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NHLGamers, Welcome to the 2nd half of the ECL11 Neo mid-season report where we’ll look at Groups 6 through 10. Let’s get back to it, shall we! Group 6 Group 6 looks to have a clear winner already, with Latvian Warriors cruising in to a comfortable 5 point lead over nearest challengers Bone Breakers, who they won both games against earlier in the season. MOGA and EHC Traktor Chelyabinsk sit behind in 3rd in 4th place, but the playoff battle in the group remains wide open. Only 7 points separates MOGA, EHC Traktor Chelyabinsk, HC Poteropojat, Nordic Eagles, Etuna Eagles, Acta Non Verba and Aina Pystyy, with some of the lower placed in these teams already averaging a higher points per game average than the teams above them, with several games in hand over their rivals. Etuna Eagles will battle this week with Acta Non Verba, and Nordic eagles, the teams above and below them, in what will shape a fascinating playoff race in group 6. With the games coming thick and fast for these sides, the playoff race in group 6 could end with as little as 2 points between 7 teams. SC Rackelhahn eV, who sit bottom of the group with just a point will also play key games vs Bone Breakers and MOGA. While Rackelhahn can no longer qualify for the playoffs, their solitary win came in OT vs the Group leading Latvian Warriors, in their most recent round of games and they will take confidence from this going into the end of their season. Key team stats Most points per game: Latvian Warriors (1.8) Most goals per game: Latvian Warriors (3.08) Least goals against per game: Latvian Warriors (1.42) Best power play: SC Rackelhahn eV (40%) Best penalty kill: MOGA (91.67) Group 7 UKnighted HC hold a comfortable lead in Group 7 at the midway point. With just 1 loss to their names this season, and holding two wins over nearest rivals IHL Rams, they certainly hold advantage in the group. The most likely side to cause them problems is Masiina. Who also hold one loss, but winning their 2 extra games will leave them tied at the top of Group 7, with UKnighted and Masiina to meet in the final round of fixtures, neither side can afford to slip up in their remaining games. Elsewhere in the top half of the group, Karhukissat are sitting pretty in 4th place but 3 losses at this early stage may have already turned their table topping dreams into a damp squib. In the playoff battle, Ballbusters HC and Gleumes Hockey Krefeld occupy the final playoff spots, holding a considerable points advantage over the teams below them. In 7th place, most likely playoff spot challengers IHL Royals can still look to spring a surprise and overtake Krefeld but it will prove a difficult challenge. Games against HC Ice Time, Russian Ghouls, and leaders Uknighted leaves the Royals needing a minimum of 6 points prior to their last round of games which sees them play against Krefeld. At the bottom, Czech side The Hockey Crew, have disappointed this season. Holding just a single win over fellow strugglers Russian Ghouls. HC Ice Time also sit outside the playoff race, with their defensive struggles being the cause of their woes, as their offence has been effective despite their league position. Key team stats Most points per game: UKnighted HC (1.83) Most goals per game: UKnighted HC (8) Least goals against per game: UKnighted HC (1.17) Best power play: UKnighted HC (44.74%) Best penalty kill: UKnighted HC (89.47%) Group 8 A top of the table encounter tonight between EHC Tatneft AK Bars and the Finnish Finishers may well decide the winners of the group if either side can take the 4 points on offer in regulation, be sure to keep an eye out on twitch for these games! The Russians, who hold a 3-point advantage going into tonight’s games will see this as an opportunity to put the Group out of sight if they can put the Finishers away early. In the playoff spots, it remains extremely tight. BackDoorLoosters hold 3 points over their group rivals but just a single point separates x6tence Hockey, HC Palosaari and Team Czechoslavakia and French side Remparts Tours Esport 2. These sides all play each other in the coming week in what is the most cutthroat playoff race in ECL Neo this season. As Spain’s solitary representatives in ECL, x6tence will be hoping they can carry the flag into the playoffs but face a tough schedule to allow this to happen. At the bottom, Swiss Seniors, HC Korobka and French Rookies are all well out of the playoff race. The Rookies sit bottom of the group but and face Korobka tonight in battle to move off the bottom. For the Seniors, while the playoffs are gone, their remaining games against Finishers and Palosaari gives them a huge chance to affect the final group standings should they pull off a shock. Key team stats Most points per game: EHC Tatneft AK Bars (1.71) Most goals per game: EHC Tatneft AK Bars (6.71) Least goals against per game: Finnish Finishers (1.92) Best power play: Finnish Finishers (41.67%) Best penalty kill: EHC Tatneft AK Bars (100%) Group 9 Group 9 sees both a 3 team race for Group winner and a 6 team race for the playoffs. At the top, Vemppaosasto sit with a 3 point lead over Dynamo Dragons. Vemppaosasto however have the benefit of games against strugglers Epinal HC Esport and playoff challengers Uudenmaan Oilers to round of their race for the top. Dynamo Dragons face fellow Challengers The Real Rookies in the final round of fixtures however. The Rookies are the most physical side in Neo this season, racking up 296 hits so far this season. Herforder Ice Dragons debut season sees them hold a comfortable lead over the other playoff challengers. Just three points separates the next four teams, Enkopings SK HK eSport, Uudenmaan Oilers, EASHL Russian, and Motherfreakerz. Of these 4, Motherfreakerz hold the advantage in scheduling with 2 games to play against bottom side Karvanakit, maximum points here followed by a huge match this week vs the Oilers would see them sneak into the playoffs for the first time in 4 attempts. Karvanakits position in the table could be false however, as they are yet to play three of the four teams that lie directly above them, and while wins in all six of these games is unlikely, it would still be enough to pull them in to the playoff race also. Key team stats Most points per game: Vemppaosasto (1.71) Most goals per game: Vemppaosasto (4.64) Least goals against per game: Dynamo Dragons (1.5) Best power play: Dynamo Dragons (43.48%) Best penalty kill: Vemppaosasto (94.12%) Group 10 Group 10 sees possibly the strangest table in ECL Neo. With the race for the top underway, All, 6 teams in the playoff spots can still win the Group. Due to this, all 6 teams sit at least 8 points clear of the teams outside the playoffs, having played the same number of games, or less. Outside the playoff places, both Swiss Tigers, EHC Ice breakers sit tied at the bottom with just one win each. Annecy Hockey eSport, sit above in 8th but need 6 wins from their final 6 to mount a very unlikely playoff challenge. Taskubulis in 7th need the same. At the top, a 2nd game loss for EHC Amur against Annecy leaves them also needing straight wins to secure the group, despite having beat nearest challengers Monkey Brotherhood twice earlier in the group. With the Brotherhood unlikely to slip up tonight against Ice Breakers, it’s all to play for in the top 2. Ettan IK play both teams in the deciding week of fixtures and will want to prove that they can also challenge the top teams, with just 4 points separating them from the top its everything to play for Ettan. For Wisby Islanders this week, they will look to right things on offence as their 15 minutes on attack against Deggendorfer SC eSports mustered them just 3 goals, and zero wins. Key team stats Most points per game: EHC Amur (1.67) Most goals per game: EHC Amur (5.92) Least goals against per game: Wisby Islanders (2.33) Best power play: EHC Amur (60.61%) Best penalty kill: Biggie Stockholm (90.91%) With that, we conclude this second part of our ECL 11 Neo mid-season report. The last half of the season is already underway and now is the time to rack up those extremely important points, we wish all teams good luck in the pursuit of those last playoff spots!

NHLGamers, Welcome to the first half of the ECL Neo mid-season report. As things begin to heat up in the race for the playoffs, we will take a look at the at the teams leading the race in pursuit of Group glory, the teams chasing those elusive final playoff spots, and the teams at the bottom looking to cause problems. Let's get on with the good stuff: Situations may have changed since the writing of this article - the article was written on 3.12.2020. Group 1 We begin with EV Duisburg and Reign who sit tied with 18 points each at the top of the group. Reign, however, hold two games over their rivals at the top. Reign will have their work cut out as they look to create an assured lead at the top of Group 1, they play their two fixtures in hand this Saturday evening against ambitious Piukat Paikat who sit just below them in third place, albeit with four more fixtures played. Both Reign and Duisburg then have a huge night this Sunday as they hold double headers. Duisburg play Eskilstuna Snake at 20:00 CET, and Reign face Black Wings HC, before the two meet each other in what could be a winner takes all encounter at 21:00 CET. In mid table, Rostedtin Jetit could remain the surprise package of the group. An incredibly tough early schedule has seen them face all the teams above them already, losing just twice. They finish the season with games against teams in the bottom 3 of the group, but fixtures with Black Wings and Northmen before this stretch could see their group topping dreams diminish. Northmen’s debut season in the ECL has been successful so far, with a staggering 72% powerplay success rate being the key to their success, but an opening day OT loss against Black Wings could come back to haunt them. In the race for the final playoff spot, Black Wings sit in 6th place with a comfortable three-point lead over nearest challengers, Alpenforcer. With a game in hand, they will look to extend this lead further. Eskilstuna Snake are the only team outside the playoff spots with a real chance to make up their point deficit, but 4 wins in a row for a team who have only won 2 games all season may be too much to ask. At the bottom, Polish Patriots have lost by 11 goals four times this season and will be hoping that they can recover some pride before the end of the season. Key team stats Most points per game: Reign (1,8) Most goals per game: Piukat Paikat (4.71) Least goals against per game: EV Duisburg (1.5) Best power play: HC Northmen (72.73%) Best penalty kill: Alpenforcer (89.29%) Group 2 It’s tight at the top of group two as 5th Line Heroes, Aladinit, Pinaattikone and Bauer Rangers GmbH battle it out for Group winners. With no team in these four having lost more than two games in regulation, it boils down to a number of big fixtures between the teams in the closing gamedays. Pinaattikone will face all three of their rivals in their final 6 games, meaning they are the only team in the group that control their own destiny: win all 6 in regulation and they will win the group, lose one and it all gets very complicated! In mid table, Mora IK eSport should have done enough to secure their playoff spot considering the struggles of the teams below them. While their tough finishing schedule contains group challengers Bauer and Aladinit, they have a fixture against group whipping boys Valhalla Riddare HC which should give them the 4 points needed to guarantee their progress. Occupying the final playoff spot is HC PyllistyS. They must defeat Redlight Jokers this Sunday to secure their own progress. Redlight, who also control their own fate, must win both games vs PyllistyS in regulation to give themselves hope of progressing before facing fellow playoff hopefuls Iserlohn Roosters and finally, Valhalla Riddare. Pirate Esports must also hope for a Jokers win vs PyllistyS, as they face the challenge of a penultimate game vs 5th Line Jokers before concluding their season against PyllistyS. For Valhalla it has been a debut season to forget. 11 games, 11 losses. Nevertheless, they hold they hold the key to other team’s playoff fates in their hands and will look to throw a spanner in the works before the end. Key team stats Most points per game: 5th Line Heroes (1.75) Most goals per game: 5th Line Heroes (5.08) Least goals against per game: Bauer Rangers GmbH (1.4) Best power play: Aladinit (21.05%) Best penalty kill: 5th Line Heroes (97.44%) Group 3 Group 3 is the most cut and dry group in the division. Electric-paced newcomers Fila De La HC have raced to the top of Group 3 and are yet to lose in regulation. Their final fixtures against fellow challengers Sesku Patversme and the always dangerous Russian Lightning give Fila the chance to win the group outright having never lost a match in 60 minutes. A stat that would mark them out as extremely dangerous opposition for any potential playoff opponents. Sesku Patversme could still upset their party however, a double victory over Fila, combined with wins over third place Sawolanche, and some help from Russian Lightning in their fixtures over Fila gives them a chance of upsetting the odds. In the middle of the pack, NHLgang and Goosebumps look clear favourites for the final playoff positions. UnknownHeroes sit just outside the playoff spots and will look to overhaul NHLgangs points advantage. With this said, their inability to defeat the Gang in the last round of fixtures leaves their playoff hopes hanging by a thread. Particularly with NHLgang still to face the 0-10 Galaxy Huskies. At the bottom of the group, Galaxy Huskies prop up the table, but close out the season with fixtures against fellow strugglers OilBarons and Tango Delirium which gives all three teams a chance to avoid last place in the group and the dreaded wooden spoon. Key team stats Most points per game: Fila De La HC (1.86) Most goals per game: Sesku Patversme (6.58) Least goals against per game: Sesku Patversme (1.25) Best power play: Sesku Patversme (26.09%) Best penalty kill: NHLgang (100%) Group 4 At the top of Group 4 Ultimatum are also unbeaten so far this season in regulation, racking up a frightening average of 7.5 goals per game on their journey to the top. Hannover Indians eSports look to be the only team left in the group that can challenge Ultimatum, with the two teams set to meet this Sunday in a top of the table encounter. Packing out the rest of the playoff spots are Million Plus, EHC Basel eSports, SCB eSports. With Fearless Knights holding on to the final play-off spot, their fixture with 7th placed HC Sokol Moscow this Sunday could be a knockout blow for the Moscow side should they fail to take all 4 points on offer against the Knights. Given that they entertain Group leaders Ultimatum and challengers Hannover prior to the season’s conclusion, 4 points is a must for the Men from Moscow. The two Swiss sides Basel and Bern have enjoyed strong debut seasons, and with their Points per game positions will both enjoy pressure free games vs Ultimatum before the close of group play as they seek to send out a playoff warning to potential rivals in the next round. 3rd place Million Plus, with their low points per game average, will also be watching this weekends fixtures with a bit more anxiety as they seek to avoid being pulled into a playoff spot struggle. Legion of Doom, who sit dead last in Group 4, having been crushed 19-1 by Ultimatum in Season 11’s biggest margin of defeat, entertain fellow strugglers Puliveivarit and HC Porokeisarit. These 3 teams may look at these encounters as a way to build a winning mentality in competitive 6’s before their return to ordinary play. Key team stats Most points per game: Ultimatum (1.89) Most goals per game: Ultimatum (7.56) Least goals against per game: Ultimatum (2) Best power play: Ultimatum (48.28%) Best penalty kill: Ultimatum (100%) Group 5 ‘It’s lonely at the top, but the view is nice.’ - Rahinakaukalo. Finnish club Rahinakaukalo have utterly dominated Group 5. 12 played, 12 wins and 15 goals conceded in the process. They have defeated 2nd place Norrland twice this season, and face 3rd place Dead Evil on Sunday. You would be hard pressed to find someone willing to bet against them winning 18 straight, they have been that dominant. Norrland and Dead Evil also look secure in their playoff qualification and it would take a monumental collapse by both teams to see them enter the playoff battle. In 4th place, 3Tuna Le Sport are being led to a fine season by Captain TableHockey, and despite some last-minute roster changes prior to the season puck drop, they have looked convincing. Tough single goal losses to Norrland in the last round of fixtures were a sore blow to the Swedes, but they do not look like slowing down in their playoff pursuit. Team Rocket, Yellow Jackets and KulmalaHengaus will battle it out for the final playoff sport, with less than 3 points separating these teams with 6 fixtures remaining, it’s going to be a no holds barred battle in the Group 5 playoff hunt. KulmalaHengaus hold the advantage in the pursuit for the playoffs, facing both Yellow Jackets and Team Rocket in their remaining fixtures. Full points from these games would place them in the playoff spots going into the final fixture round. At the bottom HC Lachen’s troubles continue, they are 1-11 going in to a 3-game stretch against 3 teams in the playoff hunt. With this said, their single victory this season came against 3rd place Dead Evil, with no pressure on Lachen, they could always create another upset. Key team stats Most points per game: Rahinakaukalo (2) Most goals per game: Rahinakaukalo (5.83) Least goals against per game: Rahinakaukalo (1.25) Best power play: Yellow Jackets (32.26%) Best penalty kill: Dead Evil (100%) That's it for the first part of our mid-season report! We'll be releasing the overview of the rest of the groups shortly.

NHLGamers, With puck drop for ECL 11 Elite just some days away, today is the day for some big news! We're happy to announce our partnership with Atria Wilhelm, who will be joining the ECL as presenting partner. Together with Atria Wilhelm we are able to produce an awesome league that meets both the standards of our own and those of our passionate gamers. We're also bringing high stakes to the table with a prize pool of 15 000€ in ECL 11 Elite! Atria's Wilhelm product range will keep gamers and fans fed throughout the ECL season - find your favourite game night snacks, such as the Wilhelm Flaming hot snacks or the spicy Carolina Reaper sausage in stores all around Finland. Alike last season we're happy to have an increasing number of organizations both from the esports scene and from the traditional sports side joining in on the ECL action. The highest tier of ECL competition will host 12 teams represented by an organization this season. It's a season we're more excited for than ever and with some changes going on at the top of the pack this might be the chance for just about anyone to steal the crown, bring it on we say! Say hello to our new ECL cover gamer We're also continuing the tradition started in ECL 8 and introducing this seasons cover gamer. As usual, our cover gamers have been players of ultimate prestige and joining the club together with Erik @Eki Tammenpää, Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen and Casper @ICappeI Lundgren is something we want to be considered as one of the greatest recognitions in the sport. "There's no understating how great it is to join Eki, Hansu and Cappe as the fourth ECL cover gamer" -Tuukka "FlyerKungen" Kuha With that being said, the time is right to announce that Tuukka @FlyerKungen Kuha will be the cover gamer of ECL 11. The HAVU Gaming captain has taken the long road to success, leading his team to several runs coming just short in the Written In The Stars-era, culminating in the multitude of championships clinched first with Written In The Stars and lately with HAVU Gaming. @FlyerKungen is one of the great players in the game and handles himself accordingly, being a true role model for his peers. Photo credit: Tuomas Kujansuu, HAVU Gaming "Being the cover gamer is a title I appreciate a lot. There's no understating how great it is to join Eki, Hansu and Cappe as the fourth ECL cover gamer in history and it's a huge honor for me. I've got a tremendous amount of respect for each of the previous cover gamers as they are truly guys who will go all out for victory. I've played together with all of them and can vouch for each one as good players and even better people. There's a lot of similarities to them and me, so I didn't think twice about accepting the offer to be the face of ECL 11. It's also a great show of respect to the success we've had with Written In The Stars, HAVU Gaming, FILADELPHIA and Linköping HC. It's great to see that it doesn't go unnoticed and credit is given where it is due. I feel like we've all been pioneers in paving the way for teams and players around the scene and we've tried to realize that in the way we conduct ourselves. There's a lot of young players in the scene and us experienced players need to think about the way we act both representing ourselves and our teams. It's crucial to act professionally, respecting your opponent and the end result. Among all the victories it is also important to learn how to lose." ECL Elite Finals and prize pool Due to the COVID-19 situation, the ECL 11 season is currently planned to be played entirely online. The semifinals are played between the 1st and 4th of February and the finals the 12th and 13th of February. More details about the playoffs will be shared as the season progresses towards that point. The Elite division of the prize pool will be as follows: #1. ECL 11 Elite Champion: 10 000 € #2. ECL 11 Elite Runner-Up: 3 000 € #3.-4. ECL 11 Elite Semifinal losers: 1 000 € *Prizes are subject to tax as per Finnish law and the tax is withheld before payment. Prizes will be paid out within 90 days of the ECL 11 Finals. When? ECL 11 Elite kicks off on Monday, November 30th at 20:00 CET. Our broadcast of the night features heated battles between the previous season finalist FILADELPHIA and challenger hREDS, followed by JYP Jyvaskyla and Farjestad BK going head-to-head. Where/how to follow? You saw the effort we put into our broadcast production during ECL 10 and we'll be continuing on that path during ECL 11. We've secured your favorite casters to continue with us on three nights weekly as broadcasts will be airing on Twitch.tv/NHLGamer each Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. The broadcasts will feature three various caster duos, as Cody @Tougie24 Tougas & Paul @Cyn Anderson, Drew "Farbsy" Goldfarb & Nick @f5penguin DiMeo and Arttu @OLVARI Hämäläinen & Julius Sorjonen will be in the booth this upcoming ECL season. Broadcasts on Thursdays will be in Finnish. Social media 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: @NHLGamerCOM #ECL11 #mukanaWilhelm #NHL21 #esports Instagram: When posting on Instagram, please make sure to tag the following accounts and hashtag: @NHLGamerOfficial @atria_wilhelm #ECL11 #MukanaWilhelm #NHL21 #esports About our main partner Atria Wilhelm Atria's Wilhelm product range has become a staple in Finnish snack culture throughout the years. Whether you're having a summer night barbeque or need something to go with the big game of the night - Wilhelm has you covered. Check out the full product range here! About us Since its inception, NHLGamer has continuously strived to offer the best possible experience for any and all gamers who have come to enjoy the competitiveness of playing the EA Sports series of NHL games. Created by gamers for gamers, we are very much in touch with the growing community and want to understand the fundamental desires of our end customers fully. The international competitive leagues in Europe (ECL) and North America (NACL) are our crown jewels, which have proven to draw interest from the very best teams and players worldwide. While proud of our achievements and the success we've had in creating and maintaining such a great community of talented gamers, we are not done yet. Our long-term goals include growing the community, hosting larger leagues with growing prize pools, and working together with organizations at the cutting edge of gaming and esports.

NHLGamers, Once again we are heading towards an exciting ECL Pro season. We've got a new game with new features and mechanics that will make predicting the upcoming season really challenging and the first weeks will truly tell us which teams and players have mastered the new meta of NHL 21. Because of the current server system, it’s also the first time for most of the teams, that teams from Northern Europe will be facing some teams on the Middle European server in NHL 21, which will make the season even more unpredictable. It feels like an eternity ago that Black Horse were crowned champions after beating Enigma in a tight final series. Last season we saw that winning the competition won’t be easy and even getting to the playoffs will require a great amount of work and commitment from the whole team. As the Elite division is getting even more competitive after every season, winning the promotion gets harder and harder each time for teams currently at the Pro level. None of the Pro clubs that played in the Elite relegation battle after last season managed to beat their opponent and this has been addressed in many teams: It’s not enough to be only a good Pro team, you have to be at the level of Elite teams. This has also shown on the transfer market. To summarize: This time there will not be teams in the Pro division that were relegated from ECL 10 Elite since Almost Famous disbanded and SJ Gaming, Northern Ascendancy (Luleå Hockey) and Gotham Knights were able to beat their opponents in the relegation battle. Teams that earned the direct promotion (top 4) from ECL 10 Lite to ECL 11 Pro are the champions Sack Brothers, runner-up Ducktales BK and semifinalists GOONS (HUIPPUPASSI). The fourth team in the top 4 was Angry Cats but unfortunately the team disbanded before the new season. After the registration period ended, there were three spots to fill in the Pro division. NHLGamer staff accepted applications from noRex Gaming, HV71 and RCTIC for the open spots in ECL 11 Pro. All of these three teams were in the top 8 of ECL 10 Lite. Team name changes from ECL 10: Team Frosty -> Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa Riven Johdolla -> Tunnel Vision Children of Ice -> Finnish Roosters The Syndicate -> Södertälje SK (SSK Esports) MOCKBA -> Perttilän Kommandot Cheers Hockey -> UNI Gaming (UNI) Exen esports -> Alliance HT Shooting Stars -> Inter Iceland EBR eSports Official -> noRex Gaming GENESIS -> RCTIC HV71 eSHL -> HV71 Here are the groups of ECL 11 Pro. Like in the previous tournaments we decided to take a look at the groups, some of the teams and players and give the basic information and predictions to keep an eye on when the season starts and during it. Group 1 Blackdawgs Company of Geeks Ducktales BK HanaaHC Herlev Eagles HV71 Inter Iceland Leksands IF Perttilan Kommandot Sack Brothers SSK Esports TIKI TALK Tunnel Vision Vaxjo Lakers We Kings ZSC Lions Tunnel Vision Enigma is maybe considered as the favourites at the start of the season but Tunnel Vision is a team with the greatest potential to cause an upset for them. Compared to last season's roster when Tunnel Vision was still called Riven Johdolla, the team has seen many changes in its lineup. However Tunnel Vision played with the current roster in FCL where they enjoyed an excellent campaign. Team went all the way to the quarterfinals where they were beaten by future champions FILADELPHIA in a tight series 3-1. Individual talent in this roster is outstanding and the former HAVU Gaming defender @Eemil (eKoskii) is a massive boost to their already strong defense. @Pikkardz and @Sokkelo__ will also bring the Elite experience to the lineup that could become really valuable especially in the playoffs. Tunnel Vision had a little setback before the season when @Vattu__ moved to Elite team JYP Jyväskylä and recently recruited goalie @ITemeIto go with him. There is no doubt that @BensaPoju (Jerskayy) can fill the forward spot just fine, but the goalie situation remains more of a mystery. Confidence must be high in this team after a successful FCL campaign, which will carry the whole team to another great season. Tunnel Vision can end the regular season topping group 1 and stats tables as well. Placement after regular season: 1-2 Player to watch: Even though every individual is worth following in this team this season, eyes will be on @BensaPoju (Jerskayy). He will fill the boots of Vattu__ in an attacking trio that had already found the perfect chemistry during FCL and his fitting to this lineup will play a key role for the teams success in the offensive zone. Leksands IF When you hear people talking about excellent chemistry on ice, Leksands IF always works their way into the conversation. Something that has become a staple for most of the top Swedish teams is the disciplined teamplay especially in the defense and Leksands IF is mastering this style. This added to the fact that Leksands IF is alway dangerous when they get the puck to the offensive zone is a scary combination for their opponents. In ECL 10 Pro this team was on top of their group after the regular season ended but faced fast elimination against HanaaHC in the first round of the playoffs. Leksands IF also had a good SCL season where they were beaten by future champions Vesa Pompa HC in the semifinals. @Supremski and @berbaboon17 will once again form the defensive pair that can stop even the most slippery individuals on the ice. However it's notable that this time Leksands IF will start the season without the long time serving goaltender @DUNZA. It’s really interesting to see how goalkeepers @relikab and @Mesimaki will cover the spot though it’s believed that playing behind Leksands IF defense isn’t the worst place to start your Pro career. This season Leksands IF will continue from where they left off and fight for the top spot of group 1. I believe last season's early exit has motivated the team and this will show in the playoffs as well. Placement after regular season: 1-3 Player to watch: @fearfulnasu (RAKKAUSPAKKAUS-) had a really good first season with Leksands IF in SCL and it seems he’s settling in really well in the squad. With the help from @Mumsi- and @Isindar he will improve his game even more this season and become one of the top forwards in the league. Södertälje SK - SSK Esports I want to say it before everyone notices: This team will be one of the biggest surprises this season. SSK esports, or Södertälje SK played with the name The Syndicate in ECL 10 Pro where they were left just under the playoff line. After the season ended, Södertälje SK did the opposite compared to other mid table teams who became more passive during the summer. Södertälje SK sharpened their style of play and is now ready to become a playoff team and even more if everything goes well. Also signings center @el_tacobag and forward/defender @svetidaje made the team more complete and dangerous. Södertälje SK advanced all the way to the quarterfinals of SCL where they lost to bronze medalists Växjö Lakers in a series ending 4-1. Compared to other teams that were close but under the playoff line last season, Södertälje SK has improved the most during the summer and will clinch the playoff spot and maybe even challenge for the top of the table at the end of the regular season. Fast paced hockey with accurate passes in the offensive zone is the deadly combination that this team excels in. Södertälje SK is definitely the team that is currently flying under the radar and will surprise many teams during the season. Placement after regular season: 4-7 Player to watch: You can’t leave any room for @Strumpan87 at the left wing since his hockey IQ is one of the best in the league and will give a massive boost to SSK esports attacks. It will actually get a lot harder for SSK esports if this guy is kept in the shadows by the opponent, but good luck with that everyone! Herlev Eagles Last time in ECL 10 Pro, Herlev Eagles were left out of the playoffs by some margin. Since then everyone who has faced them during the off-season have noticed clear improvements in their playing. Herlev Eagles roster played under the name Kouvola Screaming Eagles in the FCL and did a brilliant job finding their way to the playoffs, leaving teams like HanaaHC and ECL 10 Lite champions Sack Brothers behind them. In the first round of the FCL Playoffs Kouvola Screaming Eagles faced Elite team KOVA Esports and were very close making a surprise when the series was taken all the way to game five (BO5) where eventually KOVA Esports was relieved when they saw the puck going in to the Eagles net in overtime. This was definitely a massive confidence boost for Herlev Eagles and it will show in ECL 11 Pro as well. The core of the team hasn’t changed much during the years and if you watch through the player cards, you will notice that most of these guys have been in the team from the very beginning. This means they are really enjoying playing together and have been able to improve season after season and individuals have taken big steps forward along the way. One of the new signings that should keep an eye on is former Vesa Pompa HC winger @Spearzz_ who played his first games with this group in FCL and will bring more firepower to the team's offense. In ECL 11 Pro Herlev Eagles will take the next big step and become a strong playoff candidate. Placement after regular season: 5-8 Player to watch: Since his arrival to Herlev Eagles in ECL 10 Pro, @vibholm10 has been the best offensive player for his team. Especially in the FCL regular season he was in the top 10 of points stats with an outstanding 73 points in 20 games. We might very well see this player doing the same thing again in ECL 11 Pro. Perttilän Kommandot Team that was called MOCKBA in ECL 9 and ECL 10 decided to go back to their old name for this season. Perttilän Kommandot was unfortunate to be just of the playoffs by three points in ECL 10 Pro. In FCL they faced another setback when they were left out of the playoffs there as well. After FCL their beloved goalkeeper @sumskoy26 decided to join his countrymen in Alliance HT and the team was left without a goalie. Former Almost Famous goalkeeper @Jonitski was signed to the team to cover the net and help in the defender position as well when it’s needed. Other than that the team has remained the same as before. Several sources have been saying that the team hasn’t yet been able to climb to the level they once were. As we know the race for the playoff spots will be more fierce than ever before this season and if Perttilän Kommandot can’t find the confidence and balance they had in ECL 9 Lite and ECL 10 Pro, this season could very well become one to forget for them. However underdog status could fit for the team and they should not be underestimated. Experienced defender @riihimaenharski and their best goal scorer @ROUHEEE will play the key role for the team this season. If these two guys can play at their limits, the playoff dream isn’t buried completely just yet for Perttilän Kommandot. Placement after regular season: 9-13 Player to watch: Captain @Jarmonen will have to motivate his troops after a difficult preseason and show an example on and off the ice. The experienced center will balance the team both up and down the ice since it’s known that Perttilän Kommandot’s defenders like to play physical game that will sometimes open dangerous attacks in their own half and that’s when @Jarmonen is needed. Sack Brothers Lite champions will always be interesting to follow when they start their first season in Pro. Sack Brothers had an unforgettable ECL 10 Lite season where they were clearly the best team of the season and were crowned as the champions. Right after the successful season Sack Brothers lost two of their best players @luosttin to HanaaHC and @Kucherov86 (Jalkkin-) to Blackdawgs. These losses hit the team pretty hard. In FCL Sack Brothers were given a tough group and couldn’t challenge for the playoff spot. To cover the spot that Jalkkin- left behind at the defence Sack Brothers signed @Tuulimylly91 who has the Pro experience with God Tier in ECL 8 and Freddie Mercury Institute in ECL 9. One of the biggest questions is can he and @Jjomppa who was clearly too good for ECL 10 Neo fill the big boots of luosttin and Jalkkin- . It’s expected that it will be a hard first season for Sack Brothers compared to other teams that were able to earn the promotion this season and they could very well be one of the teams that will have to fight for their Pro spot at the end of the season. However it’s a long season and a couple of big wins at the start of the campaign could turn the wind completely. Getting to the playoffs is maybe a bit too big of a task for a team with not much previous Pro experience but not impossible. Placement after regular season: 13-16 Player to watch: @snippystatue played a big part in his teams success in ECL 10 Lite and got even better the as the season progressed. He was also the best player for Sack Brothers in FCL and every point that he will make this season will be vital for his team. Every counter attack will be important this season and snippystatue has the individual talent to convert them into goals. Group 2 Alliance HT Djurgarden Hockey Enigma Finnish Roosters Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa GOONS Kaupallinen Yhteistyo Nordic Stars NoRex Gaming Orebro eHockey Pata Hellalla RCTIC Rookie Mistakes RPEAT ESPORTS Sulkavan Sudet UNI Gaming Enigma I think it’s fair to say that on paper this team looks absolutely terrifying. Last season's runner-up Enigma has again gone through lots of changes during the off-season. Former captain and center @MozjaTG moved up to Elite team YMCA Esports and both starting defenders are out of the roster. To cover these major spots Enigma signed former Almost Famous center @Ojamoska, JYP Jyväskylä defender @Makeaxl and Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa defender @zNico. With these new signings Enigma has all the potential to do even better than last season. Despite the slow start in ECL 10 Pro Enigma was able to find the right balance on ice which led them all the way to the finals where they were eventually beaten by Black Horse in game seven. Another setback came against Gotham Knights in the Elite relegation series where they faced another game seven defeat. With the experience from last season and hunger that has been building up from last season's setbacks, Enigma will start the ECL 11 Pro as the favourites and should see themselves on the top of the league table after the regular season. Placement after regular season: 1-2 Player to watch: Aside from the new signings, like in the previous season @Nieppii will be on the spotlight in this season as well. Left winger who will now carry the ‘’C’’ on his chest was the points leader in ECL 10 Pro playoffs and is expected to have another great season. Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa If Leksands IF is the Swedish masters of disciplined teamplay then Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa is the Finnish version of it. Formerly known as Team Frosty had an excellent first season in ECL 10 Pro where they were really close to topping their group after the regular season and moved all the way to the semifinals in the playoffs. Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa also had a really good run in the FCL. They were able to advance to round 2 of the playoffs after beating Elite team SAWO ESPORTS in the series 3-1 but eventually lost against future champions FILADELPHIA. Despite the positive run in FCL, the team lost defenders @zNico to Enigma and @Patsberg_ to Rookie Mistakes. Also captain @imosi announced before the season that he’s moving to free agent. Dark clouds were on the horizon but the new signings turned this team really interesting to follow this season. Forwards @Ikavalko and @JesseL2002 brought a great amount of individual talent to the team's attack and experienced defender @MrNiceguyEddie was brought to pair with captain @MCH_98 at the back. Watching through the roster I would say that the balance in this team is at great level right now. Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa is ready to take the next step and become one of the best teams in the Pro division. Placement after regular season: 1-3 Player to watch: @Naikou88 is the leader on the forward for this team. As the center he’s maintaining the balance of the formation on ice, which is one of the main strengths of Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa. It’s also interesting to see what is Naikou88’s role when @Ikavalko is playing since both are natural centers. GOONS I don’t think many people expected much success in Pro for former HUIPPUPASSI after last season's ECL or FCL but then things started happening. Team that might had been considered as the fourth best team of ECL 10 Lite suddenly turned out to be maybe the fourth best team of ECL 11 Pro. Signings such as @xKeskitalo , @Tzon93 , @Miika (MiiQu81-), @SanteriAK47 (santerichristian) and most recently @kriketski17 gave this team a massive boost at least on paper and many sources are telling that things are working out pretty well on ice as well. Yet still the new signings won’t be the only thing that makes this team one of the top teams and interesting to follow. Young fellows winger @bergsti (pikkuroger) and defender @viba2008 will most likely make their breakthrough this season to be considered as one of the most promising rising stars in the Pro division and in the whole community. There won’t be any room for underestimating when playing against this team. If GOONS can get their motors running and defence stable they will be one of the top teams after the regular season. Placement after regular season: 4-7 Player to watch: @bergsti (pikkuroger) played his first competitive 6vs6 games in ECL 10 Lite and was one of the best players of the whole season. Since then he has shown great progress through the year and it’s really interesting to see how he will do at the Pro level. He is already doing very well in the versus scene and could do the same in EASHL as well. Pata Hellalla This team has been in the scene for a long time, they deserve the title: Legendary. Team that has been playing at the Pro level since ECL 4 had a really difficult season in ECL 10 Pro. They finished the season in 14th place and were forced to play in the relegation series. Pata Hellalla was able to keep their Pro spot by beating Bellizzi with a score of 4-1 and since then good things started happening. In the FCL Pata Hellalla played really good hockey and with the record 13-4-1 advanced to the playoffs. Along the way they took some big victories against teams like KOVA Esports, Gotham Knights and one of the Pro favourites this season: Enigma. From ECL 10 Pro the teams roster has become more compact which can really help with the chemistry and the new addition from ECL 10 Pro champions Black Horse @PasiPuukäsi (bot_dole) will make a fine addition to their team. Fast paced hockey is expected when playing against Pata Hellalla and the team will start the season well and advance to the playoffs. Placement after regular season: 5-8 Player to watch: This time Pata Hellalla has a clear number one goalkeeper when @Nixa_da_fck will be the final lock for his team. This guy showed real character in the beginning of the FCL tournament against Gotham Knights where he saw the puck ten times behind his net in the first match but gathered himself and allowed only one goal in the second match while recording a 90.91 save percent to help his team split the points. The same good form continued to the end of the tournament and will probably continue in ECL 11 Pro as well. NoRex Gaming The team that was previously named EBR eSports Official in ECL 10 Lite and in GCL 6 is now called NoRex Gaming. German ehockey is on the rise and NoRex Gaming is showing the way to other teams dreaming of playing in Pro and even Elite someday. In ECL 10 Lite NoRex Gaming had an excellent season and went all the way to the quarterfinals where they were beaten by GOONS (HUIPPUPASSI) in a tight 3-4 series. They will now have the chance for revenge as both teams will play in the same group in ECL 11 Pro. In GCL 6 NoRex Gaming was the second team on the table after regular season only a couple of points behind the German giants BRAYCE Phantoms. However ZSC Lions, who were actually beaten twice by NoRex Gaming in the regular season, turned out to be too strong for the team at the semifinals of GCL 6 and NoRex Gaming was sent home with a score of 4-0. None of the players in the current roster have Pro experience, so it’s expected that this first season will be a learning process for them. This will also have a positive effect as the excitement of playing on the higher level will help the team avoid relegation this season. Placement after regular season: 9-13 Player to watch: @Keuschemisch has been the top points man for his team since joining the club in GCL 4 and ECL 9 Lite and now we will see how well he can do at the Pro level. In ECL 10 Lite he was among the best attackers in the league and has the individual talent to put the puck in the net if given the chance. Definitely a player that none of the defenders playing in the league should underestimate. UNI Gaming In ECL 10 Pro UNI Gaming, or formerly known as Cheers Hockey was able to avoid the relegation series by two points after the regular season. Despite the disappointing season UNI Gaming was able to gather themselves and put up a fight in FCL where they found their way to the playoffs. UNI Gaming faced HAVU Gaming in the first round and couldn’t do the ‘’impossible’’ losing the series 3-0. After FCL things started happening. The team faced a little crisis when both alternative captains @Borjendahlen and @Vilisopanen15 (Ruandalaine) announced that they will leave the club for new challenges. They also lost both of their goalies and every defender. The team was ay a crossroads and captain @Black1Eagle1 had to make a big decision whether to rebuild and continue in Pro or just give up. Players who remained in the team decided to stick together and keep fighting. Numerous new signings found their way to the roster and especially former Symphony keeper @Lauri (Laurilion) is a great addition to the team. To cover the spot that Borjendahlen left in the offense, UNI Gaming recruited @juusto18 who played a major role in Angry Cats success in ECL 10 Lite. The UNI Gaming defence is covered with many new faces with only a little Pro experience and this might raise questions before the season starts. UNI Gaming has the chance to write the best fairytale of the whole season if they manage to take big wins and even challenge for the playoff spots. However these roster changes might have hurt the team a bit too much and UNI Gaming will be one of the teams that are potentially playing in the relegation series after the regular season. Placement after regular season: 13-16 Player to watch: Team captain @Black1Eagle1, who will most likely also play the center role for his team is going to play a big role on and off the ice with the new roster and choosing the lineups for each game. He’s also the player that is expected to put up most of the points for his team during the season and help his teammates to get used to Pro level hockey. As always, we hope you enjoy the new season. Feel free to comment about these predictions or other interesting points that should be watched when the season begins. Don’t forget to follow our Pro teams on social media to get to know when the games are being played and where you can watch them. There will also be match lineups, game results and other useful info directly from the teams. Play hard and fair, let the season begin!