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From the very early age of three, Perttu “Beniittto” Kemppainen was interested in the NHL video game. He grew fond of the game and later on as the game's competitive side started developing, he began to take the game more seriously. Like many of us, @Beniittto grew up with the game and has been a fan of the series for almost two decades. He is a proud owner of every version since NHL 08. Beniittto first hopped on the ECL ice in the very first season when he was only 13 years old. You could say he has grown up alongside the 6v6 scene and been a part of our story at SportsGamer from the very beginning. Beniittto is a player who has truly won it all during his career. NHL 24 has been no exception, to name a few of Beniitttos achievements during NHL 24: ECL ‘24: Elite winner as the captain of hREDS Forward of The Season in ECL ‘24: Winter eHockey SM 2024 winner as the captain of Parasite As one of the OGs in the 6v6 scene, Beniittto also leads all-time points on our platform. In 615 games he has gathered a combined points total of 1874, which means he has managed to keep up a 3,05 point per game pace now for multiple years. What makes this achievement so great is that he has been playing against the best defenders and goalies for the majority of his career and has still managed to score so many points. This season Beniittto continues as the captain of his team, a team he started originally as long ago as 2019. The team has for the most part been known as hREDS, but started as Delusion. After the hREDS organization shut down its operations, the team was briefly renamed Parasite and is now known as Valokuitunen Esports. How does it feel to be chosen as the cover gamer of the top NHL Esports league? “It feels great, there have been a lot of great players chosen as the cover gamer and it is an honor to be among them.” 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 What has been the best moment in your career so far? “It has to be winning ECL 12 on LAN since it was the first LAN I won.” Since you have been phenomenally successful in big matches, what is the key to a superior performance when preparing for a game? “I don't do anything special, I just focus on the fact that I want to win and try to play my best game.” What do you enjoy most about competing at the highest level? “I just enjoy competing, I have always wanted to be good at the games I play and there is always room for improvement.” You have played this game on a high level for so many years, what direction do you see the competitive side of the game taking? “I think the scene has seen better days, but I am hoping the scene will bounce back and reach new heights.” What are some of your personal goals for the current ECL season? “I always want to win the championship and maybe break some records!” Lastly, as a player who has won it all do you ever see yourself retiring? “I have played NHL games my whole life and can't see myself not doing that, there are always more things to win and more things to achieve and that is what keeps me going.” We are wishing all teams an enjoyable ECL '24: Spring season full of exciting games and hard competition! Make sure to tune in for our broadcasts at Twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG!

As the first week of ECL 24 Spring is coming to an end, it's time to take a look at some teams that have put up performances that have convinced us to be serious cup contenders this ECL Lite season. Keep in mind that it is impossible to include everyone, and there will definitely be teams who will see loads of success this season and are not mentioned here! For every group, there will be three cup contenders and one dark horse. Group 1 Cup Contenders Belissimo Last season's Core champion, a team that did a reverse sweep in the final, has shown many promising performances in the current and past seasons. The ability to thrive in the playoffs is often overlooked, but these guys have shown they have what it takes to also succeed in the playoffs. It will also be interesting to see how last season's Core team will succeed against teams that have been on the Lite level for a lengthy period. They certainly will not want to fall any short of another title now that they know what winning feels like. Player to watch @MrMikkiL Zenegeim Zenegeim is a team with loads of Pro experience and skill. The team consists of players who have not had too much success in Pro but have now decided to come to Lite to gain some momentum for their careers. The players in their team have played in many different teams in their careers, and it will be interesting to see how the team's chemistry will form. Skill and potential are there, and if they manage to play accordingly, they will be a good contender for the title. Player to watch: @Juhaniz- Carpe Diem Carpe Diem is a team who was not in the Lite playoffs last season but has improved loads. If they keep improving, they will be a possible title contender. They have a lot of strong personalities in their team and if they manage to channel those the right way, I can see them going far this season. Player to watch @TorvelaJR__ Dark Horse Aspyre Dragons Aspyre Dragons is a Pittsburgh based multilateral gaming organization that has expanded onto NHL esports. The team has put up a few convincing performances and could be a top team in Lite this season. Last season in core they had trouble keeping their level steady, but we will have to see if they manage to keep up the top level all season long. In this team highs are high, and lows are low, sometimes a team with a decent but steady performance will outperform teams who have a tough time being consistent. But if they manage to keep their level high and consistent, they go from dark horse to serious cup contenders in my books. Player to watch: @letsgoat67 Group 2 Cup Contenders Neloskenttä Neloskenttä is a team that has started the season extremely well, letting in very few goals and solid attack to seal the deal. This team is one that I think went under everyone's radar but has now shown that everyone should keep the team's name in mind. Their tight defense and goaltending have been amazing so far and I cannot wait to see more of this team. Is this team going to start with 1. seed in the playoffs? Player to watch @Kalju-Makke The Oldtimers (previously Ultimatum) The Oldtimers are a team with lots of pro experience and great individual players. For example, two of their forwards are currently in the top 2 of regular season points in all of Lite. The Oldtimers also reached the top 16 in eHockey SM ‘24, which is a great achievement for a Lite team. Player to watch: @Werppi Sack Brothers Sack Brothers is a team who is looking to turn last year's painful final loss in Core into a Lite title. Last year's painful final loss must still be in recent memory after choking a 3-0 lead to Belissimo, and will for sure motivate the team to win it all this season. The team consists of many old Pro players, and they are looking to make some noise! Player to watch: @IKarkkiI Dark horse Toxic City Toxic city is a team who was the fifth seed in last season of lite but failed to keep good form from the regular season up in the playoffs. This team has shown they can be a top team in Lite, but their game still has some question marks, hence they are the dark horse for this group. Player to watch @norskeli Group 3 Cup Contenders Vitosvitja The team with the greatest logo of all time on the ECL ice. They have put up decent performances so far and having a good run in eHockey SM ‘24 they have convinced us to be able to play on a prominent level. Player to watch @SilakanTimo Technical Disaster Technical Disaster is a team with roots all the way in ECL ‘22. They have shown promising performances in the off-season and eHockey SM ‘24. I am looking forward to seeing this team play as they have many tricks up their sleeves with skillful players like @wrlster . Player to watch @wrlster Nordic Stars Nordic Stars is probably the biggest favorite to win Lite. This team has had so many convincing performances in the past seasons it is impossible to overlook them. In eHockey SM ‘23 they were in the finals which proves they are a talented team but also that they are capable of playing good playoff hockey. Player to watch: @SakkeTheEngiueer Dark horse: XBOTS After playing their first ECL Pro season at '24 Winter this club which has been considered as "top Xbox team" for long time by many players got disappointed this time in Pro qualifier. However, this could be seen as a good opportunity for them to gain some confidence from Lite this season. They may sometimes have issues with consistency and also the lineup has been a question mark at least earlier. But everybody who is familiar with players in their roster knows that there are loads of skills and experience. For example, @Kibeeex who battled his way to NHL 24 WC European top 8 lan-event in Copenhagen and captain @OGxN72ege "Maybe the most stick-skilled player who I have ever played against" said Eki after their WC games so that says something. In nutshell, they have pure skill and experience to have a great playoff run but the question is: can they get their consistent quality routine going on? Player to watch: @OGxN72ege Group 4 Cup Contenders Hirvikolari No games played yet this season but this team still caught our attention. One of few if not only team in Lite with Elite experience after making big signing J--Jamaltheman. A big part of their roster has been playing together earlier in lower divisions of ECL. These two things together could be huge resources for them in future. Hopefully 0 games played doesn't mean availability problems because their grinding and developing as team would be remarkably interesting to follow during this season Player to watch: @J-_-Jamaltheman Sawolanche Sawolanche is a team who did not find much success in Pro but are now trying to win Lite. This team has stuck together for a long time. They have shown the capability to play at a high level on multiple occasions. I am looking forward to seeing them make some noise this season! Player to watch: @I_LaiTi_I Ruuti Ruuti is a team with an annoying but working playstyle, loads of waiting on the offensive blueline can be hard to defend against. I think most teams won't be ready for it and Ruuti has the ability to surprise opponents right at the start of the match. They proved the ability to play on a prominent level in the eHockey SM ‘24 where they were in the top 3 in their group. Dark Horse: Mights Last season Mights were highly successful in Core playoffs, they barely squeaked out of the top 3 losing in game 7 in the bronze match. Although Mights had to go through Lite qualifiers they were superb and secured a spot in Lite. The reason this team is a Dark Horse is that it still holds many question marks, they faced many changes only a few days before the season started. Player to watch: @Madladcas Do you agree with the predictions, or did the writer miss the net? What are your predictions for how the season will go? Let us know in the comments!

Hey Gamers, With the poll closing tonight regarding the ECL Lite and Core ability bans, we can now (practically) confirm that we will be moving forward with the bans as previously communicated. Here's a recap of the ability bans: Elite & Pro: Truculence, Big Tipper, and Unstoppable Force are banned. Captains from these divisions have, however, been sent a message asking for the team's opinion on whether they want these traits to be unbanned for later weeks. The deadline for voting on this is 23.4. Lite & Core: Truculence, Big Tipper, and Unstoppable Force will be banned from 22.4 for the ongoing ECL season. Neo: No trait bans

In the previous Elite '24: Winter season, we witnessed a mix of triumphs, setbacks, and surprises. Ultimately, the deserving champion was hREDS (now known as Valokuitunen Esports). Tunnel Vision pushed hREDS to the limit, extending the series to a thrilling game seven. One of the most unexpected developments was Goons maintaining their status in "no man's land," avoiding relegation matches against Pro teams and thus securing their Elite spot. Now, let's shift our focus from the past to the upcoming season. Here are some notable highlights and predictions: EXEN (formerly JYP) has made strategic replacements, recruiting @xAaro89x from Heimo and @Mozjayh from the hREDS bench. This season marks Mozjayh's debut as a right defenseman, an interesting transition for a player from a triple back-to-back ECL-winning background. xAaro89x has long been hailed as a potential star capable of carrying his team deep into the playoffs, though previous seasons have fallen short of expectations. This season, EXEN must advance further than the first round, which will require significantly more impact from team captain @indi969 than last season's six playoff games of no points. Tunnel Vision faces what might be their 'last dance' as rumors suggest the team might disband with a player joining the military. They enter ECL '24 Spring with a slightly altered lineup, featuring attackers @Vattuyy, @Laiitinen, and @Pikkardz. The trio is undoubtedly talented, yet concerns linger about their defensive dedication, particularly with the introduction of a new center. However, defensemen @tomboo- and @Wengeri are exceptionally solid in their own end, perhaps compensating for any lapses up front. Valokuitunen Esports (ex-hREDS) are the favorites to win the ECL again, with star players @Beniittto and @NikkeDangles ready to dazzle. Newcomer @pikkuroger might fill @Vilupoika's shoes or possibly end up alongside @KingOfApes_ on the bench. Straikers have consistently ranked high but have yet to claim the ECL title since their last win under the FILADELPHIA banner in 2021.. New addition @temppanen, proven in 1vs1 battles but untested in 6vs6, could be the final piece they need. He joins from Mayhems, bringing a new dynamic to the team that includes strong defense and excellent goaltenders @Hansulinho and @uhNikke. Vesa Pompa – often overlooked despite consecutive semifinal appearances in the ECL. Why aren't they considered a top-four team? The issue seems to be a lack of standout individual skill, with exceptions like @antoniomannen004, who blends skill with game intelligence. Questions also surround the defense, though rookie standout @pappeen- made an impressive debut last season. Despite occasional lapses, goalie @kkostiiii remains one of the best at stopping breakaways. Having just covered my expectations for the top teams in Elite, let's now quickly explore some other intriguing teams and their acquisitions. First up, Björklöven, where @Kallmanius has really invested in building a highly competitive team. This season, the squad includes @x-_-BoBi-_-x, @vilppijoona, and @koleslaav_, with @zMikkeez and @WeDuX_ anchoring the defense. On paper, this is a skilled team. The big question mark will be how vilppijoona and @WeDuX_ manage defensively against the top teams. As a member of Unwanted, I can report that @xLeikku will not be playing next season, with @Launonexx stepping in to fill his role. Leikku has left big shoes to fill, but impressive performances are expected from the former Mustaa Kultaa captain in his standout rookie Elite season. The same goes for @karlssonadam_, who has been recruited from Purification and is gearing up for his first season in the Elite. Polski Boys’ lineup has remained unchanged. The team is counting on significant contributions from last season's Comeback Player of the Year, @jm98II, who is a key offensive force. It would be a major disappointment if they didn’t make the playoffs. Russian player @W1nchester_62 has stepped up as the first-choice goalkeeper. Purification is filled with young, hungry Swedish players, brimming with skill and the drive to grind. There have been some positional shifts from last season, with @bystrom___ moving from center to defense. The team plays fearlessly and on their best days, can challenge many of the Elite teams. This season promises intense competition and potential new champions in the Elite '24: Spring season. Keep an eye on these teams and players as they battle for supremacy in the ECL. What are your predictions for how the season will go? Let us know in the comments!

This week we've launched the newest season of the biggest eHockey tournament in all of Europe. A lot of you (and us!) have been waiting for the season to start and now the wait is over, so fire up those smartphones, laptops, and gaming consoles and start playing and watching the action! In this preview we’ll take a look at a few teams and of course, a few individuals who will be playing in the second-highest tier of the European Championship League ladder, which is the highly coveted ECL Pro. Group 1 Teams to challenge for the title: Herlev Eagles This team has taken large strides from a few years back when they scraped to make the playoffs in the Pro division, after playing Elite qualifiers just a few days ago and not quite making it must be a bitter feeling, but the Eagles are back and ready to challenge for the title with Danish superstar Vibholm leading the way in offense! Player to watch: @vibholm10 Mustaa Kultaa Another team that almost made it to Elite. This should come as no surprise as former Lite Champions are making a push for the title. With a good mix of young talent and long-time Pro veterans in their team, this squad can make some noise this season. Player to watch: @LatveX Team to make the playoffs: RYHTIC With a change in scenery for this team it parts ways with its long-time sponsor RCTIC, the team stays together for another year, always seems to make the playoffs, and challenges those top teams in Pro and Elite. Player to watch: @Limbe65 Team on the line: NOVA This Russian lead team made some noise last season with the number 8 seed and playing well in the 1st round of the playoffs. With big praise from last year's winning team Gotham, this team needs this push to get a better seed than last year. Player to watch: @Nester4343 Relegation battle: Neptune Hockey This team seems to find a new division from time to time, hopefully they can stick it to this washed up writer, and make a push for the playoffs. Neptune has struggled in the Pro division most years and this year is no exception, this team can not seem to string together enough wins to push for playoffs. Player to watch: @Zeikmaar Dark Horse: Vizio With a good-looking run in the eHockey SM (Finnish Championships) this year, Vizio has made some noise with beating some good teams this offseason and not solely relying on their captain to win them some games, but if they can't find that eHockey SM form, it can be a long season for them. Player to watch: @Jetsu28 Group 2 Teams to challenge for the title: POGGERS With a few seasons surviving in Elite, they couldnt battle Björklöven for a spot this year, former Pro champions can make a lot of teams unhappy with their veteran players still shining. Look for this team to want to make it back next season. Player to watch: @JaKurrii Södertälje SK With a new roster formed, they have that something, that flair you look for in teams that go far in the playoffs, with captain @svetidaje getting busy in the offseason and recruiting far and wide, this could be their year if they can find chemistry on the ice. Player to watch: @amadee21 Team to make the playoffs: Supernatural A team with an interesting past, saying this team has had its ups and downs is an understatement. But now they seem to have found a nice-looking roster with good players in all positions, they can surprise a lot of teams with how they approach this new season. Player to watch: @MrNipsuli Team on the line: TikiTalk With a team as legendary as this, it’s going to be a coin toss if this team makes the playoffs this season. A difficult group with a lot of experience, and their reliance on a guy that everyone knows, can make it difficult to get those important wins they need. Player to watch: @NuariJamal Relegation battle: Ice Scream While looking at a lot of talent in group 2, this team will find it very difficult to scrap together points this season, with not a lot of experience in the Pro division they will be looking to make some magic happen to avoid relegation. Player to watch: @TeemuUnderdawg Dark Horse: Otukset One might say this team has all the talent in the world to make it to the playoffs, even make a run for the title, some might say this team has a tendency to choke when games get tough, this experienced team will have to avoid a rollercoaster season, but look for them to steal some points from the top teams. Player to watch: @Roisto999 Do you agree with the predictions, or did the writer miss the net? What are your predictions for how the season will go? Let us know in the comments!

Sportsgamer Community, A total of 12 teams competed in Division I at the start of GCL 11 to secure the coveted title as the best team in the DACH region. In addition to ECL elite team Black Jacks, the three big favorites for the title - defending champions Deadly Phantoms and cup winners HC Lugano eSports - were known in advance. After a few exciting weeks, the decision has now been made: The Black Jacks got their revenge for last season and reclaimed the championship after six thrilling games against the defending champions. The main round After just 22 games played in the main round, the Black Jacks secured the best starting point for the knockout phase. Their only defeat of the season came against the Nürnberg IceTigers eSports after extra time with a 1-2 loss. The Deadly Phantoms also snatched a point in an overtime win. The result was 63 out of a possible 66 points, which put the fear of God into all opponents after the main round. They were followed by the Deadly Phantoms by a whopping 12 points, who also lived up to their role as favorites and made it into the playoffs without much trouble. Nuremberg, HC Lugano eSports, Red Bull Munich, and SC Bern also qualified directly for the quarter-finals. After the pre-playoffs, DEG eSports (7th) and Hockeyholics (9th) followed. The Playoffs Without any surprises, the favorites kept the upper hand in all series. The Black Jacks and Phantoms swept their rivals and advanced to the next round after just four games, while Nuremberg lost two close games to SC Bern but put in a very strong performance throughout and recorded clear victories. Munich was already leading 3:1 in their clash against HC Lugano, but then completely lost the plot and let the series slip out of their grasp, with the better-placed team coming out on top here too. In the semi-finals, the Black Jacks took revenge on their compatriots for their elimination in the previous season. Four out of six games were decided by just one goal, meaning that the games were always exciting and remained open until the end. Although Lugano fought fiercely, the Black Jacks' individual class ultimately prevailed, enabling them to secure their ticket to the final with a 4:2 win and take revenge on their rivals. In comparison, the second semi-final match was surprisingly clear-cut: The Deadly Phantoms progressed to the final round with a 4:0 win and thus remained unbeaten in the playoffs. The defending champions showed with strong results (2:1 OT, 4:2, 4:1, 7:2) that they are a force to be reckoned with in the final. The Final The final series between the two DACH legends starts on Monday, 1 April. The Black Jacks took a 2:1 lead in the first three games of the series. After a solid 3:0 for the Black Jacks, a rather close 2:1 followed. The Deadly Phantoms took advantage of this close game and were able to win game three with a goal by @willywonkaaa in overtime. Both teams relied on their defense and their goal-getters at all times and it was clear to every spectator that this would not only be an incredibly exciting final series but that both opponents would certainly not make it easy for each other. The grand final then culminated on Wednesday evening and the remaining games were played. However, the Black Jacks came up trumps there, only dropping one more game to reclaim the championship after a title-less season. The defending champions, the Deadly Phantoms, were only able to secure game 5 and challenge their opponents in a final thrilling game. Tim @Timasy Hess was the guarantor of success here, scoring both goals to send the Black Jacks to the title! The final series thus ended 5:2 in favor of the Black Jacks. Guaranteed Success Both in the regular season (113 points) and in the playoffs (41 points), Kevin @Keuschemisch Berg secured the top scorer title and was thus the driving force in the Black Jacks' strong offense. At the same time, captain Max @Toneee9 Tonitz followed his example with the defenders and added a further 46 points in the main round and 22 points in the knockout phase, closely followed by defense partner Christian @GERxVillain Ungeheuer (40 & 16 points). After a solid main round (86.73% save percentage, 1.08 GAA), Simeon @Simbanho Vorselman backed up his defencemen in goal, especially in the playoffs, where he even went one better statistically with a save percentage of over 88% and the same goals against average, while Johan @McSavid Rundqvist achieved even better stats in his 10 main round appearances (90.72% save percentage, 0.9 GAA). Conclusion Accepting the role of favorites and leaving no doubt: The Black Jacks are currently the measure of all things in the DACH region and deservedly secured the championship title as well as the double after winning the cup. Not only are the statistics of all team members outstanding across the board, but the new title winners rarely left any doubt about the outcome of a game. Even after setbacks, the Black Jacks were not fazed and bid a fitting farewell to Sven @Original-SnuS Julmi's last season for the club with the title. Here are the two GMs' opinions for you: Deadly Phantoms, Denis @CCBow-501 Roethele: "On the whole, the result of the final series is perfectly acceptable. The Black Jacks deserved to win thanks to their individual class and a strong goalie. It doesn't help that we were behind in every game except for Game 5 and were chasing a deficit." The Black Jacks, Kevin @Keuschemisch Berg: "First of all, congratulations to the Phantoms on another fantastic season. Represented in every final since GCL 2, 6 championship titles - nothing more needs to be said. All in all, we are very happy to win our 4th championship. In GCL 10 last summer, the whole team was a bit out of steam at the end of the season. It's all the better that we're now "back on top" and have been able to utilize our full skillset, even after our strong season in the ECL'24 Winter Elite. We were able to secure seed #1 in the regular season. Our defense was solid and our offense got rolling from day 1. In the playoffs, of course, there's a different wind and you tend to come from an organized defense. In the semi-final in particular, we wanted to take revenge for last season, which we did very well. In the final, it was clear to everyone on the team that we wanted to give Sven Julmi his 4th GCL title as a farewell present. And as in the previous three finals against the Phantoms, we were able to impose our game and, in my opinion, more than deserved to win the series in our favor. Special praise to our goalie tandem. Simba with 3 shutouts in the final - I don't think that happens too often. And at this point, a big thank you to Sven for all the years as captain, as well as Tschitsch for all his time at ZSC eSports and The Black Jacks, especially since he helped out again this season as right-wing in important games!" Congratulations from our side on winning the title again and the double! Daniel @DangerBrooklyn Göpfert