ECL 11 Elite Preview: Part 2 - Mid-table free-for-all - ECL

NHLGamers,

If you missed the first part of our ECL 11 Elite Preview, check it out here!

The battle for the last playoff spots is often ruthless and like we've seen over the past couple of seasons the difference lies in the smallest details. In ECL 10 we saw an entire 5-team squad within the margin of a point at the finish line whereas the season before was almost equally as tight. It speaks volumes about the toughness of the league when that is the case season in and season out at the ECL Elite level. Now, getting stuck in no-man's land can be a bittersweet sensation. On one hand, you might be a team narrowly escaping relegation and whereas that can't be considered a successful campaign by any means, after 30 games played that is probably a position true to your level of play. Then again on the other hand, this no-man's land also holds those teams that find themselves left hanging, just short of the postseason and that's when it can really sting especially if you're out by the strand of a hair.

Extending your season into playoff action from the bottom half seeds (5-8.) in ECL Elite has been difficult lately. It almost certainly means you'll be going up against either one of the juggernauts HAVU Gaming or FILADELPHIA, who haven't lost too many playoff series as of late. If you're not facing them, you'll be thrown into action with another team equally capable of dismantling just about any squad in the business. However, we've seen the odd exception of slight underdogs creeping through in recent history, such as Lulea Hockey (5) overcoming Roots (4) in the ECL 9 Elite quarterfinals and who could forget the major upset of last season when Farjestad BK (8) destroyed heavy favorite JYP Jyvaskyla (1). These stories among others go to show that despite there being a long road ahead and some obstacles along the way, the challenge is never too tough and in all reality just about anyone could walk away with that title in the end.

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5. JYP Jyvaskyla (ECL 10 Elite: 1st - Quarterfinals)

JYP Jyvaskyla have experienced massive changes in comparison to their bronze-winning lineup from FCL. Gone are three of the teams six starters; goaltender Oskari @sibeelius Grönroos who transferred to HAVU, left defender Markus @Makeaxl Lahti who is trying his luck with Enigma and Kristian @kriketski17 Veijola who will be plying his trade for GOONS. Replacing the trio are Elite rookies Teemu @ITemeI Laukkanen (G) and Valtteri @Vattu__ Virtanen (LW), with Aaro @xDoumi Ruuhinen (LD) returning to active duty for the first time since ECL 10 after a period of internal conflict with the team. With a peace treaty signed, Doumi once again takes his place to the left of Ilmari @iilmarii Töyrylä – re-uniting what is arguably the most high-risk, high-reward defensive pairing in the Elite division. Even with one of the team’s new players being a familiar one, having a roster turnover of 50% in relatively close proximity to the season starting is hardly ideal. JYP will certainly go all-out to prove themselves in the coming weeks but with multiple significant pieces in the team machinery replaced, its only natural to wonder if JYP could have difficulties achieving a top-4 spot this time around.

Player to watch: Valtteri @Vattu__ Virtanen
The young star has made a name for himself in the community and his quick ascent to stardom hasn't gone unnoticed. After a good campaign with Tunnel Vision in ECL 10's Pro division, now is the first time @Vattu__ truly finds himself in competition with the big boys. In a team like JYP, the backup is certainly there and with experienced players such as Antti @tbnantti Kuittinen and Santeri @indi969 Pendolin by his side, this one could prove to be a career season for him.

6. YMCA Esports (ECL 10 Elite: 5th - Quarterfinals)

The former Unlucky Boys HC have had a couple of good runs in their past few tournaments, but haven't been able to get over the hump and as a result has ended up on the outside looking in on several occasions. Their biggest problem has been quite apparent as of late - staying composed until the final whistle in crucial moments. We all remember the heartbreaking events in their game 7 quarterfinal against hREDS in ECL 10, when YMCA held the lead while gaining an offensive zone faceoff with 30 seconds on the clock. The rest is history, but a crash course of it would tell that YMCA's campaign ended in that game. Having lost arguably their most important player in Antti @Anhel_Kuru Kuru to the Finnish Defence Forces, the team will need to scramble and have added Aleksi @MozjaTG Kähkönen to take the winger role while Tim @Timasy Hess will be playing center. One would think that these moves weaken the squad - at least until they can find their flow.

Player to watch: Tim @Timasy Hess
Some say he is the best German player in the game. Seeing him join the former Unlucky Boys HC a while back was a shock to the scene and surely to his former teammates too, but the fact is that it's been a successful road for @Timasy so far. It is rumoured that he will be taking on the center role in the captains absence so it'll be interesting to see how he adjusts to the new position.

7. KOVA Esports (ECL 10 Elite: 10th)

KOVA Esports has seen by far more player turnover throughout the past few seasons than any other team in the league. There's no telling what the reason is but it's clear as day that captain Kimi @Zip player Nordberg does not hesitate to pull the trigger if something feels off in the squad. Going into ECL 11 the team is sporting a strong looking lineup with old-timer Hannu @hooneli Markkula making a return after years away from the game. He will be flanked by the captain on the left and comeback kid Valeri @Valluxet Reihel on the right. Defensively the team has added Saku @Sakkem Saaranluoma, who takes a leap of faith moving away from GHETTO FIREBIRDS (now Conquer Gaming), where he earned his stripes.

Player to watch: Hannu @hooneli Markkula
@hooneli makes a long awaited return to ECL action after taking his last strides on the competitive ice back in ECL 5 when playing for SJK eSports. In ECL 4, he hoisted the cup together with the same squad, then called Laser HT. It's not like the skill would fade away and big things should be expected from the new center of KOVA Esports - at least the man knows what it takes to win big games. If @hooneli can get going, he will be the decisive factor for KOVA.

8. Farjestad BK (ECL 10 Elite: 8th - Semifinals)

Farjestads roster has seen some minor changes since their last outing in the SCL, turning the team into a fully Swedish ensemble which has been something of a trend among the top Swedish teams lately (also done by Vaxjo Lakers HC). The team has condensed their roster into three forwards, three defensemen and two goalies out of which the starting six should be quite clear any given night. Most notably, Hampus @l-Furyan-l Duvefelt and Anton @antoniomannen004 Svensander will be wearing the green jerseys moving forward, which will only emphasize FBK's quick counter-attack offense that has been so lethal for the past few months. Andreas @affelj96 Ljungberg is a staple of their play with his quick winger build and although people talk about stopping him, it rarely seems to work so well in reality after all.

Player to watch: Anton @antoniomannen004 Svensander
The former Vesa Pompa HC defenseman takes a step up the wing and joins the forward corps of Farjestad for some new winds in his career. The skill is certainly there but it isn't always easy transitioning from defense to offense - especially at the level we're talking about.

9. Northern Ascendancy (ECL 10 Elite: 14th)
Having played the worst season in team history in ECL 10, Northern ascendancy led by Connor @MartindalexC Martindale is back looking for redemption and having put together an interesting ensemble in doing so. The rejuvenated Northern Ascendancy includes blasts from the past such as the Kinnunen brothers Juho @RutonMosse and Aleksi @ADETIKKI and even more interestingly former Written In The Stars winger Jake @Bugimir Jyväsjärvi. Naturally Ville @Supreex Korhonen is found in net and their success will certainly not depend on him not performing. There's talks about Northern Ascendancy employing a playing style rather reliant on counter attacking utilizing the offensive toolset that both of their wingers have. Both @RutonMosse and @ADETIKKI are some of the most creative players in the game but their defensive mentality can be questioned.

Player to watch: Juho @RutonMosse Kinnunen
He is one of the great talents in the game and has been for years already. @RutonMosse has all the tools to become a true legend but never seems to take the game seriously enough in order to get to the next level. On the ice, he is an artist and can either provide jaw-dropping plays or stay completely out of the picture for games on end.

10. Gotham Knights (ECL 10 Elite: 15th)

This pick might surely (among others) raise some eyebrows since Gotham Knights seem to have put together a great roster to be honest. They've got lots of skill combined with experience, but that experience is quite largely limited to playing outside of the ECL Elite playoffs except for a few odd men who have seen those bright lights. It's also been proven on several occasions that having the most mechanically skilled guys out on the ice doesn't always translate to success. Gotham is one of the most long-lived ensembles in the scene and under the watchful eye of captain Joni @ReDMisTi Kaikkonen, the team has been through thick and thin. The team has been out of the Elite division and back again, only to be forced into yet another fight for their spot in a relegation battle to end ECL 10.

Player to watch: Timi @Rimpe Rimpeläinen
@Rimpe is a real juggernaut of the scene and has been seen with several ensembles throughout his years of play. He's seen some moderate success but surprisingly called it quits with Roots while pretty much at the peak of his career this past summer. Granted - a long tiresome road with Almost Famous followed by a disappointing first round exit in his first ECL Elite playoff showing since ECL 5 must wear on you. However, @Rimpe is now making an exciting return to play with his old friends in Gotham, this time as a defenseman, which is a new position for him. It'll be interesting to see whether his skill and IQ will translate well to jumpstarting breakouts and shutting down opposing scorers.

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It feels like we say it every season and we probably will even in the future, but ECL 11 Elite should be one of the most exciting and wild rides in virtual hockey to date and you won't want to miss any of the action! We're kicking off the season already today with the first broadcast of the season at www.twitch.tv/NHLGamer starting 19:45 CET. Tune in for the action, we'll see you there!

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