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NHLGamers, All of us surely appreciate the progress our beloved NHLGamer platform has made. Recently, before the start of ECL 10, quite a few longtime squads got signed by team/Esports organizations, which obviously is a big step forward on that front. The battle at the top of Elite has been tremendous this season, with JYP Jyväskylä and hREDS challenging top teams Linköping HC and HAVU Gaming, but there are quite a lot of good teams and players in the shadow of those powerhouse clubs, creating a extremely tight playoff battle. Today, we want to take a closer look. Now it’s time to get to know the ECL’s Elite. It’s been a while since the first time we did one of our Player Profile-articles, which had Lauri @Lamsa Lämsä in the starring role. The former Rusty Blades winger will now be succeeded by Simon @PlaymakerSJ Junker. You probably know that name already, and if not, that’s on you. Simon has been around since ECL1, where he played for UKnighted HC and finished Top Five in scoring with 66 points in 23 games. The left-handed Center then put up 34 points in 13 playoff contests, but UKnighted couldn’t get past well known Synergy Hockey in the quarterfinals. Simon didn’t participate in ECL2 and ECL3 due to scheduling issues, but then came back for the fourth season and he’s been active ever since. After having stints with Germany’s Finest and Inter Iceland, he ultimately joined Deadly Phantoms HC. The german team formed by @Rayman just got promoted to ECL Pro at the time and Playmaker immediately raised the level of play. His calming presence lead the team to a playoff spot in their inaugural Pro season, where the team lost to powerhouse FILADELPHIA (now Linköping) in the second round of the postseason. The team made a couple new additions for ECL7, Playmaker stayed. He led his club in scoring once again and this time the Phantoms were actually deadly and secured the Pro title as well as the promotion to ECL Elite. He then cemented his status as the best german center in the scene, torching the national opposition in GCL3 with 120 points in only 23 matches. Especially in the german scene Simon created his special wraparound and well known move called "Der Junker“ – (Junker is his last name). The Phantoms then became the first ever german team to participate in ECL Elite and surprised quite a lot of people with their fourth-place finish. This time around, Playmaker was the second best scorer on the Phantoms while maintaining his ridiculously strong Two-Way-Game. "I think that I have a good understanding of the game. I have been playing at a high level for a few years now and I demand a lot from myself. In addition, I have already played with many different wingers, which allows me to adapt to almost all types of players“, the 25 year-old explained his success. "...And I am very strong at the push-faceoff. Connor @MartindalexC Martindale can confirm that“, he added. A while ago, as you may have noticed, the Deadly Phantoms became the BRAYCE Phantoms after agreeing to a cooperation with the sports merchandising company. PlaymakerSJ played a big role in that development with his consistent play over the last few years. Phantoms-Captain Mannheimer said: "Simon raised our level of play and our creativity. With his patience, he is an absloute weapon in the offensive zone and still great defensively.“ After a tough go in ECL 9, where the club actually got relegated in a hard-fought-series over seven games against Vesa Pompa, but later retained their Elite-spot in the qualification series, the roster has changed quite a bit. Long-time member Maximilian @gzell60 Käsmaier announced his retirement , which lead to Niklas @xXPsykoSkillsXx Schmitz stepping up in a bigger role. Also new addition Stephan @Krinke Krinke has emerged into a capable goalscorer in his inaugural season in Europes top division after a spot in the offense opened up. Simon is still there, leading the team to a solid bounce back season - right now, the Phantoms are fighting in the playoffs after reaching the playoffs for the second time in their third ECL Elite campaign. And after years of being disadvantaged, they finally have the servers on their side as well! Personally, the Neuss-native is still living in that area, working in Dusseldorfs District Government of Market Surveillance. Unlike his stats on NHLGamer, that sounds extremely boring. With 350 goals, 516 assists and 866 points, Playmaker currently sits in sixth place of NHLGamers All-Time-Points list across all competitions, and there is still more to come.

NHLGamers, The first round of the ECL 10 Lite playoffs is now finished. Sixteen pairs gave us an entertaining start for the playoffs this season and we've already witnessed some great teams such as SOPPAJENGI and NOVA exiting the tournament, which proves that the level of play in Lite is really high at the moment and any of the remaining teams have a real chance to win the cup. For the sixteen teams that were beaten in the first round we want to say thank you and keep your heads up, you did a great job getting this far, and for the sixteen teams that will continue to the next round, congratulations! You are one step closer to the Pro promotions and the Lite finals. It’s extremely hard to predict which of the teams will eventually advance but we will give you our best try. Obviously we also appreciate the community opinion so feel free to comment your favourite teams, players and the reason why you see them going through to the next round. Let's refer to the rulebook for how our playoffs will commence: Here are the pairs for the second round of the ECL 10 Lite playoffs : Sack Brothers vs Tic Tac Toes (25) Sack Brothers were the best team in the regular season and continued their good form by beating HockeyProfessorn HC (32) by a series score of 4-1 in the first round of the playoffs. This extremely talented group is dangerous in the offensive zone but also consistent at the back end. Sack Brothers goalkeeper @mikeruud was also one of the best goalkeepers in the regular season with help from his defence so it’s going to be all but easy to win this team. However, Tic Tac Toes proved in the first round that they are ready to beat the favourites. They won sensational newcomers Piiraaka Osuus ja Nakki (8) in the first round with a score of 4-2 which surely gave them the confidence needed to challenge the main favourites as well. Tic Tac Toes have the experience of center @Artuzioand goalkeeper @Jiihooo86 that can be really valuable in the playoffs. The first round also proved that the less experienced players in the team have found the right level to compete in the playoffs so Sack Brothers will have to be at their best in every game if they want to keep winning and advance to the next round. Key points to follow: Sack Brothers demolishing attack against an inexperienced Tic Tac Toes defense: Can Tic Tac Toes find the way to stop Sack Brothers from scoring and if this happens, are Sack Brothers able to change their way of play to compensate for the situation. Centers @Artuzio vs @luosttin: Faceoffs are really important in the playoffs where scoring can be really tough at times. Successful faceoff tactics in the offensive zone have won games many times especially in the OT periods. Both of these centers are used to winning their faceoffs so this could balance the odds a bit. The main favourites against the challengers: Sack Brothers will start the series as a firm favourites which also builds pressure on their side. How can they handle the situation if Tic Tac Toes can take the lead in the series or stretch it all the way to the game seven? Prediction: Sack Brothers have been convincing from the very start of the season to the first playoff round. Tic Tac Toes will give them a worthy opponent but the quality on the attack will win the series to Sack Brothers 4-1. EBR eSports Official (2) vs Old Farts (21) EBR eSports Official had a really good regular season where they won group 2 with an eight point difference to second placed Ducktales BK. They had no major problems in the first playoff round series against DIKTATUURI (31) that ended 4-1 to EBR eSports Officials favour. EBR likes to keep the puck possession but also shoot a lot which brings variation to their way of play. It may become important now when they are facing a different playstyle compared to their opposition in the first round. The teams point leader, right winger @Keuschemisch took a big role in the regular season and also helped his team with eight goals in five games in the first round of playoffs. Their opponents Old Farts represents one of the most physical teams in the playoffs this season. They had the second most hits of the teams that started the playoffs and especially team captain @Ankkalasvegas has been active in laying the body, which has also led him taking lots of penalties. In the first playoff round, Old Farts convincingly beat Saucer Hockey (12) with a sweep and especially new signing, right winger @farssine stood out for his team by scoring 8 of 14 goals that Old Farts netted against Saucer Hockey. Key points to follow: Physical gamestyle against puck possession: Can Old Farts mess their opponents gameplan up with their aggressive approach and will EBR eSports Official be able to use this to their advantage especially if they get a lot of time on powerplay? Threat from the right wing: Both teams have the best scoring potential on their right wing. Which team can defend it better and which can overcome the situation. Both teams have also been swapping their left winger so the key to success could be to find the right player to the left side that can score when the right side is jammed. Line-up choices: Both teams have quality players also in the reserves so it’s interesting to see which line-ups will be chosen if the change is needed. Prediction: Even though EBR eSports Official had a great regular season and first round of the playoffs, Old Farts will give them a real challenge. Two very different kind of gamestyles will result the series going all the way to a game seven where eventually EBR eSports Official will end the series to their favour 4-3. HV71 eSHL (3) vs The UnderRated (19) HV71 eSHL had a tough first playoff round against Speedy Bros (30) where three of the five games went to overtime. However HV71 eSHL managed to win the series 4-1 and continues their good form. The key aspect in HV71 eSHL's gamestyle is their excellent team defence. Only 35 goals in 30 games were scored against HV71 eSHL in the regular season and it’s also notable that the goalies @IsakTuvesson (Akoniaia) and @Waern26 (Waernn_) are sharing the playing time and they both have been in excellent form throughout the season. Experienced captain @Demski13 has been controlling the game at his center position and plays the key role in his teams success. HV71 eSHL will play against The UnderRated who won Suomen Sonnit (14) in the first round of the playoffs by 4-2. In the first round there were moments when The UnderRated had everything in control. The team likes to keep the puck in the offensive zone and challenge defenders one on one and passing for the perfect scoring position. Especially right winger @Psych0 wants to stay in control and draw the defenders toward himself, creating space for his teammates. Key points to follow: HV71 eSHL defence: Can The UnderRated find the way to break through the best defensive team in the division. Could the more direct way of play be the key to success or will the team trust their own strengths. Captains: Both captains @Demski13and @Psych0 are hungry for success. They also play a key role for their teams so the eyes of the viewers and defenders should be on these guys. Both are also excellent in creating the game so marking only them won’t be enough. Powerplay: The UnderRated had really poor powerplay in the regular season (5,17 PP%) compared to HV71 eSHL (28,57 PP%). Both teams are really good at penalty killing but it’s going to be really important to use the advantage of the powerplay in the series that isn’t expected to involve lots of goals. Prediction: At certain moments The UnderRated can play really attractive hockey with puck moving and personal skills but against a team like HV71 eSHL they should be playing that game from the puck drop to the buzzer. HV71 eSHL's teamplay is the best in the division and I can’t see The UnderRated outplaying them. HV71 eSHL will win the series 4-2 Powerhouse Hockey (4) vs GENESIS (18) Wow, what a matchup already at this stage! Powerhouse won a tough group 1 and managed to put impressive team stats on the table after the regular season. Watching back to their results it’s fair to say that the only losses Powerhouse hockey faced came from the games in which they were clear favourites to win so when the focus is 100% in the game this team can go all the way to the end. In the first round of the playoffs Powerhouse hockey beat Empire (29) in tight a series 4-2. There isn’t any clear individuals that plays the major role in teams success. Powerhouse hockey have players for every slot who can score and create scoring opportunities for their teammates. They will face one of the title favourites in GENESIS, who had a decent regular season in tough group 4 finishing fifth and in the first round of the playoffs they didn’t have much trouble beating Infamous (15) with a score of 4-1. GENESIS also prefers attacking hockey so this could become one of the most entertaining playoff pairs in this round. Left winger @meicci had great regular season with 91 points in 30 games but the teams best goal scorer comes from the center of the field. @Wpaanane scored 41 goals in the regular season and 9 goals in the first round of the playoffs. This is something to keep in mind especially for Powerhouse hockey centerman @Patrick Kane (I_Kauppinen_I). Key points to follow: The odds are even: There isn’t a favourite to win this pair. GENESIS is probably disappointed from their regular season result while Powerhouse hockey had an amazing regular season. GENESIS is determined to prove their true worth while Powerhouse hockey is playing with high confidence. Pressure: GENESIS were clearly disappointed that they weren’t picked from the Pro applications to play in ECL 10 Pro. It means they are now expected to prove a point and play their way up which could build some pressure for players to succeed. Powerplay hockey wasn’t expected to be as tremendous as they have been in this season but now they are also seen as title contenders and no one dares to underestimate them anymore. This new situation could build some pressure for them as well. Discipline on defence: Both teams loves to attack, score goals and challenge for one on ones. The winner of the series is going to be the team that is able to sacrifice some of the attacking force to play smart at the defence. Prediction: As said, there isn’t a clear favourite to win this pair. The seeding won’t tell the truth of the difference between these teams. Powerhouse Hockey has had an amazing season so far but I believe that GENESIS will be the team that is ready to adjust their gamestyle to a more defensive minded approach, which will end the series to GENESIS with the score 2-4. Angry Cats (5) vs HC SKULL TOWN (16) The Angry Cats attacking trio is on fire. They all scored over 100 points in 30 games and Angry Cats were the most effective team to bury the puck in the net in the regular season. It seems to be impossible to win this team in a pure goalscoring competition especially when the goalkeeper @Giinis is having a season to remember between the pipes. Angry Cats faced Nordic Nosebleed (28) in the first round of the playoffs where they had some challenging times finding the way to score against a disciplined defence but in the end they won the series 4-1. HC SKULL TOWN had an OK regular season finishing fourth in group 3. However they had an amazing first round of the playoffs where they beat SOPPAJENGI (17) with series 4-1. Captain @JesseL2002 who played the key role in last seasons Kouvola Screaming Eagles has been excellent this season as well. Victory over a strong SOPPAJENGI proves that HC SKULL TOWN is ready to challenge any team that comes their way. Key points to follow: Angry Cats demolishing crew: Wingers @Korkokokorko and @juusto18 score goals and crush their opponents while center @Lowryy keeps feeding them with clever passes and helping on defence. HC SKULL TOWN has to find a way to disturb this trio. Dangerous underdogs: Angry Cats will start the series as favourites but HC SKULL TOWN proved in the first round that they can’t be underestimated. This won’t be only a defensive battle for HC SKULL TOWN since they have the skill to finish their attacks in goals so Angry Cats has to be ready to face some lethal counter-attacks. Powerplay: Angry Cats were the best team on powerplay in the regular season with the amazing 42,11 PP%. HC SKULL TOWN will not win this series if they take too many penalties for sure. On the other hand, Angry Cats' aggressive style of play can often give the powerplay opportunities to HC SKULL TOWN and the team that can make most of their chances will win these games. Prediction: HC SKULL TOWN did a great job in the first round of the playoffs but I can’t see them winning Angry Cats who have been excellent in the attacking zone. However, if HC SKULL TOWN is ready to play like Nordic Nosebleed did: Defense first, there is a chance for another surprise. I still believe that the quality in attack will end the series 4-2 in Angry Cats' favour. Hokurit (6) vs Horror Hockey (13) Hokurit had a tough challenge already in the first round of the playoffs when they faced NOVA (27) in an extremely tight series that eventually ended in a Hokurit victory 4-1. @Nagyttaja (Nukuttaja-) who scored an incredible 57 goals in the regular season continues his good form and played the key role in their victory over NOVA. Also hats off to @Somerjoki for having a 90,16 save percentage after 5 games that surely helped his team to end the series at such an early stage. Hokurit proved already during last season that playoff hockey suits them very well and whoever they are facing will have to give their all to beat this team. Their opponent Horror Hockey wrote the most beautiful story of this season so far when they made an epic comeback from 3-1 to 3-4 in their series against Storhamar IL Esport (20). This tells something about the mentality of this team. Horror Hockey had tough season in ECL 9 Pro that ended in relegation but unlike some might do, they didn’t give up. Both of these teams rely on seamless teamwork so there isn’t expected to be lots of goals scored in both ends of the ice. Key points to follow: Overcoming the disappointment: Both teams wants to leave last seasons disappointment behind by taking the next step closer to Pro promotion and the team that is going to win this pair will definitely be one of the favourite candidates to do so. Teamplay: Both teams have individuals that can score when the spots open up, but the strength comes from the team effort for both clubs. It’s pretty clear that for example sniper @Nagyttaja won’t get as much free space in the offensive zone as he was used to have in the regular season and to keep scoring he is going to need help from his teammates. Goalies: The margins are going to be extremely tight when two excellent ‘’team first’’ minded clubs will go head to head. There won’t be many scoring opportunities in either end and when the time comes, goalkeepers will lead the show. Hokurit have chosen to play only one keeper @Somerjoki, while Horror Hockey uses two goalies @eissi83 and @poliskontroll. Whoever is going to be between the pipes has to be at their best in every game. Prediction: This series is going to be extremely tight to the very end. It almost feels like I have to flip a coin to give you the answer. Both teams are ‘’playoff ready’’ and good enough to earn the Pro promotion this season and challenge for the cup as well. However I’m so impressed with Horror Hockey’s comeback in the first round that I believe it will boost them to win the series in fourth overtime of game seven, 3-4. Ducktales BK (7) vs ECDC Memmingen eSports (11) Ducktales BK had a good regular season where they finished second in group 2. Their star on attack is experienced center @cHIIMEERa, who also played a big role for his team in the first round of the playoffs where they beat Remparts de Tours Esports (26) with a series score of 4-2. The team had a difficult start to the season but they have been able to improve game after game which is of course important in long tournaments. Even though their last game against Remparts de Tours Esports ended in a crushing 7-1 win, it catches the eye that most of their games this season have ended with small numbers which tells that the team is either protecting the lead for the win or having a bit struggle finding the net. Ducktales BK is facing ECDC Memmingen eSports who were in the third spot of group 3 after the regular season. In the first round of the playoffs they faced Fysical (22) and after tight games, they were able to win the series 4-2. Left winger @Wowa_1995 (Waldinho_95) has found a great form and helped his team also in the first round of the playoffs with 8 goals in 6 games. Key points to follow: Defensive strength: Both teams have really efficient defenders in their lineup. Especially former Synergy Hockey defender @J-Foppain Ducktales BK and @Toneee9in ECDC Memmingen eSports are worthy keeping an eye on during the games. They both can play very well both ways and have a key role building offence for their teams. Powerplay: ECDC Memmingen eSports have been a good powerplay team this season with 35 PP% compared to Ducktales BK 20 PP%. Ducktales BK isn’t known for taking lots of penalties but when the chance comes, ECDC Memmingen eSports have the quality to bury it. I believe this series is going to be a low scoring one as well so every opportunity counts. Fighting spirit: Ducktales BK have many players that have played Elite/Pro division at some point of their career and are now maybe having a cooldown/restart for their playing while ECDC Memmingen eSports is a relatively new organisation in the scene that is hungry for success and this could be the decisive difference at the end. Prediction: Ducktales BK have some great individuals in their lineup, but I believe ECDC Memmingen eSports wants to win more than their opponents. Even if I was wrong with the mental analysis, the series is going to be extremely tight and low scoring anyway. In the end ECDC Memmingen eSports will turn the series to their favour and eventually win 2-4. Sjukstugan (9) vs HUIPPUPASSI (10) The legendary Sjukstugan is making a comeback to the virtual rink and the regular season went really well for them as they finished third in group 4 and eventually had no problems winning TanssiiTuhtienKansa in the first round of the playoffs with a score of 4-1. The work order in the team is pretty clear: Captain @Bjono feeds the wingers @Lamsa and @Martin Johansson (mitchx99) as they shoot the puck to the net with great accuracy. Sjukstugan will face HUIPPUPASSI, who had a really difficult start for the season but finally found their own level and ended the regular season in the third place of group 2. In the first round of playoffs, HUIPPUPASSI continued their good from by beating Gernoble BDL Esport (23) a sweep. One player that has been excellent this season for HUIPPUPASSI is young defender @viba2008, who scored most points out of all defensemen in the regular season and had a really strong start to the playoffs as well. There is a great amount of individual talent in this pair and this series is expected to be really entertaining. Brave attacking ice hockey both ways and lots of goals. Key points to follow: Offensive battle: Both teams want to attack and place a high forecheck. This could open up the game to counter-attacks and it definitely doesn’t make playing for the goalkeeper any easier. I predict that there will be lots of goals in this series and the team that manages to win the goal scoring race will win the series (obviously). Talented individuals: There is lots of Elite experience on ice for Sjukstugan, who can make impressive plays with the puck from time to time. Even though HUIPPUPASSI doesn’t have the same experience in their lineup, but every one of their players are capable to match the skills of Sjukstugan on a good day. Lots of one on ones, great passes and faceoff set plays will be expected in this encounter. Goalies: because of the reasons explained above, goaltenders will play a big part for both teams in this series. No easy shots are expected and lots of nasty wrap-around attempts will be made for sure. Keepers need to use all of their tools to catch every possible puck they can. Both goalkeepers were good in the first round but now the challenge is way harder. Prediction: These teams have very similar way of playing this game and I’m pretty sure this series will be really fun to watch. There won’t be many overtimes and many goals will be scored. In the end I believe that the experience of Sjukstugan will lead them to victory and the series will end 4-2 Well, there you go! Hopefully you enjoyed this extensive breakdown of the Lite round 2 playoffs. The train chugs on and teams are dropping in numbers, soon we're down to the last few and the stakes start rising. Follow the teams on social media for info about the games! As always, have fun - play hard!

NHLGamers, We've come a long way from where we began, as we started out with 16 teams at the same line, all with one goal in mind - hoisting the trophy and cashing in to cap off the historical ECL 10 Elite season. Now, obviously things don't always go as planned and I'll be the first to attest the truth of that statement. Some stories didn't go as planned, but to those teams we say thank you for a good fight and we truly hope to see each and every one of those back in the competition as soon as possible. To the eight fiercest competitors who have come all this way - now the real fight begins. It is time to see who will perform under pressure. Here are the matchups for the ECL 10 Elite quarterfinals: (1) JYP Jyvaskyla vs Farjestad BK (8) RECORD 26-2-2 vs 13-14-3 TOP SCORER Antti @tbnantti Kuittinen (32+37=69) vs Christoffer @I-Maise-I Berntsson (12+38=50=42) GOALTENDER Oskari @sibeelius Grönroos (26 W, 85,86 SV%, 1,43 GAA, 8 SO) vs Johan @Rundqviiist Rundqvist (13 W, 75,44 SV%, 3,27 GAA, 1 SO) I'm doubting it can be called a surprise that JYP eventually secured the number one seed with how dominant they looked from time to time. The former Symphony squad had a massive deviation from their normal form in ECL 9 as they nearly missed out on postseason action, but managed to sneak in and eventually lost in the quarterfinals. Having recruited defensive superstars Aaro @xDoumi Ruuhinen and Ilmari @iilmarii Töyrylä, offensive force Kristian @kriketski17 Veijola, and capping that off with a backstop the caliber of Oskari @sibeelius Grönroos the black and red look more powerful than ever and are certainly sending a storm surge the way of Farjestad BK ahead of their clash. Much alike JYP, Farjestad also had a rather comprehensive makeover before the ongoing ECL season, the team acquired two new wingers, overhauled their defense and also brought in a goaltender. New faces Sebastian @eBasstian Nagel, Andreas @affelj96 Ljungberg, Harri @Totalii Joona and Johan @Rundqviiist Rundqvist have all fared well so far into the season, but JYP and their smothering physical play can be a difficult beast to overcome for the hard striking offense and quick-footed wingers of FBK. (2) Linkoping HC vs Roots (7) RECORD 26-3-1 vs 15-10-5 TOP SCORER Paul @PleeMaker Arontie (58+35=93) vs Timi @Rimpe Rimpeläinen (22+22=44) GOALTENDER Casper @ICappeI Lundgren (26 W, 80,67 SV%, 1,53 GAA, 5 SO) vs Joonas @swagx88 Kuossari (15 W, 81,73 SV%, 2,4 GAA, 2 SO) "At NHLGamer, we're all about setting records..", yes, that's something we wrote in our first ever tweet about the 10th iteration of the ECL. It seems that Paul @PleeMaker Arontie didn't just rest on his laurels, but took this as literally as can be and put up a record-setting goal total of 58 notches in 30 games. Scoring nearly two goals per game as an individual at the highest level of competition is entirely unheard of, but this is where we've come and boy, are we happy to be on that ride! Let's not forget that the reigning champions have a roster full of other superstars too and that will cause trouble for Roots in a best-of-7 series. The fresh organisation hailing out of Kerava, Finland will have their work cut out for them in when taking the ice against one of the most successful teams in ECL history. Roots made a trademark out of keeping scores low, which was a recipe that worked out for them for long stretches of the season. A majority of Roots games were one goal battles and if they can keep that same trend going against LHC, they could very well be able to steal some wins. (3) HAVU Gaming vs BRAYCE Phantoms (6) RECORD 26-3-1 vs 17-11-2 TOP SCORER Tuukka @FlyerKungen Kuha (29+44=73) vs Simon @PlaymakerSJ Junker (19+31=50) GOALTENDER Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen (26 W, 83,26 SV%, 1,33 GAA, 7 SO) vs Patrick @RPH_31 Braun (17 W, 75,79 SV%, 2,18 GAA, 6 SO) The clash between HAVU Gaming and BRAYCE Phantoms is not only a battle of the 3rd seed and the 6th seed of ECL 10 Elite. It is also a battle of nations, with the full roster of HAVU hailing from Finland while BRAYCE is flying the German flag high. Furthermore, it is a clash between two different styles of play. Both squads enjoy keeping the puck within the team but whereas HAVU prefers keeping it in the offensive zone, BRAYCE is just as happy patrolling the neutral zone – patiently waiting for the correct spot to send in main offensive threat Simon @PlaymakerSJ Junker with the puck through the center lane. Both teams have championship experience. BRAYCE has brought home the German championship on four separate occasions (GCL 2-5) and stand as the reigning champions of that tournament. HAVU has collected three separate titles (ECL 8, eSM 2019 & IS Cup 4 – four titles including Spring League) in the span of about a year, with the same six players on the ice for each one. Captain Tuukka @FlyerKungen Kuha usually finds a way to motivate his players for the big games. And it does not get any bigger than the Elite playoffs. Expect HAVU to come out firing right away in Game 1. (4) hREDS vs Unlucky Boys HC (5) RECORD 19-9-2 vs 17-10-3 TOP SCORER Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen (25+45=70) vs Antti @Anhel Kuru (23+21=44) GOALTENDER Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen (11 W, 75,6 SV%, 2,28 GAA, 2 SO) vs Ville @Viltzup Poutiainen (10 W, 84,48 SV%, 1,93 GAA, 2 SO) Prior to the season a top four was predicted in many sources and the turnout was exactly as expected, probably just not in the order as expected. The big bad red is one of the stronger teams in the league but from looking at the regular season, there still is a gap between them and the top three that set themselves apart with a quite clear 13-point margin. Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen continues on the path to stardom that he started last season in the now defunct Butterfly Effect. 70 points in total matches his last season totals and earns him a 4th place finish in the scoring race. Unlucky Boys HC is stepping up against the hREDS skilled offense in this battle. UB had very fittingly an incredibly tough start of the season and their first ten games yielded only two wins. It took some time to fins their stride, but the mid-season acquisition of goaltender Ville @Viltzup Poutiainen seems to have sparked the fire, that pushed UB to one of the hottest runs in the league to finish the season. How to watch? The games will be broadcasted at NHLGamer's Twitch-channel according to the schedule below: Monday, May 18th 20:00 CEST Series 1: Games 1-2 (puck drop around 20:15) (1) JYP Jyvaskyla vs Farjestad BK (8) 21:15 CEST Series 2: Games 1-2 (puck drop around 21:30 - but only after the above games are finished) (2) Linkoping HC vs Roots (7) Wednesday, May 20th 20:00 CEST Series 3: Games 3-4 (puck drop around 20:15) (4) hREDS vs Unlucky Boys HC (5) 21:15 CEST Series 4: Games 3-4 (puck drop around 21:30 - but only after the above games are finished) (3) HAVU Gaming vs BRAYCE Phantoms (6) Thursday, May 21st 20:00 CEST Series x: Games 5-7 (puck drop around 20:15)

NHLGamers, We're happy to tell you all that the wonderful Drew Goldfarb has joined the commentary team for NHLGamer and will continue calling play-by-play for both the NACL and the ECL. You've already got a taste of what he is capable of but now we're hoping for a longer term partnership. Drew was kind enough to answer a few questions to help us learn more about him. Drew is a two-time EMMY-nominated sportscaster, and has been a sports fan his entire life. Goldfarb began covering sports professionally in 2007. A recipient of eight Associated Press Awards since 2010, 2015 EMMY Award nominee (NATAS Suncoast Chapter), winner of the 2018 WVBA Award for Best Sportscast, and 2019 EMMY Award nominee (NATAS Ohio Valley Chapter), he has earned recognition for his work covering sports at all levels throughout his career, including being highlighted by his alma mater, Florida State University, and by his high school during its 25th Anniversary celebration. Goldfarb has experience in reporting, anchoring, hosting, play-by-play and voiceover work. In addition, he holds a degree in Media Production from Florida State University (B.S., '10) and is highly-trained in both shooting and editing video for film, TV and news. Whether it's through work or on his own, Drew stays involved in the community, including serving as an official business sponsor of Hockey Saves, Inc. Photo credit: Jenny Leigh Congrats on being the first caster with NHL broadcasting experience to call an NHL 6v6 esports match! Did you watch any games before getting involved with NACL/NHLGamer? How was preparing for an esports match different from your other experiences. Drew: Thank you! It's an honor, and I'm happy to be a part of things! I did manage to tune in for a couple of broadcasts before I called my first game with the NACL and NHLGamer. I've definitely seen clips and videos of NHL esports games before, and I do watch a lot of game and esports streamers (on Twitch and the posted "highlights" on YouTube). Preparation started the same way for me – making a roster sheet for each team with names, numbers, stats and (if necessary) pronunciation guides. I'd say the two biggest differences for me in my prep work are the size of the rosters and the starting point. When I worked my first NHL game for FOX Sports Florida (Florida Panthers vs Pittsburgh Penguins, ironically), I had been a Panthers fan since the dawn of the franchise. That gave me a much deeper background and understanding of the history and context for every little thing a bit better than coming into a new league that I wasn't quite as familiar with (it's hard to compare anything to that, when I grew up having Florida Panthers season tickets). What are some major similarities or differences that you've found in calling virtual and traditional hockey? Are there any unique challenges that come with calling an esports match? The speed is very different, and the way the speed is different is very different. I've found that, with esports, much like the game clock, the game itself is played at a much quicker rate... almost like it's on 1.5x or 2x speed. Passes are thrown quicker, dekes and moves are performed quicker, and when one moment wraps up, the next moment arrives quicker (you don't see many non-OT situations in traditional hockey games where an odd-man rush has 3 passes, a shot, a huge save, and then immediately another odd-man rush the other way, two passes, a save, a rebound AND a goal in a matter of seconds). The biggest challenge, for me, is player identification. In traditional hockey, in addition to having a giant number on a player's back, things like stick choice, skating style, or certain equipment quirks are much more apparent from player to player. While certain things like a player not wearing a helmet or having super-bright skates do vary, they’re less clear watching a stream than being in an arena or at a rink. Also, when there are 12 player icon colors being used, the difference between brown, orange and yellow (center, left defenseman, right defenseman for the non-hosting team) can be tough to see. What were your expectations coming into your first cast (production, gameplay, co-casters, FUN)? I hope the fact that you returned to call more games for NHLGamer means we reached or even surpassed those expectations. My expectations were definitely met and then some. The graphics package, having an actual Producer/Director in voice chat with me during and between games and the amount of prep work put in for each broadcast by the NHLGamer team is incredible. I did have a blast, too, and while I knew it would be fun, it was definitely more fun than I expected. Are there any specific team(s) that you're looking forward to watching / calling in the future? I’m excited to get to see a good range of teams and styles. I like seeing variety in the teams that I see to see how many different approaches can be taken. Seeing different play types and strategies that teams develop based on their own unique build, strengths and weaknesses makes things especially interesting. I’m also a bit of a logo and uniform nut, so it’s great to see the variety in designs that teams create. After your experience calling action for the best North American and European teams, what do you think the future possibilities are for NHL 6v6 esports? I think it could really continue to grow. The prize pool being offered for the ECL Elite League is remarkable, and there’s no reason that NHL esports couldn’t get even bigger around the world. Besides your introduction (ripped from your own website), what are some other cool things we should know about you? (Ex. Word on the street is you're a wrestling fan) It is true that I’m a wrestling fan. I stopped watching for a number of years (basically high school and college), but I got back into it in early 2011 and haven’t looked back. For those curious, favorite wrestlers by era would be Bret Hart, Steve Austin, Jeff Hardy, and CM Punk (I’m counting him as the “current” era…his “pipebomb” promo is what got me back into wrestling for good). In addition to house shows, independent wrestling cards, a CMLL show in Mexico City, and WWE Raw and SmackDown episodes, I’ve attended two Royal Rumble PPVs (2006 and 2019) and went to WrestleMania 34 in New Orleans. I originally had tickets to AEW’s Double or Nothing in 2019, as well, but ended up not being able to go (still holding out some hope the 2020 edition might happen at some point here in Las Vegas). Hockey-wise, I’ve also attended two NHL Winter Classics (2010 in Boston and 2011 in Pittsburgh), three NHL Drafts (2001, 2014, 2015) and two NHL Scouting Combines (2014, 2015). I also scaled “The Torne” at the United States Military Academy alongside the 2014-15 Florida Panthers players during their preseason trip there. I was also hosting the pre- and post-game shows for the Panthers’ game that season against Washington when they set the NHL record for longest shootout, and the game against Toronto where both Panthers goalies got hurt, leading to the better understanding and implementation of the “Emergency Goalie” rule. That also led to me being able to say that I’ve made a glove save against Bill Lindsay on a shootout attempt AND that I stopped Hockey Hall of Famer Denis Potvin on a breakaway… a breakaway where he barreled into me, too. Thank you very much Drew and welcome to the NHL Esports community! Follow Drew in action together with Nick "F5Penguin" DiMeo tonight as the NACL Semifinals kick off! We're broadcasting games 1-3 between 6th Sense and BBB, starting 8:00 PM EST/2 AM CEST at www.twitch.tv/NHLGamer.

NHLGamers, While our recent articles gear towards the teams and more importantly, the players, it’s time we heard from the voices behind the mic, our very own broadcast crew. I asked Cody @Tougie24 Tougas, Paul @Cyn Anderson, and Nick @f5penguin DiMeo their thoughts on the recent growth of NHLGamer, the production level, and the 6v6 community in general. All 3 of these gentlemen can be found across our streams and broadcasts, and have made appearances in all levels of play, whether it be ECL, NACL, or the eSHL. << I think they're one of the leaders of innovation when it comes to bringing forth a level of quality in the content and in the gamesmanship, and you see that especially with the ECL and now the NACL breaking through. I only see big things in the future for them. >> Question: We’re entering the 10th season of the ECL, and the second season (of hopefully many) of the NACL. Just recently it was announced that there were a total of 196 teams signed up, a record-setting 15 000€ prize pool for ECL season 10, and new esports organizations such as JYP Jyvaskyla, SJ Gaming, hREDS, and KOVA Esports signing rosters for the upcoming campaign. What’s it been like to watch the site grow at such a rapid pace? @f5penguin: It's interesting to see the site grow at this pace that you mentioned. It's fun to watch the surge happen, especially with everything going on in the world currently. People are looking for an outlet and they're looking for a place to play and do something that is closest to sports while they are confined. I'm of the opinion that esports IS a sport and I've said that for a while, being a new sports and new media advocate. However, seeing a record 15,000€ prize pool, seeing actual hockey teams take on an esports team, and signing a roster for the partnership with the Swedish SHL (eSHL). These are huge, monumental things and I couldn't be more thrilled that NHLGamer is the one responsible for doing some of these things. I think they're one of the leaders of innovation when it comes to bringing forth a level of quality in the content and in the gamesmanship, and you see that especially with the ECL and now the NACL breaking through. I only see big things in the future for them. @Tougie24: It's been amazing. Nearly a year ago I was able to have a conversation with @Kenu (owner and founder of NHLGamer.com) while we were both in Vancouver over potentially doing commentary for NHLGamer. It's something I wanted to get into, seeing as Youtube and Twitch isn't exactly the end goal I have in mind. I'd also been having conversations with Cyn around the same time over our mutual interest in trying to branch out into commentary. He's been someone I've considered a friend for nearly as long as anyone in the Youtube community, and we'd decided pretty early on into those conversations that we were going to be a package deal. After talking with Kenu, I knew that NHLGamer was who I wanted to be affiliated with. The ambition, the vision, of where the competitive NHL scene could be lined up directly with myself and Cyn's. And just in the past year alone, the thought of "backing a winning horse" has come to mind. I already view that decision as a successful one. In the time since, we had our trial NACL run, which has turned into what this series has been, which I'd argue has been successful in turning heads in terms of what type of platform this league is looking to provide. Overseas, the ability to call games not just for the NACL but the eSHL was an honor. I get to see the same drive and ambition that won me over in the first place on display. The team we have all want the same thing. To help improve the footing of NHL esports. And just over this past year alone? No doubt in my mind that's been accomplished. And I can't wait to continue to see where it goes. << While myself and Tougie may be the ones on screen being the proverbial “faces” of each broadcast, what goes on behind the curtains during and days before is just as if not more important than what we bring. It’s really great to see others appreciating the hard work that goes into that side of production because we know first hand just how vital it is to our success. >> Question: A common comment when talking about NHLGamer, has been the level of production in the broadcasting during the featured games. While the ECL has been acclimated to this for a few seasons, the introduction of the NACL has brought in numerous positive comments about the level of detail to make the broadcast the best it can be. These things are also mentioned talking about the casting crew and the level of professionalism yourself and others bring to the table. How do these comments contribute to your current and future broadcasts? @Cyn: That sort of positive reinforcement is quite inspiring to hear. I think we feed off of viewer feedback as a collective group. We all hold ourselves to the highest of standards and anything less than greatness leaves us feeling unfulfilled. It is one of the best rewards of this job to hear that your effort and passion is being appreciated, and that goes for internal feedback as well. We appreciate and value all those involved so much and it’s clear to us that everyone plays a huge part in making each broadcast a success. It all needs to click to look as good as it can. And while myself and Tougie may be the ones on screen being the proverbial “faces” of each broadcast, what goes on behind the curtains during and days before is just as if not more important than what we bring. It’s really great to see others appreciating the hard work that goes into that side of production because we know first hand just how vital it is to our success. @f5penguin: These comments to me I love. You may not know, but I have been broadcasting for 10 years in new media, so strictly online streaming, podcasting, etc. I've been a tech journalist for a long time, and I've been calling esports games for three or four years for other leagues as well. So when I see everybody love what we do, part of me is elated here that definitely without question. I love that people are enjoying the product that we're giving them, but also, part of me knows that this is what we could do. This is what happens when you bring talented people together and give them the ability to create. When you find the talent, you should work insanely hard to grow it, keep it maintained, do everything you can to give them a chance to shine. And I think NHLGamer does a fantastic job that I'm able to have free reign. I'm not told what to say, I feel like I'm not given a very finite script, and I'm able to create freely. Working alongside Drew Goldfarb has been a blessing, I'm learning so much from him and that's amazing. If you haven't seen an ECL broadcast before, here's the latest one from tonight: Question: With the cancelling of numerous sporting events across the world, we’ve seen professional sports teams and leagues shift towards simulating their respective sports to give their fans something to watch during this period of uncertainty. While it’s massive progress to have these organizations acknowledging the presence of esports, especially sports games like NHL 20, can you give your best sales pitch on what they are missing simulating games with the AI, rather than contributing to the 6v6 EASHL community? @Cyn: They are missing perhaps the most important element of entering an online market; timing. I believe they are still sort of trivializing esports, especially NHL which is just beginning to blossom, and haven't done a whole lot of market research on esports and their growth patterns. Otherwise, every single professional team would be scrambling to create their own division devoted solely to esports. The signs are everywhere. Gamers being signed to contracts with streaming platforms, countless tournaments being held both online and on LAN, and legitimate successful and thriving business models devoted to esports. I guess my pitch would be this: You have in front of you a unique opportunity to evolve with the times and cast yourself into an historical undertaking. If you don't get in on the action now, someone else will. Refusing to take the leap with the information we have on hand makes you a dinosaur. This is quite literally a can't miss investment opportunity. @Tougie24: First, from a general standpoint. It's probably somewhat cliché to say, but hockey is a team sport. The individual game is fine, it can be entertaining. From an advertising stand point, it's probably easier to focus on an individual and their personality. But it's simply mind boggling to me that we haven't seen more professional teams step up to support the team game over the individual. That's for both NHL and FIFA for that matter. Now in terms of teams currently presenting AI gameplay? It's a bit more understandable with how unexpected of a situation we're all living in happens to be. But perhaps this look towards the video game side of things for content opens some eyes to the product that's already there, and the opportunities that are there for the taking. << It doesn't matter what your role is, no matter how big or how small your contribution, everyone needs to work together to push this thing forward. >> Question: NHL 20 has seen an explosion of new tournaments, and overall impressive progress to the esports scene, whether it be more teams stepping into 1v1 tournaments, and more relevant to the 6v6 scene; the Caps Gaming Showcase in North America, and the eSHL featured in Europe. These 2 leagues not only broke down barriers in the community, brought new sponsorship opportunities, more legitimacy to the NHL esports community, but most importantly, more viewers and demographics to the community itself. What do you think are the next steps for the NHL community as a whole, but also the 6v6 community in terms of building off the growth and success of these prestigious tournaments? @Cyn: I think the next step to take is to continue to increase production value on the online formats to show that this is a sustainable model for success. We have to capitalize and continue to build on the momentum we as a community have right now and that means content, content, content. I think NHLGamer in particular is doing this exceedingly well. The more interest we generate, the more professional organizations and larger sponsors will have to take notice which will lead to further legitimacy and funding. With that, we can have even more LAN events which are always seen as the coup de grace for each season or tournament. We’re also going to need to work closely with EA to program in features that cater more to 6s esports in particular. The biggest of which would be an observer client and improved servers. Basically, everyone involved needs to be ready to put more skin in the game if we want this to keep exploding and not stagnate. @Tougie24: More important than the destination for competitive sixes is how we get there. Everyone wants more high profile LAN events, larger prize pools, etc. But we're not going to get there unless the community works together as a whole. It doesn't matter who you are, what your role is, what league you're in, etc. Do your part. Whether that's just maintaining a good public image, sharing and promoting stuff on social media, or helping with the production of the league you're in. It all adds up and pushes us forward as a group. Something as simple as sending in a picture to make the presentation look that much more appealing goes a long way. Like I said, it doesn't matter what your role is, no matter how big or how small your contribution, everyone needs to work together to push this thing forward. @f5penguin: First and foremost, we need more buy-in from NHL, the game, the sport, and we need more buy-in from the sponsors. You look at leagues like NBA 2K, and there's a real life crossover happening that is not happening at the scale that it needs to happen here. I think organizations are taking the safe approach by doing 1v1 tournaments, or by bringing it one player to play with a streamer that runs the stream and that's the right move. I think we need a spectator mode. We need the ability to not allow people to skip and press “A” We need better camera angles. We need a replay functionality. We need belief in the system and it's the chicken before the egg. There's no true proven ROI for NHL. It's the fourth major sport in the United States, so I totally understand the reason it's not there yet. Some teams are taking risks, and it's a catch 22, but somebody has to start doing it. Thankfully, we have amazing organizations like the Washington Capitals doing the Caps Gaming Showcase, which is unprecedented, and we wouldn't have seen that had it not been for some of the things that happened last year to bring it to fruition. But we need it on a bigger scale. We need everybody to buy in and do it, and we know we're seeing inklings of 1v1 here and there. Maybe a little bit of threes, but we need 6’s. Every NHL teams should have a 6v6 team, I stand by that. Maybe not locally, maybe they go and fetch people from around the countries. But they need something, and there has to be a reason to watch it and you can air games during intermissions and you can build hype around the teams. You can have him come to the games, there's so many ways to bring this here. Esports is gonna be a $7 billion industry by the end of next year. Why would you not want to be a part of that?