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ECL 11 Lite ended with some huge drama in the final series between Björklöven Esports and Exerceo that quite epically concluded in a game 7. Björklöven Esports won the series 4-3 after a phenomenal comeback from being 1-3 down. Both squads now compete in the Pro division, opening the place in the spotlight for new contenders and all new hero tales to be written. In addition to the finalists, the other two ECL 11 Lite semifinalists Grenoble BDL Esport and Hotbox are playing in Pro so quite extraordinarily the top 4 teams will be completely new in ECL 12 Lite this season. There are several teams relegated from Pro and also players in rosters with experience from upper levels so we can expect to see a season unlike any other in ECL Lite. The team cap is now 64 so the margins between the teams is smaller than ever before which makes battles from playoffs positions and also the regular season title way tougher. Hokurit reached Round 2 in the playoffs last season and is expected to play well again this time. Teams like TIKI TALK, Ducktales BK, NoRex Gaming and Södertälje SK played in Pro last season and with that experience are favorites bounce back and perform well in Lite. Royal HT has managed to gather an impressive roster that for some reason underperformed in their qualifier run, but they should find their form in the regular season. I think it is safe to predict that the top 8 includes at least a few of these teams I have mentioned. We're happy to also expect several dark horses to emerge and gladly welcome those squads to prove everyone wrong! Season information The default gamedays for ECL 12 Lite will be Sunday, Tuesday and Wednesday at 20:00 CEST and teams are required to contact each other prior to the scheduled date as per ECL rules. Please get acquainted with the rulebook and refer to it in case of any problems over the course of the season. If any questions arise, please contact support. Notable dates for the ECL 12 Lite season: Regular season: 9.5 – 9.6 Transfer deadline: 25.5. 23:59 CEST Playoffs Round 1: 15.6 – 20.6 (BO7) Playoffs Round 2: 22.6 – 1.7 (BO7) Quarterfinals: 4.7 – 8.7 (BO7) Semifinals: 11.7 – 15.7 (BO7) Finals: 19.7 – 21.7 (BO7) In the first of four groups, we have several contenders for the group title and playoffs spots. Murohoki and TuTo Esports were eliminated early last season after a promising regular season, so they surely have something to prove this time. TIKI TALK were relegated from Pro and are one of the favorites due to their experience from Pro and their resilience and willingness to bounce back. Royal HT has as stated gathered an impressive roster that should be able to use their individual skill to find wins and contend. Ducktales BK also played in Pro last season. On Sunday evening - the very first matchday - they are scheduled play against TIKI TALK which could serve as a measuring of power between these two squads. That is also one of the highlights of the first matchday. In Group 2, Syndrome reached playoffs Round 2 last season which was kind of a disappointment for them, so they are expected to perform better this season. Reality Check HC has played even in the Elite qualifiers in past seasons and participated in the Pro qualifiers, which did not go their way. With that experience however, they are one of the teams to follow this season in Lite. Södertälje SK played in Pro last season and are one of the big favorites in this group and also one of the squads that could be taking the division title. This is a relatively even group and no big favorites stand out of the pack. I expect to see many tight games and fierce battle for the playoff spots. Nordic Nosebleed knocked out a strong Armada Hockey last season in Round 1 of the playoffs, proving that they are a team that could win any given matchup. FILADELPHIA Academy is a team to follow already because of their affiliation, but it is a delight to see how their reserves are performing in their first competitive season together. If the players in this academy team are anywhere near as talented as the players in the first team I expect FILADELPHIA Academy to finish high in the regular season and in a top 8 overall at least. Probably the tightest group in advance. There are 4-5 teams who performed well last season or have exceptional potential for succeeding such as Hokurit, Armada Hockey, NoRex Gaming, The Last Line and RoKi Esports to mention a few. RoKi Esports have increased their potential with experience and is one of the teams to watch this season. Tic Tac Toes is also a tremendously skilled ensemble that I expect to finish high. Barys eSports is a new team in ECL that has done well in the RCL. They are scheduled to go up against RoKi Esports on Sunday which is one of the highlights of the first matchday. The Barys eSports roster also includes some players with experience from Elite and Pro so the team is going to be a serious contender in their first ECL outing. Notable players to watch Across all 64 teams this season in Lite, there are dozens of interesting players you might want to follow during the season. It's impossible for us to include everyone and when picking some of them, some will be left out. On the following list are just few of the players that are expected to stand out this season. @L4nnisto ( Tic Tac Toes) ECL 11 Regular season 26 GP 6+33=39 Playoffs 11 GP 4+3=7 @Artuzio ( Tic Tac Toes) ECL 11 Regular season 26 GP 35+44=79 Playoffs 11 GP 5+15=20 @jubex0r ( Spirit) ECL 11 Regular season 28 GP 80,74 SV % 2,04 GAA 3 SO Playoffs 5 GP 73,44 SV % 3,4 GAA 0 SO @Rosvo_Joel (Zei_Tsei) ( Saucer Hockey) ECL 11 Regular season (Night Shift Hockey) 30 GP 5+35=40 Playoffs 4 GP 2+4=6 @Crisu_rottis ( Royal HT) ECL 11 Regular season (Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa) 30 GP 5+31=36 Playoffs 5 GP 1+1=2 @JanneK. (JANURI98) ( Royal HT) ECL 11 Regular season (Dark Horse) 24 GP 75,88 SV % 3,42 GAA 1 SO (Tunnel Vision) 12 GP 76,27 SV% 2,33 GAA 1 SO @topikeranen ( Royal HT) ECL 11 Regular season (TuTo Esports) 18 GP 19+28=47 Playoffs 6 7+4=11 @keranee ( Royal HT) ECL 11 Regular season (Gotham Knights) 30 GP 18+23=41 Playoffs 5 GP 2+1=3 @rize1988 ( Södertälje SK) ECL 11 Regular season (Almtuna Esports) 24 GP 15+41=56 Playoffs 7 GP 4+4=7 @Ollizhki ( Barys eSports) ECL 11 Regular season (Dark Horse) 24 GP 10+5=15 @Awptim ( Barys eSports) ECL 11 Regular season (Alliance HT) 28 GP 15+17=32 @itspardytime ( TIKI TALK) ECL 11 Regular season 30 GP 26+22=48 With that, we wish all participating ECL 12 Lite teams good luck in their respective campaigns! Remember to post about your games on various social media platforms using the tags #NHLGamer, #NHL21 and #ECL12 in order to get noticed and for other community members to find your posts.

Based in southern Russia, Metallurg Magnitogorsk has established themselves as a steady contender in the KHL in recent seasons, and clinching two titles back in 2014 and 2016. This year, the club has also expanded into NHL esports by signing one of the most talented Russian rosters in the scene. There's a special kind of excitement to start the season for METALLURG MAGNITOGORSK. The squad has been atop of the Russian scene for a few RCL seasons already and recently felt that it's time to take the next step for the club - They surely have done so in more than one way. In early 2021, after a moderately successful ECL 11 Lite campaign, the former NOVA squad signed a deal with KHL club Metallurg Magnitogorsk and adding to that excitement, they managed to play their way to the ECL 12 Pro division through preseason qualifiers. With that, METALLURG will continue proudly flying the Russian flag in the Pro division, replacing Alliance HT at the second highest tier. Team captain Maxim @Haiissey Trukhanov is a Magnitogorsk resident and has worked hard to finalize the deal. He is very happy with the performances of the team so far, but feels like there are several benefits both on and off the ice that their new contract brings: "Our decision to join Metallurg Magnitogorsk was well planned and we wanted to play for a serious and well organized club. Metallurg Magnitogorsk is a club with a big history, this team is one of the strongest in the KHL and has a solid fanbase to back them up. We as back-to-back RCL champions believe that this is a mutually beneficial partnership and that we deserve to represent a club of this stature." Despite the roster experiencing some changes, they now look stronger than ever and have managed to recruit a healthy mix of both experienced horsemen and young talent. Their freshest recruits are long-time Alliance HT defenseman Evgeny @mons3223 Mons and Ilya @The1xTab (Cefurtuninen) Elchaninov on the back-end, whereas Latvian up-and-comer Daniels @CMB-wf- Magonis and Finnish addition Ilkka @ilikkaa Rekilä look to bolster their offensive guns. The captain describes his squad as a hard working, energetic and strong willed group who always leave it all out on the ice. The new roster has already been tested quite extensively in the RCL 8 Pro division, where Magnitogorsk currently tops the table, and youngster Artem @Nester4343 Nesterov has managed to net 24 goals and add 43 assists for a 4th place in the league scoring race. The team is aiming for a third consecutive RCL championship and is eagerly looking forward to their first outing in ECL 12 Pro. We welcome METALLURG MAGNITOGORSK to the NHL esports scene and wish them good luck in both the RCL 8 Playoffs and their starting ECL 12 Pro season! Team captain Maxim @Haiissey Trukhanov was interviewed by Viivi @viivimaria Rönnberg.