of the best players in the world and has been a key part of the team since ECL 11, winning multiple championships and individual awards in the process. Despite the change though, Parasite was able to replace one of the scene's best forwards with another, acquiring Aaro from Mustaa Kultaa, who Parasite faced in last season's Finals at Assembly Winter. Aaro was a key piece to Mustaa Kultaa's magical Winter season and proved that he belongs among the top players of the Elite division, notching a career-best 69 points and 40 goals. He will be switching from LW to RW this season, which is notable considering that he has played on the left side for his entire 6s career. We will see how quickly he can make the adjustment, though playing with fellow MVP-level talents in Beniittto and Vattu will certainly ease that transition. Outside of this, it was an uneventful offseason, which is a great thing for a defending champion. Parasite did lose 2-3 in the Finnish championship Final against Mythix over the weekend, though with a different RW and ruleset (no abilities allowed to be used). It would be unfair to expect them to match their performance from last season. Parasite won 27 of their 28 games in the regular season and finished it as the highest-scoring team in Elite division history, putting up a mind-lowing 5.32 goals for per game. In the playoffs, they never went further than six games in a series and defeated three totally different styles of teams and some of the better players in the scene on those rosters. Parasite are the championship favorites until proven otherwise. Polski Boys Last Season: Finished 9th in Regular Season standings IN: - OUT: - As weird as it is, I could almost copy and paste what I typed in last season's preview and it would apply. Polski Boys are still looking for their breakthrough moment in the Elite Division, finishing in no-man’s land in each of their first three seasons, but steadily improving during their time in the ECL's highest tier. Few teams have had more roster continuity than Polski Boys. They return their entire lineup from last season's team and they only made one move prior to the Winter season, adding Tunkeilija. Last season this team finished 8th in the division in both goals for and goals against; all while flexing the league's best PK at 95.8%. Despite statically being one of the Top 8 teams last season, Polski Boys missed the playoff cutline by just three points, as they fell down the table at the end of the season after finishing 4-5-1 in their last 10 games, while EXEN, Mythix and The Black Jacks all passed them in the standings. This team is experienced, together and has steadily improved since winning the Pro Division title in ECL 23 Spring. They've been widely predicted to make the playoffs for the last two seasons, but just not been able to get over that line, is it finally time? It feels like it has to be. If not, questions will begin to form on whether this group will ever be able to become a playoff team without a significant shake up to the roster. SSK ESPORTS Last Season: Competed in Pro Division, lost in Finals vs Blackbirds in 4 games, won Elite Relegation series vs Falun Coal Miners in 5 games IN: @bystrom___ from Unwanted @Demski_ from Serpentes OUT: @jojjep- to vNexs Academy @Jonte05_ to vNexs Three months ago, no one would've predicted that SSK ESPORTS would be playing in the Elite Division. The Swedish lineup made the Pro Division playoffs by just one point after ending the regular season with a 7-2-1 record in their last 10 games. During their postseason run, they knocked off three of the top eight teams, including the #1 overall seed and a former Elite division team. Their Cinderella run came to an end in the Finals via a sweep, but they were able to earn their way into the Elite division the next week by knocking off Falun Coal Miners in a relegation series; giving SSK their first Elite season in club history. This team will need for that magic to be replicated, as four of its starters from that run have returned this season. They made an experienced addition to their defense in Bystrom, who was a steady defender for Purification two seasons ago before playing eight games as a forward with Unwanted last season. Outside of Bystrom, the only other players on the roster with Elite division experience are Rubituss and Demski. Rubituss spent three seasons with Farjestad BK and two seasons with HV71. His most recent season in the division was in ECL 24 Spring with Purification, where he and Bystrom were teammates. He'll be slotting in at center for this team. Demski spent two seasons in Elite with HV71 during the ECL 22 Winter and Spring season. He played eight games last season with Sepentes in the Pro division and will slot in at forward for this team. He's played sparingly over the last few seasons, but is familiar with the competition level and will be a welcome piece to the team's forward group. Though few will view this team as a playoff threat, the expectation for this group should be to continue growing and improving while adjusting to Elite division competition; giving them the opportunity to avoid relegation and build on their progress for ECL 26. The Black Jacks Last Season: Finished 6th in Regular Season standings, lost in Quarterfinals vs Mustaa Kultaa in 5 games IN: @ProfaneKiss from Deadly Phantoms @Houddel_RBM from Red Bull Munich eSports OUT: @kkostiiii to Almost Famous @Keuschemisch After three consecutive seasons of making the playoffs, The Black Jacks are back after falling in the Quarterfinals last season and undergoing a turbulent, and controversial end to their season. Though the group has become an established playoff team and is coming off of its best regular season finish in Elite, they enter the Spring season without their most creative and maybe feared offensive player in Keuschemisch; putting this experienced Central European powerhouse into quite an interesting position. Losing Kermit takes away TBJ's most consistent and productive player, as he led The Black Jacks in points in each of the last four seasons. Replacing Keuschemisch this season is ProfaneeKiss, an experienced player who was a long-time staple for Deadly Phantoms for many years. Though many of the Phantoms' recent seasons were in the Pro Division, Profane has some Elite Division experience, playing at this level in ECL 9, 10, and 11. He also put up multiple 60+ point seasons at forward during his time in Pro for a team that though wasn't able to make its way back to the Elite division during his time there, did get close several times. Along with the loss of Kermit is the team's starting goaltender from last season, Kosti, who departs to Almost Famous in the Pro Division after posting a 79.6sv% and starting every game for the team last season. His shoes will be filled by rookie goalie THE EAGLE, who spent a few seasons with HC Lugano eSports before transferring to The Black Jacks midseason after just four games in the Pro Division. This team also has plenty of form going for them, as they're still currently participating in the German Championship Playoffs and had an undefeated regular season in Division I. The Black Jacks have a certain style of play, but Keuschemisch was able to put his own spark into it and make it work which certainly was shown in the results. This will be a significant gameplay adjustment for TBJ to undergo, and it'll take more than just Profane to make up for the loss of Keuschemisch's production. If they can do it, they'll be a fringe playoff team again. If not, then it could see their season end in no man's land. Tohtorit Last Season: Finished 2nd in Regular Season standings, lost in Semifinals vs Mustaa Kultaa in 5 games IN: - OUT: - Last season, Tohtorit proved that the ECL 24 Spring season was no fluke. This team is legit, and are likely here to stay. They finished in the Top 4 in the regular season for each of the past two seasons and won their first playoff series in the Elite division after knocking out EXEN in January's Winter season quarterfinals. Combine that with their run to the Semifinals in the FCL (fell to the eventual champions Mythix), and Tohtorit have proven that they belong in the conversation of Europe's top teams. In terms of play style, Tohtorit plays compact, shutdown defense and pair it with one of the best goalies in Europe with Stammer, who won Goaltender of the Season in the Winter. Offensively, they are able to either counter very fast, or fully reset and take their time with possession. They're able to frustrate many high-puck possession teams and have unpredictable forwards who utilize deception to create quality scoring chances. They also have Kkarkas on defense, who has proven to be one of the best puck-handling defensemen in the league, as he led the division in time with the puck last season with over 200 minutes. He also finished second in that state in the Spring 24 season, placing only behind Tombo. Tohorit made zero roster changes for the second offseason in a row and has as much chemistry as any team in the Division. They've proven that they can consistently in this division and have done so well beating other top teams. Tohtorit should be squarely in the championship conversation come playoff time and should aim for another Top 4 finish in the regular season. Vapor (formerly TIKI TALK) Last Season: Finished 10th in Regular Season standings IN: @dzouvi from FA @Nieppii from Vizio @Jemmuuu from Gotham Knights OUT: @itspardytime to HC Lugano eSports @TeMeX to Kokemus Puuttuu @Puantso to Last Dance After a strong return to the Elite division and a great end of the regular season to secure 10th, Vapor hopes to take the next step in their return to prominence; earning its way into a playoff spot for the Spring. This team had unfortunately had one of the more impactful departures of the offseason in longtime captain ItsPardyTime, who currently sits as a free agent and likely seems to be stepping away for the season. Pardy was a critical key to the group's success last season and was the heart and soul of TIKI TALK for many seasons. He had a career season in the Elite Division with 75 points, 33 goals, and 42 assists; which each ranked Top 5 in the division and earned him Comeback Player of the Season honors, as well as being a nominee for Forward of the Season. Along with Pardy's departure was TeMex, who was the team's second-leading point-getter at 54 points. Losing these two forwards is a considerable loss for a team that was tied for third in the division in goals per game at 3.11, so this will be the biggest question mark for them this season. Vapor was able to acquire Vesa Pompa's long-time servant and a highly skilled center in Dzouvi, who returns after taking last season off. Expect him to likely be in the running for Comeback Player of the Season. Searching for a new home alongside the other experienced winger Nieppii, who after his comeback to the scene hasn’t really found a long-term home yet. He spent last season with Vizio in the Pro division and will play his first season in Elite since ECL 23 Spring when he was with Växjö Lakers. They also added Jemmu to the roster. The 17-year-old rookie only has 1 ECL season under his belt which was in Pro, but he played with TIKI TALK in the recent FCL and was impressive through his 16 games, putting up 59 points. Vapor's fate this season will likely be decided by whether or not it can improve defensively and/or replicate its offensive production from last season despite losing its top two forwards. Despite being one of the division's highest-scoring teams, TIKI TALK was also one of its worst teams in its own end, allowing 3.46 goals per game. Only Root Gaming and Falun Coal Miners allowed more, and both were relegated at the end of the season. They were able to add some proven names to its roster which is encouraging, but with many of them being new to each other, we will have to wait and see how quickly they can mesh. This feels like a team that can either make the playoffs, or end up in a relegation battle depending on the answers that they give to these questions. vNexs (formerly Vesa Pompa) Last Season: Finished 11th in Regular Season standings IN: @iSvamp from FA @Ttv_ahnbergs99 from Bjorkloven Esport OUT: @Eken45jr to Golden Buffalos @SebbeLarsen86 to FA vNexs is an interesting team for a lot of reasons. The past two seasons have been a bit of a disappointment for Vesa Pompa. They haven't been a bottom-of-the-barrel team, but they've found themselves stuck in mediocrity as of late; finishing 12th and 11th in the ECL 24 Spring and ECL 25 Winter season. On top of that, two of its most experienced players, the team's long-time captain Eken and SebbeLarson are both no longer with the team. It doesn't mean that this team doesn't have talent, as it return four of its starters from a season ago, including two of its three forwards vNexs' revamped backline will be the biggest story to follow this season. Vesa Pompa allowed 3.04 goals per game last season, so they will hope that a new pairing and a new brand will help them improve in that area. Ahnbergs, the 14 year-old phenomenon, will be a player to watch. The young Swedish defenseman makes the jump to the Elite division after an impressive Pro campaign with Bjorkloven Esport last season. If he's in the lineup consistently, look out for him to be contender for Rookie of the Season. He'll pair up with iSvamp, who joins the team as a free agent after taking the Winter season off. He was a key piece to the Leksands IF team that made it to the Pro Division finals in ECL 23 Winter before falling to Tohtorit. He's played sparingly in the Neo division since, but he has multiple seasons of Elite division experience, last playing in ECL 9 with Miracle, so he should provide a steady, veteran presence with the young rookie by his side. This team is a bit of a mystery and slow starts to the season have plagued them in each of the past two campaigns. It'll be important for this team to collect points consistently rather than play catch-up like they've had to in the two seasons prior. If they can do that, then they have the talent to be in the playoff race at season end, but they will need to show some improvement from what we've seen from them over the past calendar year. Predictions # @Mozjayh (Excluding Heimo) @bMaJuH 1 Parasite Parasite 2 Last Dance Last Dance 3 EXEN Tohtorit 4 Mythix Mustaa Kultaa 5 Tohtorit EXEN 6 Mustaa Kultaa Mythix 7 Blackbirds Heimo 8 Polski Boys The Black Jacks 9 The Black Jacks Polski Boys 10 vNexs Vapor 11 N0VA Blackbirds 12 Vapor vNexs 13 GOONS N0VA 14 ONSE ESPORTS GOONS 15 SSK ONSE ESPORTS 16 - SSK ECL Elite Format: 1 Group - 16 Teams Team license required: Yes Player license required: Yes Gamedays: Mon, Wed & Thu Regular season starts: 7.4 Transfer deadline: 25.4 23:59 CET ⚠️ Regular season ends: 8.5 Playoffs (BO7) Quarterfinals Monday 26.5 - 20:00 CET | 4vs5 & 1vs8 | Games 1-2 Wednesday 28.5 - 20:00 CET | 3vs6 & 2vs7 | Games 1-2 Thursday 29.5 - 19:30 CET | 4vs5 & 1vs8 | Games 3-4 Sunday 1.6 - 19:30 CET | 3vs6 & 2vs7 | Games 3-4 Monday 2.6 - 19:30 CET | 4vs5 & 1vs8 | Games 5-7 Wednesday 4.6- 19:30 CET | 3vs6 & 2vs7 | Games 5-7 Semifinals Sunday 8.6 - 20:00 CET | 2vs3 & 1vs4 | Games 1-2 Monday 9.6 - 19:30 CET | 1vs4 | Games 3-7 Wednesday 11.6 - 18:30 CET | 2vs3 | Games 3-7 Finals Saturday 14.6 - TBC Want to keep up with everything happening ECL in the this season? 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