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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!

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, 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, 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!