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SportsGamers, The ECL '23 Winter Pro season is seeing an unusually high turnover in teams due to several squads disbanding in the offseason, which means we'll have a lot of interesting new outfits to take under closer inspection! Some of these squads include long-time Lite dwellers Arkham Asylum and Bastu, who will finally be getting a shot at the second highest tier, while we're also seeing the return of Synergy Hockey after their winning ECL '22 Spring campaign where they beat Valco, who also earned a well deserved promotion, in the Finals. Season Information ECL '23 Winter Pro will feature 32 teams in two groups with 16 teams each. Default gamedays are Monday, Tuesday and Thursday. Eight teams from each group will make the best-of-seven Playoffs. This season, the prize pool for the Pro division is 5500€ with the split pictured below. Head to the league page here to view the groups and game schedule. ECL '23 Winter: Pro Schedule Regular Season: 12.2.2022-16.1.2023 RO16: 19.-24.1.2023 Quarterfinals: 26.-31.1.2023 Semifinals: 2.-7.2.2023 Finals: 12.-14.2.2023 Season Preview Group 1 Written by @jahajaha93 HOT 🔥 HanaaHC HanaaHC has been one of those teams that haven't quite been able to get over that threshold and be bona fide contenders for quite some time already. Recently they had their shot at promotion through an Elite Qualifier, but got edged out by ISO Esports in a dominant Qualifier Finals sweep, which indicates that Hanaa perhaps isn't quite ready for Elite competition yet. However, they've got a gruelling Pro campaign ahead of them now, and plenty of time to grow and gel. The desire to succeed is there, and so is the talent, now they just need to find a way to make it all work. The team's most notable additions will be Miro @Rytze_ Perho and Joonas @Jondeezz Tikkanen, who join them on the flanks of captain Jere @Hazard-laser Korte as Mikael @Mikka Alaheikka takes on a new role in defense. The team was able to perform in the Elite Qualifiers with this roster, so the indication is that they should finish among the top teams in their group. Player to Watch: @Rytze_ RCTIC Several rumors had RCTIC folding at the end of last season, and they had in fact been absent for a while, but now they’re back as a fusion with the former WannaCry, and we’re quite excited about their chances in this one! The team is sporting a deep offense with the likes of @Limbe65 and @yrjoo from the former RCTIC roster with additions @Okke40 (hifk_FANI), @Jjomppa and @IKarkkiI joining them. We’ll have to see where Karkki eventually plays, as she’s been seen both at the center and defense positions in past seasons. Young @Ricco will be their sole netminder. Player to Watch: @IKarkkiI Be a Bro Be a Bro is back with one of the most experienced rosters in the division. This roster features season 1 originals @Janikka and @imosi, who will hold leading roles despite not belonging to the captain group. The old dogs are accompanied by fringe Elite defenseman @MCH_98 and the duo @Sanezh and @ESSRV from the former Hokurit. The skill is still there for this team and their experience will certainly push them far in a division where every point will count. @Svone10 will be guarding the net for the squad, and with some decent performances in previous seasons, this could be the one he breaks out properly. Player to Watch: @MCH_98 Synergy Hockey The Swedish roster is back in the Pro division, from which they stepped back at the end of the ECL 11 Pro season. They’ve worked their way back slowly but surely and after the long grind, these highly experienced gamers can now jot down a few more experiences in their journals. @Supremski is a great offensive defenseman that could certainly slot in for some Elite teams too, while their offensive trio @Buffy, @Isindar and @Mumsi- have been around enough to know how to win games. Goaltending is also in excellent shape for this team, with one of the strongest tandems in the league. @Sorsa103 and @DUNZA could end up sharing the responsibilities. Player to Watch: @Supremski NOT ❄️ Mora IK Mora played their first ever ECL Pro season last Spring and ended up finishing 14th in their group ahead of Almtuna eSport and Pasilan SKA. They had big wins against strong RCTIC and Hokurit teams, but otherwise there weren’t many highlights to their campaign. with one more season of experience in the rearview, the leadership group has heavily overhauled the team and this time it unfortunately looks they might have gotten weaker. Time will tell, but with their recruits mostly coming from Lite squads outside of the Playoff picture, they’ll need to up their level a lot to make things happen this season. Player to Watch: @andreaskakan TTK The team that once was a finalist in ECL 9 Neo has come a long way in their development over the years, and it’s a great thing to see that their core has done their best to remain intact through some of the adversity they’ve had to face in the Lite division. Now with a step taken to the next level, all of this squad will need to elevate their level very much in order to escape relegation. They’ve traditionally been a good regular season team, which might end up working in their favor this season! Player to Watch: @juusoskari Frolunda Hc Academy Having earned their spot in the Pro Qualifiers by gaining bronze at the end of the ECL ‘22 Spring Core season, Frolunda HC Academy will be in for a massive challenge leaping over the Lite division entirely. Keep an eye on their early performances that could dictate a trend for their season. This team does have some offense to them and their force up front will be @Gustaf Olsson (gurrao10), who finished 2nd in scoring in the Core Playoffs last season. Now, they’ll need to find that defense too and really work together to make things click. Player to Watch: @Gustaf Olsson (gurrao10) Ace Hockey There’s no sugarcoating it - the playstyle Ace Hockey have employed in the past will not work against most Pro level squads. They’ve got tremendous skill and speed up the wings, but thus far they’ve been a one trick pony, which unfortunately could end up being costly for them. However, if Ace Hockey finds a way to diversify their game and get those greasy goals whenever needed, they could end up finding a mid-table finish. Player to Watch: @Dehliiin Group 2 Written by @Mikka HOT 🔥 Björklöven Esport Coming into their fourth Pro season, Björklöven has been in or around the playoff conversations since day one. Captain @Kallmanius has managed to reel in some exciting reinforcements for the upcoming campaign, with @Demski_, @Rubituss (l-Rubituss-l) and @Tkautto98 (Kautto_) joining from the now defunct HV71, who got relegated from Elite after the Spring season. They now appear to be one of the stronger squads, and should be battling not only for Group 2's top seed, but perhaps even the championship. That's a ways away though, and we'll see what the lengthy grind ahead brings them, despite the premise. Player to Watch: @Demski_ Deadly Phantoms DPH made their Pro debut back in ECL 6, and it only took them two tries to get up to Elite. They made some good runs during their four seasons in the highest division, before getting relegated after ECL 11. Getting back up to where they once were will always be the main target for any former top team, but this German side has fallen short in the first round of the playoffs twice in a row now. Even though the Phantoms haven't met their own expectations for some time, this is always a team who can compete and put up with the best of them. Though most of the old names like stars @Timasy and @PlaymakerSJ remain, the grown squad size leads one to wonder how much of a rotation we'll be seeing. Ehockey is largely based around tight knight team play, so it will be interesting to see how this could affect them. No matter what, Deadly Phantoms have surely earned the status of a frontrunner with their history. Player to Watch: @xXPsykoSkillsXx Herlev Eagles Another team to have really solidified its status as a high-end Pro team in the recent years is Herlev Eagles. They've played in the division since ECL 10, and have made it to the Quarterfinals for the past two seasons. @Dreamickie was slotted in defense for both of these runs, but now appears to be back in the center spot. With @Spearzz_ also re-joining the squad after an absence of equal length, the Eagles seem to have assembled the same @vibholm10 - Dreamickie - Spearzz_ forward trio they had for their first two Pro seasons! @oSandello's new partner will in turn be @KinQjuusto, joining from the now defunct Fiasko. While Herlev lost some extremely important pieces in @Suth98_ to Örebro Hockey and @keranee to Roots Gaming, the old chemistry seems to have been clicking moderately well in the ramp up to the season. That should bode well for their chances of at least maintaining their past level, even if trophy aspirations might still be too far off. Player to Watch: @vibholm10 Nemesis Rounding out the HOT4 is Nemesis, coming off a surprising eHSM 2022 performance. After topping their group ahead of JANO and HAVU Gaming, they further bested the former with a sweep in the third round before falling honorably 3-1 to Tunnel Vision in the quarterfinals. Even in the ECL, they've gradually moved up ever since their re-emergence last Winter: first they finished 12th, and then 10th in Spring, only two points off a playoff spot. Now is clearly the time to make a leap to the playoffs, at minimum. The only change in Nemesis' starting five compared to eHSM seems to be captain @Miska (Zundeh) stepping back into the defense, replacing Elite loan @Toneee9 as expected. A huge part of their success in goalie @Pasi (Pasi-Fism) is also absent from their roster, though @Viltzup can definitely perform and @JaxonRules93 showed decent results as part of Hawaii Hockey. As the core stays intact, it should take a step towards the top half of the table with the lead of offensive weapon @temppanen. Player to Watch: @temppanen NOT ❄️ Company of Geeks The Geeks always seem to end up on the doomy side of these previews, but a testament to their base level is the fact that they remain here to be thrown under the bus – year after year. They are already coming into their 6th consecutive Pro season, though they've only made the playoffs once during that span (in ECL 11), instead having had to fight for their divisional spot more often than not. Captain @Jesus has managed to gather some interesting names, and most notably an old friend in @BlazEm0de- (domiinnn) is making a return after a couple of seasons away. They also appear to have added defenders @Pontinho (xClaughton-) and @MAYZIIX since their shaky qualifier performance, so perhaps COG can show some growth over the season. Regardless, their number one focus once again needs to be avoiding relegation. Player to Watch: @Jesus IK Oskarshamn Having already been a long time Lite dweller with five seasons under their belt, IKO finally takes the step up to Pro after an impressive Spring season. They had a rough go at the SCL a few months ago, failing to even make it out of the group stage. Plenty of time has passed since then though, and along with a new version of the game, some recruits have arrived. RW @Chevikov (Hikoilija__) looks to finally play a proper ECL rookie season after showing some promise a year ago, while RD @Aunee95 joins after two Core seasons as captain of Guldkallan HC. @snippystatue returns after spending eHSM with Armada Hockey, bringing plenty of Pro experience to this squad which, aside from @JF1891, is desperately lacking from it. While Oskarshamn can show some flashes from time to time, their first season should mostly be about getting used to the rise in level of play. Player to Watch: @Chevikov (Hikoilija__) Team NGU NGU spent two seasons in Pro under the PENTA banner before getting relegated, and now they've made an immediate bounce back after a single Lite campaign. Their roster seems to have undergone quite a makeover, with only captains @DaMan (Akin_Penta) and @CuteTerminator7 playing games both in the ECL '22: Spring Lite Playoffs and the recent Pro Qualifier. They actually had a decent performance in the qualifier, splitting points with everyone except Lemmenvelhot, who they bested in both games. That may indicate a stronger than bottom of the table contest, but the mostly DACH area side still has a lot to prove they belong at this level. Could these rather unknown names come out of nowhere and surprise us all? Who knows, it's all up to them and their former Pro top ten scorer captain to put on a performance. Player to Watch: @DaMan (Akin_Penta) Valco One of the longest standing teams in the scene, the legendary former TIKI TALK is back in Pro! Once upon a time bouncing between Elite and Pro, this ECL 1 veteran team took their time to make it back here once facing relegation after ECL 11. Three seasons and a name change later, they made it all the way to the Lite Finals last Spring, though falling just short in the end with a clean sweep loss to another comeback-making veteran team in Synergy Hockey. Why is Valco on this side of the preview then? Well, the Finnish squad led by ehockey icon @itspardytime has always above all had a fairly unique way of playing, which shouldn't remain as effective as the competition gets tougher. Unless, of course, they manage to keep shocking their opponents similar to last season's playoff run, during which they kept on upsetting higher seeds one after another. The distinctiveness does work on their Twitter account at the very least, so there's that to look forward to even if things don't fall to place on the ice. Player to Watch: @itspardytime The season for these clubs kicks off already today, but tomorrow you'll be able to watch some of them in our weekly ECL Pro broadcast at www.twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG! Stay tuned for the broadcast announcement on our social media channels.

SportsGamers, It's been a wild offseason for lots of teams, and the new iteration of the game certainly adds a special spice to the mix. Several teams will have to push through various types of adversity on their long campaign that they all are hoping to end with ultimate glory - An ECL '23 Winter Championship and a spot in the fabled World Finals. Going into the season, it seems like one team especially seems to have a step on the competition, whereas below that and in the mid-table, we'll be seeing unprecedented parity throughout the league.  Season Information ECL '23 Winter Elite features 16 of the best NHL esports teams in Europe. Eight teams in total will make the Playoffs, which are played in a best-of-seven manner. The Champion will be punching their ticket to play the NACL '23 Winter Champion in the World Finals in Helsinki on February 25th.  Head to the league page here to view the groups and game schedule. ECL '23 Winter: Elite Schedule Regular Season: 12.12.2022-18.1.2023 Quarterfinals: 25.1-1.2.2023 Semifinals: 5-8.2.2023 Finals: 24.2.2023 (Live in Helsinki) Season preview This ranking is based on averages in a vote involving several community members.  1.  hREDS The team that won it all in ECL '22 is now back, looking as strong as ever with the recent acquisition of Teemu @Teemuyy Polttila as a replacement for Aaro @xDoumi Ruuhinen and a preseason tournament win already under their belts. There are little to no signs that hREDS would be letting up on their reign of dominance, and with GOONS' eHSM-winning roster disbanding in the offseason, now their closest competition is also just that much further away. Wingers Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen and Vili @Vilupoika Häkkinen have been great for the team over the course of the preseason, and they are expected to continue performing with the return of arguably the best centerman in the league, Perttu @Beniittto Kemppainen. It's hard to see anyone stopping the dominant streak hREDS are on currently and the competition will really have to dig deep.  2.  Tunnel Vision Tunnel Vision is looking great heading into another season after some offseason turbulence for the squad. While "offseason turbulence" could be something that makes lots of captain sweat, Tomi @tombo_02 Laitinen definitely managed to keep their heads cool and come out on top in this one. As much as losing offensive superstar Jere @jxrska Laukka might sting, they've found a way to replace him with another Laitinen, Arttu @laitineen64 Laitinen that is. The kid has been doing great things for GOONS over the past couple of seasons, and really blossomed in the eSHM, capping things off with a title. Perhaps now is his time to shine in the ECL too? 3.  Frölunda HC Frölunda HC will be coming at us hard this season with the dream team we all wanted to see back in the NHL 19 days with peak Written In The Stars and FILADELPHIA going at it tournament after tournament, league after league. Honestly, it's a real throwback, but at the same time make no mistake - these guys still know how to play and win. In an interesting turn of events over the past few seasons, we've seen Frölunda rotate their squad and explore various outlooks for the roster that's been a lock for such a long time. Last season we saw the captain Joonas @Patzlaf Paatiala take on the role of a defenseman, but this year it'll be Erik @Eki Tammenpää who is on defense as the cap swaps back to his familiar center spot. This will deifintely be an exciting team to watch, lots of storylines going on, such as the how Eki will transition into his defensive role, how newcomers Ilmari @Buantso Lehkonen and Kristian-Mikael @Nassustelija Katajisto will fit in with the new team and if this throwback dream team really can get it done? 4.  Färjestad BK If the ECL '22 Spring season was a small step back for Färjestad, this season is going to be a great comeback for the squad. While they've lost their long-time scoring machine Andreas @affelj96 Ljungberg, they've brought in a more than capable replacement in the form of Anton @antoniomannen004 Svensander, who really led Setelit On Ice in the eHSM from his winger position. They've also brought in Nico @zNico Tuoreniemi from IQUE to replace Johan @Lehmannens Lehmann, who we are sad to hear will be taking a step back from competitive NHL. Up front, this is certainly the best and most balanced Färjestad team in a long time, but it'll most likely come down to how well their defensemen will play together and if Johan @McSavid Rundqvist will continue getting those timely saves in net. 5.  Växjö Lakers We're calling it - the dark horse of the season. Växjö Lakers may be a newcomer to the division with their promotion coming off their Spring season Championship, but they've been honing their skills together in the Pro division over the course of a couple of seasons already, and this will be their big shot in the top 16. One thing Växjö certainly isn't lacking is skill on the puck and they've got that in abundance both up front and down low. However, what they need to find is timely movement of that rubber piece. Stepping up to Elite can, as we've seen, be a massive leap, but we expect this team to find their stride quick since they've been on the fringe for so long already. 6.  ZSC Esports After narrowly missing out on the playoffs in both the ECL '22 Winter and Spring seasons, this Swiss outfit is eager to get the action started with one major change to their roster in the offseason as Christian @GERxVillain Ungeheuer will be replacing Reto @Haldeem Haldemann on defence, as the latter is heading on loan to fellow Elite squad Falun Coal Miners. These boys can soon start to call themselves seasoned vets in the Elite division, but they've remained on the fringe of the Playoffs thus far, with the expectation to be able to break that threshold finally. The only thing that might hold them back, though, is the lack of consistent practice against higher level opposition in comparison to their peers.  7.  Nordic Stars Formerly Conquer Gaming, this squad will be reverting to their old Nordic Stars branding. The familiar colors, that especially Valtteri @Vire30 Vireaho and Jere @Jerax13 Hällström represented for several seasons in ECL Pro back in the days. Now, the green and yellow of Nordic Stars is making their first appearance in Elite and after a very promising Spring season outing where all expectations were overcome, these guys are ready to once again make an impact. The team has some lineup changes, with both Aaro @Ikavalko Ikävalko and Jean-Patrick @Patsberg_ Kotonen joining them from IQUE, who had a disaster of a season in ECL '22 Spring. Now, the new Nordic Stars have looked excellent in preseason, really shining with quick puck movement and flashes of the individual skill they have in abundance. What will end up being their downfall, however, is how well they'll be able to find that five man defense in fending off stronger offensive teams. 8.  Luleå Hockey Formerly known as Örebro Hockey or POGGERS, this group have now managed to sign with a new Swedish organization, Luleå Hockey from the very North of the country. Unlike much of their competition, this roster will be continuing into ECL '23 Winter virtually unchanged. Luleå will be sporting a very balanced offense with Jussi @JaKurrii Koivuniemi, Jan-Mikael @Janski Aittoniemi and Väinö @Pikkardz Pikkarainen. All of them have proven to be reliable scorers at this level and possess that extra flair that will keep opposing defensemen on their toes throughout the season. Captain Tero @Terodee Dahlström will pair with Miko @Migo_boo Nurmi for a very capable defense pairing, who can jump in on the rush when needed. A 4th place finish in the regular season was a surprise, but we're still predicting these guys to reach the playoffs again! 9.  GOONS GOONS were looking really strong to end the ECL '22 Spring season and were on a great upwards trajectory, but unfortunately the team seems to have fallen apart over the course of the offseason. As a result, we were even speculating about them possibly sitting out the season a mere week ago, but the captaincy group has managed to pull some patchwork on their roster and they're at least going to have a crack at it this season. Their new roster will certainly be heavily centered around captain Kristian @kriketski17 Veijola, who will be joined by three new players in their starting lineup with Roope @pikkuroger Bergström entering his military service. Jere @jergelii Jortama, Teemu @tkantola Kantola and Tuomas @Tumpp1A Aaltonen will have to get into the GOONS groove real quick if they want to stand a chance at squeaking their way into the playoffs.  10.  JYP Jyvaskyla JYP is certainly an interesting team and one to keep a look out for. Despite the fact thet they've come crashing down from their glory days, they've still managed to stay in the mix and even fight for those last Playoff spots. This season, the red hurricanes are entering with a heavily overhauled roster, keeping captain Santeri @indi969 Pendolin, assistant Antti @tbnantti Kuittinen, winger Aaro @xAaro89x Aarvala and goaltender Kasper @Kaz_zu Ramstedt while replacing the entire defense and bringing in an extra backup. The worrysome factor, though? None of their new defensemen have seen a second of ice time in the Elite division before. All of their new recruits in Aapeli @Frans-Fin Landström, Jimi @J-_-Jamaltheman Rönkkönen and @obivop are rookies and it's a big ask for them to instantly make an impact at the level required to propel their team into the playoffs. Their highly experienced core will be able to help out, but this isn't the season JYP gets back to glory yet.  11.  Reality Check Reality Check have really suffered from the fringe elite curse over the past few seasons, as they've been one of the strongest contenders season in and season out in the Pro division, but never managed to gain promotion until now. The team gained their spot in a relegation battle against Stargazing and won the series in a sweep. Much credit goes to their goaltender Sebastian @FINSeRe Remes, who had an excellent season and is expected to continue in great form, certainly having the experience to back him even in the Elite division. Reality Check's roster will remain unchanged with the exception for the centerman spot, at which they've now got Jesper @Niskalaukaus Aho instead of Jesse @JesseL2002 Linden, who returned to his former team Project X in the Lite division. The move has stirred up a lot of discussion, but only time will tell how it will work out for the team.  12.  JANO This is the rebranded AHJO, that you might remember from ECL '22 Spring Pro. The team pulled an excellent campaign back in that spring season, ending in the semifinals at the hands of Reality Check, who ended up taking home the silver. JANO continued their season into a relegation battle against HV71, who didn't manage to salvage their season and faltered 4-2 in the series. While JANO has players such as Saku @Sakkem Saaranluoma, Markus @Makeaxl Lahti and Jim @SadaPoika Leskinen, who already have made their mark in the Elite division, they have been able to strike fear into their preseason opponents in the way they'd wanted to. Much will rely on Makeaxl quarterbacking their play and starting the rush, and their forwards will just need to find a way to finish on those chances at a high enough rate.  13.  Falun Coal Miners After a long absence from the ECL ice, Falun Coal Miners returned for the Spring season with several experienced gamers such as captain Hampus @l-Furyan-l Duvefelt, Connor @MartindalexC Martindale and André @Foppatofflan Liljegren in their roster. Back then, we were certainly excited to see the beloved squad and brand return, but our predictions for them were rather grim. Now, while they've retained all of the aforementioned season 1 originals in their roster and added even more experience in the form of Reto @Haldeem Haldemann on loan from ZSC Esports, Falun is still slotting in at 13th in our preview ranking. That is not to say that the Coal Miners wouldn't be an excellent team and we certainly expect them to show some resilience and utilize all that experience in stealing points from younger teams along the way, but it's tough to predict Falun being in the drivers seat in many of their games, and their playbook might have to rely on counter-attacking a bit too much. Keep your eye on rookie goaltender Tomi @Tope0090 (mestari_tikkuuu) Heikkilä, who is coming off of a great eHSM performance with Setelit On Ice. 14.  ISO Esports The most recent Elite team ISO Esports didn't secure their spot in the European top 16 until Thursday night in the Elite Qualifier Finals against Hanaa HC. With a freshly inked contract with the organization and their recent promotion, these boys are on an impressive upwards trajectory and could be one of the most exciting teams to follow early on. The team has a very deep roster, sporting a total of 10 players, who arguably could all slot in as starters in an Elite team to some capacity. However, they are expected to run with Putte @Putteekiing Unasin & Juha @juhkis96 Katajamaa down low and Kalle @James (Jamechkin) Riihelä, Tuukka @Tukexi (MATILAISKA_) Matilainen and Valtteri @Kaikkien Janoisten Sankari (Goodtobeatonttu) Yli-Olli up front. In net, it looks like Eevertti @Empuuz_24 Viljanen will get most of the starts, but as Reittu @Roisto999 Hynynen has shown in the past, he can take over if need be.  15.  Unlucky Boys HC The Unlucky Boys is another brand with a great legacy in the ECL that we welcome with open arms. This is a team that played for YMCA Esports for the past few seasons and have been on a worrisome downward trajectory missing the playoffs in both ECL '22 Winter and Spring. They're one of those teams, that together with Luleå Hockey have managed to retain a rather similar roster for an extended period of time while battling in the very tightly contested mid-table of the European top 16. This season, we've heard rumblings that captain Antti @Anhel_Kuru Kuru might be taking a step back, with Eemil @Sokkelo__ Soikkeli taking the center spot flanked by Joona @jm98II Muona and Miikka @xColeslaww Kolehmainen. Thus far, the burger boys have been able to escape relegation and while we're predicting them to come in at 15th this season, they'll have a chance to prove us wrong or salvage things in the relegation battle.  16.  Roots Gaming Roots is one of those teams that everyone has been waiting to take the next step for quite some time already, perhaps also one of the main reasons they originally were signed to the organization in the first place. As of right now, however, it looks like they haven't been able to find their form in NHL 23 and they really seemed to take a step back during the offseason. The team has managed to compile a roster that should be able to be competitive in the tightly contested Elite mid-tier, but they'll be having a very tough go if they take long to find their stride. One of the most interesting players this season could certainly be on Roots' roster with Miika @zMikkeez Kauppila taking a starting role besides Jere @keranee Keränen and Santeri @xleksa35 Levänen. The winger really managed to shine with Setelit On Ice in the eHSM and made himself known for flashy and sometimes even unorthodox plays on the ice. The ECL '23 Winter Elite season will kick off tonight with the season opening broadcast at 19:15 CET! We'll start things off with Cody @Tougie24 Tougas & Paul @Cyn Anderson doing their own season preview, after which the teams will take the ice. Join us for a night of the best virtual hockey in Europe at www.twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG!      

The NACL returns for another season here on SportsGamer, with the stakes even higher than before. This new event not only features a large increase to the prize pool for the top 2 teams, but perhaps the largest prize to be obtained is a trip to Helsinki to face the top team in Europe to determine who will hold the current title of “6s World Champion”. At least until the next set of teams clash between the two regions. Let’s go through the event format and how the regular season and playoffs will work before we actually talked about the team themselves. The regular season will feature four groups of 11 or 12 teams facing off in a group play where you well face every single team in your group twice. Six teams from each group will move on to the single elimination playoff bracket. The top two teams of each group will get an automatic bye to the second round of the playoffs, while teams ranked 3rd through 6th in each group will advance to the first round of the playoffs. While the first round will go as normal playoffs as proceeded, the second round will introduce the challenge system. The challenge system will allow the top seeds from the regular season to select their opponents for their upcoming play-off round. Whether teams will use this to get the best matchup for their team, or by setting up an entertaining series or rivalry, the possibilities are endless. The challenge system will only be used for the second round of the playoffs, and further rounds will be a reseeded playoff bracket. With crossplay coming to NHL 23 EASHL, teams from both consoles will be able to play consistently in events like this. There will be more PlayStation teams that have come together and play in more events, and we will get to see where they stack up against the Xbox teams that have been playing in events for years. The potential for a dark horse PSN team is there, its whether they can rise to the challenge. Now, let's talk about the groups. Group 1 is a very top-heavy matchup with some interesting teams towards the middle end of the group in regards to seeding. IslesGT comes in as the clear favorite to win their group, after a very impressive Ducks campaign which is still ongoing at the time of this writing. IslesGT is loaded with talent and will look to compete for that ticket to Finland in February. The addition of @McFleuryadds yet another piece from the dominant Olympia that looked unstoppable. This team already has shades of its predecessor, and are poised to be a threat. Scary Hours is also no slouch, with a deep playoff run no surprise to this group, and have won titles before. The 6s scene is always better with @Gwan in it than without, and will slide into this deep squad effortlessly. The rest of the group features teams with pedigree, but some room to prove themselves. Hidden Potential is back with the familiar duo @Shockz and @CT 66 but add fresh blood to the team such as @Flinnur and @Nick Veds, as they look to bring the brand back to the top of the pyramid. Turning Point has plenty of experience as a whole as well as a team, and are looking to get over the “elite team” hump rather than just a good playoff team. The rest of the group all depends on who surprises with their growth the most. Teams like Versatility, and Tolerance have shown the capability to snatch the final spots, but are still rather green when it comes to consistency. Group 2 contains some heavy hitters, but the mid table is wide open. Teams like Entourage, Instinct, and The Underdogs should realistically wrap up those top three spots. All three of these teams have the consistency and the skill to reach the top end of the group pretty easily and should have no trouble getting out of the group. Legacy recently made top 8 in the Ducks event, and while this is still a team that should be making out of this group the majority of the time, time will tell if they are consistently a contender for top eight or further, or find themselves in that good team category that a lot of teams are in currently. After these teams, any of these teams could realistically make the playoffs and no one would be surprised. A lot of these teams have made playoffs in plenty of events before as individuals, albeit with different teams. If certain teams are able to gel with their new rosters and show a higher level of chemistry compared to others, they should get the leg up to finish high in their group. I wouldn't be shocked to see any of these teams as high as 3rd in the group, as there are a lot of teams that can surprise some of the favorites if they aren't careful. Group 3 contains the battle of the NHL teams. Both Caps Gaming and Anaheim Ducks Gaming field rosters in this group, and both will be battling for the top spot in the group. Teams like Eclipse, No Mercy and Evolution have had success in the past, and are banking on their roster moves to bring them back to their previous level. With multiple PlayStation teams in this group, this will be the true test of where the two consoles stand against each other. The wildcard team in this group for me is One Unit, a team that is fairly new to the scene, but has come out swinging since starting. The team has dark horse potential to top the group and make a run in playoffs. This will be the true litmus test of whether they are a potential top 10 team, or a team that find themselves hovering around the top 25. Finally, group 4 is a well balanced group between consistency and potential. Composure is the standout team here, and adding @officialmark07 to the blueline will add some familiarity to an already tight knit group. Former Delusions core Strictly Business has made a splash since forming, currently top 8 in the Ducks Opening tournament. The additions of @YungGren and @ProMoe to forward, along with moving @OFs back to right defense appears to be paying off, and the biggest question will be whether they can continue this pace going forward. The Flawless brand returns after a hiatus for some time, and will look to return to the top end of the NA scene. The PSN squad has been in the top 8 before, and will look to rekindle past success with their previous branding. Heroes and Catch 22 have an interesting rivalry, as these teams have mixed and matched between the 2 rosters for many events, so there is a certain level of familiarity and competition to their matchup. This event has everything you could possibly want for storylines. From the established veterans looking to win it all, to up and coming rosters looking to make their mark on the scene. The depth of teams participating is unmatched, with all teams being no slouch to play against. Some will rise to the challenge, but only one will punch their ticket to Helsinki and the world finals. Be sure to follow twitch.tv/sportsgamergg to watch the action live, primarily on Sundays and Thursdays at 10pm ET.

SportsGamers, To clear up any confusion with the start dates of the ECL '23 Winter season, we'll revisit the start dates mentioned in each of our season information articles. Schedules for each division to follow: ECL '23 Winter: Elite Schedule Regular Season: 12.12.2022-18.1.2023 Quarterfinals: 25.1-1.2.2023 Semifinals: 5-8.2.2023 Finals: 24.2.2023 (Live in Helsinki) ECL '23 Winter: Pro Schedule Regular Season: 12.12.2022-16.1.2023 RO16: 19.-24.1.2023 Quarterfinals: 26.-31.1.2023 Semifinals: 2.-7.2.2023 Finals: 12.-14.2.2023 ECL '23 Winter: Lite Schedule Regular Season: 13.12.2022-18.1.2023 RO32: 22.-25.1.2023 RO16: 29.1-1.2.2023 Quarterfinals: 5.-8.2.2023 Semifinals: 12.-15.2.2023 Finals: 19.-22.2.2023 ECL '23 Winter: Core Schedule Regular Season: 13.12.2022-19.1.2023 RO32: 22.-26.1.2023 RO16: 29.1-2.2.2023 Quarterfinals: 5.-9.2.2023 Semifinals: 12.-16.2.2023 Finals: 19.-23.2.2023 ECL '23 Winter: Neo Schedule Regular Season: 14.12.2022-18.1.2023 RO64: 22.-25.1.2023 RO32: 29.2.-1.2.2023 RO16: 5.-8.2.2023 Quarterfinals: 12.-15.2.2023 Semifinals: 19.-22.2.2023 Finals: 26.2.-1.3.2023 This means that the season kicks off tomorrow night with the ECL '23 Winter Elite and Pro divisions, and other divisions will follow in the coming days. Groups and schedules will be released the day before the first gameday by the latest.

We're coming full circle by returning to the ECL's first ever cover gamer for the upcoming '23 Winter season! ECL 8 was our first season featuring a Cover Gamer, and since then we've taken a lot of big steps forward as a league and as a community. Over the course of that time, there's one player that has above everyone else managed to maintain a high competitive level and even more importantly, managed to act as an ambassador for the entire sport. That is why we're coming full circle and announcing Erik @Eki (EkiOriginal) Tammenpää as the ECL '23 Winter Cover Gamer. After some experience back in the PlayStation 3 days with good friend Joonas @Patzlaf Paatiala in Carlsberg HC, and a few seasons of ECL competition in various teams, in early 2018 the youngster @Eki was recruited to a very strong and experienced MUKIMIEHET side for ECL 4 Elite, the first season in our divisional framework. MUKIMIEHET were set on a championship push with season 1 originals Ville @MuKiMaisteri Luukkonen and Atte @Aze (Atte91) Aho in their roster, combined with throwbacks Lasse @Lage (Lagezickarno) Pennola and Ville @Piri (a_n_t_a) Pirttilä and a fresh influx of talent with Eki joining the already powerful forward core. Despite their campaign not really getting the end that they so had hoped for, this season set into motion an era of competitive success at the very top level that we've yet to see an end to. A list of Eki's biggest wins 🏆: 1v1 NHL GWC European Champion 2018 NHL GWC World Champion 2018 IS Cup 3 Champion 2018 NHL GWC European Champion 2019 IIHF Esports Fan Championship 2020 eLiiga Season 1 Champion 2020 NHL GWC European Champion 2021 NHL GWC European Champion 2022 IIHF eWorld Champion 2022 6v6 IS Cup 3 Champion 2018 ECL 7 Champion 2018 SCL Champion 2019 ECL 9 Champion 2020 eSHL Season 1 Champion 2020 FCL Champion 2020 ECL 11 Champion 2020 eSHL season 2 Champion 2021 FCL Champion 2021 The accolades and trophycase that Eki has managed to build over the past four years is unmatched, and while four years seems like a rather short time in any other sport, in NHL esports, especially with the yearly release cycle of the game and ever changing meta, that is an eternity. Even when Eki hasn't been winning, he's still managed to be right there, breathing down the neck of his toughest competitors. Who are some of the toughest opponents that you've faced through the years? Paul @PleeMaker Arontie is without a doubt the best opponent I've ever faced. He's the only player that I've never had the edge on completely, even when I've been at my very best. Plee is also one of those players who always seem to elevate their game in big tournaments and that's why my respect for him is so high. Internationally, Justin @Regs84 Reguly has to be one of the better players I've faced. We've played each other once on LAN in 2019 and remember that his game was so different from anyone else. He's tough to get a read on. We'll be playing each other in New York next week also! Who are some of the players you've looked up to over the course of your gaming career, not only because of their skills but perhaps their personalities? Joonas @Patzlaf Paatiala is my #1. We played together for the first time in 2012 when we were neighbors and I was just a kid. I consider him to be one of my best friends and respect him very much both as a player and a human being. We'll definitely be playing together for as long as Joonas will have me in his team. Other guys I've looked up to in terms of streaming and content creation are definitely Risto @Dominointi Järvi and Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen. These are the guys I watched while on the comeup and they really were the first ones to show what that side of the game is all about along with teaching me lost of tips and tricks on the 1v1 game. Your skill and grind are certainly big reasons that have put you in the position you are now, but what other attributes do you think a true professional needs to succeed? Success is definitely a combination of small factors and a tiny bit of luck and chance. I wouldn't even be here without the likes of Patzlaf and Mika @mikaasi Heikkilä, who managed to spark my interest for the game and made it fun for me. With that, came some timely success, which allowed me some of the opportunities I've got to this point. A tip for any player out there looking to go pro is definitely creating content centered around the game. NHL is such a small game that you'll have to generate value outside competition in order to interest sponsors and organisations. Also, keep your head cool. One tournament win will not last or get you anywhere, success will follow those who grind, so put in your hours and practice. Last but not least, a couple of thoughts on the upcoming season, who do you think will be contenders? Any interesting new outfits to look out for? The upcoming season is going to be very, very interesting personally. Our own team has seen more changes than ever before and you could almost call this squad something of an old school FILA x Written In The Stars mashup. I'm taking on a defensive role, so it'll be a learning experience at least early on. With all the changes to our own squad, it'll definitely be an exciting experience and we're definitely hungry for success after a failure to win any trophies in NHL 22. It'll be interesting to see how the standings will start to shape up. hREDS has been great as always, Tunnel Vision is right there and we're doing all we can to challenge them. One team I think will surprise is Växjö Lakers, who will be in their first Elite season, look for them to be in the Playoffs. On the 1v1 side the level is higher year by year. The young guns who have been on the comeup for some time already will definitely have success. Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen and Roope @pikkuroger Bergström represent the young and talented group of players to keep an eye on. Henrik @Eken45jr Eklund is another player I expect to do just as well as before. List of previous ECL cover gamers: ECL 8: Erik @Eki Tammenpää ECL 9: Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen ECL 10: Casper @ICappeI Lundgren ECL 11: Tuukka @FlyerKungen Kuha ECL 12: Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen ECL '22 Winter: Johan @Lehmannens Lehmann & Hampus @l-Furyan-l Duvefelt ECL '23 Spring: Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen You'll be able to see Eki in action in the upcoming ECL '23 Winter season with his Frölunda HC, where he will be playing as a defenseman alongside new recruit Kristian-Mikael @Nassustelija Katajisto, who has recently been recruited from the disbanded HAVU Gaming. The season starts December 11th, so there's still some time to get geared up and prepare for some of the best virtual hockey around. Sign-ups are also still open for our ECL '23 Winter Neo and Core divisions, so here's your chance to get your career started in some competitive action! ECL 1v1 also still has two more qualifiers to go until the top 128 stage, so join that too! Read more about the ECL '23 Winter season here.