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NHLGamers, We know you've got that competitive itch and it's time to get the action started! The total of 196 teams signed up shows that we are growing at a rapid pace. The tenth iteration of our longest-running league will be bringing you that high-level competition you've been longing for, but this time we wanted to up the ante - in bringing you a historical 6s prize pool of 15 000 €! This is made possible because of the several steps forward that we've taken in the past few months, but first and foremost due to our cherished partners Ilta-Sanomat Esports & Prisma Gaming. We'll also be seeing an unprecedented number of professional teams present in our league, with the Elite division alone featuring a total of ten teams representing esports organizations as well as traditional sporting associations. Among the newest additions, we have recently welcomed JYP Jyväskylä, SJ Gaming, hREDS, and KOVA Esports, whereas teams such as HAVU Gaming and Farjestad BK have already been sporting their colors for an extended period of time (and done so in successful fashion!). These organizations joining in brings an added level of interest and some existing rivalries to the scene, where for example the Finnish organizations are battling between themselves and our Swedish eSHL teams surely want to be able to call themselves kings of the hill in their own neighborhood. Continuing the tradition that began in ECL 8 when NHLGamer introduced NHL 18 World Champion Erik "I_Eki_I" Tammenpää as the first-ever cover gamer in the NHL 6v6 scene, a torch that was carried further by HAVU Gaming's star goaltender Hannes "Hansulinho" Kettunen in ECL 9, we are proud to present our ECL 10 cover gamer. None other than two-time ECL Elite champion and Linköping HC goaltender, Casper "ICappeI" Lundgren! Meet the ECL 10 cover gamer - Casper @ICappeI Lundgren You're the third ECL cover gamer and in good company at that, what are your thoughts about your selection? I'm proud to have been selected obviously and it's even more special to be the first Swede having the honor. I have tremendous respect for both @Eki and @Hansulinho and think they are the embodiment of sportsmanship, being in this club with those guys feels humbling. Your team Linkoping HC had a rather perfect run over the winter months and you walked away with two trophies to stack your shelf with. How motivated are you to defend that top spot and how does it feel to be the team everyone is gunning for? Yeah, it seemed like everything clicked and we really got our game going so there definitely was no stopping us. We're all competitive people and having established that winning culture makes us want to keep that momentum going, rest assured we will do everything in our power to keep that top spot. I know a lot of teams are out to get us and especially HAVU Gaming must be looking for a rematch after last season's finals. I also see hREDS as a prime candidate in the championship battle and Symphony has looked stronger than ever during the preseason. The COVID-19 pandemic has put the world on halt, but with the absence of traditional sports, that has opened up the opportunity for esports to shine. What are your thoughts on that and what do you think we can do to best utilize that opportunity? It's a shame to not have traditional sports, especially in a time where a majority of leagues would have been in the decisive times and the biggest games of the season would have been starting. With all of these esports orgs and traditional sports clubs joining, this is our chance to develop the NHL gaming scene and the interest around our league. I think the best we as players can do is to stay active on social media, get your Twitter, Twitch or Instagram going and support all the teams and people putting content out there! Check in on each other's broadcasts to get those viewer numbers up. It is up to us as a community to take care of this opportunity and growing the scene. Now is our chance to show all other sports fans how exciting esports really is! ECL Elite Finals and prize pool Due to the COVID-19 situation, the ECL 10 season is currently planned to be played online. The semifinals are played May 25th-28th and the finals on June 4th-5th. More details about the playoffs will be shared closer to the playoffs. The Elite division of the prize pool will be as follows: #1. ECL 10 Elite Champion: 10 000 € #2. ECL 10 Elite Runner-Up: 3 000 € #3.-4. ECL 10 Elite Semifinal losers: 1 000 € *Prizes are subject to tax as per Finnish law and the tax is withheld before payment. Prizes will be paid out within 90 days of the ECL 10 Finals. When? ECL 10 Elite kicks off on Wednesday, April 8th at 20:00 CEST. Our broadcast of the night features heated battles between Unlucky Boys vs JYP Jyväskylä, followed by JYP Jyväskylä and GHETTO FIREBIRDS. Where/how to follow? ECL 10 Elite will see a whole new level of coverage and with traditional sports out of the picture for the time being this is our time to shine. The top division will feature two weekly broadcasts on Mondays and Thursdays at 20:00 CEST with our very own Cody @Tougie24 Tougas and Paul @CynAnderson being the prevalent voices over the course of the season and for those of you that have tuned in for some of our NACL broadcasts, you know that we've been working on the production a lot over the last few months, so you can expect us to have a few tricks up our sleeve. All broadcasts can be seen live at our Twitch-channel, but due to our fresh partnership also now on IS TV and Ruutu.fi. To clarify - while our regular scheduled broadcasts are on Mondays and Thursdays, the season will kick off with a Wednesday broadcast tomorrow, on April 8th at 20:00 CEST! About our main partners Ilta-Sanomat Ilta-Sanomat is Finland's largest digital media measured by unique daily readers. The tabloid is distributed in traditional form, but thrives online, prevailing as one of the main daily news outlets for Finns alike. Prisma Gaming Prisma Gaming is a carefully picked assortment of consoles, computers, and other gaming gear. The selection has been built together with the professionals at HAVU Gaming and can be found in all Prisma locations and online at Prisma.fi. Prisma Gaming wants to support Finnish esports and through the ECL, now also supports esports internationally. About our partners HockeySverige.se Hockeysverige.se is the biggest independent hockey site in Sweden, covering everything from the NHL to women's hockey and E-sport

NHLGamers It's time for our season preview of the ECL 10 Pro division. A bit over two months has passed since we saw Delusion crowned as the champions of ECL 9 Pro when they managed to beat Vesa Pompa HC in a final series that included an enormous amount of individual talent and two teams that both eventually paved their way into the top tier. Top tier play is on the list of requirements yet again for the champions as the game and our growing community makes the 6v6 scene more competitive season after season. To cap off last season we saw all top 4 Pro teams fight their way to Elite and also really tight games in the Elite Qualification Series which proves that the quality of play in Pro division is at a really high level right now. At the moment we are living in especially hard times globally. The COVID-19 pandemic will most probably have some influence on ECL competition in this starting season in terms of rescheduling and also if teams are forced to use back-ups in cases of sickness (which we pray does not happen). This might be a factor that sways the power ranking between teams one way or another. That is an interesting topic and the consequences of COVID-19 remain to be seen. We're definitely hoping not to see too much effect on the ECL this season, it's a prevalent topic that needs to be addressed in these times. ECL isn´t the “island away from the rest of the world” so this is a point we should not ignore ahead of this starting season. To sum it all up: Teams that were relegated from ECL 9 Elite and weren’t able to fight their way back in the Elite Qualification Series are Leksands IF and TIKI TALK. Teams that proved their worth in ECL 9 Lite and earned the promotion to ECL 10 Pro are Lite champions Sulkavan Sudet, runner-up Riven Johdolla, Clumsy Penguins and MOCKBA. To fill the missing teams in the division, NHLGamer staff have accepted applications from teams Rookie Mistakes, Kouvola Screaming Eagles, Company of Geeks, HanaaHC, Djurgarden Hockey and Team Frosty for the open spots in ECL 10 Pro. ECL 10 Pro has a total of 32 teams divided into two groups. We took a closer look at some of the most interesting teams at this point in the season and decided to bring you basic information about them and highlight some key players to follow. We are also predicting their success in the regular season during the forthcoming season. Group 1 Leksands IF After a disappointing season in ECL 9 Elite, Leksands IF was able to put up quite a show in the first eSHL season and the playoffs, where they first won ECL 9 Elite semifinalist Lulea Hockey and fought bravely against Linköping HC in a semifinal series that ended 3-1 (BO5) in the favor of the eSHL (and ECL 9) champion. Success in eSHL must have brought some confidence back but it didn’t show in the Elite Qualification Series, where the team saw another bottom of the table finish and was thereby relegated. Despite the recent setbacks the team has faced, Leksands IF is still seen as the favorite eSHL team to succeed this season in ECL 10 Pro (Challenge accepted Vaxjo Lakers HC, Orebro eHockey and Djurgarden Hockey?). There is no doubt that if Leksands IF can find their stride again, they will be fighting for the cup this season. Captain @Mumsi- is once again expected to lead the team to a promotion battle as he did back in their Synergy Hockey days in ECL 7 Pro, with familiar faces by his side. A notable player is missing from the roster, as it appears that long-time defender @Egyptologen (J-Foppa) has left the team. Placement after regular season: 1-2 Player to watch: Experienced defender and club icon @Supremski is the backbone for the whole team. With so many good attacking teams it is one of the main requirements for success to have good defenders that can do well in the own zone and Supremski represents the cream of the crop in this sector at this level. Enigma This team that was named Sandstorm last season has made a brand change and is now called Enigma. Last season, Sandstorm suffered a loss in the first round of the playoffs against GHETTO FIREBIRDS in a tight series that ended 4-3. The name isn’t the only thing that has changed from last season, though. Only captain @MozjaTG (Mozja-) remains from last seasons roster. However, compared to their roster in ECL 9 Pro the quality hasn’t dropped at all. For example, the team lost their best scorer @yrjoo but in exchange former Symphony player @Nieppii returns to Pro hockey after a couple of seasons in Elite. Also former team captain @Crisu_rottis returns to strengthen the defensive line after a season with Almost Famous. It is really interesting to see how the fresh squad will blend as a team and find chemistry. The roster of Enigma has the potential to do great things this season but in the end it is all about teamwork which we will see more in depth when the season starts. If the team can get their motors running the way they want to, it's likely that Enigma will do way better than they did last season and be a real threat to any team in the later stages of the season. Placement after regular season: 1-2 Player to watch: @Nieppiiis probably the most reputable player signed by a Pro division this season and possesses great offensive upside. He is expected to help Enigma with his experience, personal talent and points. Kaupallinen Yhteistyo Some eyebrows were raised when relatively unknown Kaupallinen Yhteistyo was promoted to ECL Pro 9 last season through their Pro application but after proving all doubters wrong, there's no question they are a force to be reckoned with this season. In their first ECL season ever, Kaupallinen Yhteistyo managed to finish in 3rd place in their group and fought their way to the second round of the playoffs where they lost to Elite promoted GHETTO FIREBIRDS. As the team roster remains almost unchanged from the ECL 9 Pro season with the addition of @Frilanderfrom Unlucky Boys HC, it is expected that Kaupallinen Yhteistyo will take the next step forward this time. Last seasons success also gave the team a chance to play in the Elite Qualification Series where they won their group but finally lost to BRAYCE Phantoms in the decisive final series. Signs from the previous season and the Elite Qualification Series tell that forwards @Jooonasaurus, @Limbe65 and @Katuhessu (KrisutusB) have found that special chemistry that could make them the most effective attacking trio this season. With the recent form the team is showing, it wouldn’t be a huge surprise anymore to see Kaupallinen Yhteistyo fighting for Elite promotion at the end of the season. Placement after regular season: 1-2 Player to watch: @Jooonasaurus is a player whose reputation precedes him. After a very good run in the Qualification Series, he is expecting to be one of the leading forwards both performance-wise and statistically this season. RPEAT Esports Former Nightmare/Supernatural now skates under the banner of Finnish eSports organization RPEAT esports. Nightmare had a disappointing season in ECL 9 Pro as they were left out of the playoffs by a small margin. After the season, team captain @Kozek77(Kozeehh) and the new alternate captains @illbiocandyand @Aze (l-AZE-l) started reforming the team to redeem themselves. Only three players from last seasons Nightmare squad will continue the journey with RPEAT esports. When taking a closer look at the new faces arriving, it’s obvious that RPEAT esports aims high this season but also looks towards the future. Former Dynasty defender @DieCutterMC will bring experience to the defense while young gun @Timez (Timoccio) and ‘’hidden gem’’ (quote from RPEAT NHL twitter) @vJokkee- are determined to make the breakthrough at the Pro level. Is it going to happen in this season already? This team has the hunger for success and the potential to surprise many strong teams this season. It may be too early to talk about a team that is chasing a promotion for real, but the season will show us what's to come. Placement after regular season: 4-6 Player to watch: Center @Timez(Timoccio) was the key player for ECL 9 Lite runner-up Riven Johdolla last season. He is the most interesting prospect to follow in his first Pro season in a team that can help him become star player in the future. Alliance HT If BRAYCE Phantoms has the highest reputation of German teams, then Alliance HT is the legend of the Russian EASHL scene. Last season in ECL 9 Pro was really tough for them as they were one of the teams that fell to the relegation series. Alliance HT managed to keep their spot in Pro by sweeping Resurrection in the series. A couple of weeks ago it was still unsure if Alliance HT was going to participate ECL this season and for example ECL 9 captain @MAYZIIX was part of the TIKI TALK roster in the Elite Qualification Series before the registrations. It seems the worries have been left behind and they have made a flying start in RCL 6 Div 1. However it is expected that Alliance HT will have another hard season ahead. Longtime player and former captain @Denisovl17l (Denisov_D_l17l) who represented the team back in ECL 6 Pro returns to help the team in these hard times. But is it enough to avoid relegation this season? Placement after regular season: 13-16 Player to watch: Goalkeeper @crooks(Crooks_Tc) will play a big role for his team. He will have to play at his top level every night to help Alliance HT in a season that is expected to be difficult for them. Not an easy task for a keeper that is heading into his first ECL season ever. Group 2 Reality Check It is believed that many have marked Reality Check as the favorites for the title race this season. Last season in ECL 9 Pro, Reality Check had a decent regular season finishing 5th in the standings. They started the playoffs strong by beating Children of Ice in the first round and gave a good fight against eventual runner-up Vesa Pompa HC in the second round, losing the series 2-4. During the offseason, the squads roster saw a couple of changes when center @valta15, defender @Ninjawiq (Hakkapeiiitta) and goalie @Jann3_67_ , who all played a big role in last seasons team decided to leave. To fill these boots team saw the arrivals of @Hüüli(huulihoelkka44) and @jimboslizer from Rakish, @Talonmies69 from Children of Ice and @vokial2(SolidElli) from HC Wildcard. Reality Check was one of the teams that took part in the Elite Qualification Series. With the current roster they managed to be the best team in the group stage but in the end they couldn’t find the way to win Almost Famous in the final series. However Reality Check showed that roster changes haven’t hurt the team and proved to their competitors that they are ready for the new season and chase for the cup. Placement after regular season: 1-2 Player to watch: The preseason indicates that @James (Jamssonii) will replace Valta15 at the center position and the game looked promising in the Elite Qualification Series. Wingers are also expected to benefit from the playmaking skills of Jamssonii. Nordic Stars Nordic Stars had an excellent regular season in ECL 9 Pro where they finished third in their group. Everything seemed to go the way the team wanted until the first round of the playoffs where they faced Black Horse and lost the series 0-4. Actually one of the Black Horse players that ended up ruining their season was @Iltapeli (apetttaja) who is now part of the Nordic Stars roster. Nordic Stars are a team that likes to play a lot of NHL20. With around 1400 club games played they are certainly one of the most active teams in ECL currently and it shows on the ice. Players like @Vire30 and @Jerax13 do incredible things with the puck on the ice and the way Nordic Stars sometimes plays is really entertaining to watch. It is expected that Nordic Stars will do very well in the regular season this time as well but the question is - have they found a way to play winning playoff hockey? If the answer is yes, then there are not many teams in the league that can stand in their way. This could very well be the season for Nordic Stars that will make them forget last seasons disappointment. Placement after regular season: 1-2 Player to watch: @Iltapeli (apetttaja) scored 49 goals in 38 games last season in Black Horse. Nordic Stars' style of fast attacking hockey will suit him well and he could break his own personal goal record this season. TIKI TALK Legendary TIKI TALK were close to avoiding the relegation battle in Elite last season. They were tied in points with POGGERS but with fewer wins TIKI TALK headed to the relegation series where they lost to GHETTO FIREBIRDS. The team had a second chance to return to the top division in the Elite Qualification Series but they couldn’t find their game when it was needed and ended up losing all of the games in the group stage. If TIKI TALK can get through the hard times and find their best form and chemistry with their fresh squad, ‘’ESA’’ can be one of the best teams in the regular season, favorites for the promotion battle and challengers for the cup. Talking about legendary, team captain and scoring machine @itspardytime is once again one of the most interesting players to follow during the season. Last time TIKI TALK played Pro in ECL 8, itspardytime scored a league leading 150 points in 48 games and led his team to the finals where they eventually lost to POGGERS but later managed to get promoted to Elite. Placement after regular season: 3-4 Player to watch: It seems that @Sagee95 will start the season on defense. It is interesting to see how this talented player who is more known for his attacking abilities will convert to defense and how it will affect TIKI TALKs way of play. Shooting Stars There seems to be a really interesting rivalry building up between German Championship League powerhouses Shooting Stars (previously EV Fussen Esports) and ZSC Lions Esports (previously The Black Jacks). In ECL Pro 9, ZSC Lions Esports managed to get to the playoffs while Shooting Stars were left just below the playoff line. However in GCL 5 Div 1 playoff semifinals Shooting Stars defeated the Lions with a series score of 4-1. So it is maybe fair to say that the Shooting Stars have the upper hand at the moment. For some time ‘’The pride of Germany’’ BRAYCE Phantoms have waited for a worthy opponent at their own soil and Shooting Stars have shown that they are slowly building up to up to the task. After a very good GCL season, Shooting Stars are expected to improve from ECL 9 and even though many will not expect miracles from this team, we could see a real surprise from them at the end of the regular season. GCL 5 Div 1 runner-ups may be one of the most underrated teams at the start of the season. Placement after regular season: 4-6 Player to watch: It seems that defender @x Holtbeast (xReuTschNer98x) step into the boots of @Krinke this season in the center position. Results from GCL 5 Div 1 show that he fits well into the teams attacking trio and with interest we follow how it will turn out in the ECL rink. Sulkavan Sudet Looking back at the ECL 9 Lite seasonm Sulkavan Sudet made an almost perfect run to be the division champions. Attacking trio @Oxdoggi, @Kemppane_and @Luokkala_with the help of backup forward @Stapletonetore apart opposing defenses from start to finish. With such an impressive display someone could think that these guys played in the wrong division but it is actually going to be their first season in the higher divisions. The only players that have previous experience from Pro are defender @Pirkkalope and new signing @Okke40(hifk_FANI). Sulkavan Sudet also added some depth to their defense by signing @Maestroffi from Hokurit who also had a good season in ECL 9 Lite. Obviously Pro is going to be a harder challenge for the talented wolfpack but it is interesting to see how well the team can adapt their style in Pro and how far it will take them. However, just like with the other teams that got promoted from Lite, expectations are at a moderate level. Placement after regular season: 6-8 Player to watch: The teams style of attacking hockey can sometimes leave room for really promising counter-attacks and that is when goalkeeper @TeikDaun can steal the show. The keeper faced some critic last season because of his relatively low save percentage but we are talking about one of the best goaltenders this season. Prowlers Esports Prowlers Esports was one of the teams that got promoted to ECL 9 Pro through their application at the registration stage. The team had really hard last season where they were the bottom of their group. However Prowlers gathered their ranks and beat Horror Hockey in the relegation battle. After the season most of the players in the team left and captains @eKvaarn and @Forsberg__21 (Lawner_) had to make complete rebuild. Scouting through the new signings it seems most of the new faces will play their first Pro games this season. With an inexperienced squad, the expectations are low, but the squads real potential is still hidden and they have a long season ahead to glue as a team and improve their game. However it is expected that Prowlers Esports will once again be facing relegation to end the season. Placement after regular season: 13-16 Player to watch: @Forsberg__21(Lawner_) has had good seasons at the Lite level. Last season was hard for the whole team but now with the experience of some Pro hockey in his pocket it is probable that Lawner_ will lead his teams points stats at the end of the regular season. Well there you have it! We hope that yo enjoyed our small preview and similarly will enjoy the starting ECL 10 Pro season. Remember to follow all the teams on their respective social media channels including Twitch and/or Youtube. NHLGamer will keep you up to date on the progress of the season and more articles about the division will follow as the standings start to take shape. Play hard - have fun! Pro writers, @Oliverigood & @JakePlay77

NHLGamers, Welcome to our season preview for the ECL 10 Lite division. A little over two months ago we saw Sulkavan Sudet crowned as the champions of ECL 9 Lite, which also earned them a direct promotion to the Pro division. Additional teams that got promoted to Pro were runner-up Riven Johdolla, MOCKBA and Clumsy Penguins. To all of these teams, NHLGamer extends warm congratulations and wishes good luck with the upcoming season! The offseason is now over and excitement in the dressing rooms is rising. Great individual skills, seamless teamwork and winning goaltender stole the cup for the ’’Wolfpack’’ last season and those are the requirements yet again as the level of Lite hockey gets better and better every season. After hundreds of games and countless hours of NHL20 many teams feel this could be ’’the season’’. We have also seen some interesting movement in the transfer market as teams are searching for the final piece to their respective puzzles. This season, ECL 10 Lite has four groups with 16 teams each. We took a closer look at the groups and decided to highlight some of the teams and players to keep an eye on this upcoming season. Keep in mind that this is not a listing of the best teams in the division, but a collection of teams that I've deemed worthy of a closer look going into the season. Let's begin: Elamam Kiekko ’’Kikko’’ performed below expectations in ECL 9 Lite when they had a tough time getting to the playoffs and finally were beaten in the first round against Syntax Error with the series score 4-2. Even though underperforming in the latest season, Elamam Kiekko still has the quality to be one of the challengers for the cup this season. They added some quality to their roster by recruiting @kApollo from Pro team Freddie Mercury Institute and @Johtava from Kaukosen Luistin. If the team can find their best form during the competition, we will see Elamam Kiekko going far. Fysical Previously called Farminaattori, this team now carries the name Fysical that was presented for the first time in IS Cup 4. Most of their players in the current roster played for team Kesaloma in ECL 9. Kesaloma managed to get to the playoffs where they lost to runner-up Riven Johdolla in the first round with series 4-1. Fysical made an addition to their roster by signing ex-Black Horse player @Ollizhki, who had a fine season in ECL 9 Pro and possesses leadership quality stemming from a long run with former team Shameful Knights. Hokurit Hokurit had a good season in ECL 9 Lite. Especially in the playoffs they showed real character by beating Hundred Acre Wood and Huippupassi. Their journey ended in the third round of playoffs where they lost to MOCKBA with series 4-1. During the offseason their best scorer @Jondeezz and top defender @Maestroffi decided to leave the team which begs the question - can Hokurit repeat their success and take a small step forward to achieve a promotion. The club saw the arrival of @haaga and @pinppikeisari, who now have a chance to prove their value for the team that has the potential to be in the top 4 this season. NOVA New club NOVA is an interesting Russian based team that is built of players from Russian teams such as Virtuoso and Nearbird Fighters. Their captain SPB_AlexZver_22 has described NOVA as a team that plays fast and attacking hockey and he believes that the team is currently at the level of best Lite teams. Even though NOVA hasn’t played any official matches yet, many of the teams that have faced them in the club games can agree that the potential is definitely there. Old Farts The legendary Old Farts have been in the scene from the very start of ECL history. Last season in ECL 9 Lite ended in a minor disappointment as they lost to Kaukosen Luistin in the first round of playoffs with the score being 4-1. Farts had one of the most interesting player roulettes during the offseason when many of their former ECL players left and five new faces came in. Captain @Ankkalasvegas brought in @Tuuski_36 and @Nixa_da_fck from Jortikan Tossut and experienced @vilperi90 who represented Angry Cats and HC Wildcard last season. Also @Jauho from Savo Bears will get the honor of wearing the legendary shirt this season. These signings will definitely bring more aspects to the way the Farts can play. This could very well be the season when we see Old Farts playing for the promotion. Poston Fruits Last time Poston Fruits were playing in ECL 8 Lite. They managed to get to the third round of the playoffs where they lost to Prowlers who were the #1 ranked team after regular season. When the season ended the team separated but now after a year, Fruits are back in the game. Many players from their ECL 8 roster are now playing for different teams but Captain @Jobeyz now has some Pro experience with Freddie Mercury Institute on his resume and has built a promising squad by adding @Jaks_10 from Kaukosen Luistin, @Peksi22 from Bellizzi and @kkostiiii from Saucer Hockey. If they manage to find chemistry, they could surprise many top teams this season. Sack Brothers Sack Brothers were presented for the first time in ECL 9 Lite where they managed to get to the second round of playoffs where they lost to Pro promoted Clumsy Penguins with a series score of 4-1. Despite the early exit, this team proved that with the right formation of ’’Sacks’’, they will be battling for the Pro spot in the future. They made a very interesting signing during the offseason as former Jortikan Tossut defender @luosttin joined their ranks. Luosttin gathered most points as a defender in regular season of ECL 9 Lite and scored an unbelievable 19 goals in 19 games from the D spot. With firepower already existing in Sack Brothers roster it is expected that they will be one of the deadliest teams in the offensive zone. Suomen Sonnit After pausing for the ECL 9 Lite season Suomen Sonnit decided to make a comeback. In ECL 8 Sonnit lost to Pro promoted Cheers Hockey in playoff round 2 with series 4-1. The core group is pretty much the same as in ECL 8 but with the additions of @Thounimeister from Oton Letkutemppu and @Jusa from MOCKBA. Suomen Sonnit is now seen as a real threat to the teams that are planning to succeed this season. There is always that one team that is a little bit underrated when the group winners are predicted and I believe that this season that team is Suomen Sonnit. The UnderRated A newly formed team that was previously named UnderRated Lekstuga. In ECL 8 Lite UnderRated Lekstuga was beaten in the first round against Me Carvoset. Since then the team roster has changed a lot. Captain @Psych0 has recruited the whole squad in a short time including four players from Pro team Prowlers eSports who had a difficult season in ECL 9 Pro but managed to win the relegation battle. With Pro experience in their core group The UnderRated will be a real threat to any team in the competition. Below you can also see the groups in which these teams have been put for the upcoming season. We want to wish all teams an exciting season and will be following your progress closely. Play hard - have fun! Group 1 Group 2 Group 3 Group 4

NHLGamers, JYP Jyvaskyla is a traditional hockey club hailing from Central Finland and with their announcement today, the club is becoming the first Finnish Liiga-club to venture into NHL esports. “We’ve been planning our entry into esports for a long time already, it was really a matter of opportunity and Symphony struck us as a very potential team that wanted to work with us. We wanted to spice up our marketing with something new and an own esports team in the NHL scene is the perfect way to go in the current state of things. This allows us to present new opportunities in cooperation for our partners and serve our customers in a multitude of new ways.” - Taneli Maasalo, JYP Jyvaskyla about entering the NHL esports scene. “JYP is a prestigious club that has created a great brand. When they showed interest in us, we quickly found a similar note and decided to go ahead with the partnership. It’s also great to represent the first Liiga-team in NHL Esports.” - Team captain Santeri @indi969 Pendolin The roster that will be representing JYP is that of former Symphony, which received a major overhaul since ECL 9, which wasn’t up to standards for the team that usually pushes far into the postseason. Most notably, the team boosted their left flank by adding left defenseman Aaro @xDoumi Ruuhinen and left wing Kristian @kriketski17 Veijola to their lineup. “Our NHL roster has a lot of likeness to our Liiga squad, where we have a bunch of veteran expertise combined with youthful talent. Symphony has established themselves as a playoff contender in ECL Elite and we want to be there in helping them take the next step. There’s a lot of potential, which is proven by earlier performances like the 2nd place in ECL 7 for example.”, says Maasalo. Follow JYP Jyvaskyla on social media: Twitter / Team Twitter Facebook Instagram

NHLGamers, We’re pleased to announce that Finnish esports up-and-comers SJ Gaming are taking a step into new territory by signing an NHL roster. Former POGGERS will be assuming the name and colors of SJ Gaming in order to represent the org in the upcoming ECL 10 Elite. Despite being a newcomer at the Elite level, the squad managed to come close to playoffs, being only two points out and eventually finishing 12th in an extremely tight division. The team has made some roster changes over the offseason and being backed by an organisation gives them an added boost of confidence. “When we heard that SJ Gaming was in the search for an NHL roster we agreed that this is the right move for us. An agreement was rather quickly reached with the representatives of SJ Gaming. Negotiations flowed with ease due to quick reaction from our team and the help from Kenneth at NHLGamer.” - Team captain Tero @Terodee Dahlström “We’ve been contemplating entering console gaming and especially the NHL-scene for a long time already and had some earlier negotiations that fell through at the last moment. We stuck with the process and eventually found a team that fit our organisation.”, says SJ Gaming manager Niklas Pehkonen In ECL 9, POGGERS finished at an eventual 12th place in the standings, but due to an incredibly even season, the team was only two points shy of a playoff spot. The biggest challenge was the fact that the team roster was too small, an issue which according to the captain has since been addressed: “We’ve recruited a total of three new starters, which of course is a lot but in my opinion, our game looks better than ever right now. In addition we wanted a larger roster, so we’ve got a few more backups that are ready to fill in whenever needed.” Follow SJ Gaming on social media here: Twitter / Team Twitter Facebook Instagram