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The PLAYOFFS are back! The regular season has come to an end, and thus begins the best time of the year. In this article, we'll cover all the Pro matchups in a short review, we'll highlight some players, and get predictions from a few players in the ECL division framework. The 1st round has some interesting matchups, and we'll see an intense week of hard-fought battles. Some matchups are going to be closer than others, and some will have their playoff hopes cut short. Puck Over Glass vs Rusty X This matchup has the potential to be the upset of the season. Rusty made the playoffs by a thin margin. Now they face an opponent that has the division's leading goalscorer @Hydeee_24 who is continuing to impress, @Lotiseva has also been impressive, netting 44 goals in the regular season. If Rusty can silence these two, they'll stand a chance in the upcoming series. Last year, we saw an upset from the 8th-seeded Herlev Eagles taking down regular-season champs Dilac, which proves that once the playoffs start, anything is possible. For Rusty X, their star forwards need to step up, @Nester4343 can be a difference maker when it matters, but if he decides to have an offday, their playoffs might just be cut short. Predictions: Hifk_FANI: Puck Over Glass in 4 @1mmu9: Puck Over Glass in 5 @Bipes_bip0rus Puck Over Glass in 5 @MCH_98: Puck Over Glass in 4   Carpe Diem vs Aspyre Carpe Diem surprised a lot of teams this season with their style of play. They managed to steal some important points this season to get that 2nd place in group 1. They now face Aspyre in the 1st round, who is eager to win their 1st playoff series ever. Aspyres struggled in the regular season; they couldn't string together wins to create some momentum, lost important points to lower-seeded teams, but stole points from higher-seeded teams, so it'll be interesting to see how this matchup plays out. @koleslaav_ & @Jondeezz will be the top guys for Aspyre to watch, whilst @priima-namu(FeikkiNambo) is a guy who can steal games for Aspyre, he needs to be on his game if Aspyre wants to advance to the next round. For Carpe Diem, the playmaking of @Bipes_bip0rus and the breakout passes of @Datsyykki13 will be what sets them apart from Aspyre. Predictions: Hifk_FANI: Plays for Aspyre @1mmu9: Aspyre in 7 @Bipes_bip0rus: Plays for Carpe Diem @MCH_98: Aspyre in 7   Greatest vs Deadly Phantoms For a matchup in the playoffs, a team dependent on their defense and counters versus a team that scored the most goals in the regular season will be a great watch, the dynamic Greatest versus the resiliant Deadly Phantoms series will be a good watch for those who want to know more about the game and how to be better, this series will feature highly skilled players and a team that knows what it takes to win. In the case of Greatest, their offense is the key, if they score more than their opponent it doesn't matter how many goals they conceede, captain @Fin_S1su has had a tough start with a 79% save percentage and a tad over 3 conceeded goal per game, but he has the ability to steal games, and Greatest has the starpower to get it done offensively. Deadly Phantoms, on the other hand, are one of the best defensive teams in the Pro Division and will make it tough for Greatest to get their flow going. If the German side can frustrate their opponents early on in the series, they might just take the win home. Predictions: Hifk_FANI: Greatest in 6 @1mmu9: Greatest in 5 @Bipes_bip0rus: Greatest in 5 @MCH_98: Greatest in 6   MoDo Hockey vs xBots Honest Finland vs Sweden matchup, both teams have what it takes to light up the scoreboard. In this series, the team with better defensive tendencies and consistency is key. MoDo, who boast the best penalty kill in the division at 94.12%, hopes to stay out of the box as much as possible, but knows that if needed, they can count on their PK guys, while xBots has an average power play at 22.22%, which is no reason for MoDo to try their luck. MoDo also has the advantage of being good offensively while also being responsible in their own zone, highly talented @Mathiasgamer_07 and @Sebastian Axelsson(axelzonee) put up 88 and 87 points, which puts them 2nd and 4th in the division for those categories. xBots on the other hand relies heavily on their team play, they have the same guys (almost) as the season prior when they got relegated from the Elite division, and now have their sights set on returning, @sopulii_ who has struggled in the faceoff dot at 48% needs to get his team together for the playoffs and play their best games of the season, this MoDo team is not going down easily. Predictions: Hifk_FANI: MoDo in 5 @1mmu9: xBots in 6 @Bipes_bip0rus: xBots in 7 @MCH_98: xBots in 5   Finnish Roosters vs Otukset A number one seed from the group stage always comes with big expectations, and Finnish Roosters is no exception, against a great team in Otukset, who struggled in the regular season with consistency, will now have an uphill battle after playing in the Elite qualifiers ahead of the season. The Roosters who have played together for a long time have a clear system, they play to their strengths and have amazing chemistry within the team, and more experience from playing in big moments, now comes the time to put up or shut up, @imosi who led the team this season in points 87 (46+41) is their go-to guy when they need goals, but their league leading defense is what sets them apart, and goalie @Z0mbie Zyndr0me who is playing in his first season in net has been playing insanely well with a 84.49% save percentage. Otukset still have a dangerous team; their roster is filled with guys who have played together for a while now, and when they get their groove going, they can be a hard team to stop, but the question is, will they get it going early enough to take down the Group 2 winners? @juhkis96 will need to get out his bag of tricks and see if they still have what it takes. Predictions: Hifk_FANI: Otukset in 6 @1mmu9: Roosters in 6 @Bipes_bip0rus: Otukset in 6 @MCH_98: Otukset in 7 F0CUS vs SSK Prospects This matchup on paper heavily favours F0CUS, with all major stat lines going in their favour. SSK will need a crucial step up in their power play if they want to give themselves a better chance at this series. They have the worst powerplay percentage in the whole league, with 4.17%, facing the second-best penalty kill in the league from FOCUS, with 93.75%, while also having the least amount of penalty minutes (32). SSK does still have some firepower with @Disctrasan- being their leading goal scorer during the regular season with 27 goals, averaging 0,9 goals per game. If he can step up and the rest of SSK can find another step, they could see themselves with a slimmer of hope. If SSK is looking to cause an upset, they would need to majorly step up their offensive game and hope that FOCUS can’t keep up their offensive scoring from the regular season, but highly unlikely. @MCH_98 who tied for the lead in points (53) with @LeiskaViis7 & @localhefe has been as steady as always, but now taking his offensive game to another level. Captain @jm98II left this washed reporter with no comments ahead of their series with the Swedes; ice in his veins will be crucial for F0CUS this post-season. Predictions: Hifk_FANI: F0CUS in 4 @1mmu9: F0CUS in 5 @Bipes_bip0rus: F0CUS in 4 @MCH_98: Plays for F0CUS NOSTREETSPORTS vs POGGERS NOSTREET came out flying this season, after a season away, they picked up right where they left off, into the playoffs against POGGERS, who didn't have the best regular season but still managed to get an ok seed. They have all the tools to win this series and advance to the quarterfinals. @Bot_hene who managed to get a solid roster this season has managed to up his own game, putting up 72 points (28+44) whilst rocking a supreme 54.5% the faceoff circle, the captain leads by example on both sides of the ice as POGGERS are a tough team to beat. POGGERS, who are still a force to be reckoned with this season, managed to put up a respectable amount of goals again this year, averaging 3.27 goals per game. It could be tough for NOSTREET, who isn't known for their great defence, so expect @JaKurrii to be his old self and dominate games. Expect high-scoring games and not a whole lot of defense. Predictions: Hifk_FANI: NOSTREET in 5 @1mmu9: Plays for NOSTREET @Bipes_bip0rus: NOSTREET in 7 @MCH_98: NOSTREET in 7   vNexs ll vs Unique Both teams followed the same trend this season, both have gotten better as the season has progressed, and an even series is a lock, but who wins will come down to pure nerves as both teams possess incredible skill and the needed talent to play the game the right way. vNexs surprised a lot of teams with their skill level this season, they have a roster of both young talent and veteran experience and youngster @Maaacki(maxboee) has been able to take his game to another level this season, hitting the 30 goal mark along with 38 assists to lead the team, if he can find another gear in the playoffs it's goodbye Unique. But Unique has their own set of talent, so don't count them out, with a veteran presence like @LE1PAKONE (nordzman) on defense in the Pro division, the longtime Elite defender must have a trick up his sleeves in these playoffs, and with @Jakeexh exploding this season 84 points (43+41), there isn't a whole lot for them to worry about, a rock hard powerplay for Unique at 35% in the regular season could be theri bread and butter, if vNexs finds themself often in the box this series might just not see past 4 games.   Predictions: Hifk_FANI: vNexs in 5 @1mmu9: Unique in 6 @Bipes_bip0rus: Unique in 6 @MCH_98: Unique in 6

Introduction The quarterfinals in the ECL Pro Division are finally here, and man, things are about to get intense. We've got some of the best teams in European NHL esports going head-to-head, all fighting tooth and nail for a ticket to the semis. Get ready for insane highlight-reel goals, clever plays that leave you shaking your head, and those classic grudge matches that always deliver extra spice. Whether it's the heavy favorites throwing their weight around or some underdog squad ready to shock everyone, these series are packed with drama. In this article, we'll review each matchup, highlight what those teams have been through so far, and what they could do to boost their chances of advancing. We'll highlight some players and get predictions from a few players you're already familiar with, so take a look and tell us what you would like to see in the next preview. PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE Quarterfinals:  Monday 26.1 Tuesday 27.1 Thursday 29.1 Semifinals:  Monday 2.2 Tuesday 3.2 Thursday 5.2 Finals: TBD Promotion & Relegation games are to be played shortly after the season; however, dates are flexible. * Dates are subject to change as broadcast productions are confirmed.     Puck Over Glass (1) vs POGGERS (13) Both teams cruised through their first round matchup, POGGERS had the upset against NOSTREETSPORTS as they swept the higher-seeded team in four games, and on the other hand, Puck Over Glass took matters into their own hands and beat Rusty X comfortably 4-1, now as they face each other in the quarterfinals, all the pressure is on Puck Over Glass to take it home now and advance to the semi-final.  Puck Over Glass had the series in a chokehold the entire time, not a worry in the world. That all changes now, with an opponent as dangerous as POGGERS, you always need to be on your toes; they possess the right amount of skill to burn even the most skilled defenses. The number one-seeded Puck Over Glass has been for the entire regular season, and the start of the playoffs excellent on both sides of the puck, @Hydeee_24 & @Lotiseva puts up the points, and @pelkonen- does his thing between the pipes, and oh boy has their tendy stepped up big time, with a 1.0 goals-against average he's leading the league in that department, and while he is holding up in his crease the rest of the team has put up a show, with their forward duo leading the playoffs in points so far. POGGERS took it personally when the entire predictions went against them; they swept one of the best teams in Group 2, and laughed as they advanced. Now they face an even harder task in taking down the regular season champs; however, with a squad like theirs, there is nothing stopping them from doing so. The goalie @Hullued has been as efficient as always, stopping pucks, and a 90.91% save percentage proves my point. Now it is up to their offense to match the defensive power of Puck Over Glass. The thing about POGGERS is they're not a one-trick pony; they can hit you from any angle, with anybody on the ice, they've played together for so long it's scary. This series comes down to if POGGERS can score more than their opposition, and doesn't every series kind of come down to that? Yes, but POGGERS' strength clearly isn't their defense, and it never has, not good, not bad, average. If POGGERS can keep the games high-scoring and the league's top scorer in check, they'll be in the driver's seat this series, and that would throw Puck Over Glass off their game. Now the roles are reversed for Puck Over Glass; the more they can frustrate their opponents, the more they'll be the series favourite.   Matchup to Watch: @Hullued vs @pelkonen- This crease showdown might steal the series. Hullued was steady in round one with 90,91 save percentage, but caught heat for some pillow-soft goals at crunch time. Puck Over Glass's Pelkonen straight-up stole it, with two shutouts in five games. He gives his squad that "any given night" edge, but Hullued's big-game chops could even it out. The hot hand in tight games takes it.   Predictions Hifk_FANI: POGGERS in 6 @1mmu9 Puck Over Glass in  @Bipes_bip0rus: POGGERS in 7 @MCH_98: POGGERS in 7   Finnish Roosters vs Aspyre Roles reversed from the previous series, both clawed their way to advance from round 1, Finnish Roosters in an intense game 7 overtime that we love to see! Aspyre, on the other hand, broke their round 1 curse, beating Carpe Diem, who had an outstanding regular season. The teams are familiar with each other, and we'll see how that plays out. Finnish Roosters, as the clear favourites, will see how they match up against a hungry Aspyre. Finnish Roosters struggled mightily against the 8th-seeded Otukset in their first-round matchup, coming back in the series to eventually advance. Now they're facing an opponent that held their own lead in their series, so the Roosters are in for a tougher matchup than before. Their veteran presence will prove important, and their leading goalscorer @imosi has the ability to put a team on his back for an entire series, and this series is no exception. And his partner @Ernottii is no different, highly skilled with high hockey IQ, five points in seven games is not going to cut it against Aspyre, but he has that diesel engine, and look for him to step up in the quarterfinals. Aspyre felt the series turn after their game 4 overtime win, which resulted in a 3-1 series lead. With the Roosters now as their opponent, they face a better team, a more experienced and skilled team, which could result in more defensive lapses. Their defense hasn't been on par compared to recent seasons. With a bit more experience this season, Aspyre took down heavy favourites, winger @koleslaav_ proved alongside @Jondeezz that they still belong at the top of the Pro division. Aspyre surprised everyone with @tigerrbackwoods as their starter for the playoffs, with @LeiskaViis7 top point producer in the regular season unavailable, the reliable veteran stepped up on the blueline. For Finnish Roosters, this series has to be about consistency; if they can keep their own game intact, and keep Aspyre from the scoresheet, it'll be their series. @Z0mbie Zyndr0me has proven he can be a difference maker in the Pro division, with an outstanding regular season, the Roosters are looking to him to be the difference maker in this series. For Aspyre, if they can keep their momentum going and their offense rocking, they'll have a real shot. The question here is if @priima-namu (FeikkiNambo) can hold the fort against a good offense.   Matchup to Watch @imosi & @Ernottii vs @Jondeezz & @koleslaav_ This series has one of the best, if not the best showdown of wingers in the Pro division playoffs, all these wingers have played for a long time and have the nerves to perform, we're going to be blessed by some incredible talent. The duo that has the better execution in this matchup wins. Predictions Hifk_FANI: Plays for Aspyre @1mmu9: Roosters in 7 @Bipes_bip0rus: Aspyre in 7 @MCH_98: Roosters 6     F0CUS vs xBots This will be an interesting series to follow. If you've ever wondered what it takes to make it in the ECL, this series is a must-watch. Both teams have Elite experience and play together well; this series will come down to which team executes their own playbook better. F0CUS vs xBots could easily have been the final series or a semifinal this season; however, xBots losing points to lower-seeded teams turned out fatal in a tight Group 2, where not one team stood out as well as Puck Over Glass over in Group 1. F0CUS has the edge in this series as they swept SSK Prospects in the 1st round, this series didn't go as clean as the sweep might suggest; they won two games in overtime, and the other two were tight games, so SSK gave F0CUS a run for their money. F0CUS needs to take another step in their game against xBots if they want to advance to the semifinals. The captain @jm98II was once again unavailable for comment. He mentioned his gameday meal was going to be tortillas, not very productive. Their star-studded forward group of the captain and @rakkauspakkaus- & @Anhel_Kuru is the most talented group in the Pro division this season, so xBots will have their hands full; they can bring it from every direction, with @MCH_98 scoring 16 goals in the regular season. Their counterpart xBots had a difficult time with their first round opponents MoDo, who they bested in seven games. The teams went head-to-head for the entire series, and now they face a tougher opponent in F0CUS. A big part of their series win was @Simbanho who shutout MoDo in their last three games out of seven, without letting in a goal. It is difficult not to win if he keeps his form. xBots are going to be a forc to be reckoned with, and coming back from a 3-1 series deficit surely helps them with the morale in the series. @sopulii_ will need a whole new playbook against this F0CUS team. The 3rd pair in this quarterfinal will go down to the wire, two excellent teams who have two different stories. If xBots can find their rhythm and stop the explosive offense of the experienced forward core of F0CUS, they could findthemselves winning more games. Whilst if F0CUS just keep on doing what they've been doing, they should be ok. The veteran team could go through on just simple routine play here and advance. Predictions favor F0CUS as well. Matchup to Watch @Anhel_Kuru vs @sopulii_ Interesting center matchup, both teams thrive on their centers being the focus of their offense, @Anhel_Kuru wins the duel on faceoffs, both with 8 points so far in the playoffs, whoever does the better job at locking down the other one wins this series.   Predictions Hifk_FANI: F0CUS in 5 @1mmu9: F0CUS in 5 @Bipes_bip0rus: F0CUS in 5 @MCH_98: Plays for F0CUS   Greatest vs Unique The last matchup of this article that was finished later than the rest had a quick finish with Unique absolutely embarrassing vNexs II. The series ended 4-1, and vNexs II didn't stand a chance. The last Swedish team in the Pro division was thus eliminated, and there are only Finnish teams remaining to battle it out with each other (the Aspyre organization is American, but the players are Finnish). An interesting matchup with both teams taking down their first-round matchups with ease. An even series is to be expected, with the higher-seeded Greatest with the slight edge in talent. Greatest took down Deadly Phantoms in four games, scoring 18 goals in the process. We still haven't seen the full potential of Greatest as their best form is still hidden, saved for later, so keep checking in on them to see when they fully get their game going. Former Elite division rookie of the year @xLeikku switched over to defensman to give himself a new challenge. After taking a break from being a top-tier winger, he now partners with his buddy @localhefe on the blueline. Whilst their offense has been great, they are still finding each other in new ways. The 1v1 star player @JesseL2002 has finally found a home in Greatest and looks to build on a great year with a Pro division championship to his name. Their foes Unique took down the Swedes with quite a bang, showing the other teams, most notably their quarterfinal opponents Greatest, that they are not going to be pushed over in this series. @Jakeexh who kept his form from the regular season now sits tied in second place in scoring in these playoffs, still behind the ever-so-slick @Hydeee_24. @Ribbeex has been able to keep up as he sits in fourth place with fourteen points (6+8).  This series will be a showdown of offense vs offense and goalie vs goalie. Both teams have experienced goalies, but what sets them apart is the defense. Greatest has the offensive power from the blueline, whilst Unique boasts more of a mix with @pakjiz being great on both sides of the puck so far. Goalies @Fin_S1su and @Kussan82 face the challenge of not letting in a bunch of goals as both teams favour offense over defense in certain situations.   Matchup to Watch Team Defense vs Team Defense Both have the offense, but which team has the better defense will win this series? As the old saying goes, "Offense wins games, but defense wins championships." Is that true in a video game? We'll see as the quarterfinals are underway on Monday.   Predictions Hifk_FANI: Greatest in 4 @1mmu9: Greatest in 6 @Bipes_bip0rus: Greatest in 6 @MCH_98: Greatest in 6

SportsGamers, We would like to remind every team that the transfer window for all ECL '26: Winter divisions expires tomorrow Sunday, January 4th at 23:59:59 CEST.  Please remember to make sure your trades are in line with the rulebook before making them, and check with support if you aren't sure. Remember, only one transfer per player is allowed per season - unless the player has played 0 games (overall, for any team) the entire season, which is covered in rule 14.6. If you're a player still looking for a team or a team still looking to add to your roster, please head to the  Free Agents  section or the Clubs Looking For Players section on our forum. Please post any last-minute transfers in the comments section below so everyone can enjoy them.