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In an effort to boost our editorial coverage outside the realm of division-specific ECL content, we've enlisted NHL.com/sv writer, and long-time ECL player, Hampus Duvefelt (l-Furyan-l) to provide a series of special columns for SportsGamer.GG throughout the NHL 26 cycle. This is the second edition. THE BUSINESS OF WINNING Winning has been on my mind lately. I don't say that to make it out like I am some kind of mentality monster; that my sole nourishment is winning and that I wake up every day ready to feast on the flesh of my enemies. Sure, I like winning. In fact, I love it. It's the reason I compete here at SportsGamer. But it is not the be-all and end-all of everything. At least not outside of this game that we all play and love (or hate?). Even so, winning has been on my mind. Or rather, the stories we tell ourselves (and others) about what constitutes a winner. The narratives we create. Being involved in hockey media – and consuming an unhealthy amount of it even when off the clock – I see it every day. "Oh, you just can't win with this guy" or "This guy is a born winner, this is the type of player you acquire if you want to go for it". It's everywhere. Everyone has their own narrative around a specific player, more often than not shaped by the opinion of others. It came into focus for me recently when watching the Olympics and following the aftermath of the final between USA and Canada. I saw Connor Hellebuyck, a player the majority of media and fans had decided couldn't get it done when it mattered, play out of his mind during the finals in one of the best goaltending performances I'd ever seen. I saw Auston Matthews, a player many had written off due to his failings in the playoffs in the NHL, captain a squad to a gold medal on the biggest stage in the world. And I saw Connor McDavid, possibly the greatest hockey player of all time when all is said and done, come up short. Again. The short reprieve McDavid received when he led Canada to the 4 Nations title last year was suddenly gone and again the narrative was "this guy can't get it done when it matters the most". Matthew Tkachuk is another interesting example. Titles just seem to follow him everywhere he goes, winning two Stanley Cups recently and now an Olympic gold medal. Yet it can be argued he, like Matthews, had less of an impact on his team in the tournament than McDavid did. Who is a winner and who is not? Well, before I derail my train of thought here and lose hold of your interest, dear reader, I'd like to posit my argument and my inspiration for writing all this. See, my take is that winners aren't born. They're made. They are made when (really) good players do everything they humanly can to put themselves in a position to succeed again and again, until they do. For some, that is right away. For others, it takes time. Hell, even Sidney Crosby lost a Stanley Cup final before he won it all. It won't happen for everyone. But I would argue that you can't know for sure who "has it" or who "will never have it" until everything is said and done. Case in point; Hellebuyck. His narrative blew up the moment he had a gold medal hung around his neck. Some might say this epiphany of mine is an obvious conclusion, but not everyone will agree. Some will look at a player like Tkachuk and say: "Ah, that guy is a born winner". Was he, though? Did he not first spend six years with the Calgary Flames, never making it past the 2nd round of the playoffs? Did he not lose in his first ever appearance in the Stanley Cup finals and in the 4 Nations finals (albeit injured in both)? If you ask me, Tkachuk wasn't born a winner. He has always appeared to have a winner's mentality, sure, but he had to both fight and stay patient to get across that finish line. Until he made himself a winner. You look at players like McDavid, like Nathan MacKinnon. The way they dedicate every fibre of their being to winning; the nutrition, the practice habits, the mentality. Their grim faces on the bench and in the media, even after winning games. If something doesn't get them closer to a title, they are not interested. And yet, MacKinnon – who famously said "I'm in my 10th year in the league and I haven't won shit" – has "just" the one Stanley Cup win. McDavid has none. They are the best players in the world right now and they eat, live and breathe winning, but they simply cannot do it alone. In hockey, no one can. The same goes for virtual hockey. Because even though we have just six active players for each game, not 20, and we play the full "60" minutes of a game instead of 20 – meaning each individual player is afforded the opportunity to have a bigger impact on the game than in actual hockey – we still cannot do it on our own. Circumstances matter. Teammates matter. Opponents matter. Timing matters. I look at players like Patzlaf and FlyerKungen, who just weeks ago won their first Elite titles since 2021. Or a player like Eki, who last year finished out his ECL career by winning his first Elite title in quite a few years. I've never looked at these players as anything but winners, even though they hadn't been on the winning side of a final for some time. Sure, it helped that they had gotten it done before so the pedigree was there, but to me they are prime examples of (really) good players who did everything they could to put themselves in positions to succeed, again and again. And under the right circumstances and with the right teammates, they finally did. Again. I look at a player like Antoniomannen, who has won everything there is to win on the Swedish side of things, but who – like most Swedish players on the scene – hadn't experienced that same success in the playoffs at the Elite level. But this past season, he and his team put themselves in a position to succeed and I have no doubt that if they continue to do so, they'll eventually be at the top of the mountain. I look at a player like Sokkelo, who just couldn't seem to get into the playoffs at the Elite level. Then, suddenly, he became a bonafide Finnish champion and nearly led his team to an Elite title (!) in his first ever playoff appearance there. In the span of just two playoff runs, he ended up making those who wrote him off early look quite foolish. I look at a player like KingOfApes_, who has won multiple ECL Elite titles in his career but hasn't been back in the thick of things for a while now. I have no doubt he can get back there again, under the right circumstances. At the same time, I understand the narratives aren't going away. People love telling each other stories. If you listen, I mean really listen, to any conversation between two people, it often has a tendency to evolve into each individual telling the other stories from their perspective. Most of the time, that's how we relate to each other as human beings. The story of McDavid "unable to come up big when it matters" will live on until the day he does. The story of Tkachuk being a "born winner" is strong enough to survive the Panthers missing the playoffs this year – and probably a few more years after that, should it happen. But stories and narratives are just that, stories and narratives. They can change. A playoff run, a series, a game, a single moment even, is sometimes enough to change it. Like Hellebuyck changed his. Like Sokkelo changed his. So, if you are a player who has found yourself involved in a story or narrative you didn't chose to be involved in, remember that it is never too late to change it. Because winners aren't born, they're made.

After a seven-game Finals series that had overtime drama, a stunning blowout, and a Game 7 for the ages, Tohtorit have been crowned Elite division champions for the ECL '26: Winter season, defeating vNexs I 4-3 in the Finals. But to understand just how much this title means, you have to start with the team they had to go through to get there.   The Elephant in the Room: vNexs I and the FINSeRe Story HAVU Gaming entered this season as the heavy favourites. Formed from the merger of Parasite and Last Dance — two of the most decorated clubs in ECL history — they were widely considered a superteam, and their regular season backed that up: first place in the Elite division with 67 points. Standing in their way in the Semifinals was a 6-seeded vNexs I side that, on paper, had no business being there — but whose playoff numbers told a very different story. @dippen04 and @AntonLxnd would finish the postseason as the two highest-scoring players in the entire division, while @pappeen- led all defencemen in points. This was not a team that got lucky. And adding a deeply personal dimension to the matchup was their goaltender @FINSeRe — a man who had spent the previous four seasons with the very club he was now trying to eliminate, winning two ECL Elite titles and a Finnish Championship along the way. This was the club he helped win in the past. And in a 4-3 Semifinal series, he and his new teammates sent them home. It was one of the great individual storylines of the ECL season, and it set the stage for a Finals run that captured the imagination of the whole community.   The Road to the Final Tohtorit, seeded second after an 18-win regular season, had their own business to take care of. They swept KUUSAMO.gg 4-0 in the Quarterfinals and then dispatched GOONS 4-1 in the Semifinals — efficient, clinical, and giving away very little. While vNexs I were making headlines with their upset run, Tohtorit were quietly doing what they do. The two teams met in the Finals as, arguably, the most deserving pairing left standing.   A Finals Series to Remember The series opened with back-to-back overtime games. @Ojala16 won Game 1 in extra time for Tohtorit after Dippen04 had put vNexs I ahead, and Pappen and Dippen04 combined to take Game 2 back for vNexs I. Two nights in, one game each, and the series already felt like it could go anywhere. Tohtorit then took control with back-to-back wins. Game 3 ended with @Kkarkass burying a gut-punch winner with one second left on the clock, and Game 4 saw @Harlowi- score twice as Tohtorit pushed to a commanding 3-1 series lead. Then vNexs I did what good teams do. Game 5 was a statement: Dippen04 completed a hat trick, AntonLxnd had a four-point night, and Pappen added four assists in a 6-3 demolition that made it clear this series wasn't over. Game 6 was another overtime classic — AntonLxnd scored a powerplay equaliser with under a minute left in regulation and then won it in overtime to force a Game 7.   Game 7: Ojala's Night When the dust settled, it came down to one man. Ojala16 scored all four of Tohtorit's goals in Game 7. He opened at 2:38 of the first, made it 2-0 in the second, and added two more in the third to close it out 4-1. @Stammer70 was immovable in net with a 94.12% save percentage. When the final buzzer went, Tohtorit were Elite champions for the first time in the club's history. Over the full seven-game series, Ojala16 was the best player on either side. Across the entire playoffs he finished among the top scorers in the division with 30 points in 16 games at a remarkable +16. As the captain and one of the founders of Tohtorit, his overtime winner in Game 1 set the tone. His Game 7 wrote the final chapter. ECL '26: Winter – Elite Champions Roster 🇫🇮 #10 Timi @Kkarkass Kärkäs 🇫🇮 #16 Tuomas @Ojala16 Ojala (C) 🇫🇮 #70 Stan @Stammer70 Adamus 🇫🇮 #86 Joonas @Patzlaf Paatiala 🇫🇮 #88 Jere @Harlowi- Paloranta (A) 🇫🇮 #91 Tuukka @FlyerKungen Kuha 🇫🇮 #96 Juuso @TheSpeedo Sirkola   Winner Interviews Tuomas @Ojala16 Ojala, Captain, Left-Wing Q: Four goals in Game 7 of a Finals — take us inside that game. Were you feeling it early, or did it just happen? A: I enjoy high-pressure situations and I know I can handle them. So I just went into the game relaxed and confident. I wasn't thinking about scoring four goals. I was only thinking about winning. I believe a captain has to be able to help his team in tough moments. But I have to admit that when I scored my second goal, I started to feel like this was just the beginning. From that moment on I just wanted the puck.   Q: vNexs I pushed you to 3-3 after you were up 3-1. How did the team respond mentally going into that deciding game? A: We were still very confident even after they tied the series. We knew it's pretty hard to beat us three times in a row. Our team had experience that the opponent didn't have, and players who have proven before that they perform well in big moments even outside the NHL.   Q: You've been with Tohtorit for almost your entire career, working your way up through the divisions together. What does it mean to finally lift the Elite title with this club? A: When we started, hardly anyone would have believed we'd make it this far. A few seasons ago we decided that instead of forcing ourselves to chase a championship, we'd rather focus on having fun. Now we had fun and we won the championship. We didn't practice that much during the season, so I think our great team spirit was one of the key factors behind the title. And I have to admit, it feels pretty good to win it with your own club.   Stan @Stammer70 Adamus, Goalie Q: Two overtime games, a 6-3 blowout against you, and then a Game 7 — that's a lot of emotional swings for a goalie. How do you stay locked in through a series like that? A: Staying locked in doesn't require anything special. When you play as a goalie, the most important thing is always the next situation and the next opportunity. Even though I faced one difficult game, I knew the whole time that I'm the best goalie at the moment, which gave me calmness and confidence between the pipes.   Q: Game 7, 94% save percentage, 4-1 win. What was going through your mind when that final buzzer went? A: When the final buzzer went, my head was full of different emotions. The strongest feelings, however, were pride in our team and the six-year journey of Tohtorit to reach this point. In Game 7 I made a few good saves, but an even greater performance was shown by the five players in front of me. Especially Ojala — absolutely mental game from him.   Q: Both you and FINSeRe put up near-identical numbers across the playoffs. What was it like going up against him in the Finals, and how do you reflect on the goaltending battle in this series? A: For me this was maybe the most fun goalie matchup I have ever played. In my opinion, the Finals delivered a goalie battle worthy of them. Both of us were required to make big saves at crucial moments, and I think both goalkeepers managed to do that. I truly think that without FINSeRe, vNexs I wouldn't have been anywhere close to the Finals, so they should be really pleased with how things went.   We would like to congratulate Tohtorit — Elite champions for the first time in the club's history, built from the ground up by the people who believed in it from the start. And to vNexs I, what a run. A 6-seed that toppled the division's superteam before pushing the champions all the way to Game 7. See you next season.

Voting has ended, and the winners have been announced. As the season has ended and we prepare for the next, have a look at the winners, and maybe you see yourself here next season.   Player of The Season The Top Player award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their own position. Winner: @Hydeee_24   Defender of The Season The Top Defender award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their defenseman position. Winner: @LE1PAKONE (Nordzman)   Goalie of The Season The Top Goalie award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their goaltender position. Winnrer: @Hullued   Rookie of The Season The Rookie Of The Season award is awarded to a player in their rookie ECL Pro season, who has excelled above the competition regardless of position. Winner: @1mmu9     Two-Way Forward of The Season The two-way forward of the season is awarded to a forward who best excels in the defensive aspects of the game. Winner: @Anhel_Kuru  

The ECL '26: Winter season in the Lite division is over — and Renegade IHC are champions. Coming in as the #2 seed, they carried the expectations that come with that tag and delivered on every single one of them. A 4–2 semifinal win over Tinted Visors, followed by a dominant 4–1 Finals victory over Wida — clean, clinical, and convincing. This wasn't a team that scraped through. Renegade IHC looked like the best team in the division for most of the season, and when the playoffs came, they proved it. The numbers don't lie The offensive engine for Renegade IHC was firing on all cylinders throughout the playoff run. Foppatofflan and MartindalexC combined for over 100 points between them, while NotzPanthers quietly put up one of the most productive two-way playoff performances in the division. When everyone on your top six is contributing at this level, opponents simply run out of answers. The numbers: Playoff scoring leaders (Renegade IHC) Foppatofflan (A. Liljegren) — 20 GP, 75P (26G, 49A), 11 GWG, 37.1% S% MartindalexC (C. Martindale) — 20 GP, 57P (22G, 35A), 12 GWG, 26.2% S% NotzPanthers (J. Holland) — 20 GP, 57P (30G, 27A), 16 GWG, 26.3% S% KnightK10 (K. Knight) — 20 GP, 16P (5G, 11A) Komir_90 (M. Salvi) — 20 GP, 15P (1G, 10A) Calxm86: Steady when it mattered most 20 GP, 16–4–0 86.18% SV%, 1.76 GAA 6 shutouts Calxm86 (C. Mcateer-Ellis) was a consistent presence throughout 20 playoff games, posting numbers that gave his teammates the platform to go to work offensively. Sixteen wins across a full playoff run is as reliable as it gets. Renegade IHC's road to the championship Semifinals: Renegade IHC (2) 4–2 Tinted Visors (14) Finals: Renegade IHC (2) 4–1 Wida (6) ECL '26: Winter – Lite Champions roster (Renegade IHC) Skaters @Foppatofflan (A. Liljegren) @MartindalexC (C. Martindale) @NotzPanthers(J. Holland) @KnightK10 (K. Knight) @Komir_90 (M. Salvi) Goalie @Calxm41 (C. Mcateer-Ellis)

We want to share an update on the timing of the National Championships (FCL/eHSM, GCL, SCL, and WECL), which have traditionally taken place between ECL seasons. After reviewing the current ECL schedule and our available preparation time, we've decided not to run the National Championships during this spring window. The ECL Winter season started later than originally planned, and with the Spring season needing to begin shortly, there simply isn't enough room to deliver these events at the standard they deserve. Our current plan is to launch the National Championships in September, aligned with the start of the new NHL 27 cycle. We believe that's the right setting for these events — when competitive energy is high, rosters are fresh, and the community is fully engaged. Running them during August also risks lower participation, as it falls during peak summer holiday season for many of our European players. More details on formats, qualification, and schedules will follow as plans are confirmed. In the meantime, if you'd like to contribute to shaping and improving the National Championships — whether through organisation, production, sponsorship connections, or other means — we'd love to hear from you. Reach out to me via Private Message, Discord, or hello@sportsgamer.gg. The registration for ECL '26: Spring is now open, and more details about the ECL season will be shared in the coming days.

Since 2015, the ECL has been the definitive stage for competitive eHockey in Europe. Now entering its 22nd season, the league continues to evolve — and ECL '26: Spring introduces a significant gameplay shift with all X-Factor and Superstar abilities banned, creating the most skill-pure environment the ECL has ever seen. ECL '26: Winter has just wrapped up — Tohtorit claimed the title, and now all eyes turn to Spring. Rosters are being rebuilt, rankings have been reset, and for many teams, this is the season to make a move. With abilities banned across the board, the ice is level. What happens next is entirely up to you. 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 22nd 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: Spring 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: Spring Player License before taking the ice. The Player License is also required in the Qualifiers. Players in ECL Neo require only an ECL '26: Spring Neo Player License. You will find more information about the licenses below 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 sign-ups close on the below-mentioned dates: ECL Pro Qualifier: 23.3.2026 ECL Elite: 23.3.2026 ECL Pro: 23.3.2026 ECL Lite: 2.4.2026 ECL Core: 2.4.2026 ECL Neo: 2.4.2026 * Signups will close at 23:59 CET on the day mentioned unless otherwise specified. ⚠️ Please note: Failing to register for a higher-level division in time does NOT entitle registration and participation in a lower division for a team that is unfit to play at a lower level. Schedule This section briefly describes the key dates for the ECL '26: Spring season. For a more detailed breakdown, see the ECL '26: Spring - Information & Key Dates Qualifiers: The schedule for the qualifiers will be tight — as usual, to allow the maximum time for sign-ups. In most cases, you'll play on 3–4 of the evenings below. We're publishing all possible dates upfront so you can plan ahead — not because we expect to use all of them. Pro Qualifier starts 25.3.2026 | Please prepare to play on the dates below*. Gameday 1: Wednesday 25.3 | 2 Opponents, 4 games Gameday 2: Thursday 26.3 | 2 Opponents, 4 games Gameday 3: Sunday 29.3 | 2 Opponents, 4 games Gameday 4: Monday 30.3 | 2 Opponents, 4 games Gameday 5: Wednesday 1.4 | 2 Opponents, 4 games Gameday 6: Thursday 2.4 | 2 Opponents, 4 games *Please treat all dates as reserved until further notice. Most teams will not need to play on all dates, but in order to guarantee the fairest outcome, we want to have enough game days available, if necessary. Elite Qualifier starts: 25.3.2026 (if necessary) The exact details will be shared once the number of teams participating is known. Regular Season duration: 7.4 - 8.5.2026 eHockey World Cup Break: 12.-24.5.2026 (read about the eHockey World Cup) Playoffs duration: 25.5 - 28.6.2026* * 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! Early Bird Offer on Player and Team Licenses Below you’ll find the pricing of the team and player licenses for ECL ‘26: Spring, available now. During the first few days, you will be able to pick up the ECL ‘26: Spring Team license for the Super Early Bird pricing listed below. After that, we will offer a slightly elevated Early Bird Price from March 16th, and finally regular pricing from March 23rd onward. If you're a team looking to use your previous winnings toward a license, please contact support for assistance. ECL '26: SPRING LICENSES ARE AVAILABLE - BROWSE BY 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: Spring 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 a bit after the start of the season, based on confirmed team and player purchases 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. Previously purchased 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 this forum post. Rule Changes The updated ECL '26: Spring rules will be available soon. For now, you can refer to the ECL '26: Winter Official Rules, however, keep in mind especially the major adjustments mentioned below. 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 ‘26: Winter: 11.7.: Banned Player Abilities, Builds & Positional Builds section has been significantly updated - All Abilities are now banned and not to be used. Some final details, as a closer approximation of the prize pool, will be updated to the rules closer to the start of the season. League Administration will be keeping a close eye on teams and players trying to sign up for a division below their perceived skill level, and rules around this will be more clearly defined as a means of clearer transparency 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: SPRING 1v1 SIGNUPS WILL LAUNCH SOON. ECL '26: Spring is shaping up to be one of the most wide-open seasons in recent memory — new rules, refreshed rosters, and a fresh set of rankings. Whether you're a returning champion or signing up for the very first time, this is your shot. 🔗 Sign up now and be part of the action!

SportsGamers, This news story is intended to help understand the ECL Ranking for teams at the end of the ECL '26: Winter season. This ranking determines the eligibility for teams entering various divisions this upcoming ECL '26: Spring season. Below you will find a list of teams that have secured a division spot at the Elite, Pro, or Lite league level. If you didn't find your team on the list, don't worry! You can apply for a wildcard spot for your team in the Pro qualifiers or apply to the Lite, Core, or Neo divisions, which are open to everyone. Please note that the Qualifiers will be starting very soon, and the registration time will be short, so start mentally and psychologically preparing for them as we look to release the details regarding the ECL '26: Spring season. Season registration is now available by clicking here. Elite 1 Elite 🏆 Tohtorit 2 Elite 🥈 vNexs I 3 Elite 3 HAVU Gaming 4 Elite 4 GOONS 5 Elite 5 Mythix 6 Elite 6 Umpikuja 7 Elite 7 KUUSAMO.gg 8 Elite 8 ROBE Esports 9 Elite 9 AFTERLIFE 10 Elite 10 Polski Boys 11 Elite 11 Tiki x Pwolle 12 Elite 12 Kastikekauppa Esports 13 ▶ Elite 13 EXEN/F0CUS 14 ▶ Elite 14 SSK ESPORTS 15 ▶ Elite 15 Vizio 16 ▲ Pro 🥇 POGGERS Elite Qualifiers (if needed) 1 ▼ Elite 16 VESUVIUS ESPORTS 2 Pro 2 Unique 3 Pro 3 Finnish Roosters 4 Pro 4 EXEN/F0CUS 5 Pro 5 Puck Over Glass 6 Pro 6 GREATEST 7 Pro 7 xBots 8 Pro 8 Aspyre Pro 1 ▼ Elite 16 VESUVIUS ESPORTS 2 Pro 2 Unique 3 Pro 3 Finnish Roosters 4 Pro 4 EXEN/F0CUS 5 Pro 5 Puck Over Glass 6 Pro 6 GREATEST 7 Pro 7 xBots 8 Pro 8 Aspyre 9 Pro 9 Carpe Diem 10 Pro 10 NOSTREETSPORTS 11 Pro 11 vNexs II 12 Pro 12 MoDo Hockey 13 Pro 13 Deadly Phantoms 14 Pro 14 SSK Prospects 15 Pro 15 Otukset 16 Pro 16 Rusty X 17 Pro 17 Vesuvius Academy 18 Pro 18 Turun Gasellit 19 Pro 19 Brynäs IF Esport 20 Pro 20 The Oldtimers 21 Pro 21 REIVILUOLA 22 Pro 22 HC Lugano eSports 23 ▲ Lite 🥇 Renegade IHC 24 ▲ Lite 🥈 Wida 25 ▲ Lite 🥉 Conexion Pro Qualifier Wildcard procedure has been updated Anyone can now apply to play in the ECL '26: Spring - Pro Qualifiers by checking the appropriate box during season registration. While the Wildcard restrictions have been lifted and there are no absolute requirements for applying, League Administration will still review Qualifier Applications (identified by PRO QUAL REQ on the registered teams page). As such, teams with more experience still have a better chance of making the cut and playing in the Qualifiers. All teams will be notified once the decisions have been made. To be properly evaluated for the Qualifier spot, please have your full roster in your SportsGamer ECL '26: Spring roster as early as possible. The number of available Wildcard spots may vary depending on the quality of the applications. What if all Pro Qualifier positions are not filled? Teams will not be promoted straight, and all open spots will be filled through qualifiers (excluding automatically relegated/promoted teams). If there happen to be more open spots than anticipated (e.g., from teams disbanding, which would have been invited to play in the qualifier), spots are filled as follows: Pro relegated teams Wildcard teams Lite #17-32 Pro Qualifiers 1 Pro 23 Golden Sticks 2 Pro 24 DEG eSports 3 Pro 25 Lemmenvelhot 4 Pro 26 NOVA 5 Pro 27 Pasilan SKA 6 Pro 28 Including Me 7 Lite 4 Tinted Visors 8 Lite 5 vNexs Vipers 9 Lite 6 Fallen Rangers 10 Lite 7 Kokemus Puuttuu 11 Lite 8 Hockeyholics 12 Lite 9 Veterankraft 13 Lite 10 Supernatural 14 Lite 11 Pata Hellalla 15 Lite 12 HC KOROBKA 16 Lite 13 HC VADELMA 17 Lite 14 M3 Esports 18 Lite 15 SSK Academy 19 Lite 16 Bladerunners HC 20 Wildcard 21 Wildcard 22 Wildcard 23 Wildcard 24 Wildcard Lite 1 ▼ Pro 29 Saucer Hockey 2 ▼ Pro 30 Sunne IK Esport 3 ▼ Pro 31 Jagrs in Paradise 4 ▼ Pro 32 6 MAN AVALANCHE (DNF) 5 Lite 17 VBO STARS 6 Lite 18 Sopranos 7 Lite 19 KELAGOLDCARD HC 8 Lite 20 HC Nova Hut 9 Lite 21 ARMEIJAN KURI 10 Lite 22 TROJANS 11 Lite 23 Jurricanes 12 Lite 24 SSK Adepts 13 Lite 25 Invasion Hockey 14 Lite 26 Macho HC 15 Lite 27 Nordic Nosebleed 16 Lite 28 Hc Kasapallo 17 Lite 29 German Ice Gladiators 18 Lite 30 Eisbaeren Gaming 19 Lite 31 MIELENSAPAHOITTAJAT 20 Lite 32 MIESKISSAT 21 Lite 33 Game Over Esports 22 Lite 34 Silver Sword Griffins 23 Lite 35 TeNo 24 Lite 36 Dynamo IHC 25 Lite 37 FatBurritos 26 Lite 38 Iserlohn Roosters eSports 27 ▲ Core🥇 HC Lisko 28 ▲ Core 🥈 HC Punishers 29 ▲ Core 🥉 German Elite Hockey 30 ▲ Core 4 Chlastpumpy 31 ▲ Core 5 Torspot 32 ▲ Core 6 Hungry Bears 33 ▲ Core 7 HCP eSports 34 ▲ Core 8 Pullasorsat HC All teams without an Elite, Pro, or Lite league spot can participate and choose to apply for ECL Lite without restrictions. There will be no ECL Lite qualifier for ECL '26: Spring, but a maximum of 64 teams can participate in the season, so signing up on time is encouraged. Spots will be filled in the order of registration. As always, League Administration will monitor sign-ups and reserve the right to step in to make sure teams don't sign up too high or low compared to their perceived skill level.

The ECL '26: Winter season in the Core division is over — and HC Lisko are champions. Coming in as the #9 seed, nobody was handing them anything. But HC Lisko didn't need anyone to hand them anything — they went out and took it. Their playoff road tells the whole story: a 4–0 dismantling of German Elite Hockey (4) in the semis, and a 4–2 victory over the heavily favored #2 seed HC Punishers in the Finals. The higher seed didn't matter. The bracket didn't matter. When the moments were biggest, Lisko was best. The numbers: Playoff scoring leaders (HC Lisko) Supra_90 (V. Puupponen) — 23 GP, 63P (40G, 23A), 6 GWG, 53.3% S% eipaapaa (T. Lähde) — 25 GP, 58P (22G, 36A), 7 GWG, 21% S% Zambouni_ (S. Heikkilä) — 25 GP, 53P (13G, 40A), 7 GWG, 20.6% S% Vertti91 (V. Komulainen) — 25 GP, 32P (8G, 24A) Tero__Nuppi (P. Lepola) — 25 GP, 21P (1G, 20A) Laspar: The backbone of a championship run 25 GP, 20–3–2 84.62% SV%, 1.92 GAA 4 shutouts Twenty wins. Four shutouts. Laspar (L. Koos) was the anchor HC Lisko needed, and he delivered it across 25 playoff games. That kind of consistency over a long postseason run doesn't happen by accident. HC Lisko's road to the championship Semifinals: HC Lisko (9) 4–0 German Elite Hockey (4) Finals: HC Lisko (9) 4–2 HC Punishers (2)   ECL '26: Winter – Core Champions roster (HC Lisko) Skaters @eipaapaa (T. Lähde) @Zambouni_ (S. Heikkilä) @Supra_90 (V. Puupponen) @Vertti91(V. Komulainen) @Tero__Nuppi (P. Lepola) @tolbati (A. Koukidis) @mogambomoroo (G. Velinov) Goalie @Laspar (L. Koos) Congratulations HC Lisko — Core '26 Winter Champions. 🏆

AAkerho are ECL '26: Winter – Neo Champions after a dominant playoff run The ECL '26: Winter season in the Neo division is over — and AAkerho are champions. Neo is the lowest division in the ECL system, but this title is anything but small — this is where journeys begin, and AAkerho showed exactly what kind of team they are. AAkerho moved through the playoffs with the efficiency and cold-bloodedness that only a well-organized team can deliver. Kekymasa and Simppa711 dominated offensively throughout, while goaltender Stevie_harvey  stood as a wall behind them — posting an 87.31% save percentage and 1.79 GAA across the playoff run.   The numbers: Playoff scoring leaders (AAkerho) Kekymasa (M. Loppi) — 19 GP, 65P (36G, 29A), 5 GWG, 28.3% S% Simppa711 (S. Darby) — 19 GP, 62P (23G, 39A), 4 GWG, 27.7% S% NUPENVIINA (H. Björninen) — 19 GP, 45P (15G, 30A), 26.8% S% janindou (J. Kaskela) — 19 GP, 21P (5G, 16A) Baskis (H. Pantti) — 16 GP, 9P (1G, 8A) Stevie_harvey: The foundation that wins titles 19 GP, 15–3–1 87.31% SV%, 1.79 GAA 1 shutout When AAkerho needed a big save in a crucial moment, Stevie_harvey delivered. That kind of goaltending wins championships — and it did here. ECL '26: Winter – Neo Champions roster (AAkerho) Skaters @keky-MASA @Simppa711 @portsari2  @Nupenviina  @janindou  @Baskis2  @Anssiventero  @hulcci  @Leoliina Goalie @Stevie_harvey Head Coach / Manager @Drhockey    Congratulations AAkerho — Neo '26 Winter Champions. 🏆

Hi Gamers, As communicated previously, the League Administration has come to the decision that once the current ECL season has finished (end of day Thursday), any subsequent tournaments will be played with all X-factors banned. We have come to this decision based on community feedback, as well as examining the current trend of EA Sports themselves, with the battle pass becoming more and more pay-to-win - an idea that we at SportsGamer vehemently disagree with. Furthermore, a key aspect that we weighed up was the potential pros and cons of instituting a variable ban list depending on community feedback, and which traits they viewed as overpowered and which ones they viewed as underpowered. While in a perfect world we would of course like to allow players to play with minimal restrictions and be more in line with what EA envisioned for the game, we felt that considering the murkiness of some traits, and the general lack of information provided by EA as to how each trait fundamentally works (as well as interaction with others), that any discussions down the line would become prone to misinformation and negativity towards other players. As we head into the upcoming tournaments, we’d like to share a quick reminder of the current passwords to use when applying for daily competitive training games: ECLPro – for Elite / Pro and Pro / Elite Qualifying teams ECLLite – for Lite / Core teams ECLNeo – for Neo teams While we understand the desire to challenge yourself and want to play tougher teams, please respect the divisions as mentioned above for use with each password. The whole point of the password system is diminished if, for example, Core teams use the Pro password, and so on. Please also remember to avoid using abilities and special builds when playing these training games. This helps ensure fair and consistent gameplay across all divisions. Information about the upcoming ECL '26: Spring season will be available soon, so now is a good time to start thinking about your updated line-ups, if you haven't already. Thank you for your cooperation — and have fun out there! Thanks, League Administration

Hello everyone, We’ve received a number of questions about the private game passwords that have been used in recent years for organizing competitive training games within the community. As we head into the upcoming tournaments, we’d like to share a quick reminder of the current passwords to use when applying for daily competitive training games: ECLPro – for Elite / Pro and Pro / Elite Qualifying teams ECLLite – for Lite / Core teams ECLNeo – for Neo teams While we understand the desire to challenge yourself and want to play tougher teams, please respect the divisions as mentioned above for use with each password. The whole point of the password system is diminished if, for example, Core teams use the Pro password, and so on. Please also remember to use only the currently permitted abilities and builds when playing these training games. This helps ensure fair and consistent gameplay across all divisions. Thank you for your cooperation — and have fun out there!

It's time to kick off the ECL '26: Spring - Elite & Pro Qualifiers, and in this article, we'll cover everything you need to know about the structure and schedules for the qualifiers of these two highest levels of play in the European Championship League. The ECL Elite Qualifier consists of five (5) teams competing for two (2) open ECL Elite spots. The five teams meet in a group stage where every team plays each other twice - meaning each team will play 8 games. The TOP 4 teams go into a final round where #1 of the group stage plays #4 and #2 plays #3. The winners of these two matchups will win the promotion to Elite. The losers of the final round, along with the bottom team of the group stage will play in ECL Pro for the ECL '26: Spring season. ECL Elite Qualifier Schedule Group Stage: 25-31.3.2026 Finals (BO7): 1.-2.4.2026 #1 vs #4 & #2 vs #3 Click here to find the standings and schedule Stage 1: Eight promotions The ECL Pro Qualifier consists of twenty (20) teams competing for eleven (11) open ECL Pro spots. The group stage consists of four (4) groups of five (5) teams where every team plays each other twice - meaning each team will play eight (8) games. Teams have been snake-seeded into Stage 1 groups based on previous ECL ranking and LA seeding. The top 2 of the group stage in each group is directly promoted to ECL Pro. 3rd and 4th place advance to Stage 2, while 5th place is eliminated to the Lite division. Stage 2: Two promotions The 3rd and 4th place teams from Stage 1 are reseeded into 2 new groups (Group A & B). 1st place in each group earns a direct Pro spot, 2nd place advances to Stage 3, while 3rd and 4th place are eliminated to the Lite division. Stage 3: One promotion The two (2) teams finishing 2nd in groups A and B of Stage 2 meet in one final best-of-5 matchup and the winner of the matchup will be promoted to ECL Pro. Group A #2 vs Group B #2 The loser of the final round will play in ECL Lite for the ECL '26: Spring season. ECL Pro Qualifier Schedule Pro Qualifiers | Stage 1: 25-29.3.2026 (All teams) Pro Qualifiers | Stage 2: 30.3-1.4.2026 (12 teams) Pro Final Round (BO5) 2.4.2026 (2 teams) Click here to find the standings and schedule If teams are tied in points at the end of the group stage, the following tie-breakers* will be applied in the order that they are listed: Group placement Points per game (PPG) Wins (including OT-wins) Head-to-head record (points in mutual games) Goal difference (across all games played) Scored goals (across all games played) *In the event of the tie-breakers being applied to teams from differing group sizes, ‘wins’ will be represented as a percentage, head-to-head will naturally be disregarded, goal-difference will be made into an ‘average per game’ amount, goals scored will (like goal difference before it) be converted into an ‘average per game’, then finally, if all else fails to break the tie between two teams, a coin flip will decide. Good luck to all teams!

 ⚠️ Important: The ECL Elite and Pro, as well as all Qualifier sign-ups, close Monday, March 23rd — this is your last chance to secure your spot in the Elite and Pro divisions, or the Pro Qualifier, and keep your ECL Pro ambitions alive. Also, please note that Early Bird pricing ends today, Sunday, March 22nd, so be sure to take advantage of the offer while it lasts! Note: Pro Qualifier Wildcard procedure has been updated Anyone can now apply to play in the ECL '26: Spring - Pro Qualifiers by checking the appropriate box during season registration. While the Wildcard restrictions have been lifted and there are no absolute requirements for applying, League Administration will still review Qualifier Applications (identified by PRO QUAL REQ on the registered teams page). As such, teams with more experience still have a better chance of making the cut and playing in the Qualifiers. All teams will be notified once the decisions have been made. To be properly evaluated for the Qualifier spot, please have your full roster in your SportsGamer ECL '26: Spring roster as early as possible. The number of available Wildcard spots may vary depending on the quality of the applications.   The sign-ups close on the dates mentioned below: ECL Pro Qualifier: 23.3.2026 ECL Elite: 23.3.2026 ECL Pro: 23.3.2026 ECL Lite: 2.4.2026 ECL Core: 2.4.2026 ECL Neo: 2.4.2026 * Signups will close at 23:59 CET on the day mentioned unless otherwise specified. ⚠️ Please note: Failing to register for a higher-level division in time does NOT entitle registration and participation in a lower division for a team that is unfit to play at a lower level.   🕛 All sign-ups close at 23:59 CET on the listed dates unless otherwise specified. 👉 For full details and registration links, visit the official ECL ’26: Spring announcement. New to the ECL or curious how the divisions work? ➡️ Learn more here: What is the ECL?       Early Bird Offer on Player and Team Licenses Below you’ll find the pricing of the team and player licenses for ECL ‘26: Spring, available now. We will offer a slightly elevated Early Bird Price from March 16th, and finally regular pricing from March 23rd onward. If you're a team looking to use your previous winnings toward a license, please contact support for assistance.   ECL '26: SPRING LICENSES ARE AVAILABLE - BROWSE BY 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 is the pinnacle of European NHL esports. The abbreviation stands for the European Championship League and it features NHL 6v6 esports in five divisions aimed at various skill levels. Every player, including the goalies, is controlled by a human. League games are played in the EASHL mode and the platform is PlayStation and Xbox. ECL has been played since 2015, so the upcoming season is already the 21st. The latest addition to the ECL product family is a 1v1 tournament, where Europe's best solo players fight for the championship. ECL 1v1 has been played since the ECL '23 Winter season.   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: Spring 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: Spring Neo Player License. More information about licenses will be available in the "Sign up now" article, coming soon.   Rules: The ECL '26: Spring rulebook will be an updated version of the '26 Winter rulebook and will be shared soon. The Spring season will be played without Abilities.   The divisions framework for the ECL ‘26 year will follow the same logic as for previous seasons. We will have a total of five divisions with the following team allocation: Elite 16 teams Pro 32 teams Lite 64 teams Core (up to) 128 teams and Neo 32+ teams.   Please refer to this ECL Ranking in order to understand which teams are eligible to sign up for each division. Generally speaking, teams that are new to the ECL will start in the Neo or Core division. However, it is possible to apply for the ECL Lite if you believe you can compete at that level.   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.     Hall of Fame: The ECL Champions so far ECL 6v6: ECL 1: Nordic Blizzard ECL 2: Mukimiehet ECL 3: X Factor ECL 4: Laser HT ECL 5: Aapon Taikasauva ECL 6: Carlsberg HC ECL 7: FILADELPHIA ECL 8: Written In the Stars ECL 9: Linköping HC ECL 10: HAVU Gaming ECL 11: FILADELPHIA ECL 12: hREDS ECL '22: Grand Champion: hREDS ECL '22 Winter: hREDS ECL '22 Spring: hREDS ECL '23: Grand Champion: Tunnel Vision ECL '23 Winter: Tunnel Vision ECL '23 Spring: Tunnel Vision ECL '24: Winter Champion: hREDS ECL '24: Spring Champion: Tunnel Vision ECL '25: Winter Champion: Parasite ECL '25: Spring Champion: Last Dance ECL '26: Winter Champion: Tohtorit   ECL 1v1: ECL '23: Winter: Sisu "sisu33_" Nurminen ECL '23: Spring: Väinö "Pikkarii" Pikkarainen ECL '24: Grand Champion: Teemu "Temppanen" Karvonen ECL '24: Winter: Erik "EkiOriginal" Tammenpää ECL '24: Spring: Väinö "Pikkarii" Pikkarainen ECL '25: Spring: Teemu "Teemuyy" Polttila ECL '26: Winter: TBC on Thursday 12.3.2026

POGGERS are ECL ’26: Winter – Pro Champions after steamrolling the playoffs The ECL ’26: Winter season in the Pro division is over — and POGGERS are champions. In a Finals series that had real weight behind it, POGGERS defeated Unique 4–1, finishing the job with the kind of cold-blooded efficiency that only a veteran group can deliver. What makes this title even more impressive is how the season started. POGGERS dropped points early and looked anything but unstoppable for stretches of the group stage. But like elite teams tend to do, they corrected course, stabilized their game, and still finished the group stage in a solid position — enough to get in, because in this league, making playoffs is everything. Once the postseason starts, the slate is clean. And once the slate was clean, POGGERS looked like POGGERS again.     From last season’s disappointment to a completely different playoff identity There’s also a very real narrative here: last season, POGGERS weren’t a factor when it mattered. They entered as the #7 seed and got bounced immediately — swept in Round 1 by Almost Famous. This Winter? Different mindset, different edge, different outcome. Instead of being the experienced team that “should” win but doesn’t, they became the experienced team that turns every important moment into their comfort zone.   The numbers: Playoff scoring leaders (POGGERS) JaKurrii — 20 GP, 43P (21G, 22A), 4 GWG, 43.8% S% Ghettomasi — 20 GP, 41P (20G, 21A), 6 GWG Migo_boona — 20 GP, 35P (5G, 30A) meidanmatti — 20 GP, 30P (13G, 17A) Julius97_ — 20 GP, 24P (7G, 17A)   Hullued: the safety (in) net that wins titles 20 GP, 16–2–2 87.46 SV%, 2.05 GAA 2 shutouts And when POGGERS needed shutdown goaltending — especially in the big moments — Hullued delivered.   POGGERS’ road to the championship Round 1: POGGERS (6) 4–0 NOSTREETSPORTS (3) Quarterfinals: POGGERS (13) 4–3 Puck Over Glass (1) Semifinals: POGGERS (13) 4–0 Finnish Roosters (2) Finals: POGGERS (13) 4–1 Unique (9)   ECL ’26: Winter – Pro Champions roster (POGGERS) Skaters @JaKurrii (J. Koivuniemi) @Ghettomasi (H. Raittinen) @Migo_boona (M. Nurmi)  @Yoloberg (M. Hämäläinen)  @Julius97_ (J. Rissanen) @LaurinHaavi   (J. Eerola) Goalie  @Hullued (J. Saarinen)   Congratulations to the team and all the players, see you in Elite! Thank you, all teams and readers, for this season!