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NHLGamers, If you missed the first part of our ECL 11 Elite Preview, check it out here! The battle for the last playoff spots is often ruthless and like we've seen over the past couple of seasons the difference lies in the smallest details. In ECL 10 we saw an entire 5-team squad within the margin of a point at the finish line whereas the season before was almost equally as tight. It speaks volumes about the toughness of the league when that is the case season in and season out at the ECL Elite level. Now, getting stuck in no-man's land can be a bittersweet sensation. On one hand, you might be a team narrowly escaping relegation and whereas that can't be considered a successful campaign by any means, after 30 games played that is probably a position true to your level of play. Then again on the other hand, this no-man's land also holds those teams that find themselves left hanging, just short of the postseason and that's when it can really sting especially if you're out by the strand of a hair. Extending your season into playoff action from the bottom half seeds (5-8.) in ECL Elite has been difficult lately. It almost certainly means you'll be going up against either one of the juggernauts HAVU Gaming or FILADELPHIA, who haven't lost too many playoff series as of late. If you're not facing them, you'll be thrown into action with another team equally capable of dismantling just about any squad in the business. However, we've seen the odd exception of slight underdogs creeping through in recent history, such as Lulea Hockey (5) overcoming Roots (4) in the ECL 9 Elite quarterfinals and who could forget the major upset of last season when Farjestad BK (8) destroyed heavy favorite JYP Jyvaskyla (1). These stories among others go to show that despite there being a long road ahead and some obstacles along the way, the challenge is never too tough and in all reality just about anyone could walk away with that title in the end. ***** 5. JYP Jyvaskyla (ECL 10 Elite: 1st - Quarterfinals) JYP Jyvaskyla have experienced massive changes in comparison to their bronze-winning lineup from FCL. Gone are three of the teams six starters; goaltender Oskari @sibeelius Grönroos who transferred to HAVU, left defender Markus @Makeaxl Lahti who is trying his luck with Enigma and Kristian @kriketski17 Veijola who will be plying his trade for GOONS. Replacing the trio are Elite rookies Teemu @ITemeI Laukkanen (G) and Valtteri @Vattu__ Virtanen (LW), with Aaro @xDoumi Ruuhinen (LD) returning to active duty for the first time since ECL 10 after a period of internal conflict with the team. With a peace treaty signed, Doumi once again takes his place to the left of Ilmari @iilmarii Töyrylä – re-uniting what is arguably the most high-risk, high-reward defensive pairing in the Elite division. Even with one of the team’s new players being a familiar one, having a roster turnover of 50% in relatively close proximity to the season starting is hardly ideal. JYP will certainly go all-out to prove themselves in the coming weeks but with multiple significant pieces in the team machinery replaced, its only natural to wonder if JYP could have difficulties achieving a top-4 spot this time around. Player to watch: Valtteri @Vattu__ Virtanen The young star has made a name for himself in the community and his quick ascent to stardom hasn't gone unnoticed. After a good campaign with Tunnel Vision in ECL 10's Pro division, now is the first time @Vattu__ truly finds himself in competition with the big boys. In a team like JYP, the backup is certainly there and with experienced players such as Antti @tbnantti Kuittinen and Santeri @indi969 Pendolin by his side, this one could prove to be a career season for him. 6. YMCA Esports (ECL 10 Elite: 5th - Quarterfinals) The former Unlucky Boys HC have had a couple of good runs in their past few tournaments, but haven't been able to get over the hump and as a result has ended up on the outside looking in on several occasions. Their biggest problem has been quite apparent as of late - staying composed until the final whistle in crucial moments. We all remember the heartbreaking events in their game 7 quarterfinal against hREDS in ECL 10, when YMCA held the lead while gaining an offensive zone faceoff with 30 seconds on the clock. The rest is history, but a crash course of it would tell that YMCA's campaign ended in that game. Having lost arguably their most important player in Antti @Anhel_Kuru Kuru to the Finnish Defence Forces, the team will need to scramble and have added Aleksi @MozjaTG Kähkönen to take the winger role while Tim @Timasy Hess will be playing center. One would think that these moves weaken the squad - at least until they can find their flow. Player to watch: Tim @Timasy Hess Some say he is the best German player in the game. Seeing him join the former Unlucky Boys HC a while back was a shock to the scene and surely to his former teammates too, but the fact is that it's been a successful road for @Timasy so far. It is rumoured that he will be taking on the center role in the captains absence so it'll be interesting to see how he adjusts to the new position. 7. KOVA Esports (ECL 10 Elite: 10th) KOVA Esports has seen by far more player turnover throughout the past few seasons than any other team in the league. There's no telling what the reason is but it's clear as day that captain Kimi @Zip player Nordberg does not hesitate to pull the trigger if something feels off in the squad. Going into ECL 11 the team is sporting a strong looking lineup with old-timer Hannu @hooneli Markkula making a return after years away from the game. He will be flanked by the captain on the left and comeback kid Valeri @Valluxet Reihel on the right. Defensively the team has added Saku @Sakkem Saaranluoma, who takes a leap of faith moving away from GHETTO FIREBIRDS (now Conquer Gaming), where he earned his stripes. Player to watch: Hannu @hooneli Markkula @hooneli makes a long awaited return to ECL action after taking his last strides on the competitive ice back in ECL 5 when playing for SJK eSports. In ECL 4, he hoisted the cup together with the same squad, then called Laser HT. It's not like the skill would fade away and big things should be expected from the new center of KOVA Esports - at least the man knows what it takes to win big games. If @hooneli can get going, he will be the decisive factor for KOVA. 8. Farjestad BK (ECL 10 Elite: 8th - Semifinals) Farjestads roster has seen some minor changes since their last outing in the SCL, turning the team into a fully Swedish ensemble which has been something of a trend among the top Swedish teams lately (also done by Vaxjo Lakers HC). The team has condensed their roster into three forwards, three defensemen and two goalies out of which the starting six should be quite clear any given night. Most notably, Hampus @l-Furyan-l Duvefelt and Anton @antoniomannen004 Svensander will be wearing the green jerseys moving forward, which will only emphasize FBK's quick counter-attack offense that has been so lethal for the past few months. Andreas @affelj96 Ljungberg is a staple of their play with his quick winger build and although people talk about stopping him, it rarely seems to work so well in reality after all. Player to watch: Anton @antoniomannen004 Svensander The former Vesa Pompa HC defenseman takes a step up the wing and joins the forward corps of Farjestad for some new winds in his career. The skill is certainly there but it isn't always easy transitioning from defense to offense - especially at the level we're talking about. 9. Northern Ascendancy (ECL 10 Elite: 14th) Having played the worst season in team history in ECL 10, Northern ascendancy led by Connor @MartindalexC Martindale is back looking for redemption and having put together an interesting ensemble in doing so. The rejuvenated Northern Ascendancy includes blasts from the past such as the Kinnunen brothers Juho @RutonMosse and Aleksi @ADETIKKI and even more interestingly former Written In The Stars winger Jake @Bugimir Jyväsjärvi. Naturally Ville @Supreex Korhonen is found in net and their success will certainly not depend on him not performing. There's talks about Northern Ascendancy employing a playing style rather reliant on counter attacking utilizing the offensive toolset that both of their wingers have. Both @RutonMosse and @ADETIKKI are some of the most creative players in the game but their defensive mentality can be questioned. Player to watch: Juho @RutonMosse Kinnunen He is one of the great talents in the game and has been for years already. @RutonMosse has all the tools to become a true legend but never seems to take the game seriously enough in order to get to the next level. On the ice, he is an artist and can either provide jaw-dropping plays or stay completely out of the picture for games on end. 10. Gotham Knights (ECL 10 Elite: 15th) This pick might surely (among others) raise some eyebrows since Gotham Knights seem to have put together a great roster to be honest. They've got lots of skill combined with experience, but that experience is quite largely limited to playing outside of the ECL Elite playoffs except for a few odd men who have seen those bright lights. It's also been proven on several occasions that having the most mechanically skilled guys out on the ice doesn't always translate to success. Gotham is one of the most long-lived ensembles in the scene and under the watchful eye of captain Joni @ReDMisTi Kaikkonen, the team has been through thick and thin. The team has been out of the Elite division and back again, only to be forced into yet another fight for their spot in a relegation battle to end ECL 10. Player to watch: Timi @Rimpe Rimpeläinen @Rimpe is a real juggernaut of the scene and has been seen with several ensembles throughout his years of play. He's seen some moderate success but surprisingly called it quits with Roots while pretty much at the peak of his career this past summer. Granted - a long tiresome road with Almost Famous followed by a disappointing first round exit in his first ECL Elite playoff showing since ECL 5 must wear on you. However, @Rimpe is now making an exciting return to play with his old friends in Gotham, this time as a defenseman, which is a new position for him. It'll be interesting to see whether his skill and IQ will translate well to jumpstarting breakouts and shutting down opposing scorers. ***** It feels like we say it every season and we probably will even in the future, but ECL 11 Elite should be one of the most exciting and wild rides in virtual hockey to date and you won't want to miss any of the action! We're kicking off the season already today with the first broadcast of the season at www.twitch.tv/NHLGamer starting 19:45 CET. Tune in for the action, we'll see you there!

Hey NHLGamers, For the start of ECL Season 11 we’ve put together a set of 16 wallpapers for the ECL Elite teams. Rep your favourite team by downloading the wallpaper and setting it as your phone Lock Screen! Without further ado, go grab yours!

NHLGamers, If you missed the previous parts of our preview, check them out here (part 1) or here (part 2). In any competitive environment, be it business, sports or other ventures, the goal is to ascend to the top. For some, that goal is to be achieved as quickly as possible whereas others prefer to take their time. As the old adage goes; “the journey is the award”. Regardless of your approach, the goal remains the same: climb upwards. Nowhere is this scramble to reach the top more evident than in mountaineering. When you are climbing mountains, you are literally pushing yourself to make it to the top. And, hopefully, back down again. The better you get at summiting mountains, the greater the challenge becomes. Should you reach the pinnacle of mountaineering – the so-called “eight-thousanders” – you are staring down the 14 tallest peaks on the planet, including Mt. Everest. And it is when you reach this level that you first come into contact with the inhospitable, ruthless environment known as “the death zone”. Dramatic as it sounds, the death zone is exactly what you think. It is the altitude-level of the mountain (8000+ meters) at which point oxygen levels become so low, your ability to breathe so hindered, that the cells in your body begin to die. The human body just cannot exist in such an environment for more than a brief period of time. Basically, the longer you stay in the death zone the more likely you are to succumb and die. At NHLGamer, the closest thing we have to a death zone is ECL Elite. And while the top 16 teams in Europe are thankfully not in danger of running out of oxygen any time soon, they know what it is like to spend time in an inhospitable environment. Because not only are your 15 opponents in Elite doing everything in their power to keep you from reaching the summit; each and every team below this “death zone” would like nothing more than to see you plummet from the top, taking your place in the process. Such are the conditions facing Black Horse, Farjestad BK, FILADELPHIA, GHETTO FIREBIRDS, Gotham Knights, HAVU Gaming, hREDS, JYP Jyvaskyla, KOVA Esports, Northern Ascendancy, Roots Gaming, SAWO ESPORTS, SJ Gaming, Team LEISURE, Vesa Pompa and YMCA Esports headed into ECL 11 Elite. And at the very top – the teams usually expected to be the first ones to plant their flag at the summit of this metaphorical Mt. Everest – we usually find the likes of FILADELPHIA, HAVU Gaming, JYP Jyvaskyla and hREDS. But remember, the longer you stay in the death zone the greater the danger becomes. And after multiple consecutive tournaments of being viewed as the best of the best in pre-season rankings, could there now be trouble brewing at the top? Or will we find the same teams prevailing? As late as FCL 2020, the last NHLGamer tournament to be played on the NHL 20 edition of EA SPORTS series of hockey games, these four teams made up the ‘top 4’. FILA defeated HAVU in the finals by a series score of 3-2, whereas JYP claimed the bronze by defeating hREDS 2-1. Since then, much has changed. 1. hREDS (ECL 10 Elite: 4th - Semifinals) hREDS is the team that has experienced the least amount of change as of late. In fact, the lineup of seven this Helsinki-based organization is fielding for ECL 11 is exactly the same as it was for FCL – minus a loan player or two. The hREDS roster is one of tremendous promise, a group that have stayed together for a long time and have put in the work in NHL 21 to be able to ascend from contenders to champions. Could this be the season where their roster consistency finally pays off? If so, it’ll happen through Joakim @Joukki Nyholm slamming one-timers from the left wing, Perttu @Beniittto Kemppainen weaving through traffic like a precision driver, Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen making opponents’ heads spin behind the net, Tuukka @Tuukka.R Röpelinen and Teemu @Xteemuz Polttila conjuring up a formidable second wave with Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen and Mika @FinKonna Paasikontu forming a wall. But first they need to get over the hump of the semi-finals – a roadblock that have put a stop to their title aspirations for the past couple tournaments. Player to watch: Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen This youngster came up a while ago and has just been getting better every season. The hREDS offense is arguably the most skilled in the entire division so you could rightfully pick just about anyone out of the tree to be their player to watch. But this time, the spotlight is on Nikke. While he might not always play with a razor-sharp focus when the opponent isn't up to snuff, as the going gets tough Nikke has a tendency to rise to the occasion and score the big goals. Will this be the season he truly solidifies himself as one of the best wingers in the game? 2. FILADELPHIA (ECL 10 Elite: 2nd - Finals) FILADELPHIA have gone through some changes since their FCL title, but those changes have mostly come outside the “core six” of Casper @ICappeI Lundgren, Joel @jtorro-_- Tourunen, Aleksi @loimmu Loimuvirta, Erik @Eki Tammenpää, Joonas @Patzlaf Paatiala and Paul @PleeMaker Arontie. The team’s utility players, successful Twitch streamer Joonas @SUPERVIRTA Virta and Swedish 1v1-specialist Sebastian @SebbeLarsen86 Larsen, both left the team in mutual agreement – Virta ending up with SAWO Esports and Sebbe returning “home” to Vesa Pompa HC. Instead, SCL silver medalist Jonas @poliskontroll Lindström was brought in to back up Cappe in net with Cappe taking on the role of utility forward outside of his netminding duties. On paper, FILA looks to have a good chance of claiming another title. Their starting lineup is, after all, unchanged. However, a somewhat unique question mark remains for FILA: can you truly be a digital multi-sport esports pro? PleeMaker already achieved “verified” status (winning 27+ games in Weekend League) in FIFA 20 and have done so in FIFA 21 as well. What is new is that ICappeI has managed to do the same in FIFA 21 – twice even. While NHL is surely still the primary focus for both these gifted console gamers, getting the verified badge in FIFA does not come without a significant amount of time and effort invested. Can FILA keep their eyes on the prize? Player to watch: Joel @jtorro-_- Tourunen We've all seen what Torro can do as he's been a dominant force for seasons on end already, but his SCL run in the Vesa Pompa jersey was something else and showed that there is an even higher ceiling for this guy. His calmness with the puck and the flow of his game is unparalleled. If it's one of "those" seasons, keep your eyes peeled for #40. 3. HAVU Gaming (ECL 10 Elite: 3rd - Champion) HAVU is another team that will see multiple players in their oh-so-successful starting lineup replaced. Or, well, in a way at least. Because while long-time left wing Ilmari @Buantso Lehkonen requested to be shifted from active roster to backup, the club chose to promote from within. Taking the reigns as starting LW will be former goaltender extraordinaire Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen. Now, for those who have been around the ECL scene for quite some time it is no surprise to see the gifted stickhandler and former 1v1 champion be the team’s choice for new LW. But it has been quite some time since Hansu last saw Elite action as a forward. ECL 6, to be precise. With Puantso being such a vital part of HAVU’s title collection, it certainly won’t be easy for the team to just “pick up where they left off” as if nothing happened. Not to mention, with Hansu now considered a forward – a new goaltender had to be found. Fortunately, HAVU were able to secure the services of long-time JYP wall Oskari @sibeelius Grönroos. Even so, this kind of roster turnover means you cannot automatically just pencil HAVU in as a finalist this coming season as you perhaps could in previous iterations of Elite. The new-look green and black will have their work cut out for them. Will they be able to fend off the competing sharks smelling blood in the water? Player to watch: Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen Despite having all the experience in the world and having proven his skill on multiple occasions, Hansu is stepping into an extremely difficult situation in replacing one of the most clutch players in the HAVU roster. There's no doubt HAVU's offensive trio will be highly effective, but could the x-factor be fading with the absence of Puantso on the left wing? 4. Roots Gaming (ECL 10 Elite: 7th - Quarterfinals) The Kerava-based organization is home to some very experienced gamers that have spent an extended period of time together. The main change that is seen compared to their ECL 10 campaign is wingers Timi @Rimpe Rimpeläinen and Jere @keranee Keränen being exchanged for a high-powered offensive motor in André @Foppatofflan Liljegren - a move that's been paying dividends all offseason long for Roots as their offensive game is looking sharper than ever. Despite a whole slew of naysayers and doubters, long-time captain Juhani @Tanski87 Tanskanen has become a defensive force in the division and elevated his offensive game in the process. Roots are now also running a tandem of two very capable goalies in Joonas @swagx88 Kuossari paired with Kasper @Kaz_zu Ramstedt and it'll be interesting to see which one will see the majority of ice time. At least on paper, Roots have made small but important improvements to their roster and there should be no doubt this squad is making the playoffs. How far they go is entirely up to them. Player to watch: André @Foppatofflan Liljegren One of the great playmakers of the game is making a return. After spending the majority of his career with Northern Ascendancy in various forms and making a short stint in Djurgarden Hockey in ECL 10, the magician is returning to top tier competition. @Foppatofflan likes to have the puck on his stick but also move it quickly and smartly. He is the definition of a player that makes his linemates better alongside him. ***** For the first time in quite some time, we have seen significant changes among the perceived top 4. For the first time in quite some time, the future does not appear to be quite as set in stone as it has been in previous tournaments. For the first time in quite some time, there could be trouble at the top. We're kicking off the season already today with the first broadcast of the season at www.twitch.tv/NHLGamer starting 19:45 CET. Tune in for the action, we'll see you there!

NHLGamers, The ECL Elite holds the very best teams in the business and there's no denying the prestige that all of these 16 teams hold. It's no easy feat making it to the top and it's even harder gaining that ultimate prize - the championship. When someone wins, others lose and that's the way it's always been in sports. In the end there are no win-win situations and in a 16-team division there will always be several teams that face disappointment when it's all said and done. It's just the way it has to be. Despite playing at the highest level and actively being considered one of the 16 best teams in Europe - why not even in the World, losing always stings and it feels the exact same regardless of the level of play. It wears on players and teams, eating away at their chances to succeed. Getting stuck in a losing mindset can be detrimental to a team and if that happens, the tide can be hard to turn. The fight is never over though, there will always be chances to bounce back and continue the fight. In this first part of our ECL 11 Elite season preview, we'll be going over six teams that we are expecting to be found towards the bottom of the table this upcoming season. These teams all have their place among the top 16, but various reasons lead us to believe that they would be having a tough time overcoming their opponents at a rate that would push them to see the more important games of the postseason. One of the combining factors for these teams outside of the fact that they are undoubtedly among the best in the business is that they might be among the group of teams that will be stuck in no-man's land or even worse - in the relegation zone. Being at the receiving end of several losses will effectively push down a team in the standings and finding yourself in the relegation zone is not a fun thing at all. While it is a chance for second breath as long as you avoid being dead last. It is unfortunately often the time when the core of a team is left to their own devices. What happens after a difficult season or how you deal with adversity is ultimately what defines you as a team. Being a part of this list is not a sentence, it is a challenge - game on! ***** 11. Vesa Pompa HC (ECL 10 Elite: 11th) Vesa Pompa HC has seen some great domestic success by being the back-to-back SCL champions and they've completed an impressive rise to the top in the ECL in that time span too. The Swedes made their first ECL Elite appearance last season and had a rather turbulent campaign at that. Vesa Pompa struggled mightily to start the season but after going 4-10-0 through the first half of their run, they recruited scoring legend Vili @Vilupoika Häkkinen to the rescue. ECL 11 sees the return of @Vilupoika and together with the skilled Henrik @Eken45jr Eklund and Jere @jergelii Jortama, the trio should pose a serious offensive threat at the top tier of ECL competition. Vesa Pompa HC went 9-5-2 to finish ECL 10 with @Vilupoika in their roster and should be able to continue on that same path. This season the competition is much harder though - will Vesa Pompa be able to improve along with the rest of the pack? Player to watch: Vili @Vilupoika Häkkinen Despite taking some time off, @Vilupoika proved that he still possesses the scoring touch that we saw back in his times with Butterfly Effect. Now reunited with good friend @jergelii, simply going through the motions should guarantee a solid amount of success, but if he wants to really battle for those playoff spots with Vesa Pompa, even a prolific scorer like him will have to step it up. 12. Team Leisure (ECL 10 Elite: 6th - Quarterfinals) The former Deadly Phantoms HC have been the proud torchbearers of the German NHL esports community for quite some time already and are already experienced players at the Elite level going into their fourth season with the big boys and seeing playoff action in each of their previous campaigns. They're a tough team to play for anyone as proven by their success so far, but there are clouds on the horizon. As usual, Team Leisure has seen limited action against other Elite teams due to their geographical location and the fact that one team would be at a disadvantage either way, but the server selection feature of NHL 21 will even out the score allowing Team Leisure to play their home games at the Central European server whereas away games will most likely be played at the North European server. It's not a matter of decreased skill in the ranks of Team Leisure - they're as strong as ever, but their opposition will be tougher this time, at least in 50% of the games this season. Player to watch: Simon @PlaymakerSJ Junker Having started his career with Team Leisure (then Deadly Phantoms), @PlaymakerSJ has consistently been one of the teams go-to guys when talking about generating offense, but the fact is that he is also a tremendously reliable player in his own end. Leisure is somewhat known for a disciplined style of play that evidently has been working for them. There's no room for slack when doing so and @PlaymakerSJ will be the last man to go easy on the opponent in that department. 13. SJ Gaming (ECL 10 Elite: 13th) Having escaped relegation after a 13th place finish in ECL 10 Elite, SJ Gaming might be finding themselves in a similar pickle to end this season again. The SJ Gaming of ECL 11 has been overhauled drastically, having renewed two forwards and a defenseman in their roster. As it seems currently, their defense will consist of captain Tero @Terodee Dahlström and Henri @Kusimaakari Raittinen, who steps down the flank from his more familiar forward position. Young talent Jiska @Jorma Näppä will be centering their dangerous offense but the question will ultimately be if they can hold up in their own end. We know for sure that these guys can score but alike last season, they have the occasional collapse defensively and letting in 5+ goals in your own net will not be sustainable if you're looking for success among the best in the business. It will be up to SJ Gaming as a unit to prove us wrong and instead of getting stuck in the relegation zone start improving on their performance from last season. Player to watch: Jiska @jorma2001 Näppä The youngster spent a total of four seasons playing at the top of the Pro division but somehow promotion always seemed to escape the teams he played for. After a short stint and some valuable experience in KOVA Esports, @jorma2001 is now ready to take on a leading role in the Elite division and will do so with ease. Playing alongside Jussi @JaKurrii Koivuniemi and Mikko @EABUNKA Kärkkäinen, the newest addition should be en route to a successful Elite debut season that will unfortunately be cut short if SJ Gaming makes the playoffs due to @jorma2001 heading into military service. 14. SAWO Esports (ECL 10 Elite: 9th) Formerly known as Checkmate, SAWO had a disgruntling start to their run in their crisp new black and yellow colors as they first dominated their group in the FCL, but faced a quick exit at the hands of rival Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa in the first round. Since then, the team has seen some changes mainly on the back end when letting Vesa @VesKuLiNe Voutilainen go in favor of signing Joonas @SUPERVIRTA Virta, who has a lot to prove this season going into his first ECL campaign ever in a starting role. SAWO as a whole will also need to rise up to the challenge this season, as they are going into their third run at the Elite level and have barely missed playoffs twice. The unfortunate thing this time is that their roster - at least on paper - looks weakened in comparison to ECL 10 and their recent competitive performances have clouded the sky for SAWO a bit. Player to watch: Saku @Mehukatti10 Serttilä @Mehukatti10 joined SAWO Esports goalie corps after spending most of his ECL career as a forward in various teams around the Lite and Pro region. As one of the teams newer members, he quickly found his groove in net and could be the one to steal the starting spot from his colleague Juuso @Juizki Nikkinen. Despite being green in net when it comes to ECL, this guy is not a newbie to the sticks at all and has nerves of steel. 15. Dark Horse (ECL 10 Pro Champion) Dark Horse managed to gain direct promotion through winning the ECL 10 Pro championship and rightfully deserves their spot among the very best teams in the scene. They've got a very experienced core of players that has been strengthened by the addition of Kristian @Krisutus Räsänen, who lead the team in scoring in the FCL and will be flanking the teams successful duo Markus @Pasi Modry Vanhala and Mikael @Tapparafan Virtanen. The back end of Dark Horse has seen an overhaul since their last ECL stint and as it looks right now, it is largely up to Ville-Petteri @vviljo Särmä to take the lead in the teams own zone. The first season at the top level is always full of excitement and it is really a season to prove themselves for several of the players, some have kind of been drifting around for a couple of seasons and others are taking their first strides on the Elite ice. In fact, one of the main concerns there is with the Dark Horse squad is their lack of experience at the highest level of competition in the ECL - the team has a combined ECL Elite experience of only 161 games between two players, out of which @vviljo has racked up 137. Player to watch: Kristian @Krisutus Räsänen There's no reason why this kid shouldn't have a proper breakout season in his first Elite showing. @Krisutus has quickly paved his way through the masses of players and become one of the most exciting talents in the game. There are still some flaws, but the potential is undeniable. In his first competitive league (FCL) with Dark Horse, he already led the team in scoring throughout the regular season and provided a much needed second wave to captain @Tapparafan in the playoffs. 16. Conquer Gaming (ECL 10 Elite: 12th) Conquer seems to be one of those teams that never get a chance in these previews, right? They still end up surprising a bunch of teams and proving how little we know about ECL Elite after all. If we were to talk about teams facing adversity in the offseason, Conquer Gaming would be around the top of that list without a doubt. Things were looking up for them, impressing in their ECL Elite Premier and continuing it into the FCL, where they challenged JYP in the quarterfinals and just barely missed advancing. However, disaster struck like lightning from a clear sky when both Valeri @Valluxet Reihel and Saku @Sakkem Saaranluoma would be leaving for KOVA Esports in one of the biggest steals of the offseason. The fact is that both @Sakkem and @Valluxet were massive pieces of the machinery in the play of the team. As a great squad does, Conquer did not waiver and have been pushing forward with the assets at hand. Their disciplined style of play should be exactly what they need to enforce in order to see some success this season - they've got a roster of guys who know each other well but are at the moment somewhat limited in terms of skill when compared to the rest of the division. Player to watch: Jere @Jertsicc Sirviö The centerman has evolved as a player alongside his team since joining GHETTO FIREBIRDS back in ECL 7. After a true career season in ECL 9 Pro, he was doubted by many going into his first Elite campaign, but together with the solid unit that the former FIREBIRDS had built, they managed to show all naysayers that they were a force to be reckoned with. We're hoping to see a repeat of that this time, but the signs are not looking up for Conquer or @Jertsicc for that matter. ***** Despite the even somewhat harsh words uttered about the teams above, we cannot stress it enough that we are talking about some of the very best in the business. Naturally we hope that these teams will do better than this and show all the doubters what they can really do in the world of NHL esports, however perhaps you get the picture based on this piece - the struggle is real.

NHLGamers, We would like to remind every team that plays in either ECL Neo or ECL Lite that the transfer window for both series expires today at 23:59:59 CET. In turn, the ECL Pro transfer window expires on the 9th of December and the ECL Elite transfer window is open until the end of December. Please remember to make sure your trades are in line with the rulebook before making them and check with support if you aren't sure. Remember, only one transfer per player is allowed per season - unless the player has played 0 games (overall, for any team) the entire season, which is covered in rule 14.1. If you're a player still looking for a team or a team still looking to add to your roster, please head to the Free Agents section or the Clubs Looking For Players section on our forum. Please post any last-minute transfers in the comments section below so everyone can enjoy them.

NHLGamers, With puck drop for ECL 11 Elite just some days away, today is the day for some big news! We're happy to announce our partnership with Atria Wilhelm, who will be joining the ECL as presenting partner. Together with Atria Wilhelm we are able to produce an awesome league that meets both the standards of our own and those of our passionate gamers. We're also bringing high stakes to the table with a prize pool of 15 000€ in ECL 11 Elite! Atria's Wilhelm product range will keep gamers and fans fed throughout the ECL season - find your favourite game night snacks, such as the Wilhelm Flaming hot snacks or the spicy Carolina Reaper sausage in stores all around Finland. Alike last season we're happy to have an increasing number of organizations both from the esports scene and from the traditional sports side joining in on the ECL action. The highest tier of ECL competition will host 12 teams represented by an organization this season. It's a season we're more excited for than ever and with some changes going on at the top of the pack this might be the chance for just about anyone to steal the crown, bring it on we say! Say hello to our new ECL cover gamer We're also continuing the tradition started in ECL 8 and introducing this seasons cover gamer. As usual, our cover gamers have been players of ultimate prestige and joining the club together with Erik @Eki Tammenpää, Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen and Casper @ICappeI Lundgren is something we want to be considered as one of the greatest recognitions in the sport. "There's no understating how great it is to join Eki, Hansu and Cappe as the fourth ECL cover gamer" -Tuukka "FlyerKungen" Kuha With that being said, the time is right to announce that Tuukka @FlyerKungen Kuha will be the cover gamer of ECL 11. The HAVU Gaming captain has taken the long road to success, leading his team to several runs coming just short in the Written In The Stars-era, culminating in the multitude of championships clinched first with Written In The Stars and lately with HAVU Gaming. @FlyerKungen is one of the great players in the game and handles himself accordingly, being a true role model for his peers. Photo credit: Tuomas Kujansuu, HAVU Gaming "Being the cover gamer is a title I appreciate a lot. There's no understating how great it is to join Eki, Hansu and Cappe as the fourth ECL cover gamer in history and it's a huge honor for me. I've got a tremendous amount of respect for each of the previous cover gamers as they are truly guys who will go all out for victory. I've played together with all of them and can vouch for each one as good players and even better people. There's a lot of similarities to them and me, so I didn't think twice about accepting the offer to be the face of ECL 11. It's also a great show of respect to the success we've had with Written In The Stars, HAVU Gaming, FILADELPHIA and Linköping HC. It's great to see that it doesn't go unnoticed and credit is given where it is due. I feel like we've all been pioneers in paving the way for teams and players around the scene and we've tried to realize that in the way we conduct ourselves. There's a lot of young players in the scene and us experienced players need to think about the way we act both representing ourselves and our teams. It's crucial to act professionally, respecting your opponent and the end result. Among all the victories it is also important to learn how to lose." ECL Elite Finals and prize pool Due to the COVID-19 situation, the ECL 11 season is currently planned to be played entirely online. The semifinals are played between the 1st and 4th of February and the finals the 12th and 13th of February. More details about the playoffs will be shared as the season progresses towards that point. The Elite division of the prize pool will be as follows: #1. ECL 11 Elite Champion: 10 000 € #2. ECL 11 Elite Runner-Up: 3 000 € #3.-4. ECL 11 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 11 Finals. When? ECL 11 Elite kicks off on Monday, November 30th at 20:00 CET. Our broadcast of the night features heated battles between the previous season finalist FILADELPHIA and challenger hREDS, followed by JYP Jyvaskyla and Farjestad BK going head-to-head. Where/how to follow? You saw the effort we put into our broadcast production during ECL 10 and we'll be continuing on that path during ECL 11. We've secured your favorite casters to continue with us on three nights weekly as broadcasts will be airing on Twitch.tv/NHLGamer each Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. The broadcasts will feature three various caster duos, as Cody @Tougie24 Tougas & Paul @Cyn Anderson, Drew "Farbsy" Goldfarb & Nick @f5penguin DiMeo and Arttu @OLVARI Hämäläinen & Julius Sorjonen will be in the booth this upcoming ECL season. Broadcasts on Thursdays will be in Finnish. Social media Twitter: When posting tweets of your lineups, matchups, recaps, clips, articles - or any other content you might want to create - please make sure to tag the following accounts and hashtag: @NHLGamerCOM #ECL11 #mukanaWilhelm #NHL21 #esports Instagram: When posting on Instagram, please make sure to tag the following accounts and hashtag: @NHLGamerOfficial @atria_wilhelm #ECL11 #MukanaWilhelm #NHL21 #esports About our main partner Atria Wilhelm Atria's Wilhelm product range has become a staple in Finnish snack culture throughout the years. Whether you're having a summer night barbeque or need something to go with the big game of the night - Wilhelm has you covered. Check out the full product range here! About us Since its inception, NHLGamer has continuously strived to offer the best possible experience for any and all gamers who have come to enjoy the competitiveness of playing the EA Sports series of NHL games. Created by gamers for gamers, we are very much in touch with the growing community and want to understand the fundamental desires of our end customers fully. The international competitive leagues in Europe (ECL) and North America (NACL) are our crown jewels, which have proven to draw interest from the very best teams and players worldwide. While proud of our achievements and the success we've had in creating and maintaining such a great community of talented gamers, we are not done yet. Our long-term goals include growing the community, hosting larger leagues with growing prize pools, and working together with organizations at the cutting edge of gaming and esports.