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The new Winter-Spring split for the ECL kicks things into high gear for the biggest year of competitive virtual hockey to date. Check out all you need to know about how the action in the European top 16 is going to unfold. Hampus @l-Furyan-l Duvefelt and Johan @Lehmannens Lehmann from Granit Gaming are your ECL '22 Winter Cover Gamers, check out their presentation and interview here. Season information To find out about everything that's new with ECL '22, check out our earlier season information article. Notable dates for the ECL '22: Winter Elite season: Regular season: 10.1.-3.2. Transfer deadline: 16.1. 23:59 CET Quarterfinals (BO7) 14.2.-17.2. Semifinals (BO7) 04.3 [LAN] / 21.02 – 24.02 [Not LAN] Finals (BO7) 5.3 Default gamedays for the ECL '22: Winter Elite division will be on Monday, Wednesday and Thursday, with broadcasts on the NHLGamer Twitch at 19:45 CET on every gameday. The very first broadcast will be on Monday, January 10th at 19:45 CET, and in the booth will be your favourite caster duo Cody @Tougie24 Tougas & Paul @Cyn Anderson! Make sure not to miss the season opener between Färjestad BK and Granit Gaming, followed by the clash of two potential contenders in GOONS vs HAVU Gaming. You can access the rulebook, schedule, standings, statistics and full rosters from the ECL ‘22: Winter Elite league page. The prize pool for ECL '22 Winter Elite is going to be 11000 EUR and will be split as visualized below. As you can see, ECL '22 Spring Elite will follow the same split and an additional 11000 EUR will be up for grabs in the grand final. Season preview Welcome to the first ever ECL '22 Winter Elite season. Our new Winter-Spring split brings everything up a notch as we'll be crowning one grand champion to cap off the ECL year. The stakes are higher than ever as this season gives the top 16 teams in Europe the chance to punch their ticket to the grand finals, and earn the biggest share of the 11 000 EUR prize pool. Over the past few competitive tournaments here at NHLGamer, it's been a back-and-forth battle between the reigning champion hREDS and Frölunda HC, who managed to win the FCL title to cap off the NHL 21 competitive season. The new NHL 22 game brings an interesting spice to the mix, as by now everyone would have had enough time to get accustomed to the game and apply any needed changes to their strategies and tendencies. One interesting thing to watch out for is who will have adapted in the best way to benefit them this season. In this preview, we've ranked the teams based on insights from a group of panelists, and will be giving some additional info on what to keep an eye on for each squad. Without further ado, let's get to it: 1. hREDS The reigning champions are heading into the season with an unchanged roster and look as strong as ever based on their competitive form as of late in NHL 22. hREDS is a quick moving puck possession team that can and will outplay any other team in the division with their excellent puck movement and creative plays. Each of their skaters possess that X-Factor and it seems like newest recruit Aaro @xDoumi Ruuhinen has finally found a squad to really thrive with. The big, bad REDS are definitely one of the clear contenders this season and measured in raw skill could very possibly be the best team out there. However, it'll be interesting to see how they will be able to transition into a more straight forward game if they end up getting shut down at some point of the season. As we know, NHL 22 sometimes will call for players to make the simple, and sometimes boring plays - do they have that side of the game in them? Player to watch: Filip @Faze91- Azri - Goaltender The young Swede was a rising star some time ago but has now cemented his place as one of the top netminders in the league. Everything should be set for hREDS to take another title, and if he can up his game yet another level, there's no stopping them. 2. Frölunda HC As customary for this team, they haven't played as much as some other outfits during the offseason, in fact significantly less than most of the competition - but it hasn't slowed them down in the past either. This always begs the question, when is it going to catch up to them? It's tough to really question Frölunda with a straight face, as they always seem to prove doubters wrong, which is more than likely going to be the story this year again. Their roster will be unchanged and the chemistry is without a doubt still there, which is a massive factor every year, but especially in a game like NHL 22. On the individual level, it seems like especially Teemu @Teemuyy Polttila has taken a step forward and it'll be interesting to see how that translates to his 6v6 game. All in all, it's easy to say we know what we are going to get from Frölunda HC and that is top tier virtual hockey every night, based on their chemistry and routine. Player to watch: Aleksi @loimmu Loimuvirta - Right defenseman Perhaps the best all-round defenseman to ever play the game. Has several titles under his belt despite being paired up with various - albeit top tier defensemen by his side. Always brings his best game. 3. GOONS Last ECL season for GOONS ended against Farjestad BK in the Quarterfinals. In the FCL, GOONS managed to win bronze and they are looking to get into the top 4 places again in the ECL. After the FCL, youngster Arttu @laitineen64(laiitinen) Laitinen came from IQUE where he played his first Elite season. He will join one of best offense trios as he is playing with Kristian @kriketski17(kriketsi17) Veijola and Roope @pikkuroger Bergström. To boost their defense they got Ilmari @iilmarii Töyrylä from JYP and he will bring experience to their own zone as talented Viljo @viba2008 Kähkönen is the youngest player in Elite. In goal they have the most experienced goalie Mika @FinKonna Paasikontu who has played in net in every single season since ECL 1. For example he has played with both hREDS and Frölunda HC. GOONS' next step is to really challenge those two big teams. Player to watch: Kristian @kriketski17 Veijola - Center/Right Wing Knows how to put up points but great in the defensive zone as well. Captain and now with two younger guys next to him on offense, he needs to take leadership on and off the ice. 4. HAVU Gaming It was a tough 2021 for the former champions and continuous contenders. HAVU Gaming ended up having some turnover and losing their edge momentarily, but have still managed to stay within striking distance of the ultimate top. Despite not perhaps looking quite as good as the well-oiled machine they once were, the black and green are still a force to be reckoned with and especially the comeback of superstar defenseman Wille @willekunq Juntunen is going to be a massive factor in their success. For HAVU Gaming, the biggest challenge is going to find a way to incorporate their new left winger Juho @RutonMosse(Juigelson) Kinnunen into their game in an effective way. The younger Kinnunen brother has a lot of skill and is definitely good enough to play at this level, but will he be the right fit for HAVU? Player to watch: Tuukka @FlyerKungen Kuha - Right wing HAVU will be relying on their captain a lot this season and FlyerKungen will really need to step up his game in some situations. He's shown it before, but can he do it again and again when counted upon? 5. Granit Gaming Granit Gaming formed after the last ECL season ended and they've grown into the next Swedish superteam, with some Czech spice in the form of Adam @dzouvi Mensik at center. We're talking about a group of individuals with a tremendous skill level, but they haven't quite yet managed to show that teamplay factor that a true contender team has. Granit is one of the newest outfits in the Elite division alongside the new Conquer Gaming roster with the difference of being a lot more experienced, especially at the level. Their strength will lie in the offensive zone and the ability to stay on the puck, with two of the most elite defensemen in the league in Johan @Lehmannens Lehmann and Hampus @l-Furyan-l Duvefelt. One thing that could be worrisome is their goaltending situation - currently it looks like Edvin @Thunborg5 Thunborg is their sole netminder, and despite being able to perform in a big way in decisive moments, his average SV% in Elite lies around 76, which leaves some room for improvement. Player to watch: Johan @Lehmannens Lehmann - Right defenseman The ECL 12 Defenseman of the year AND Transfer of the year returns after his dominant outing. It'll be interesting to see if there's still some potential left in the bank to up his game, and will he be able to improve also on the defensive aspects of it. Definitely one of the most skilled defensemen in the league. 6. SAWO ESPORTS (Former Tunnel Vision) SAWO ESPORTS’ defense is the same as it was in the last ECL and FCL with Tomi @tombo_02(tomboo-_-) Laitinen and Veeti @Wenger(re_Wenger) Paloneva but their offense has had some big changes. Jere @jxrska Laukka's comeback is important for SAWO and if he continues where he left off in Pro he can be one of top goal scorers in this league. YMCA Esports and SAWO had some player changes between them as Eemil @Sokkelo__ Soikkeli went to YMCA and Aleksi @MozjaTG (Mozjayh) Kähkönen came back in return. Like jxrska, also the last piece of the puzzle Valtteri @Vattuyy Virtanen didn’t get to participate in the last ECL but was allowed play again in the FCL where he represented IQUE and from there he came to SAWO. This group has a lot of potential and one of their biggest strengths is chemistry. Friendships from off the ice can bump their whole game a lot. If their development keeps going, SAWO can battle for top 4 places. Player to watch: Valtteri @Vattuyy Virtanen - Right wing His first season in Elite showed already that he can be a really good asset at the highest level as well. Because of his one season absence, there must be some hunger for more. A really skilled player and has the potential to become one of the best players in Europe right away this season. 7. IQUE FCL ended in a disappointment for IQUE as they were swept by Otukset. After that, their roster had a few changes. To noost the defense with Nico @zNico(zNicoPS) Tuoreniemi they got Jean-Patrick @Patsberg_ Kotonen from KOVA Esports, who will replace Markus @Makeaxl Lahti. Captain Janne @Nieppii Niemelä is the only forward remaining from FCL. Newcomers to the squad are experienced guys Aaro @Ikavalko Ikävalko and Jere @jergelii(jergeli) Jortama. Even though all new players have a lot of good history in Elite it won't be an easy season when half of your squad has changed. Their defense will have to get better as last ECL they allowed the third most goals. Player to watch: Jean-Patrick @Patsberg_ Kotonen - Left defenseman A great defender who is good in both ends of the ice. Will be in a big role next season if IQUE wants to succeed. 8. Örebro Hockey Örebro hockey is the former POGGERS and they had a pretty good offseason as they won Sauna Cup which contained basically all the top teams in Europe. Their strengths are definitely in the offensive zone because if they get their game going it is usually a sign for a high scoring game especially from Örebro.A big thing for Örebros game development has been center Jiska @Naeppae Näppä who has really taken some steps forward in his career. The question mark is their goalie Elie @eliekamel87(Eliekamel_) Kamel, he has to prove this season that he is a top goalie capable of performing in Elite. The upcoming season Örebro are looking to take develop even further and based on their recent performances, it would not be the biggest surprise seeing them getting past the first playoff round. Player to watch : Jan-Mikael @Janski(Jansku23) Aittoniemi - Right winger As we are talking about goal scoring power from Örebro there is no more important player for them than jansku23. Being the third highest scorer in ECL 12 doesn't require any more explanation. A huge part of which direction Örebro is going this season. 9. Farjestad BK FBK have been the top Swedish team around for quite some time already, but it feels like we're in for a change with all the turnover that Farjestad ended up having in the offseason. A big part to their success last season was their dominant defensive pairing that is now playing for Swedish rival Granit Gaming, but they've still got their true and tested sniper Andreas @affelj96 Ljungberg on the left wing as usual. In the driver seat manning the center lane is Christoffer @I-Maise-I Berntsson, who likes to be the playdriver for the team, but this season he'll have support on his right flank in the form of André @Foppatofflan Liljegren, who joins the green and white to bolster their attack. The biggest question mark is going to be their defensive corps consisting of new recruit Roni @MrNipsuli Kaján and Sebastian @SebbeLarsen86 Larsen. No doubt, the individual skill is there, but can these two find that much needed chemistry and perform in harmony throughout a gruelling regular season, or the playoffs for that matter? Only time will tell. Player to watch: Andreas @affelj96 Ljungberg - Left wing It's not that hard to tell why he's the guy to keep an eye on. Affe seems to be the leading scorer for FBK every year and he has also snuck in there among the very Elite of scorers in the scene. Everyone knows he is their go-to-guy, but to this point, there's been no stopping him. 10. YMCA Esports After their 4-1 Quarterfinals loss to HAVU Gaming in ECL 12 YMCA Esports are looking for a playoff spot again. Joona @jm98II Muona and Antti @Anhel_Kuru Kuru have been playing together now for a couple of seasons. For this season they get Eemil @Sokkelo__ Soikkeli from Tunnel Vision as the final piece to the puzzle on offense. Julius @Exel56 Rissanen has also played two seasons in YMCA Esports and his defense pair will be Timi @Rimpe Rimpeläinen who had his last outing in ECL 11 for Gotham Knights. A lot of things have to get improved For YMCA to repeat a playoff appearance, but we'll have to wait and see. Player to watch: Joona @jm98II Muona - Left winger Got his game developed a lot last season and as a result he scored 10 more goals than in ECL 11. We'll see if he can continue trending upwards this season, which would be a big help for his team. Can be a real highlight machine at his best. 11. ZSC Esports After their first Elite season, ZSC Esports did make only one change to their roster but the new player Alex @IDangledYouOut Wagner is a familiar face because he played for ZSC Esports in ECL 10 and 11. The Swiss teams strength is definitely the fact that they have had the same core for a long time. In defense they have a good balance between offense and defense. Reto @Haldeem Haldemann is great in the defensive zone as the other defender Max @Toneee9 Tonitz was the top scorer for his team in ECL 12. Forwards have to get more offense going because last season they were the second lowest team in scoring. Player to watch: Reto @Haldeem Haldemann - Right defenseman Has taken big steps forward along his long career. One of the biggest reasons that ZSC made Elite back in ECL 11. 12. Roots Gaming In the offseason BoxinElite signed under Roots Gaming and will represent them in future tournaments. It wasn't the only good thing that happened to them because they got a chance to qualify for Elite from Pro and Roots didn’t let it slip out of their hands as they won Visu Gaming in the finals 3-1. The offense is the same old for Roots but defensively they've had changes after last ECL. Before the FCL they got Jonas @LE1PAKONE(NordZman_) Nordman from Rusty Blades and promising Niko @vVoDee Vottonen from Bjorkloven. We will see if playing under an organisation will give them an extra boost but at least the Elite qualifiers showed that they belong among the best 6v6 teams in Europe. Player to watch: Linus @Limu95 Christiansson - Center Much alike the entire team, he has really elevated his level of play over the past couple of seasons. If development continues could be one of the best forwards in Elite. 13. Djurgarden Hockey The ECL 12 Pro Champions will be taking their first strides on the Elite ice with the hopes of solidifying their spot among the European top 16. Captain Björn @Jungledonk Lindberg has managed to gather a solid squad that really does teamplay better than anything. They are a really strong unit and can utilize that in any area of the ice, in any game situation. They do have options up front but are most likely going to start out with Amadeus @amadee21 Carlsson, William @Mumsi- Lindblad and Philip @Strumpan87 Ström as their go-to-guys. They will however not be shy to change things up and have some great reserve in Joacim @LordStanley46_ Wilhelmsson if need be. Player to watch: Valtteri @Sorsa103 Mulari - Goaltender Sorsa will be making his rookie appearance on the Elite ice, despite his young age, he has slowly made an ascent towards the very top of the goltending talent pool. There's still some way to go, but this could be his real breakout season. 14. Northern Ascendancy Northern Ascendancy has played many seasons in Elite but almost every season their journey has ended in the regular season or in the first round of playoffs. Fredrik @maharajah2014(sparkaronnberg) Mickelsson-Holm played for the crabs defense already last season, but his partner Juhani @Tanski87Tanskanen came to Northern Ascendancy from Rusty Blades in the offseason. In offense they have captain Connor @MartindalexC Martindale who has played almost every season for Northern Ascendancy since ECL 1. The offense got two Finnish players as Jimi @SadaPoika Leskinen and Aleksi @ADETIKKI(dillynger) Kinnunen came to finish up the roster. Goalie Ville @Supreex Korhonen has to be one of best goalies again this season and their experienced guys needs to step up big for them to have a shot at the playoffs again this season. Player to watch: Ville @Supreex Korhonen - Goaltender No doubt one of the best goalies in Europe. Many top teams would want this guy in their net, but he is tough to lure away from the crabbos. 15. HV71 One of the new Swedish teams at the highest level with a great hunger to prove that they do belong among the very best. The meaning of captain Daniel @Demski_ Gadd to this team cannot be understated, but as seen in the ECL 12 Pro playoffs, the addition of Robin @Rubituss Söderqvist has given them some much needed support on the leadership front. However, with the exception of these two, their roster is very green at the Elite level. This means that 4/6 players on their starting roster are rookies, which of course makes for a very interesting story to follow. It's looking like Putte @Putteekiing Unasin and Martin @Zupancic_King424 (Zuppe_29) Zupancic will be their defensemen for the season, while Rubituss and Demski will be joined by new recruit Tuukka @Tukexi (MATILAISKA_) Matilainen on their right flank. Much alike many other Swedish teams, teamplay is the key factor for HV71, but the fact that they are relying on very many players to take a successful step up to the next level puts some clouds on the horizon. Player to watch: Daniel @Demski_ Gadd - Center The captain returns to the Elite division for the first time since ECL 8, where he played for one season with Bucketeers (now Färjestad BK). He is the true heart and soul of the team and without a doubt will determine the course of their season. 16. Conquer Gaming Conquer gaming or former KOVA Esports had a wild offseason to say the least. After last ECL and FCL both their defense and offense have changed almost completely. Juho @juhkis96 Katajamaa, Matias @theMaddias Kilpinen and Valtteri @Kaikkien Janoisten Sankari (Kihan64) Yli-Olli came from Otukset who were the biggest dark horse in the FCL. Eren @Kucherov86(jalkkin-) Yalcin came from Rusty Blades where he played last FCL. There is no denying that their Otukset trio has a good chemistry but it’s interesting to see how their only players left from the original team Axel @MonkeyHeadAF Falck and Valtteri @Vire30 Vireaho will adapt to playing with them and Jalkkin-. Conquer has potential in their squad but the first season with new players will be tough and it’s looking like a relegation battle for them. Player to watch: Valtteri @Vire30 Vireaho - Center The experienced forward will face his biggest challenge in his career in keeping Conquer in Elite. This season, there's a lot more on his shoulders than only offensive production.

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The new year has come, and with that a new season as competitive as ever is once again set to begin. Among the improvements there will even be a weekly Pro division broadcast on our Twitch channel, so join us in taking a look at how the contest stacks up this time around! Season information To find out about everything that's new with ECL '22, check out our earlier season information article. Notable dates for the ECL '22: Winter Pro season: Regular season: 3.1.-3.2. Transfer deadline: 16.1. 23:59 CET Playoffs (BO7) 7.2.-1.3. Default gamedays for the ECL '22: Winter Pro division will be on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, with a weekly broadcast on the SportsGamer Twitch at 19:45 CET primarily on Tuesdays. You can access the rulebook, schedule, standings, statistics and full rosters from the ECL ‘22: Winter Pro league page. The exact prize pool for the Pro Winter season will be confirmed in the upcoming days, but it is expected to be around 5600 EUR and will be split as visualized in the below image (see the leftmost box for Pro). Social media Here's an update to the social media instructions. Our sponsors this season are Kouvolan Lakritsi, Wilhelm & Xbil. 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: @SportsGamerGG #ECL22Winter #NHL22 #esports #kouvolanlakritsi #MukanaWilhelm Instagram: When posting on Instagram, please make sure to tag the following accounts and hashtag: @SportsGamerGG #ECL22Winter #NHL22 #esports #kouvolanlakritsi #MukanaWilhelm Note: It is very helpful and critical for us to succeed in getting our partners tagged, so they get the necessary mentions and interaction to validate their participation in the future. That being said, it is understandable that there may be circumstances due to your other partners where you are unable to tag competition etc. Your support is appreciated. As there are quite a few hashtags by now, especially from a Twitter perspective with limited characters, we recommend using at least #ECL22Winter in the text part of the tweet and leave the sponsor tags for the end. If you need to cut out tags, remove #esports and #NHL22. For Instagram this shouldn't be an issue. Season preview We are once again on the brink of an exciting season, with ECL ‘22: Winter bringing on a new era of virtual hockey. The addition of a new qualifier system prior to ECL 12 already brought the Pro teams some added pressure to raise the bar, but now with the introduction of prize money the competition is sure to become even fiercer, hopefully elevating the hunger further up a notch and on to another level. The long and hard fought qualifiers have concluded, and with that comes a fresh set of teams joining the ones whose Pro status were already secured based on last season’s merit. Along with new squads WannaCry and Fiasko, we also find some familiar returnees from seasons past in Reality Check, Nemesis, noRex Gaming and Vaxjo Lakers. After gaining qualifier eligibility from the lower divisions last season, AfroDunk, GIFU Hockey, Hokurit and Tohtorit were also able to successfully match the challenge. In the Pro qualifier preceding last season, not a single earlier Pro team wounding up there got through. This time, two of the participating ECL 12 Pro outfits, PENTA and RCTIC, were able to fight through the battle and regain their spots. At the same time Golden Nights, Sjukstugan and EHC TATNEFT AK BARS (previously METALLURG MAGNITOGORSK) were not as fortunate and now find themselves down in Lite for the Winter season. An extra Elite qualifier had to take place over the holidays as well, after the last second disbandment of SAWO ESPORTS left a spot open among the continent’s best. Last season’s Pro quarterfinal teams and Elite relegate JYP Jyvaskyla took part, with Pro semifinalist BoxinElite (now Roots Gaming) emerging at the top. They may not have Elite in their name anymore, but in the end they proved to be just that by gaining the promotion to join Europe’s top 16. Their departure decreases the total number of teams returning from last season down to 20, while increasing the amount of new ones up to twelve. Not only is there a good amount of possibly unfamiliar teams, a lot of the returning ones have seen big changes too. It has also been quite a long time since we have seen any ECL Pro action, so taking a brief look into every team taking part could be relatively nice. If anything, just to help refresh memories, right? Keep on reading to get familiar with the teams just in time before the new campaign gets going! Björklöven Esport, Group 1 Björklöven barely squeezed through to the playoffs last season and were instantly eliminated by GHETTO FIREBIRDS (then known as Conquer Gaming) in five games. Other than losing defenseman @vVoDee to newly Elite bound Roots Gaming, they seem to have retained largely the same group and can keep building on that foundation. Player to Watch: @rakkauspakkaus- @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs BOOMERS (previously Sack Brothers), Group 1 None of the original Sack Brothers remain, thus the name change. On the offensive side they have lost two important forwards in @snippystatue and @Tukexi (MATILAISKA_), but have strengthened a bit in net with the addition of @jubex0r. Despite the decent outing in FCL during the fall, the Boomers haven’t found the same touch yet in NHL 22. If they can start off good and build on the momentum, there’s a chance they can barely sneak into the postseason. Player to Watch: @kemppainen39 @Mikka's prediction: Outside shot @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot Company of Geeks, Group 1 The Geeks got quite close to the playoffs with good under the radar signings last season, and it looks like they are trying to do the same thing for the second season in a row. Losing top scorer @xLeikku and defenseman @ripKeisari to HanaaHC only a few weeks ago could hurt, so they need to hit on the unknowns again to make it happen. Captain @Jesus (JezuzKristuz) will be making the switch to defense to make some room in the offense for ECL 9 Neo Champion @Hagerstrom_99, meanwhile @Chevikov (Hikoilija__) is hoping to have as good of a debut ECL season as xLeikku did. We will see where they end up but at the moment playoffs are not looking likely. Player to Watch: @Chevikov (Hikoilija__) @Mikka's prediction: Outside shot @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot Dynastia, Group 1 The roster of Dynastia keeps on changing seemingly after every competition and even in between them, but they have a good foundation in place. The two young and hungry offensive guns @xHatsi and @Pikkardz (Pikkarii) should be good additions along with new starting goalie @Vamoux. They should not have too much trouble reaching the postseason if they can play on their own level. Player to Watch: @Pikkardz (Pikkarii) @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs GHETTO FIREBIRDS (previously Conquer Gaming), Group 2 Even though they fell short of the playoffs in the Elite qualifier, the Firebirds still got two points in a way or another against every opponent they faced. They proved to be able to win against anyone in Pro, just need to find a way to consistently reach that level. It will be interesting to see how they will be affected after parting ways with forward @Iltapeli (apetttaja) mere days ago, as it remains to be seen what kind of value they can find by foraying into the transfer market this late. @Santtu (santtu3333) gets a good chance to step back a bit and focus on the lessons learned after a hard last season in Elite with Rusty Blades, jumping there straight from Lite and then getting instantly relegated. Player to Watch: @Jertsicc @Mikka's prediction: Contender @Keuschemisch's prediction: Contender Hotbox, Group 2 After winning bronze (and promotion to Pro) with Hotbox in ECL 11 Lite, assistant captain @ItzPoro stayed back there with Reality Check for one more season, adding a championship to his trophy case. Now he is back in Hotbox, though in turn they have lost @James (Jamechkin) to Stargazing. An important piece, Jamechkin joined a 1-7-1 Hotbox from Reality Check last season and helped them turn that into an eight game win streak on their way to a playoff berth. Hotbox has also signed the former Elite goalie @s_w1ld_rus (someth1ng_w1ld) and a high scorer from Core in @Macentoitunu. Reaching the postseason would not be some huge shock, but there are too many teams looking better right now. Player to Watch: @ItzPoro @Mikka's prediction: Outside shot @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs Luleå Hockey, Group 2 In the footsteps of Hotbox, Luleå Hockey will try to follow up their ECL 12 Lite bronze with a trip to the playoffs in their Pro debut. @Buffy (Duh-ha) brings in a ton of high-level experience to complete a fairly promising looking forward trio with @Tkautto98 (Kautto_) and @Jarvinder. Their defensive end and goaltending remains to be tested though, with only the fresh signing of @Toobbiiee (Vesterberg89) having experience higher than Lite. Luleå’s focus should mostly be on trying to learn and gain experience during the season, with the hope of avoiding the qualifier. They only managed a win and an overtime loss in ECL Warmup. Player to Watch: @Tkautto98 (Kautto_) @Mikka's prediction: Outside shot @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot Nemesis, Group 1 Having made the last appearance with this name in ECL 5 Pro during a season that resulted in relegation, Nemesis is finally back! In fairness, most of their roster did play on the Pro level in ECL 9, 10 and 11 under the We Kings banner. Even though they should be able to cause some trouble to unsuspecting opponents, in the end they are not going to get into postseason play without a rather sizable hot streak. Player to Watch: @Viltzup @Mikka's prediction: Outside shot @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot noRex Gaming, Group 2 An ECL 11 Pro team, noRex failed to gain back their spot in last season’s Pro qualifier, but then went all the way on to a finals game 7 against Reality Check in Lite. They are now back stronger after having had a season to grow and reflect on what went wrong the last time. Bringing in @DiMatteo70 adds years of experience between the pipes, and @Tiltsson should be hungry to push the team far after already getting a good taste of Pro playoffs last season with Blackdawgs. @Melguss, while inexperienced, adds on another hungry Swede to the roster. Making the postseason should be a realistic goal for the German organization. Player to Watch: @Tiltsson @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Keuschemisch plays for noRex Gaming Pata Hellalla, Group 2 Pata had a bad showing in the Warmup, wounding up at the bottom of the table. Though as it has previously been stated over and over again, never count out Pata Hellalla. On a good day they play like a good Pro team should, meanwhile on others… Not quite. Finding consistency is key for them, and having good goaltending plays a massive part in that. It remains to be seen what the inexperienced @XAPPN is capable of doing inside the crease with a winning team in front. Player to Watch: @kungenkurwa @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs RCTIC, Group 1 Despite having had a tough stretch during ECL 12, RCTIC managed to claw their way back to Pro through the qualifier. They have added two former VISU players in goalie @Jjmakkeli (JussinSisko) and LW @Limbe65, who should be a nice upgrade after @meicci retired. They have also managed to upgrade at the LD spot with the tremendously experienced @Aze (AzeStiNe), so they are looking a lot better on paper. Player to Watch: @Aze (AzeStiNE) @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot Reality Check, Group 2 The ECL 12 Lite Champion managed to lure some big fish, adding first time Pro players @vvlampela (cTunkeilija) and @kim_johan from Elite team Northern Ascendancy, although the latter acted only as a backup last season. They have also strengthened in net with the addition of @FINSeRe, who was a part of the inaugural Reality Check in ECL 8. Winning back to back championships will be tough, but they will have a chance if they can keep on getting better throughout the whole season. Player to Watch: @vvlampela (cTunkeilija) @Mikka's prediction: Contender @Keuschemisch's prediction: Contender Sinister, Group 1 Having lost their former captain @Jimisebastian to WannaCry, Sinister went on to add quite a few new names to their roster. Former HAVU backup @topikeranen has been playing in Lite for the past few seasons, but he has a lot of experience, including the title of ECL 5 Pro Champion from the last time he played in the division. They have also added ECL 2 Champion @Hoosii (Hoo-Sii), who was the ECL 6 Pro runner up with FILADELPHIA. The final new addition is the inexperienced yet promising forward @JerePaloranta (Harlowi-), making his ECL debut. Player to Watch: @PuukAesi (rransu) @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot Tohtorit, Group 1 A team that took the scene by storm in the FCL this past fall, Tohtorit made Pro through the qualifier, having clinched eligibility by finishing 4th in ECL 12 Core. Jumping from Core straight to Pro is a big challenge, but they are going to be just fine if they can play at the level they showed at their best in FCL. They have not done much to tinker with their roster after that, other than adding @Wpaanane who already made a successful run through the Pro qualifier last season with Dynastia. After the qualifier he decided to step back to Lite for one more season though, so he will be finally taking his first strides in this division alongside the other Tohtorit players. Bringing in the only Pro experience in their squad, @Kkarkass also joins them from the now-disbanded Patience. Player to Watch: @Wpaanane @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs Växjö Lakers, Group 2 Making a return after a season’s absence is Växjö Lakers, who paved their way all the way from a Pro Wildcard Battle to make it back. They have retained almost half of their old roster, so there is some chemistry already built. The positions have been changed a bit though, with former defensemen @EDHOLMEN3 and @Hockeyjohannes seemingly stepping up to forward positions alongside @Kattenj. Their defensemen are a bit inexperienced, though they will be receiving a good amount of help from their goaltenders, especially after managing to snag ex-SAWO goalie @Mehukatti10. The Lakers need to keep their heads cool and execute on a steady level to fulfill their talent and make the postseason. Player to Watch: @Kattenj @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs WannaCry, Group 2 Built on the ashes of a decent FCL run by Reign, WannaCry is another Wildcard team that made their way to Pro. All of their three defensemen played together in the ECL 11 Lite BoxinElite, so there is already some common chemistry within the backline. They played the qualifier with @zMikkeez, who has already departed onwards to Roots, knowing that they would have to replace him due to his conscription service beginning right at season start. Finding the replacement took some time, so it remains to be seen how well the late addition @Jimisebastian can gel together with the team, and how it may affect their game. Player to Watch: @kkostiiii @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot The rest of the team previews were written by @Keuschemisch AfroDunk, Group 1 Another team that managed to pave their way through the qualifier into ECL Pro. AfroDunk squeezed themselves into Europe's second highest division by a small margin in the second stage of the qualification tournament. After being eliminated by Project X in the second round of ECL 12 Lite, the Finnish outfit added goalie@Empuuz_24 who played a decisive role in Otukset’s FCL run, as well as announcing a huge move right before the start of the season: @apettaja will reinforce AfroDunks offensive power. The team needs their perfect game in every matchup to make a postseason appearance possible. Player to Watch: @apettaja @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot @Mikka's prediction: Outside shot Deadly Phantoms (previously Team LEISURE), Group 1 Under their old and new name the famous German powerhouse Deadly Phantoms are back! After falling short in last season’s ECL Pro finals against Djurgarden Hockey and losing the relegation series against KOVA Esports, the team around captain @Franky__2768 is keen on bouncing back. After the return of their lost son @Timasy from YMCA Esports, the Germans added @Pathen-21- to their roster. Taking a look at their lineups during the warmup tournament as well as the Elite Qualification Tournament it seems like Timasy and center veteran @PlaymakerSJ are going to take the spots as backup players in the coming season. It will be crucial if Pathen-21- will be able to follow in PlaymakerSJ's footsteps. Player to Watch: @Pathen-21- @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs Fiasko, Group 2 The freshly built squad around @tkantola fought their way throughout the Pro Wildcard Battle and both Qualification stages into Europe’s top 48. Finishing on a strong third place behind WannaCry and RCTIC, Fiasko has to prove consistency in the regular season to prevail in ECL Pro. @Xkeineri and @Tzon93 have been their top scorers in all competitions so far and they will need their scoring touch to fight their way through ECL Winter. Player to Watch: @Tzon93 @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot @Mikka's prediction: Outside shot Geekz Energy eSports (previously Inter Iceland), Group 2 The former side of Inter Iceland has been part of ECL Pro for the 5th consecutive season now. Only adding @rene hackberger (NoFun4U_96) in the offseason we are seeing familiar faces in the German-speaking outfit. After falling short to, later on promoted HV71 in the first round of last season's playoffs, the squad around @PLA77NER (Hasek-39—) is always a bit of a surprise box. Winger veteran @Stefan_397 (VISIONZ97_) will be once again their key player. If he maintains his scoring abilities Geekz Energy Esports will surely find themselves in the playoffs. But will they have the ability to persist in a best-of-seven series? Player to Watch: @Stefan_397 (VISIONZ97_) @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Mikka's prediction: Outside shot GIFU Hockey, Group 2 Seed #3 of last ECL 12 Lite. GIFU Hockey found a quite early exit in round 2 with a heartbreaking game 7 loss against Hokurit. Participating in the offseason transfer carousel, the Finnish side managed to gain their Pro spot throughout the Qualifier. ECL Season 1 veteran @Sluibaaja_88 will be a key player to GIFU's success as well as captain @seegasormi who has been on a long ride with the team since FCL 2020 and ECL 11. Player to Watch: @Sluibaaja_88 @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot @Mikka's prediction: Outside shot HanaaHC (previously Kiekko-Espoo Esports), Group 1 The former Kiekko-Espoo Esports made a big comeback under their old and new name. The Finns who started back in ECL 9 Lite played a big role in the Elite Qualification tournament, right before the start of the season. After finishing on rank 1 HanaaHC found an early exit against later on promoted Roots Gaming, though they were forced to play goalie @jg697000 (Gresu__) at the LW spot with @xLeikku absent during the playoffs. Adding xLeikku from Company of Geeks to their roster gives the experienced squad a big offensive boost. Player to Watch: @xLeikku @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Mikka plays for HanaaHC Hawaii Hockey, Group 2 Paving their way through last season’s Wildcard battle and qualification tournaments, Hawaii Hockey finished on rank 11 of last ECL Pro. With the departure of their two strong forwards @Kumbik and @theMaddias, Hawaii Hockey had a rough time in the Warmup Tournament. It will be crucial for captain @MaciPapi to find adequate replacements to get their game going in the regular season. Will Hawaii Hockey turn things around and find their level in time? Player to Watch: @MaciPapi @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot @Mikka's prediction: Outside shot Herlev Eagles, Group 2 Herlev Eagles will be one of the biggest contenders in the upcoming season. Reinforcing the whole team around their core of @oSandello, @Dreamickie and Danish dynamite @vibholm10, the Eagles added huge offensive power to their side. Norwegian center @Mr Steffmeister (Suth98_) and Finnish veteran @keranee will give them the edge in tight matchups and are well known for creative plays all over the ice. If Herlev maintain their consistency they will have a long season ahead of them. Player to Watch: @vibholm10 @Keuschemisch's prediction: Contender @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs Hokurit, Group 1 After being among the top teams in the last ECL Lite seasons Hokurit have finally found their way to ECL Pro! Reaching the Lite quarterfinals gave them the crucial spot in the Pro Qualifier where they made nearly no mistakes. Adding @Oliverigood gives them the needed depth in their roster. It will be interesting to see if Hokurit can prevail in a very tight league. Player to Watch: @Jondeezz @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs JYP Jyväskylä, Group 1 Yet another big contender for ECL ‘22: Winter Pro. JYP Jyväskylä got relegated after spending 6 consecutive seasons among Europe’s best teams in competitive virtual hockey and surprisingly fell short in the Elite Qualification. This will surely incite JYP even more to fight their way back into ECL Elite. Former HAVU winger @Buantso (Puantso) joined the SM Liiga side in the offseason and is one of the most exciting forwards to watch in the upcoming season. If JYP finds their consistency the Finnish outfit is the top contender on this season's ECL Pro title. Player to Watch: @Buantso (Puantso) @Keuschemisch's prediction: Contender @Mikka's prediction: Contender PENTA, Group 1 The third German Esports organization in the upcoming season. After winning their first title in the GCL 7 Cup, PENTA added two experienced players to their roster. Former Elite players @Krinke and @gzell60 found themselves in the starting six, after joining from the German Lite participant Central Hockey Canucks. By a very small margin the German outfit defended their Pro spot in the Qualifier and seem to be in search of more consistency. After rotating @Domi_PENTA back to the right Defense it will be very interesting to see how their offensive game will develop throughout the season. Player to Watch: @Krinke @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs Renascor (previously Blackdawgs), Group 2 The RCL powerhouse Renascor, formerly known as Blackdawgs, will be a very exciting squad to watch. The squad around Ukrainian winger @Valluxet smashed their opponents in RCL 2 Cup during last summer but could not find their way into the Elite Qualification playoffs, even though beating many strong teams. Renascor had a strong preseason and is keen on continuing their offensive striking power in ECL Pro as well. The key to success will be consistency and improving on defense. Player to Watch: @Valluxet @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs SPARTIATES X MCES, Group 1 For the first time in NHLGamer history we will see five teams from the central server in ECL Pro. SPARTIATES X MCES will play their second consecutive season among Europe’s top 48 but are expected to have a rather tough time next season. After losing their top forward @Winci (Winci16) to Toceny Salamy in ECL Core, and the eNLA 1v1 champion, Defenseman @Tron1x90 (Komir_90) to HC Lausanne Esports, the French side is in desperate need of adequate replacements. Captain @Tromi13 rotated from center to left defense after adding Finnish Center @vizka13 (Vizka-) to their squad. The Spartiates will be underdogs in most matchups in upcoming ECL Winter Pro. Player to Watch: @Tromi13 @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot @Mikka's prediction: Outside shot Stargazing (previously Rookie Mistakes), Group 2 Stargazing, taking the spot of Rookie Mistakes, is a new team on the horizon of ECL Pro. After combining players from ECL Core semifinalist Stargazing and Pro veterans Rookie Mistakes, the Finnish side decided to attack under a new name. With an exciting combination of talented and experienced forwards and an important allrounder like @James (Jamechkin), the new club on the block will be one of the favorites to qualify for the postseason in ECL '22: Winter Pro. When might their journey end next season? Player to Watch: @Flopper71 @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Mikka's prediction: Contender Sulkavan Sudet, Group 2 The experienced roster around @Oxdoggi is set for their 4th season on Pro level. Last season the Wolves finished in an astonishing second place but fell victim to Team LEISURE (now Deadly Phantoms) who just found their excellent form which led them to the finals of ECL 12 Pro. After a few changes in their lineup and a solid FCL performance during autumn, Sulkavan Sudet is once again another team which should be on everyone's playoffs participant list. How far their journey will go will depend massively on their chemistry within the team. Player to Watch: @Koppipelaaja (jamoyy) @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs VISU Gaming, Group 1 After falling short in the finals of ECL 11 Lite as Exerceo, the squad around captain @Saviinainen has arrived among the top teams in ECL Pro and is one of the few big contenders on the Pro Title – or at least promotion to ECL Elite. Being beaten by Roots Gaming in the finals of the Elite Qualification the Finns will be keen on taking the next step this year. Drawing the right consequences from the preseason will strengthen the mentality and consistency of VISUs game and might lead them to Europe’s Elite. Player to Watch: @hpkfani (MuKiMaisteri) @Keuschemisch's prediction: Contender @Mikka's prediction: Contender And with that it is time to wrap up our Pro season preview. Predictions are never perfect and the more the merrier, so if you think you know better or have some interesting nuggets of info, please let us know in the comments down below We will be back with the midseason report in a couple of weeks, good luck everyone & see you then! PS: We would love for you to follow our social channels, as they are an integral part of the ECL season. Discord Instagram Facebook Twitch Twitter