Leaderboard

ECL 26’: Winter - Pro l Season Preview Another ECL Winter, another Pro division full of storylines. This year brings a mix of familiar faces and new challengers, each with their own ambitions — promotion, redemption, or simply proving they belong. As always, we’ve gone through the groups, looked at the returning cores, offseason moves, and early-season form to get a sense of who might surprise us and who has the potential to go all the way.   Group 1  Greatest A new team with a few Pro division greats on their roster, former Elite Rookie of the year @xLeikku and his partner in crime @localhefe team up once again in the Pro division looking to wreak havoc on opponents, it’ll be seen who plays what position as they have been active in the offseason. Big expectations always come served with big pressure. Some of the guys on the roster are known to not play great under pressure, we'll see how it goes for them as the games get tough, they'll be a lock for playoffs, but how far can they go?   Player To Watch: @Wpaanane Season Prediction: Title Contenders   Unique Last season for Unique wasn’t the best. Now they’re looking to bounce back to their own level, with a few departures, they shuffle things up, and long-time Elite player @LE1PAKONE (Nordzman) signs for Unique. It remains to be seen where he plays and how he fits in Unique's plans. They have high hopes for this season, no doubt, but putting pen to paper might not be that simple. Unique needs to start gathering points early; if they can’t string together wins, it will be a long season.   Player To Watch: @Jakeexh Season Prediction: No-man’s land    Brynäs IF Esport Brynäs makes a returnto the Pro scene this year, adopting some key players of former Herlev Eagles, with @Vibholm_10 & @el_tacobag leading the offense as usual, with a few additions to round out the squad. Having finished 12th in the group last season, the squad played their way back through the Pro Qualifiers. With a playoff spot just out of Herlev Eagles' reach last season, they’re looking to make it this season, which would require the big boys to show up and get those wins against tough opponents.   Player To Watch: @Henka0009 Season Prediction: 1st round of playoffs    Puck Over Glass In a similar situation last season as Herlev Eagles: a few more wins, and they clinch the playoffs, with a few more tweaks, that should be the case this season for Puck Over Glass. With the start of the season, all eyes will be on their star forward @Hydeee_24, with a magnificent pre-season behind him, his team is now looking to him to carry them to the playoffs. Big boots to fill for Hyde, can he do it?   Player To Watch: @Hydeee_24 Season Prediction: No-man’s land   MoDo Hockey After a great season in Lite, where MoDo managed to dominate all aspects of the game, and grab the title, they now enter the Pro division. MoDo will be facing teams with greater skill, tougher defense, and better goalies. One name to remember is their long-time scorer, @Mathiasgamer_07, who has been with MoDo since the beginning and has been top of the pont-scoring leaderboard every year. Look out for him to be their go-to guy on the power play. Player To Watch: @Mathiasgamer_07 Season Prediction: No-man’s land    Reiviluola Reiviluola enters the Pro division as one of the favourites to go the whole nine yards, considering more than half the team played in Elite last season, it’s not far off. But we’ll see how the new guys mesh with the guys who have played on the same team for years. One name to keep an eye out for is former goalie and now center, @Tope0090(mestari_tikku). He has all the ability in the world to succeed, and has the talent surrounding him to succeed. We’ll see how that goes as we’re going to keep a close eye on Reiviluola this season. Player To Watch: @ItzPoro Season Prediction: Title Contenders    Otukset Otukset just can't seem to break that Elite curse they've been having for a while now. They came close this year as well with Elite qualifiers, but totally slumped and couldn't get their game together in time. They finished last (5/5) in the Elite Qualifiers and claim a spot in Pro. Now they try to turn the ship around, and hopefully captain @Miguli36 has revamped his playbook for the season. The same players, but a different story? With all the talent in the world and a defensive pair that can move the puck well, @juhkis96 tops the defensemen's points leaderboards year after year and hopefully next season in Elite. Player To Watch: @Pursuitti Season Prediction: 2nd round of playoffs    SSK Prospects   After a decent season in Pro where they finished in No-man's land, SSK Prospects head to their second season and aim for the playoffs, this could be only a dream for a team that struggled against teams higher up in the standings last season and will fight for every single point this season, if they can shape up defensively they could see the playoffs in the spring.  They can be seen as a development project by their Elite counterpart, and hope to see some start to develop, but it's highly unlikely as this team is destined for the No-man's land or relegation. Player To Watch: @I-Sjogren-I Season Prediction: Relegation   Group 2    F0CUS FOCUS is a squad packed with big names from @jm98II to. This team has all the tools in its belt to take home the Pro division trophy, one of the favourites ahead of the season, as they dominated the qualifiers and advanced with ease. With a star-studded squad always come big expectations, and their captain @jm98II has high expectations for their team and doesn’t shy away from that. In a small interview, he mentioned that he expects their tight-knit group to win the Pro division this year, and that they had originally planned to play in the Neo division; the rest couldn’t be posted in this article. Player To Watch: @Anhel_Kuru Season Prediction: Title Contenders    Deadly Phantoms The Germans were just a few wins away from glory last season in the Lite division finals; they couldn’t quite beat the Swedish team MoDo, who emerged as victors. A team with lots of history will try and make their mark in the Pro division this season, still some great players on their roster, and they will surely have a bone to pick with MoDo from last season. With their quick-tempo play, they will look to catch teams on the break, as their explosive wingers try and make magic happen. If they can get a goal or two ahead, their lockdown defense will handle the rest. Player To Watch: @RPH_31 Season Prediction: No-man’s land   Aspyre Aspyre has now made the playoffs for two seasons in a row, and both times crashed out in the 1st round. They’ve made some changes and hope to break the curse and advance to the second round, their additions @Jondeezz & @koleslaav_ will surely boost their offense, but the big question will be their goalies this season with @priima-namu(feikkinambo) as their starter.   Player To Watch: @koleslaav_ Season Prediction: - (Writer plays for Aspyre)   Including Me Including me has been playing in the Lite division since ECL 22, where they advanced from their inaugural season in Core the year before, and now their time has come to show that their dues have been paid and that they belong in the Pro division. That being said, remaining in the Pro division is no easy task, as the bottom two teams get relegated, Including Me captain @toomanyville needs to get creative with how they approach the season. One long slump and their playoff hopes are over.   Player To Watch: @Jusa Season Prediction: No-man’s land    NOSTREETSPORTS It wasn’t many seasons ago that Nostreetsports took the Pro regular season by storm and shocked everyone with their offensive ability, scoring 142 goals in the regular season. Their fairytale season came to an abrupt end in the first round, falling to eventual finalist SSK. Now they face the expectations from that season, and look to get back to their ways, spearheading that comeback is @Bot_hene, who has always been a thorn in the opposing sides on the ice, he knows what it takes to string wins together, and what it means to win, it’ll remain to be seen how this team will stack up in a tough group. Player To Watch: @1mmu9 Season Prediciton: 1st round of playoffs    vNexs ll The Swedes pair up with their Elite counterpart and take on an “AHL” type of deal, where good performances could potentially lead to a call up next season. By no means is this team an underdog this season, with high-end Pro players and veterans, mixed in with young, exciting talent. With a few additions from Sunne IK, this team immediately throws in their hat for a playoff spot this season. @Putteekiing and @benjamint737 bring experience and a set of cool heads, while youngster @Maaacki brings explosive offensive power and a knack for scoring highlight reel goals. Player To Watch: @Maaacki Season Prediction: 2nd round of playoffs  Nova The former Elite team found themselves in the Elite Qualifiers, losing to Vizio, who advanced to the Elite division after a hard-fought battle. Now Nova is back in the Pro division and eager to prove to everyone and themselves that this is their season. The Russian side has the talent to go far, but they need to sort out their roster and find chemistry before it's too late. With their new roster and new players, a connection to look out for is @xDekko-_- & @vlxddyy, they can form an uncanny duo this season, but if they can't click with the rest of the group, it'll be tough to make the playoffs. Player To Watch: @Baranizer Season Prediction: 1st round of playoffs    Finnish Roosters This Finnish Rosters have been around for a long time (ECL 2), played between Pro and Lite for the most part, and now back again in Pro after a short hiatus. Their game plan has always been soli,d and their roster too. Now they aim to be a threat for the playoffs and without a doubt will be firing on all cylinders for this season. With a new season upon us, eyes will turn to ECL icon @J0HTAJA who has a game or two under his belt. He managed to put up 21 points (11+10) in stage 1 of the Pro qualifiers as he led his team to a Pro division spot. Player To Watch: @Ernottii Season Prediction: 1st round of playoffs  

The ECL is constantly evolving, and each season brings new rosters, returning veterans, and shifting team dynamics. To help us seed divisions as accurately as possible, we’re opening applications for Community Scouts. What Is a Community Scout? A Community Scout is a knowledgeable, experienced member of the NHL community who helps us assess the relative strength of teams within a division. Scouts are not judges, officials, or league staff — instead, they provide valuable insight to support our internal seeding process. It's worth noting, that the Community Scout does not need to know all divisions - even being knowledgeable within just one division is helpful. This allows us to combine: administrative data past season results roster changes and community expertise …to create the most competitive, balanced, and enjoyable ECL experience possible. Who Are We Looking For? We’re inviting players, captains, staff, content creators — or any long-time followers of the scene — who feel they have a solid understanding of: the relative skill levels of teams in a division roster strengths and weaknesses past performances and trends the “real” level of teams beyond just their results You do not need to be a current or former Elite/Pro player. What matters most is knowledge, fairness, and familiarity with the community and the level of play that you are providing your feedback on. What Will Community Scouts Do? Ahead of the group draw, Community Scouts will be asked to: Review the list of teams in a specific division Share their opinion on how strong each team is Provide optional short comments explaining their reasoning Your input will be used as one of several data points in our seeding process. The goal is simple: Better information → Better groups → Better games. How Much Time Does It Take? Very little — usually just a few minutes per division you follow, however, we will need you to be able to submit the feedback within a few hours of getting the list, as we wish to get the groups and schedules communicated as early as possible. Sign-ups close on Thursday night, but we might reach out earlier to get things started ahead of time. This is a completely voluntary, community-driven role. How to Apply If you’re interested in contributing to the competitive integrity of the ECL and helping shape the upcoming season, fill out the short form below: 👉 Apply here: https://forms.gle/zvYpop1XzVsqhFXK8

Remember to sign up your team by the end of the day to secure your spot in the ECL '26: Winter season! The new ECL ’26: Winter season is approaching, and registrations are open for teams and players across Europe for one final evening. The ECL is the leading European competition played in the EA SPORTS™ NHL franchise, featuring structured divisions for all skill levels. Since 2015, the European Championship League (ECL) has been the main stage for competitive eHockey in Europe, bringing together players in a 6v6 format where every position on the ice is player-controlled. With divisions suited for all levels—from newcomers to top-tier teams—the ECL continues to offer a structured and competitive environment for everyone looking to test their skills. This winter marks the start of another competitive chapter in European eHockey. As teams prepare their rosters and strategies, anticipation builds for what’s to come. With registration now open, the new season offers every team a chance to prove themselves on the ice.   The European Championship League (ECL) is Europe’s premier competitive league for organized 6v6 eHockey, played in the EA SPORTS™ NHL franchise. Featuring multiple divisions from Elite to Neo, as well as a 1v1 competition, the ECL offers players of all skill levels a structured and competitive environment. Every skater and goaltender is fully human-controlled, with all games played in EASHL mode on PlayStation and Xbox. Established in 2015, the ECL now enters its 21st season with a thriving community of players. The league also features ECL 1v1, introduced in the ECL ’23 Winter season, where Europe’s best solo players compete for the championship.   Basic information/requirements of ECL: Regional restrictions: ECL is a European tournament format, however, we do not necessarily exclude players located in North America or Asia. A European server will always be used. We reserve the right to exclude teams or players in case of severe connection issues.   Individual requirements: Each player needs to have an account at SportsGamer.GG and create their personal player card.   ECL licenses: Teams in ECL Elite & ECL Pro, ECL Lite, and ECL Core will require their respective ECL ‘26: Winter team licenses in order to play. In addition, every player in the above-mentioned divisions needs to have a valid ECL ‘26: Player License or ECL ‘26: Winter Player License before taking the ice. Players in ECL Neo require only an ECL '26: Winter Neo Player License. You will find more information about the licenses lower in this article. Teams may also register up to three backup players, who can be used as substitutes during the season. Each backup may appear in a maximum of 10 games combined across both the Winter and Spring seasons, including qualifiers, regular season, and playoffs. All backups must be listed on the team’s official roster before participating in any game. The ECL '26 Pre-Season tournament does not require the license   Rules: ECL '26: Winter - Official Rules.     The sign-ups close on the following dates: ECL Elite: 9.11.2025 ECL Pro: 9.11.2025 ECL Lite: 9.11.2025 ECL Core: 27.11.2025 ECL Neo: 27.11.2025 Signups will close at 23:59 CET on the day mentioned unless otherwise specified. League Administration reserves the right to place a signed up team at a higher level than signed up, if deemed necessary for competitive integrity.   Schedule This section briefly describes the key dates for the ECL '26: Winter season. For a more detailed breakdown, see the ECL '26: Winter - Information & Key Dates Regular Season duration: 30.11 - 15.1 Playoffs duration: 18.1 - 28.2* * The exact details for the playoffs and division finals will be communicated once the final number of teams per division is known.       Free Agents & Teams Looking for Players Don't have a team yet? Team looking for additions to your roster? If you are a free agent looking to be picked up, please head over here. If you are representing a team looking for players, please head over here. Need more help? Check out the "How to Find a Team or Players for Your Team" article!   Player and Team Licenses If you're a team looking to use your previous winnings toward a license, please contact support for assistance. ECL '26 LICENSES ARE AVAILABLE USING THIS LINK The ECL Neo division does not require a team license; however, ECL Neo players are required to have an active Player license at a cost of 10 EUR per season. Please refer to this ECL Ranking in order to understand which teams are eligible to sign up for each division.     The ECL prize pool will be determined directly by community participation. Each season, a share of the collected license-fee income is distributed back to players as prize money across all divisions. How it works For the ECL ’26: Winter season, at least 35% of net license-fee income (after VAT and transaction fees) will be paid out as prize money. The initial prize pool estimate will be published at the start of the season, based on confirmed team and player registrations at that time. If additional licenses are purchased during the season, the final prize pool will be adjusted accordingly and disclosed once all registrations are complete. Full-year license fees are evenly divided between the Winter and Spring seasons. Why this structure? Prize pool shares reflect each division’s competitive level and progression within the ECL structure — ensuring that advancement through the divisions is both meaningful and rewarding. The distribution between divisions remains consistent with previous ECL seasons. For more specific information about the division-specific prize pool distribution, please see the ECL '26: Winter - Official Rules or this forum post.     Rule Changes The updated ECL '26: Winter Official Rules are now available. All team captains are expected to familiarize themselves with the rulebook before the season begins. Here's a snapshot of some of the major adjustments/additions compared to ECL ‘25: Spring: 9.2.3.: Players taking the face-off are strictly forbidden from reverse hitting directly following the face-off (though this has been patched and should not be possible anymore) 11.7.: Banned Player Abilities, Builds & Positional Builds section has been significantly updated (newest update October 29th) Necessary links and Prize Pool Distribution information have been updated. Banned Player Abilities, Builds & Positional Builds You can  read about and discuss player abilities and bans here . Are there some rule-related changes we’ve missed? Now is your chance to discuss and suggest what type of changes you would like to see in the rulebook.   PLEASE NOTE: ECL '26: WINTER 1v1 SIGNUPS WILL LAUNCH LATER THIS YEAR.   The ECL ’26: Winter season marks the next step in our ongoing commitment to structured, high-quality European eHockey competition. Whether you’re joining for the first time or returning to defend your title, we look forward to seeing you on the ice this winter. 🔗 Sign up now and be part of the action!