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After months of waiting and eager anticipation, the ECL season is finally in our lives again. Since we last saw each other in July, a lot around the Elite Division has changed. New teams, rebrands, promotions and so much more. Our defending champion rode off into the sunset, three teams were promoted from the Pro Division to Elite, and some former rivals have joined forces to become teammates. I know, that's a lot, but don't worry! We're here to catch you up and give you the rundown of what to expect from each Elite Division team this upcoming season. Before we start, let me clarify that the teams are listed in alphabetical order. Though I sprinkle in some of my own personal thoughts on the teams, this is not a standings prediction, so keep that in mind as you read! Also, rosters fluctuate like crazy and some players can be listed on rosters that don't intend on playing, so unless I was informed otherwise about a certain player, everyone listed on the roster is viewed as either a returner or an addition. Also, thank you to @Vamoux for providing me with additional facts and background information on each of the teams! Lastly, remember that this is all just opinions and analysis! You are allowed to disagree with them, just do it respectfully. None of this really means anything and it's all about just trying to come up with good content for the league that people can enjoy, so please don't take anything here to heart. It's not that serious! Ok, that's enough rambling. We have a long list of teams so let's get started! EXEN Last Season: Finished 5th in Regular Season standings, lost in Semifinals vs Valokuitunen Esports in 5 games Returning Players: FWD - Santeri @indi969 Pendolin FWD - Aapeli @Lxndstrom Landström (played defense last season) DEF - Aleksi @Mozjayh Kähkönen G - Kasper @Kaz_zu Ramstedt Roster Additions: FWD - Väinö @Pikkarii Pikkarainen (joins from Tunnel Vision) DEF- Veeti @wengerii Paloneva (joins from Tunnel Vision) DEF - Aaro @xDoumi Ruuhinen (joins from Parasite) G - Ben @benuh_ Rinnet (joins from Tunnel Vision) Roster Subtractions: FWD - Aaro @xAaro89x Aarvala (transfered to Mustaa Kultaa) FWD - V-V @cTunkeilija Lampela (transferred to Polski Boys) Another team that brings back much of its core back from the last season, EXEN is looking to take a step forward after falling in the Semifinals to Valokuittinen last season. This team made multiple star additions, adding in a multi-time defender of the year in xDoumi, and former Tunnel Vision staples in wengerii and Pikkari. They also added benuh_ who cemented himself as one of Europe's top goalies last season, as he helped backstop Tunnel Vision to its third championship in their last season as a team. Combine this with the returning core of Lxndstom, Mozjayh, Indi and kaz_zu and you can see why so many people are excited about this team. It's important to note as well that it looks like Lxndstrom will be transitioning to forward after spending the last few seasons at LD for this team, so that will be a move to watch out for this season. This is easily EXEN's most talented roster to date and they should be a championship favorite when considering the talent they have at their disposal. The question for EXEN has always been whether they can beat the other top tier teams in the division, especially come playoff time. If they can, we could see this team make its first final and compete for a trophy in a few months. I feel confident that they'll at least be a Semifinals team again this season; anything less would feel like a bit of a disappointment with this roster quite honestly. Let's see if they get it done. Falun Coal Miners Last Season: Competed in Pro Division, lost in Finals vs Almost Famous in 5 games, lost Elite Relegation Series vs Renascor in 7 games Returning Players: FWD - Philip @STRANDMANNEN11 Strandman FWD - Christoffer @Buffy Mentzer FWD - Ted @Smayk99 Kempe DEF - Hampus @l-Furyan-l Duvefelt DEF - Jonas @Supremski Söderlund G - Elie @eliekamel87 Kamel Roster Additions: G- Johan @McSavid Rundqvist (joins from The Black Jacks) Utility - Pontus @LastMandalorian Duvefelt Roster Subtractions: Utility - Matti @SelanneFIN Makkonen Look who's back! After choosing to drop down to the Pro Division to rebuild the core of its roster, Falun Coal Miners earned their spot back into Elite after a thrilling seven-game series win over TIKI TALK in the Elite Qualifier last week. An interesting fact about that by the way, they were down 3-1 in that series before ultimately winning three straight games to steal the series, and their captain Furyan scored all four game-winning goals, including two in OT... and he did it as a defenseman! Impressive to say the least. Now the Coal Miners will have to set their sights on staying in the Division for good, and it'll take a familiar group of players for them to do it. This team only made one addition, but it was one of the best goalies in the ECL in McSavid, who comes over from The Black Jacks after putting up an 84.5sv% in 20 starts. He continues to prove year after year that he is considered one of the best for a reason, and Falun will need him to carry that form over if they want to surpass what many seem to expect from them. Outside of McSavid and Furyan, there isn't a ton of Elite-level experience to be found on the roster, as their lineup will contain multiple rookies at the forward position. We've seen players such as STRANDMANNEN and Buffy have great seasons and become proven point producers in the lower ranks, but can they carry that production over into the golden tier of the ECL? I don't think that this is a bad roster, it's far from it, but I do think that there will be growing pains for some of the newer players to this division on their roster. They will need to rely on the experience that they have from players like Furyan, McSavid, and Supremski to keep themselves out of the relegation zone, but luckily for them, it happens to be two of the most proven players at their respective positions that we've seen in Elite. Maybe the adjustment period will be minimized, but that's not something that you can bank on without seeing it. GOONS Last Season: Finished 13th in Regular Season standings, lost Elite Relegation series vs Mustaa Kultaa in 4 games Returning Players: FWD - Teemu @tkantola Kantola FWD - @Xkeineri DEF - Luka @Easychasniper2 Rönn DEF - Sisu @sisu33_ Nurminen G - Tim @Tuhmakalastaja91 Grönlund Roster Additions: FWD - Leo @Lekxsa_70 Hämäläinen (joins from ROBE Esports - Pro Division) FWD - @xRori83 (joins from Dark Energy HC - Lite Division) G - Juuso @TheSpeedo Sirkola Roster Subtractions: DEF - Kristian @kriketski17 Veijola DEF - Tuukka @KingOfApes_ Ropelinen (transferred to NOVA - Pro Division) FWD/G - Samu @xKeskitalo Keskitalo (transferred to Finnish Roosters - Pro Division) Oh, how the mighty have fallen. It doesn't feel like all that long ago when GOONS was one of the top teams in this Division and a consistent playoff threat, but the last time they made the playoffs? ECL 22 Spring season. Since then, this team has been on a steady decline, and it hit rock bottom last season when they found themselves finishing 13th in the standings and later being swept in its relegation series against Mustaa Kultaa. Luckily for GOONS, they were thrown a lifeline with the ECL 25 Winter qualifier and swept RYHTIC to earn their way back into the Elite Division. So can GOONS get back on the right track this season? It'll take a refreshed approach for them to do so, and there are some names both old and new to this team that could help them do it. One is Easychasniper, who will be back with GOONS after playing 14 games with the team last season at defense (he was one of the Grand Finalists in the ECL 24 1v1 season). Lekxsa is another addition to the roster as a rookie, putting up 41 points in 30 games with ROBE Esports in his lone Pro Division season during the Spring. Speedo comes over from Mustaa Kultaa and will play his first full season in Elite after playing 10 games in Pro last season. These three will combine with the experience of Tkantola and Keinari who have played together for some time, as well as Sisu who is not only one of the world's best 1v1 players but has also been a play-drive and point producer at defense in this Division for the past few seasons, even despite some of his team's struggles. I don't expect GOONS to turn things around entirely or immediately, but I do think that they've taken a step in the right direction. They'll play with a similar identity as past GOONS teams, so lots of hits and lots of counter-attacking, but I think that it'll be done with a bit of a different flavor. Losing Krike, KingOfApes, and Keskitalo hurts, but things were clearly not working for this team. They needed new blood and they got it. My expectation this season will be for GOONS to show progression rather than regression. Heimo Last Season: Finished 14th in Regular Season standings, won Elite Relegation series vs RYHTIC in 6 games Returning Players: FWD - Eemil @Eeemill_ Törnvall FWD - Jim @SadaPoika Leskinen DEF - Tuomas @Tumpp1A Aaltonen DEF - Saku @Sakkem Saaranluoma G - Jani @Vamoux Jämsäläinen Roster Additions: FWD - Otto @xHatsi Hämäläinen (joins from Mustaa Kultaa) DEF - Aleksi @xSnaipperi Honka (joins from TIKI TALK) Roster Subtractions: DEF - A @Akunkku Kuningas DEF - @N44TTI_16 (transferred to DILAC - Pro Division) G - Jani @TeikDaun Honkasaar (transferred to Mythix) Last season, Heimo struggled to find winning form, with their longest win streak being 2 games and being forced to fight to keep their place in Elite in a relegation series, but they did so successfully and are back in the ECL’s top flight for another season. They bring in a pair of players in xHatsi and xSnaipperi. Hatsi was a key cog in Muusta Kuulta's Pro Division run last season that eventually earned them a spot in the Elite Division (he had 10 points in four relegation series games), so it'll be interesting to see him lining up down the middle with two captains in Eemil and Sadapoika. Snaipperi comes over from TIKI TALK after being one of the best defenders in the Pro Division last season (40pts in 30 games and a +60 plus/minus). The 18-year-old Fin will be playing his first season in Elite, but he could very well be a Rookie of the Season contender by the end of the Winter campaign. Look out for him. The last time we saw this group in the playoffs was in ECL Winter 23 under the JANO branding, and you feel like there is a chance that this could change this season. They have a good mix of youth and experience and considering how much the landscape of the Division has shifted since the Spring, you feel like now is as good of a chance as ever for them to make it back. They'll need to find that consistent form, but if they can, Heimo could catch some eyes this season. Mustaa Kultaa Last Season: Competed in Pro Divison, lost in Semifinals vs Falun Coal Miners in 7 games, won Elite Relegation series vs GOONS in 4 games Returning Players: FWD - Jaro @jaageri_ Matilainen (on the roster, but will not be available to play this season) FWD - Alex @Allupekkaz Buntsel G - Veeti @LatveX Laitinen Roster Additions: FWD - Aaro @xAaro89x Aarvala (joins from EXEN) FWD - Eetu @Launonexx Launonen (joins from Unwanted) FWD - J-J @NuariJamal Raatikainen (joins from TIKI TALK) DEF - Mico @Mise Pulli (joins from Gotham Knights) G - Jere @KASINELONEN Leppikangas Roster Subtractions: FWD - Otto @xHatsi Hämäläinen (transferred to Heimo) FWD - Arttu @Arska Aarnio FWD - Jimi @JJimbo- Laitinen DEF - Jiri @I_Saarinen_I Saarinen (transferred to Kymmenelta Clubille - Pro Division) DEF - Lauri @SirLateksi Seimelä (transferred to Kymmenelta Clubille - Pro Division) G - Miika @sMiiga Koivula (transferred to PANIC ON ICE - Core Division) One of our two new Elite Division teams (not including rebrands)! As an unbiased and neutral party, I have to admit that it's pretty cool to see Mustaa Kultaa make it to the ECL's top flight for the first time. I called this team's ECL 23 Spring Lite Championship victory in what was their first-ever season as a group, and now just three seasons later, here they are in the Elite division. These are the stories that make this league so fun and make the ECL so unique. Now let's get down to business, this team looks drastically different from past seasons. As a matter of fact, no other Elite Division team exchanged more players than Mustaa Kultaa over the offseason, as they made five additions to the roster while seeing five players depart, and that doesn't even include the team's captain jaageri who will be away this season. They brought in two of Elite's best-scoring forwards from last season. Launonex returns to Mustaa Kultaa after spending last season with Unwanted, where he was one of the best rookie skaters in the league with 55 points and had a great case for winning rookie of the year (his teammate at the time, karlssonadam just edged him out). He joins Aaro who comes over from EXEN and had a 55-point season of his own. These two were tied for the fourth-most points in the league last season, so that gives you an idea of how impactful these two transfers are for Mustaa Kultaa. Naurijamal also feels like an under-the-radar addition, as he comes off of a 93-point and 54-assist season with TIKI TALK in the Pro Division last season, both which led the league last season. Considering that Allupekkaz has long been the team's starting RW, I'm interested to see how they rotate three really talented forwards and if one of them could possibly move back to defense, as their roster only has one defenseman officially listed on the roster in Miseee, who comes over from Gotham Knights. The jump to Elite is a tough one. It's a game of sink or swim and we've seen cases of both over the last few seasons. Even last season we saw teams like Gotham Knights and Renascor struggle to make the jump and finish in the Bottom 4 of the division, while other teams such as Björkloven Esport and Purification adapted rather quickly and finished Top 10 in the standings. I personally feel like this team is capable of doing the latter. I think that competing towards a playoff spot is a very reasonable expectation for this team considering the moves that they made in the offseason. They've climbed the ECL ladder about as quickly as any team could do so, and now they'll get the chance to match up against some of the best groups that Europe has to offer. Mythix (formerly Bjorkloven Esport) Last Season: Finished 6th in Regular Season standings, lost in Quarterfinals vs Tunnel Vision in 5 games Returning Players: FWD - Oskar @x-_-BoBi-_-x Hautala FWD - Valtteri @Valee__ Jakola FWD - Miikka @koleslaav_ Kolehmainen DEF - Miika @zMikkeez Kauppila DEF - Veeti @WeDuX_ Misikangas DEF - Arttu @Thewix93 Harju G - Jussi @Ricco Laakso Roster Additions: G - Jani @TeikDaun Honkasaar (joins from Heimo) Roster Subtractions: G - Dennis @Kallmanius Källman (transferred to Bjorkloven Esport - Pro Division) Formerly under the Bjorkloven Esport brand, his group had quite the debut to Elite last season, earning a playoff spot and putting the Elite division on notice in their first season there. Unfortunately for them, they fell short to the eventual champions, but the Spring campaign was nothing short of a success for now-rebranded Mythix. Now the expectations are present for this team, and there’s the feeling that they could ascend into the Top 4 if all goes right this season. They return a majority of the roster, only making one swap in adding TeikDaun to take the place of Kallmanus, who made just two starts for the team in net last season. Considering how good this team was in their own end last season, giving up just 2 goals per game and having a penalty kill of 86.67% ( both ranked at third-best in Elite), I'm sure that they won't complain about maintaining the majority of a roster that was one of the best defensive teams in the division. Koleslaav and Bobbi also proved to be a dynamic duo at the forward spot, with each of them at least having double the amount of points of any of their teammates. I'm sure that Mythix will want This is a team that is hungry and still has a lot to prove, but a playoff appearance should be the minimum expectation in my opinion. They’ve already proven that they can get there and now it’s time for them to build up from that. Was last season just a glimpse of what they’re capable of? We’ll find out soon. Parasite (formerly Valokuitunen Esports) Last Season: Finished 1st in Regular Season standings, lost in Finals vs Tunnel Vision in 4 games Returning Players: FWD - Perttu @Beniittto Kemppainen FWD - Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen DEF - Teemu @Teemuyy Polttila G - Sebastian @FINSeRe Remes Roster Additions: FWD - Valtteri @Vattuyy Virtanen (joins from Tunnel Vision) DEF - Tomi @tomboo-_- Laitinen (joins from Tunnel Vision) G - Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen (joins from Voittamaton *didn't play any games last season*) Roster Subtractions: FWD - Vili @Vilupoika Häkkinen DEF - Aaro @xDoumi Ruuhinen (transferred to EXEN) After being swept in the Finals by Tunnel Vision this past season, Parasite come into ECL '25: Winter under a new name and with a much different look after making some key additions. Long-time staples in Vilupoika and Doumi are out, while rivals turned teammates are now in, as they add three former Tunnel Vision stars in Vattuyy, UhNikke, and the team’s former captain Tomboo. It almost feels similar to what we saw a few years ago when HAVU and Frolunda HC had their cores merge, only I think you could argue that this group is even stronger than that one was (not by a wide margin to be clear, that team had insane talent as well). You could maybe wonder how these different play styles will mesh together, as Tunnel Vision and hREDS/Valokuitunen played very different play styles, but the best players and teams find ways to make it work and this group fits that billing to a tee. I wish that I had a deeper analysis to give about this group, but it's honestly all quite simple. This is a collection of some of the best talent in the world and their most likely starting lineup makes up for each of the last 7 Elite Division championships. It doesn't get much simpler or more truthful than that. Everyone is plenty familiar with what this team is capable of and they will without a doubt be a title favorite again. Similarly to what we said with EXEN earlier, anything less than at least a Semifinals appearance would feel like a disappointment. Polski Boys Last Season: Finished 12th in Regular Season standings Returning Players: FWD - Aleksi @Brockela22 Pokela FWD - Sasu @xSaski_ Korkeamäki DEF - Lauri @vote_10 Voittomäki DEF - Santeri @kungenkirwa Syrjämäki G - Kirill @W1nchester_62 Syuzyumov G - Tomi @Tope0090 Heikkilä Roster Additions: FWD - V-V @cTunkeilija Lampela (joins from EXEN) Roster Subtractions: FWD - Joona @jm98II Muona A team that had a quick rise in ECL '23, Polski Boys are still looking for their breakthrough moment in the Elite Division, finishing in no man’s land in each of their foes two seasons here. They kept most of the core from last season in fact, only making one move in adding cTunekelija who comes over from EXEN. He’ll take the place of jm who had been a staple in this lineup during the team’s ascent. Though JM is a quality player in his own right, Tunekelija has been a proven commodity as a point-producer, hitting 40+ points in each of his past three Elite seasons. For a team that finished Bottom 5 in the division in goals for per game during their first two Elite seasons, including the second-lowest goals for per game last season (2.07), this will be a helpful addition. This is a team that many believe is on the cusp of that breakout year, and I've been in that same boat for a while now. Is the third time the charm for Polski Boys? A playoff appearance would suggest yes, but they’ll need to finally take that much-needed stride offensively to get there. Renascor Last Season: Finished 15th in Regular Season standings, won Elite relegation series vs Falun Coal Miners in 7 games Returning Players: FWD - Evgeny @Virusact1ve Popov DEF - Sergei @NyambI4 Filippov DEF - Igor @Motov Motov Roster Additions: FWD - André @Foppatofflan Liljegren (joins from The Black Jacks + Northern Ascendancy) FWD - Connor @MartindalexC Martindale (joins from Falun Coal Miners + Northern Ascendancy) G - @jg697000 (joins from Supernatural - Pro Division) Roster Subtractions: FWD - Maksim @maximkrinitsyn88 Krinitsyn FWD - Erik @riegel29 Riegel G - @Hullued (transferred to HC Pustertal eSports - Lite Division) Making some of the most roster moves of any team in the Division, Renascor is back for its second Elite Division campaign. Now they look to progress after what was a tough season for the group last season, finishing in 15th and having to win a Game 7 in a relegation series vs Falun Coal Miners to maintain their place in Elite. The majority of changes that this team made were at the forward spot, as they brought in a pair of linemates with ample Elite experience in Foppatofflan and Martindale. Though these two are experienced, they were just brought into the team last week, so we'll have to see how quickly these two can gel with the rest of Renascor's lineup and how quickly it will take for the group to adjust to one another. They also added a rookie goaltender in Gresu__, who was stellar in the Pro Division last season with Supernatural, posting an 86 sv% in 14 games. The key to Renascor improving this season will be finding its offensive stride. This team had the lowest goals for per game of any team in the Elite Division last season at 1.67. They also had the fourth-lowest shots per game in the division at 12.1. Will the veteran additions help? Or will they still not have enough firepower to match up with the division's playoff contenders? I think they've taken a step in the right direction, but we won't be able to know until we see it for ourselves. Roots Gaming Last Season: Finished 10th in Regular Season standings Returning Players: FWD - Santeri @xleksa35 Levänen FWD - Linus @Limu95 Christiansson FWD - Eemil @Sokkelo__ Soikkeli FWD - Samuli @ssampee37 Mäntylä DEF - Niko @vVoDee Vottonen DEF - Joonas @LE1PAKONE Nordman G - Joona @xJontteZ Moilanen Roster Additions: NONE Roster Subtractions: NONE One of two teams to make zero changes to its roster, Roots Gaming is looking to make it back to the playoffs after just falling short in the Spring '23 season. Despite falling short of the Top 8 however, last season had to be considered a success for Roots, as they made an 18-point improvement in the standings and went from finishing 15th in the Winter season to 10th in the Spring (technically they tied for 9th with Purification, but lost the tiebreaker). This team probably has to most chemistry of anyone in the league, as this is also the same exact roster from that Winter 24 season that we had mentioned earlier. You can argue that this could be a good thing or a bad thing. Two seasons together as a unit is invaluable, and could arguably be this team's biggest strength. They also have one of the league's more underrated goalies in xJonttezz, who comes off a season where he posted an 82.75 SV% (he was also above an 80 SV% during the Winter season with this team). However on the flip side of that argument, this team has been stuck in the middle or worse for a while now, and considering that they made zero changes to the roster, there isn't much evidence that suggests that this Roots team will all of a sudden become more than what they've already shown that they are. If they are going to do so, they will need to find their offense a bit more in this game cycle, as they averaged just 1.47 (Winter) and 2.07 (Spring) goals per game in NHL 24. They will also need to find a way to punch a bit higher to compete with some of the league's top groups, as last season they had a record of just 3-13 against playoff teams, with 11 of those losses coming in regulation. I don't mean to be harsh with Roots, they're a capable group, but after a while, you are what your performances say you are, and when nothing has changed from the past two seasons it's hard to give any reason to believe that this group will suddenly ascend into that next tier of Elite Division teams unless their game has elevated over the past few months, which though possible, is not something that can be safely predicted. The Black Jacks Last Season: Finished 8th in Regular Season standings, lost in Quarterfinals vs Valokuitunen Esports in 7 games Returning Players: FWD - Kevin @Keuschemisch Berg FWD - Chris @GERxVillain Ungeheuer FWD - Tim @Timasy Hess DEF - Max @Toneee9 Tonitz DEF - Antti @Anhel_Kuru Kuru Roster Additions: DEF - Niklas @xXPsykoSkillsXx Schmitz (joins from Deadly Phantoms - Pro Division) G - Santeri @kkostiiii Kostiainen (joins from Vesa Pompa) G - Sandro @I-THE_EAGLE-I Wüller Roster Subtractions: FWD - André @Foppatofflan Liljegren (transferred to Renascor) G - Johan @McSavid Rundqvist (transferred to Falun Coal Miners) G - Simeon @Simbanho Vorselman (transferred to Blackbirds - Pro Division *will return to TBJ next season*) After nearly pulling off one of the biggest upsets in Elite history in last season’s Quarterfinals, TBJ is back and hoping to take that long-awaited next step forward. It feels like this group has been stuck in the middle for a while, consistently finishing in the 8-12 range in the standings. With experience aplenty and higher ambitions, this will need to change this season. Their biggest change will be at what was arguably their biggest strength last season, goaltending, as Kkosti comes in to replace to goaltending duo of McSavid and Simbahno. Kkosti joined the team over the summer, so you can expect him to be ready to go for his new team. While McSavid has moved on to Falun Coal Miners, it has been said that Simbanho will rejoin the team next season but will be playing in the Pro Division with Blackbirds for this season (so essentially he's on loan). They also replace Fopptofflan who was a steady presence at center for them, as GERxVillan will move from defense to Center spot to fill his absence. I’m not sure if we’ve seen this group hit their peak yet, but this season will go a long way toward finding out. The key will be having a strong regular season that shows that they can win consistently. Slow starts to seasons are something that has held this team back a bit in past years. That issue will need to be remedied if they want to continue progressing. TIKI TALK Last Season: Competed in Pro Division, lost in Quarterfinals vs Mustaa Kultaa in 7 games Returning Players: FWD - @itspardytime FWD - Teemu @Teme Sainio FWD - Kari @VaLLe- Valle (transferred midseason to TIKI TALK last season, was on roster so counted as a returning player) G - Kevin @I-Bysse-I Byström Roster Additions: DEF - @Saviinainen (joins from Zenegeim - Lite Division) DEF - @Pensasmies (joins from BushWackers - Lite Division) G - @I-Nisse-I Roster Subtractions: FWD - J-J @NuariJamal Raatikainen (transferred to Mustaa Kultaa) DEF - Aleksi @xSnaipperi Honka (transferred to Heimo) DEF - Timo @Velttola Hokkanen G - @SemiSeco A few days ago, TIKI TALK thought it had fumbled away its chance at the Elite Division, losing a 3-1 series lead and falling to Falun Coal Miners in Game 7 in the qualifier. It looked like the group would be back in the Pro Division for another season. Then, everything changed, as Almost Famous, last season's Pro Division champions, disbanded, leaving one more spot to be filled in the Elite Division. TIKI TALK was given a second chance, and they took advantage of it, defeating RYHTIC in six games to punch their ticket back into Elite for the first time since ECL 9. An awesome story for one of the ECL's original teams (TIKI TALK is one of the few active team brands that played in ECL 1). Though TIKI TALK lost its leading point producer and Pro Division points leader from last season in nuarijamal, they do bring back two high-quality forwards in ItsPardyTime and TeMeX. These two have an undeniable chemistry that goes all the way back to ECL 1, so if they can adjust to the Elite game again, they could be an impactful duo this season. Slotting with them at forward will be VaLLe-9, a relatively unknown rookie who has just 8 games of ECL experience from his time with Valco in the Pro Division in ECL Winter 24 before transferring to TIKI TALK midseason. He put up 13 points in 14 games during the Elite Qualifier playoffs last week. Both defensemen will also be transfers, as they added Pensamies, who will be playing in his first Elite season and is making the considerable jump from the Lite division, and Saviinainen, who played with TIKI TALK in its last Elite season in ECL 9 and has been a consistently reliable defenseman at the Pro and Lite ranks. I-Bysse-I comes back with TIKI TALK to command the pipes after he was arguably the best goalie in the Pro Division last season, posting an 87.41 SV% in 22 regular season starts and an 86.55 SV% in 14 playoff stats. He'll be a rookie in Elite this season, but look out for him to potentially steal this team a few games. It's hard to say where this team could end up because a few days ago they weren't even going to be in the Elite Division. I feel like many will place them in the relegation zone because of that, and it's honestly understandable, but TIKI TALK has a roster mixed with experience and youth, and they have a few impact players that could very well take over a game here and there. I'm not saying they're a playoff team, I'm not even going to say that they'll be safe from playing a relegation series in March, but what I will say is to not just write them off because of the way that they got here. This is a team that is capable of winning games and we've seen some crazy things happen before in this Division. Could TIKI TALK add to that list of craziness? We'll see. Tohtorit Last Season: Finished 4th in Regular Season standings, lost in Quarterfinals vs EXEN in 4 games Returning Players: FWD - Jere @profiilipakki Kangasniemi FWD - Jere @Harlowi- Paloranta FWD - Tuomas @Ojala16 Ojala FWD - Mikko @Ristimaki12 Ristimäki DEF - Verne @seegasormi Maijanen DEF - Timi @Kkarkass Kärkäs DEF - Tomi @tominointi Mäkelä G - Stan @Stammer70 Adamus Roster Additions: NONE Roster Subtractions: NONE This team shouldn’t catch anyone by surprise anymore. Tohtorit is here and they are a serious playoff team. They return their entire roster from last season’s campaign and they were a serious threat to finish top of the league for some time before falling off a bit late in the season and having to settle for a 4-seed, which is still impressive. This led to a tough Quarterfinal matchup with EXEN and an early playoff exit. I'm especially interested to see how this forward group does this season, as the trio of Harlowi, Ojala16, and profillipakki were stellar for this team last season, with each of them ranking Top 10 in the Division in either points or goals. Stammer70 has also proven to be a wall in net for this team, posting back-to-back seasons with a save percentage of 82% or higher. Being one of the teams to return its entire roster could be a benefit, but we’ll have to see if their performance last season is what this team truly is, as well as if their playstyle will mesh with the new game. They aren't going to catch anyone by surprise anymore, so we will have to see whether or not the Spring campaign was this group's peak or if they can take another step forward together. Unwanted Last Season: Finished in 7th in Regular Season standings, lost in Quarterfinals vs Straikers in 7 games Returning Players: FWD - Steffen @Suth98_ Sutherland FWD - Anton @Henka0009 Henriksson DEF - Alex @Snus97_ Arvidsson G - Adam @karlssonadam_ Karlsson Roster Additions: FWD - Max @LaxenHD Söderström (joins from Purification) DEF - Elvis @bystrom___ Byström (joins from Purification) G - @Sundstroom (joins from Gotham Knights) Roster Subtractions: FWD - Eetu @Launonexx Launonen (transferred to Mustaa Kultaa) FWD - Leevi @xLeikku Kauppila FWD - Hannes @Johansson__224 Johansson DEF - Samu @keisari Ahonen After falling one game short of a semifinal appearance last season, Unwanted is back and with a new look roster. At one point, this team looked like it could’ve been taking a break, but they eventfully merged with Purification and look to remain a fixture in the Elite division. With a good mix of experience and youth, this season feels like the opportunity for ascension for this team. There will be some questions to answer with the merger, but Purification was one of the division’s up-and-coming teams before stepping away, so there shouldn’t be much of a drop-off. This provided them with a pair of quality additions in Laxen and Bystrom who will hope to take a step forward with their new team this season. Unwanted also returns last season's Rookie of the Season in karlssonadam, who was also a Goalie of the Season candidate after posting an 85.37 SV% in 26 regular season starts during the Spring. The challenge for this team will be improving in the regular season, as Unwanted found themselves 7th in the league in both ECL 24 seasons. This could help their chances at a deeper playoff run if they could avoid playing one of the league’s Top 3 teams (or better yet, be one of the league’s Top 3 teams). I think that we will have to wait and see how the new additions work out for this group and what their lineup ends up looking like, as Launonexx and pkeisari are not light losses to the roster, but overall this still looks like a team that should be in the playoffs again. The question now is whether or not they can elevate into that top tier of teams in the Elite division. Vesa Pompa Last Season: Finished 11th in Regular Season standings Returning Players: FWD - Henrik @Eken45jr Eklund FWD - Anton @antoniomannen004 Svensander FWD - Anton @AntonLxnd Lund DEF - Oliver @pappeen- Papmehl Roster Additions: DEF - Sebastian @SebbeLarsen86 Larsen DEF - @iSvamp (joins from The Worn Out Wisemen - Neo Division) G - Sebastian @Sebastian Lahdo Låhdö (joins from Schrute Farmerz - Lite Division) Roster Subtractions: FWD - Adam @dzouvi Mensik G - Santeri @kkostiiii Kostiainen (transferred to The Black Jacks) Can this team get back into contenders status? That is the question that surrounds a Vesa Pompa team that missed the playoffs last season at 11th. It was a disappointing drop-off for this group after making it all the way to the Semifinals in the Winter season prior and now we'll need to see if they can get back to that place of contention. They lost a pair of key pieces in Dzouvi and Kkostti, but did add one of the league's most reliable defensemen in SebbeLarsen, who will give the team a boost on the back end. Another key addition will be SeboLHD, a rookie goaltender who will look to add to the list of high-end netminders in the Elite division. Keep in mind that last season’s rookie of the year was a goalie, so we’ve seen players in their first season make a significant impact at this position before. Antoniomannen (51pts) and AntonLxnd (40pts) were this team's two leading point producers, so the bulk of this team's scoring production will at least return this season. Eken will also move back up to forward after spending last season at defense; lining up as the Center between Antonio and Anton. Consistency will be key for Vesa Pompa this season. They have a playoff-caliber roster, but they’ll need to put together games in order to accrue points to make the Top 8, something that they struggled to do in the Spring. Voittamaton (formerly Straikers) Last Season: Finished 2nd in Regular Season standings, lost in Semifinals vs Tunnel Vision in 7 games Returning Players: FWD - Joonas @Patzlaf Paatiala FWD - Erik @Eki Tammenpää FWD - Teemu @temppanen Karvonen DEF - Tuukka @FlyerKungen Kuha G - Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen G - Oskari @Zande95 Grönroos Roster Additions: FWD - Paul @PleeMaker Arontie DEF - Jimi @J-_-Jamaltheman Rönkkönen Roster Subtractions: DEF - Kristian-Mikael @Nassustelija Katajisto G - Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen (transferred to Parasite - didn't play in any games last season) Another team that fell victim to Tunnel Vision last season, Voittamaton are still looking to get back to the top of ECL. They’ve come close many times, making it to the Semifinals and Finals on multiple occasions in the last few years, but it’s been since ECL 11 that this group has hoisted the trophy. Most of this team remains unchanged in terms of its core group. They added in Jamaltheman who will provide some offense from the backend after being a high-quality forward with JYP Jyvaskyla in the past season (he went down to Lite last season). He replaces Nassustelija who had been with this team since HAVU Gaming merged with Frolunda HC, so it'll be interesting to see how that one change alters this team's look. They also did lose UhNikke to Parasite, though he didn't suit up for the team last season and Hansulinho is still one of the best goalies in the world, so nothing lost, nothing gained. This team will also appreciate having its long-time captain in Patzlaf back after being away from the team for most of last season. He's undoubtedly one of the best centers in Europe, and though this team looked good in his absence, no one will ever complain about having one of the best two-way players in the ECL back in their lineup. Combine him with other proven top players in Eki and Temppanen and it's a pretty safe bet that they'll be a top offense once again this season. I also find it interesting to see Pleemaker on the roster this season. He hasn't played since the ECL 22 Spring season, but he led the league in points (69), goals (33), and assists (36) that season and he has undeniable chemistry with Patzlaf and Eki. Two years is a long time away from the competitive atmosphere and the ECL and the game as a whole have changed drastically since he last played, but if he is going to come back this season, it'll be a fun story to watch develop for this group that has so much history together. For now, we'll just wait and see what happens there. This team is again a championship contender, but it feels like this year has to be the year before wholesale changes could be considered for the roster (pure speculation to be clear). Does this core have another championship in them? Or have we seen them at their peak? We know where their ambitions are set, now they have to execute in seeing them out. Tune in to the Season Opening Broadcast Tonight! Tune in to the ECL '25: Winter - Elite season opener tonight at twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG! The broadcast starts exceptionally early at 18:45 CET as the first Episode of the SportsGamer Wraparound with Cody @Tougie24 Tougas will introduce us to the new season! We want your clips! Did you make an incredible play or have a funny blooper? Share your best moments on social media using the hashtag #ECL25Clips and get a chance to be featured in our broadcasts. Social media Please tag @SportsGamerGG and use the hashtag #ECL25Winter when posting on social media. You can also use the hashtags #KouvolanLakritsi #eHockey. Also note that when editing your team info, you can add your social media accounts to your team information. The same goes for your player card. Season schedule Regular Season duration: 18.11-19.12.2024 ECL '25: Winter Elite Finals date: ECL Elite LAN Finals @ Assembly Winter 2025 on Thursday 20.2.2025 Good luck to all the teams as they hit the virtual ice. Have fun and let the games begin!

Steffen @Suth98_ Sutherland has had a really interesting and different path into the ECL community. Suth found his way onto the virtual ice for the first time in NHL 12 and he fell in love especially with Franchise Mode. In his own words, he didn't know anything about the online aspect of the game at that time. Suth played his first ECL season in ECL 11 in the Lite division after his friend recommended ECL to him. Suth has also had an unusual journey as a player; during his whole career, Suth has played for the same team for the majority of his career. Although the team now known as Unwanted has had different names, the core group of players has remained pretty much the same. The public perception of Suth is that he is a great team player both on and off the ice, a great captain and leader, a great point scorer, and an all-around gentleman player. We asked Suth's long-time teammates @Snus97_ & @Henka0009 to describe him as a teammate and as a player: "Well, Suth as a player, it’s like hard to describe. He isn’t the best at something specific but my god as a whole player and as a centerman he’s one of the best in this scene for sure. His ability to see his teammates and to do very important goals is elite. He’s also a really good captain. Me, Suth, and Henka have driven this team forward for some years now and he’s very good at making good decisions for the team. And that reflects on how he’s as a teammate and a person. He’s a very funny guy but at the same time he can be serious, i think it’s a good combination." - Snus97_ "Suth has been my teammate since forever I feel. I think I’ve played a total of 3 seasons without him. He has always shown a typical leadership personality, dedicated to practice and being better each and every day. He’s also really easygoing, so to speak, toward everyone, and it is a key part of holding our team together. For me, it’s hard to play the game without him. He makes me 10 times better than I actually am. We have never truly spoken about any “tactics” and stuff regarding NHL. I feel like we just think the same where we want each other to be in certain situations. It’s hard to describe but I can say that without him or Snus_97 in my team, I would never play. The best thing about Suth is that he’s not a “try hard”. We are just playing the game to have fun and joke around. He always brings the joy in the game and party." - Henka0009 Now, making history as the first Norwegian player to be honored as the Cover Gamer for the upcoming ECL '24 Winter season, Suth takes the center stage together with Unwanted, in an attempt to recreate another successful season. 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 🇫🇮 ECL '23: Winter: Erik @Eki Tammenpää 🇫🇮 ECL '23: Spring: Tomi @tomboo- Laitinen 🇫🇮 ECL ‘24: Winter: Adam @dzouvi Menšík 🇨🇿 ECL ‘24: Spring: Perttu @Beniittto Kemppainen 🇫🇮 ECL '25: Winter - Intro video by @ProMinx24 Interview with Suth How does it feel to be chosen as the cover gamer of the top NHL Esports league? "It feels really good, when I look at the list of former cover gamers I only see insane players, so it's a compliment, and I'm honored about it for sure." What has been the best moment in your career so far? "I don't have only 1 specific moment, but the thing I'm most proud about is taking what feels like my own team from Lite all the way to Elite and back-to-back playoffs. So the journey as a whole is my favorite moment." What do you enjoy most about competing at the highest level? "It's really fun to play for something, and especially in Elite, every game matters so much. And you can also beat and lose to anyone so it's important to have 100% focus in every matchup." What are some of your personal goals for the upcoming ECL season? "I don't really have any personal goals, I just want to do my best for the team. It's always fun to score and make good plays but as long as our team and I perform well I'm happy." And lastly, how do you think staying in the same team/environment for the majority of your career has affected you as a player? "It has created some special bonds both on and off the virtual ice. Especially with both Henka and Snus. And the more comfortable you are around your teammates/friends, the easier it is to talk about little details on ice and things happening in real life if that makes sense." Tune in to the Season Opening Broadcast Tonight! Tune in to the ECL '25: Winter - Elite season opener tonight at twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG! The broadcast starts exceptionally early at 18:45 CET as the first Episode of the SportsGamer Wraparound with Cody @Tougie24 Tougas will introduce us to the new season!