We're heading into the Semifinals of Europe's top eHockey league in ECL Elite! In this article, we'll dive into both series, what makes each team tick, who stands out from each team, and what I think both teams need to do to advance to the grand finale. We want to remind everyone that these articles are just for fun, and are only one or a few people's opinions, so take it easy, as we do these for the fun of it, and for content's sake.

HAVU Gaming (1) vs vNexs l (6) 

Storyline

HAVU Gaming had their quarterfinal foe ROBE eating out of their hand; in a four-game sweep, there usually isn't much of a doubt who wins but this was a whole different level. Now HAVU has a different task at hand, with vNexs their playstyle differs heavily from ROBE. vNexs managed to beat Mythix in seven games that turned out in their favorow they face the heavy favourites in HAVU, which they beat already twice in the regular season so they have that edge other teams might not have.

Matchups

In this section, we'll highlight the matchup of the series. For this series, we've chosen @Beniittto vs @dippen04, both instrumental in their team's offense and defense. For those who want to get to the top, this is a must-watch. The long-time center and hall of fame (if SportsGamer had one) @Beniittto has once again showed his team, his opponents, and the whole community why he is considered the best center in Europe, with 8 points (3+5). @dippen04 on the other hand has had a monster post-season so far, taking down reigning Finnish champions Mythix in seven games. On top of that, he's leading the league in both goals and points.

Breakdown

For this series, we will see two highly skilled teams putting on a show for Europe to see. This showdown will be a great watch and everyone should tune in. This series will come down to small details -  vNexs needs to have the discipline to stay out of the box, as HAVU boasted an almost 50% powerplay in the regular season. And oh boy, I can promise you HAVU are as lethal, if not more lethal, in the playoffs. These guys step up big time when the games get tough. vNexs has the edge in momentum, and need to use it to advance to the finals. They have all the talent in the world with @AntonLxnd & @Alpha borje, if they keep a cool head and rise to the occasion, they might just pull off an upset.

Prediction

As always, predictions and these articles are just opinions, so don't take it personally. In my own prediction, HAVU takes this series in 5 games, one tight game going to the Swedes. The offense of HAVU will be too much and @FINSeRe won't be able to stop the magic from @Vattuyy & @NikkeDangles. vNexs will have their chances, but the experience of @Hansulinho & company will minimize their opportunities. We'll see tight games, and the team who capitalize on the few chances created will be victorious.

 Tohtorit (2) vs GOONS (4) 

Storyline

Both teams have exceeded expectations so far this season, both in the regular season and the postseason. Tohtorit taking down Kuusamo.gg in 4 games was a massive showcase of their ability to work together. They stood out on both ends of the ice and took down a talented Kuusamo.gg team that gave them no trouble at all. GOONS had a more even series against Umpikuja, who they took down in 6 games from a tied 2-2 series standoff.

Matchups

In this section, we'll highlight the matchup of the series. For this matchup we'll take a look at the defensemen: @FlyerKungen vs @tkantola, both have played forward once or twice during their ehockey career and it shows in their defensive playstyles. Both lead their team in TwP (Time With Puck) which indicates they are their teams main distributor when breaking out, now it comes down to who will serve their teams needs better. This matchup will be an interesting one, both have the raw skill, but who has the better nerves, only time will tell.

Breakdown

In this series, we'll see two teams who have overcome people looking down at them for their achievements; both teams have a chance now to show that this is where they belong. Tohtorit went on to sign two veterans in the off-season, and oh boy, has it paid off; both @Patzlaf and @FlyerKungen are among the best in their respective positions. Now they've helped Tohtorit in their pursuit of being the best. @Harlowi- and @Ojala16 have proven to be just as effective with their new center as before. And GOONS found their new duo from Almost Famous, in @xrikardo55and @Ikavalko. Both have shown up big time, and the center leads the team in points so far.

Prediction

This series will go down as a tight one, everyone knows that, but my guess is one team will manipulate the other and see through their offensive scheme, so for this prediction, we'll throw a curveball and take the hits that come with it if gone wrong. My prediction is that Tohtorit takes this series in a sweep, they'll be able to counter the playbook of Goons and see right through them, @Stammer70 will show off his quality and prove he belongs at the top with the best, the defense of @FlyerKungen and @Kkarkass will prove too good for the offense of Goons.

Watch the Semifinals

Monday 2.2. - 19:45 CET | Goons vs Tohtorit & vNexs vs HAVU | Games 1-2
Wednesday 4.2. - 19:45 CET | Goons vs Tohtori | Games 3-7
Thursday 5.2. - 20:45 CET | vNexs vs HAVU| Games 3-7

Watch the games with commentary live at https://www.twitch.tv/reactiomedia

Introduction

The quarterfinals in the ECL Pro Division are finally here, and man, things are about to get intense. We've got some of the best teams in European NHL esports going head-to-head, all fighting tooth and nail for a ticket to the semis.

Get ready for insane highlight-reel goals, clever plays that leave you shaking your head, and those classic grudge matches that always deliver extra spice. Whether it's the heavy favorites throwing their weight around or some underdog squad ready to shock everyone, these series are packed with drama.

In this article, we'll review each matchup, highlight what those teams have been through so far, and what they could do to boost their chances of advancing. We'll highlight some players and get predictions from a few players you're already familiar with, so take a look and tell us what you would like to see in the next preview.

PLAYOFFS SCHEDULE

• Quarterfinals: 
  • Monday 26.1
  • Tuesday 27.1
  • Thursday 29.1
• Semifinals: 
  • Monday 2.2
  • Tuesday 3.2
  • Thursday 5.2
• Finals:
  • TBD
• Promotion & Relegation games are to be played shortly after the season; however, dates are flexible.

* Dates are subject to change as broadcast productions are confirmed.

Puck Over Glass (1) vs POGGERS (13)

Both teams cruised through their first round matchup, POGGERS had the upset against NOSTREETSPORTS as they swept the higher-seeded team in four games, and on the other hand, Puck Over Glass took matters into their own hands and beat Rusty X comfortably 4-1, now as they face each other in the quarterfinals, all the pressure is on Puck Over Glass to take it home now and advance to the semi-final. 

Puck Over Glass had the series in a chokehold the entire time, not a worry in the world. That all changes now, with an opponent as dangerous as POGGERS, you always need to be on your toes; they possess the right amount of skill to burn even the most skilled defenses. The number one-seeded Puck Over Glass has been for the entire regular season, and the start of the playoffs excellent on both sides of the puck, @Hydeee_24 & @Lotiseva puts up the points, and @pelkonen- does his thing between the pipes, and oh boy has their tendy stepped up big time, with a 1.0 goals-against average he's leading the league in that department, and while he is holding up in his crease the rest of the team has put up a show, with their forward duo leading the playoffs in points so far.

POGGERS took it personally when the entire predictions went against them; they swept one of the best teams in Group 2, and laughed as they advanced. Now they face an even harder task in taking down the regular season champs; however, with a squad like theirs, there is nothing stopping them from doing so. The goalie @Hullued has been as efficient as always, stopping pucks, and a 90.91% save percentage proves my point. Now it is up to their offense to match the defensive power of Puck Over Glass. The thing about POGGERS is they're not a one-trick pony; they can hit you from any angle, with anybody on the ice, they've played together for so long it's scary.

This series comes down to if POGGERS can score more than their opposition, and doesn't every series kind of come down to that? Yes, but POGGERS' strength clearly isn't their defense, and it never has, not good, not bad, average. If POGGERS can keep the games high-scoring and the league's top scorer in check, they'll be in the driver's seat this series, and that would throw Puck Over Glass off their game. Now the roles are reversed for Puck Over Glass; the more they can frustrate their opponents, the more they'll be the series favourite.
 

Matchup to Watch:

@Hullued vs @pelkonen-

This crease showdown might steal the series. Hullued was steady in round one with 90,91 save percentage, but caught heat for some pillow-soft goals at crunch time. Puck Over Glass's Pelkonen straight-up stole it, with two shutouts in five games. He gives his squad that "any given night" edge, but Hullued's big-game chops could even it out. The hot hand in tight games takes it.
 

Predictions

Hifk_FANI: POGGERS in 6

@1mmu9 Puck Over Glass in 

@Bipes_bip0rus: POGGERS in 7

@MCH_98: POGGERS in 7

Finnish Roosters vs Aspyre

Roles reversed from the previous series, both clawed their way to advance from round 1, Finnish Roosters in an intense game 7 overtime that we love to see! Aspyre, on the other hand, broke their round 1 curse, beating Carpe Diem, who had an outstanding regular season. The teams are familiar with each other, and we'll see how that plays out. Finnish Roosters, as the clear favourites, will see how they match up against a hungry Aspyre.

Finnish Roosters struggled mightily against the 8th-seeded Otukset in their first-round matchup, coming back in the series to eventually advance. Now they're facing an opponent that held their own lead in their series, so the Roosters are in for a tougher matchup than before. Their veteran presence will prove important, and their leading goalscorer @imosi has the ability to put a team on his back for an entire series, and this series is no exception. And his partner @Ernottii is no different, highly skilled with high hockey IQ, five points in seven games is not going to cut it against Aspyre, but he has that diesel engine, and look for him to step up in the quarterfinals.

Aspyre felt the series turn after their game 4 overtime win, which resulted in a 3-1 series lead. With the Roosters now as their opponent, they face a better team, a more experienced and skilled team, which could result in more defensive lapses. Their defense hasn't been on par compared to recent seasons. With a bit more experience this season, Aspyre took down heavy favourites, winger @koleslaav_ proved alongside @Jondeezz that they still belong at the top of the Pro division. Aspyre surprised everyone with @tigerrbackwoods as their starter for the playoffs, with @LeiskaViis7 top point producer in the regular season unavailable, the reliable veteran stepped up on the blueline.

For Finnish Roosters, this series has to be about consistency; if they can keep their own game intact, and keep Aspyre from the scoresheet, it'll be their series. @Z0mbie Zyndr0me has proven he can be a difference maker in the Pro division, with an outstanding regular season, the Roosters are looking to him to be the difference maker in this series. For Aspyre, if they can keep their momentum going and their offense rocking, they'll have a real shot. The question here is if @priima-namu (FeikkiNambo) can hold the fort against a good offense.
 

Matchup to Watch

@imosi & @Ernottii vs @Jondeezz & @koleslaav_

This series has one of the best, if not the best showdown of wingers in the Pro division playoffs, all these wingers have played for a long time and have the nerves to perform, we're going to be blessed by some incredible talent. The duo that has the better execution in this matchup wins.

Predictions

Hifk_FANI: Plays for Aspyre

@1mmu9: Roosters in 7

@Bipes_bip0rus: Aspyre in 7

@MCH_98: Roosters 6

F0CUS vs xBots

This will be an interesting series to follow. If you've ever wondered what it takes to make it in the ECL, this series is a must-watch. Both teams have Elite experience and play together well; this series will come down to which team executes their own playbook better. F0CUS vs xBots could easily have been the final series or a semifinal this season; however, xBots losing points to lower-seeded teams turned out fatal in a tight Group 2, where not one team stood out as well as Puck Over Glass over in Group 1.

F0CUS has the edge in this series as they swept SSK Prospects in the 1st round, this series didn't go as clean as the sweep might suggest; they won two games in overtime, and the other two were tight games, so SSK gave F0CUS a run for their money. F0CUS needs to take another step in their game against xBots if they want to advance to the semifinals. The captain @jm98II was once again unavailable for comment. He mentioned his gameday meal was going to be tortillas, not very productive. Their star-studded forward group of the captain and @rakkauspakkaus- & @Anhel_Kuru is the most talented group in the Pro division this season, so xBots will have their hands full; they can bring it from every direction, with @MCH_98 scoring 16 goals in the regular season.

Their counterpart xBots had a difficult time with their first round opponents MoDo, who they bested in seven games. The teams went head-to-head for the entire series, and now they face a tougher opponent in F0CUS. A big part of their series win was @Simbanho who shutout MoDo in their last three games out of seven, without letting in a goal. It is difficult not to win if he keeps his form. xBots are going to be a forc to be reckoned with, and coming back from a 3-1 series deficit surely helps them with the morale in the series. @sopulii_ will need a whole new playbook against this F0CUS team.

The 3rd pair in this quarterfinal will go down to the wire, two excellent teams who have two different stories. If xBots can find their rhythm and stop the explosive offense of the experienced forward core of F0CUS, they could findthemselves winning more games. Whilst if F0CUS just keep on doing what they've been doing, they should be ok. The veteran team could go through on just simple routine play here and advance. Predictions favor F0CUS as well.

Matchup to Watch

@Anhel_Kuru vs @sopulii_

Interesting center matchup, both teams thrive on their centers being the focus of their offense, @Anhel_Kuru wins the duel on faceoffs, both with 8 points so far in the playoffs, whoever does the better job at locking down the other one wins this series.
 

Predictions

Hifk_FANI: F0CUS in 5

@1mmu9: F0CUS in 5

@Bipes_bip0rus: F0CUS in 5

@MCH_98: Plays for F0CUS

Greatest vs Unique

The last matchup of this article that was finished later than the rest had a quick finish with Unique absolutely embarrassing vNexs II. The series ended 4-1, and vNexs II didn't stand a chance. The last Swedish team in the Pro division was thus eliminated, and there are only Finnish teams remaining to battle it out with each other (the Aspyre organization is American, but the players are Finnish). An interesting matchup with both teams taking down their first-round matchups with ease. An even series is to be expected, with the higher-seeded Greatest with the slight edge in talent.

Greatest took down Deadly Phantoms in four games, scoring 18 goals in the process. We still haven't seen the full potential of Greatest as their best form is still hidden, saved for later, so keep checking in on them to see when they fully get their game going. Former Elite division rookie of the year @xLeikku switched over to defensman to give himself a new challenge. After taking a break from being a top-tier winger, he now partners with his buddy @localhefe on the blueline. Whilst their offense has been great, they are still finding each other in new ways. The 1v1 star player @JesseL2002 has finally found a home in Greatest and looks to build on a great year with a Pro division championship to his name.

Their foes Unique took down the Swedes with quite a bang, showing the other teams, most notably their quarterfinal opponents Greatest, that they are not going to be pushed over in this series. @Jakeexh who kept his form from the regular season now sits tied in second place in scoring in these playoffs, still behind the ever-so-slick @Hydeee_24. @Ribbeex has been able to keep up as he sits in fourth place with fourteen points (6+8). 

This series will be a showdown of offense vs offense and goalie vs goalie. Both teams have experienced goalies, but what sets them apart is the defense. Greatest has the offensive power from the blueline, whilst Unique boasts more of a mix with @pakjiz being great on both sides of the puck so far. Goalies @Fin_S1su and @Kussan82 face the challenge of not letting in a bunch of goals as both teams favour offense over defense in certain situations.

Matchup to Watch

Team Defense vs Team Defense

Both have the offense, but which team has the better defense will win this series? As the old saying goes, "Offense wins games, but defense wins championships." Is that true in a video game? We'll see as the quarterfinals are underway on Monday.

Predictions

Hifk_FANI: Greatest in 4

@1mmu9: Greatest in 6

@Bipes_bip0rus: Greatest in 6

@MCH_98: Greatest in 6

The PLAYOFFS are back! The regular season has come to an end, and thus begins the best time of the year. In this article, we'll cover all the Pro matchups in a short review, we'll highlight some players, and get predictions from a few players in the ECL division framework. The 1st round has some interesting matchups, and we'll see an intense week of hard-fought battles. Some matchups are going to be closer than others, and some will have their playoff hopes cut short.

Puck Over Glass vs Rusty X

This matchup has the potential to be the upset of the season. Rusty made the playoffs by a thin margin. Now they face an opponent that has the division's leading goalscorer @Hydeee_24 who is continuing to impress, @Lotiseva has also been impressive, netting 44 goals in the regular season. If Rusty can silence these two, they'll stand a chance in the upcoming series. Last year, we saw an upset from the 8th-seeded Herlev Eagles taking down regular-season champs Dilac, which proves that once the playoffs start, anything is possible. For Rusty X, their star forwards need to step up, @Nester4343 can be a difference maker when it matters, but if he decides to have an offday, their playoffs might just be cut short.

Predictions:

Hifk_FANI: Puck Over Glass in 4

@1mmu9: Puck Over Glass in 5

@Bipes_bip0rus Puck Over Glass in 5

@MCH_98: Puck Over Glass in 4

 

Carpe Diem vs Aspyre

Carpe Diem surprised a lot of teams this season with their style of play. They managed to steal some important points this season to get that 2nd place in group 1. They now face Aspyre in the 1st round, who is eager to win their 1st playoff series ever. Aspyres struggled in the regular season; they couldn't string together wins to create some momentum, lost important points to lower-seeded teams, but stole points from higher-seeded teams, so it'll be interesting to see how this matchup plays out. @koleslaav_ & @Jondeezz will be the top guys for Aspyre to watch, whilst @priima-namu(FeikkiNambo) is a guy who can steal games for Aspyre, he needs to be on his game if Aspyre wants to advance to the next round. For Carpe Diem, the playmaking of @Bipes_bip0rus and the breakout passes of @Datsyykki13 will be what sets them apart from Aspyre.

Predictions:

Hifk_FANI: Plays for Aspyre

@1mmu9: Aspyre in 7

@Bipes_bip0rus: Plays for Carpe Diem

@MCH_98: Aspyre in 7
 

Greatest vs Deadly Phantoms

For a matchup in the playoffs, a team dependent on their defense and counters versus a team that scored the most goals in the regular season will be a great watch, the dynamic Greatest versus the resiliant Deadly Phantoms series will be a good watch for those who want to know more about the game and how to be better, this series will feature highly skilled players and a team that knows what it takes to win. In the case of Greatest, their offense is the key, if they score more than their opponent it doesn't matter how many goals they conceede, captain @Fin_S1su has had a tough start with a 79% save percentage and a tad over 3 conceeded goal per game, but he has the ability to steal games, and Greatest has the starpower to get it done offensively. Deadly Phantoms, on the other hand, are one of the best defensive teams in the Pro Division and will make it tough for Greatest to get their flow going. If the German side can frustrate their opponents early on in the series, they might just take the win home.

Predictions:

Hifk_FANI: Greatest in 6

@1mmu9: Greatest in 5

@Bipes_bip0rus: Greatest in 5

@MCH_98: Greatest in 6
 

MoDo Hockey vs xBots

Honest Finland vs Sweden matchup, both teams have what it takes to light up the scoreboard. In this series, the team with better defensive tendencies and consistency is key. MoDo, who boast the best penalty kill in the division at 94.12%, hopes to stay out of the box as much as possible, but knows that if needed, they can count on their PK guys, while xBots has an average power play at 22.22%, which is no reason for MoDo to try their luck. MoDo also has the advantage of being good offensively while also being responsible in their own zone, highly talented @Mathiasgamer_07 and @Sebastian Axelsson(axelzonee) put up 88 and 87 points, which puts them 2nd and 4th in the division for those categories. xBots on the other hand relies heavily on their team play, they have the same guys (almost) as the season prior when they got relegated from the Elite division, and now have their sights set on returning, @sopulii_ who has struggled in the faceoff dot at 48% needs to get his team together for the playoffs and play their best games of the season, this MoDo team is not going down easily.

Predictions:

Hifk_FANI: MoDo in 5

@1mmu9: xBots in 6

@Bipes_bip0rus: xBots in 7

@MCH_98: xBots in 5
 

Finnish Roosters vs Otukset

A number one seed from the group stage always comes with big expectations, and Finnish Roosters is no exception, against a great team in Otukset, who struggled in the regular season with consistency, will now have an uphill battle after playing in the Elite qualifiers ahead of the season. The Roosters who have played together for a long time have a clear system, they play to their strengths and have amazing chemistry within the team, and more experience from playing in big moments, now comes the time to put up or shut up, @imosi who led the team this season in points 87 (46+41) is their go-to guy when they need goals, but their league leading defense is what sets them apart, and goalie @Z0mbie Zyndr0me who is playing in his first season in net has been playing insanely well with a 84.49% save percentage. Otukset still have a dangerous team; their roster is filled with guys who have played together for a while now, and when they get their groove going, they can be a hard team to stop, but the question is, will they get it going early enough to take down the Group 2 winners? @juhkis96 will need to get out his bag of tricks and see if they still have what it takes.

Predictions:

Hifk_FANI: Otukset in 6

@1mmu9: Roosters in 6

@Bipes_bip0rus: Otukset in 6

@MCH_98: Otukset in 7

F0CUS vs SSK Prospects

This matchup on paper heavily favours F0CUS, with all major stat lines going in their favour. SSK will need a crucial step up in their power play if they want to give themselves a better chance at this series. They have the worst powerplay percentage in the whole league, with 4.17%, facing the second-best penalty kill in the league from FOCUS, with 93.75%, while also having the least amount of penalty minutes (32). SSK does still have some firepower with @Disctrasan- being their leading goal scorer during the regular season with 27 goals, averaging 0,9 goals per game. If he can step up and the rest of SSK can find another step, they could see themselves with a slimmer of hope. If SSK is looking to cause an upset, they would need to majorly step up their offensive game and hope that FOCUS can’t keep up their offensive scoring from the regular season, but highly unlikely. @MCH_98 who tied for the lead in points (53) with @LeiskaViis7 & @localhefe has been as steady as always, but now taking his offensive game to another level. Captain @jm98II left this washed reporter with no comments ahead of their series with the Swedes; ice in his veins will be crucial for F0CUS this post-season.

Predictions:

Hifk_FANI: F0CUS in 4

@1mmu9: F0CUS in 5

@Bipes_bip0rus: F0CUS in 4

@MCH_98: Plays for F0CUS

NOSTREETSPORTS vs POGGERS

NOSTREET came out flying this season, after a season away, they picked up right where they left off, into the playoffs against POGGERS, who didn't have the best regular season but still managed to get an ok seed. They have all the tools to win this series and advance to the quarterfinals. @Bot_hene who managed to get a solid roster this season has managed to up his own game, putting up 72 points (28+44) whilst rocking a supreme 54.5% the faceoff circle, the captain leads by example on both sides of the ice as POGGERS are a tough team to beat. POGGERS, who are still a force to be reckoned with this season, managed to put up a respectable amount of goals again this year, averaging 3.27 goals per game. It could be tough for NOSTREET, who isn't known for their great defence, so expect @JaKurrii to be his old self and dominate games. Expect high-scoring games and not a whole lot of defense.

Predictions:

Hifk_FANI: NOSTREET in 5

@1mmu9: Plays for NOSTREET

@Bipes_bip0rus: NOSTREET in 7

@MCH_98: NOSTREET in 7

vNexs ll vs Unique

Both teams followed the same trend this season, both have gotten better as the season has progressed, and an even series is a lock, but who wins will come down to pure nerves as both teams possess incredible skill and the needed talent to play the game the right way. vNexs surprised a lot of teams with their skill level this season, they have a roster of both young talent and veteran experience and youngster @Maaacki(maxboee) has been able to take his game to another level this season, hitting the 30 goal mark along with 38 assists to lead the team, if he can find another gear in the playoffs it's goodbye Unique. But Unique has their own set of talent, so don't count them out, with a veteran presence like @LE1PAKONE (nordzman) on defense in the Pro division, the longtime Elite defender must have a trick up his sleeves in these playoffs, and with @Jakeexh exploding this season 84 points (43+41), there isn't a whole lot for them to worry about, a rock hard powerplay for Unique at 35% in the regular season could be theri bread and butter, if vNexs finds themself often in the box this series might just not see past 4 games.

Predictions:

Hifk_FANI: vNexs in 5

@1mmu9: Unique in 6

@Bipes_bip0rus: Unique in 6

@MCH_98: Unique in 6

Edit: No changes have been made to the Ability & Build Bans. Based on your feedback, League administration has decided to revert the planned changes.

Thanks for the feedback Everyone. League Administration genuinely thought we were doing a good thing by this approach, but it turns out we were wrong. This most recent decision will be rolled back and no new bans will be put in place for this Winter season.

Regarding the timing, we didn’t know the timing of the WOC seasons when scheduling the ECL originally. When the new season started this week, we were a bit surprised by EA’s approach and decided to make a quick decision. But as we’ve now learned, it was the wrong one.

We apologize for the inconvenience and thank you for your swift and honest feedback. As we said in the original news story, the plan is to move away from Abilities for the Spring season, as that seems to be what the majority is asking for.

For the most current information on the Ability and Build Bans, see this article:

For transparency, you can still read the original article quoted below, but please know that this decision has been reverted. 

Quote

NOTE! This information is not accurate anymore and is only available for transparency for anyone who missed the original story!

Hi Gamers,

It has come to our attention that Abilities available in the last WOC season Battle Pass are no longer unlockable via player progression and are instead locked behind a paywall. After investigation, we found that the progression via the Battle Pass was incredibly slow, and this, coupled with the amount of games played through private password games, meant that very few players would have unlocked the Abilities.

As such, to reduce the possibility of our tournaments becoming in any way “pay-to-win”, these Abilities (as seen below) will be banned for any upcoming games this season.

While we do not want to bring in changes midseason, we felt that this situation warranted a response from the League Administration, and we have passed on our decision to EA as a form of community feedback.

• Elite Quick Release
• Elite Second Wing
• Elite Quick Pick
• Elite Showstopper
• Elite One Tee
• Elite Ankle Breaker
• Elite Recharge

Note: these bans are not a reflection of the strength of the Abilities and should not be taken as such

Due to the urgency of the matter with the Playoffs starting, the rulebook does not yet reflect these new changes, but will be updated with the new Ability bans by the end of the day.

Additionally, due to these bans, previously announced bans, and the way EA has handled the X-Factor system, we are penciling in a full ban on the Abilities for the next season this year.

 

With the new year and christmas behind us, now is the time to lock in! Important games still left to play in the regular season, so shake off that winter frost and get back to it. In this article we'll take a short look into a few teams that are performing well, and a few teams that are pushing to make it to the playoffs.

*this article is written as of January 6th 00:00 EST

Group 1

Top Seeds
 

Puck Over Glass

The top team in Group 1 for quite a while has taken their group by storm, now in 1st place and a lock for the playoffs they can cement their spot as the top seed in their group. @Hydeee_24 has a emerged as their go-to guy this season, and most of the plays in the offensive zone is going through him, he has the knowledge when to go 1v1 with the defender and when not to.

Important games coming up: VS Reiviluola

Greatest

A team with a slow start to the season have slowly creeped up the standing, sitting at 4th now with games in hand on those above them in the standings is not a bad spot to be in. @Wpaanane has taken a step in the right direction this season, he's stepped up for his team in a big way and leads the team in points with 50 (26+24). Now with important games coming up, they're looking to take the top spot in the division heading into the playoffs.

Important games coming up: VS Poggers

Pushing In
 

Poggers

A team that a lot of fans expected to be higher up in the standings in the group at this point of the season, with a bit of an offseason going on for them, they're still on pace to make the playoffs, in previous season the playoff line has been at about 1.55-1.6 ppg, so they're matching that pace for now. With massive games coming up for Poggers, veteran @JaKurrii needs to look to his deep bag of tricks and trinkets for something magical.

Important games coming up: VS Golden Sticks
 

SSK Prospects

SSK has surprised quite a lot of teams this season, they've been close to relegation for a season or two and are now pushing towards the playoffs. SSK has tough matchups coming up, and they need important points from these games to make the playoffs. If this is the season they make it, now they need their forward group to step up and clutch it up.

Important games coming up: VS MoDo Hockey
 

Tough Goings
 

Reiviluola

Reiviluola who was one of the favourites to win the entire Pro division now has an uphill climb, facing possible relegation if they don't step up now, sitting at 12th for now, but if they can't rack up some wins they might just see themselves as one of the biggest chokes of a cup favourite in a while. They've been all-around quite average season, but their goalie @ItzPoro has been their lone star so far, he's been playing well with an above average save percentage of 82,08%, if he can keep up the stellar work, they might push for playoffs.

Important games coming up: VS Puck Over Glass

Group 2

Top Seeds
 

NOSTREETSPORTS

After a hiatus season NOSTREETSPORTS have picked up right where they left off a few seasons ago, they're pushing for the top seed in group 2, but with a few teams pushing for that coveted group win. Captain @Bot_hene now needs to gather his troops and find their groove from the start of the season.

Important games coming up: VS Deadly Phantoms
 

F0CUS 

A few games left on the regular season and F0CUS now sits 4th in the group, with a really tight top of the group with no team breaking out, this could turn out well for them. @Gresu__ between the pipe has been goood, with backup @jubex0r also playing well when called upon. Now is the right time for them to turn the 6th gear in their engine, with a few six point matchups they can clinch that 1st seed for the playoffs.

Important games coming up: VS NOVA
 

xBots

xBots leading the way (for now) in group 2 has all the cards in their hands, if they win the rest of their games they'll win the group. After a shaky season in the Elite division they fumbled hard and crashed out in the qualifiers after, now they're looking for a way back in and @sopulii_ wants back with his fellow teammates.

Important games coming up: HC Lugano
 

Pushing In
 

Turun Gasellit

A team that has been together for quite a while now sits at the line, if they can pull together these last weeks they might just pull off the incredible and make the playoffs. @tj_tomaz has been one to watch for Turun Gasellit, with a good season going on he's racked up 43 points (20+23), and might push Gasellit on the right side of the playoff line.

Important games coming up: vNexs ll
 

Tough Goings

DEG eSports

At the beginning of the season, the German side had hopes of making the playoffs and now the tables have turned and they are on the verge of being relegated to the Lite division, with a cou weeks left they can still turn their ship around with a few clutch wins. If their veterans @Krinke & @DaMan (akin_penta) can find their golden years, they might just stay in the Pro division.

Important games coming up: 6 MAN AVALANCHE

With the holidays now behind us and most of the division having officially reached the halfway point of the season, let's take a look at how each team has done, where they stand, and what their outlook could be as we head into the final stretch of the regular season.

We will go in order of standings as of January 1st, as well as give the calculated odds for where each team could finish at the end of the season.

Also, please remember that these are all just opinions and are all just for the sake of conversation and to provide the league with fun content. If you don’t agree with any of them, then that is fine, just be respectful!

Now with that out of the way, let’s get into each of the 16 teams.
 

 Tohtorit

Playoffs: 99.7%
1st: 41%
Top 1–4: 82%
4–8: 18%
9–12: <1%

One Quick Storyline: Key Transfers Have Tohtorit Back On Top

This team is a great example of how just one or two key transfers can take a team from a middle-of-the-pack playoff team to a legitimate championship contender. Though Tohtorit isn’t unfamiliar with being in the Top 4, they took a significant step back last season, making the playoffs by just one point and being knocked out in 5 games in the Quarterfinals vs the eventual champions Last Dance.

So how do they respond? By adding in two former teammates and multi-time Elite champions in @Patzlaf and @FlyerKungen. Though Tohtorit were a team that long benefitted from keeping the same six guys in the lineup over the years and making a shift from guys who you are long familiar in playing with is never easy, but they saw teams who were previously behind them in the Elite division pecking order, surpass them last season, so though the group didn’t need a complete overhaul, a fresh look was always going to do them a lot of good.

As of now, it could have them in position to be at the top of the league come playoff time.

GOONS

Playoffs: 97%
1st: 29%
Top 1–4: 68%
4–8: 29%
9–12: 3%

One Quick Storyline: New-Look GOONS Gives Newfound Results

I think after multiple seasons of waiting, we can officially say it now. GOONS are back, and they might be better than ever. This team underwent a significant roster revamp over the offseason after a disappointing 12th in the standings and narrowly avoiding a relegation series.

The additions of @xrikardo55 and  @x-_-BoBi-_-x (OsquuG), the league’s two leading point-getters as of this writing, may go down as the most important of the offseason. These two have helped to completely rejuvenate this team offensively and have given it a much different look than what many had become accustomed to from this club over the years.

They are currently the division’s third-highest scoring offense at 3.83 GF/GP, while last season they were ranked 10th at 2.87 GF/GP. Their only two returning starters from last season were @tkantola and @Sakkem, with Kantola moving back to defense with Sakkem to make room for their three new forwards.

The move has clearly paid off, as GOONS, who last season gave up more goals than any team in the division at 3.87, have slimmed that GA/GP down to 2.83.

It remains to be seen if this team can carry it over into the playoffs, but at the very least, they should be a lock to make it there. Considering where this club's trajectory had been over the past 5-6 seasons, which included them even being relegated out of Elite for a short time before being saved by a preseason qualifier, I think they’ll be quite pleased with the progress they’ve made thus far.

 Umpikuja

Playoffs: 92%
1st: 12%
Top 1–4: 48%
4–8: 44%
9–12: 8%

One Quick Storyline: Umpikuja Continues To Take Strides After Spring Momentum

For those who didn’t keep up with the many name changes that happened over the offseason, Umpikuja was formerly Heimo. This group made a long-awaited return to the playoffs after a multi-season hiatus last season, and were even able to push the defending champions, Parasite, to a hard-fought six-game series in the Quarterfinals.

The question for ECL 26 was going to be, how could they follow it up? Especially after losing multiple key pieces to that team in @KingOfApes_ and @Mozjayh. So far, Umpikuja has shown that they aren’t just a stable playoff contender now, but they may even be better than they were last season.

They still have to play multiple other playoff contenders, including HAVU Gaming, Mythix, and vNexs, but as of now, they are currently on pace to finish 2nd in the standings and have the tiebreaker over Tohtorit for the #1 seed if they can get there. It’ll take a lot, and I personally wouldn’t be shocked to see this team finish outside of the Top 2, but Top 4 is definitely in play, and it's another step up for a team that continues to rise despite different names being in and out of the lineup over the past 9 months.

 HAVU Gaming

Playoffs: 94%
1st: 14%
Top 1–4: 55%
4–8: 39%
9–12: 6%

One Quick Storyline: Preseason Favorite Flexes Muscle In Regular Season

First and foremost, I just want to say how nice it is to have the HAVU Gaming brand back in the ECL. Things just didn’t feel the same without seeing the green and black this time of year.

Now that we’ve got the formalities out of the way, let’s talk about the team that many believed were the favorites to win it all coming into the season. So far, HAVU have been about as good as expected. After all, most of this group is the same roster that had the most dominant season of all time in the ECL 25 Winter campaign as Parasite.

@Beniittto , @NikkeDangles and @Vattuyy picked up right where they left off after just one season away as a trio, as they’re averaging a ridiculous 5.31 GF/GP, which is currently on pace to shatter the Elite Division record of 5 GF/GP that they set a year ago. Meanwhile, @Teemuyy and @txmbo999 continue to be one of, if not the best defensive pairing in all of Europe.

I wish that I had more of a hard-hitting analysis for this team, but they’re just exactly what everyone thought they would be coming into this season. They’re dominant, they’re fun to watch, and there aren’t many teams who seem to have an answer for them. Though they currently sit 4th in the standings due to playing just 16 games, I’d be stunned to not see them in the Top 2 at the end of the regular season.

 vNexs I

Playoffs: 78%
1st: 3%
Top 1–4: 22%
4–8: 56%
9–12: 18%
Relegation Series: 4%

One Quick Storyline: Is This The Season That vNexs I Breaks Its Playoff Drought?

Oddly enough, it's been a while since we’ve seen vNexs I in the playoffs; two years to be exact. A lot of things in the league have changed since that ECL 24 Winter Season. Only three of the teams from that season still go by the same name, and seven of the teams from that season are either no longer in Elite or no longer exist at all.

This group has stuck around in Elite and endured a bit of a rebuild during that time, but they’re finally seeing the fruits of the labor pay off this season, and it’s resulted in one of their best campaigns in years.

Though they still need to play some heavy hitters such as HAVU and GOONS, and other playoff contenders like ROBE Esports, Mythix and AFTERLIFE, vNexs has put itself in a position that they haven’t been in during the finals weeks of recent seasons. They control their own playoff destiny.

Avoiding a rough start like they’d seen in past seasons was the key to this; now it’s up to them to take advantage by following it up with a strong finish.

 ROBE Esports

Playoffs: 55%
1st: 1%
Top 1–4: 10%
4–8: 45%
9–12: 35%
Relegation Series: 10% 

One Quick Storyline: ROBE Esports Continues To Thrive In Underdog Role

There are a few teams that I’ve seen the ECL community rally around the way it did with ROBE Esports last season. This team was a total underdog throughout much of its playoff run, and they ended that run by knocking out two of the Top 3 overall seeds, who were both loaded with Elite-caliber talent, and culminating that into one of the more memorable Pro titles in recent memory.

We’ve seen many stories like ROBE in the past, though, a team that got hot at the right time in Pro, made it up to Elite, and didn't prove to be good enough to hang with the big dogs. Obviously, ROBE didn’t get that memo, because so far, they seem to be fitting right in with Europe’s best teams.

Though their offensive output is middle of the pack, their defensive work and goaltending have been amongst the division’s best, as ROBE currently ranks 4th in GA/GP with 2.4. This ranks higher than multiple notable teams, including GOONS, Umpikuja, and Mythix.

Though they only have 10 games remaining, eight of those are against teams currently out of the playoffs and six are against teams that are currently 13th or lower in the standings. If ROBE can take care of business by winning the games that they should, they could very well find themselves in position to hold on to a spot in the Top 8 and potentially avoid facing one of the top two or three teams.

Mythix

Playoffs: 46%
1st: <1%
Top 1–4: 6%
4–8: 40%
9–12: 38%
Relegation Series: 16% 

One Quick Storyline: Is Mythix Experiencing A Finals Hangover?

This team was tantalizingly close to championship gold in the Spring season, falling in the Finals to Last Dance in a thrilling, seven-game series that would be decided by a game-winning goal in overtime. Coming that close just to fall short is one of the worst feelings you can experience, no matter what the situation may be, because you never know for certain if you’ll ever be able to get that close again.

Though I do think that Mythix can do it, they’re going to have to find a better run of consistency than what they displayed during their first 14 games. They started off the season by winning their first three games, but then followed that up with a five-game losing streak where they only earned 2 points in the standings.

On the positive side, though, they ended 2025 by winning each of their last six games, though none of these wins were against current playoff teams, and four of them were against teams that are ranked 13th or lower currently.

Mythix only made one change to their lineup this offseason, adding @Mozjayh to their defense corps, who is a former champion and has proven to be a valuable defenseman in the past. I think that’s why it's so surprising to see them look so unconvincing this season. They haven’t been bad, but I just don’t think we’ve seen this team play to the same level that we saw from them in the Spring season.

Again, this is mostly the same group that went toe-to-toe with a Last Dance team that featured some of the best ECL players of all time on its roster, yet they are currently on pace to just barely make the playoffs, as they rank 6th in P/G.

Personally, I fully believe that Mythix are still amongst the title favorites despite a slower start. They’ve lost most of their games close and are too talented not to figure it out. Hopefully for them, the holiday break will give them some time to reset and readjust. If they do return to form, the rest of the division will have to look out closely.

 AFTERLIFE

Playoffs: 42%
1st: <1%
Top 1–4: 5%
4–8: 37%
9–12: 41%
Relegation Series: 17%

One Quick Storyline: Another Newcomer Shows They Belong in Elite

Similarly to ROBE Esports, AFTERLIFE have shown what a successful promotion to the Elite Division can look like. Despite a slow start to the season, losing five of their first six games in regulation, AFTERLIFE have begun to come to life as they continue to get adjusted to the higher level of competition.

Since that rough start, they’re 6-3-1 and have put themselves right in the thick of the playoff hunt with 14 games remaining. They have some critical series coming up with some of the division’s most experienced clubs, as they still have games against Tohtorit, EXEN, Mythix, and KUUSAMO.gg, with the latter two teams being one spot ahead and one spot behind them in the standings currently.

They also suffered a sweep vs ROBE Esports during that early-season losing skid that resulted in zero points, something that could come back to haunt them at the end of the season, as these two could very well be battling for one of the final playoff spots. Regardless of this, AFTERLIFE should at be able to see themselves finish Top 12 barring another bad run of form, but if they can capitalize on some of those series against teams around them in the standings, then their ambitions could be even higher.

 Kuusamo.gg

Playoffs: 34%
Top 1–4: 3%
4–8: 31%
9–12: 44%
Relegation Series: 22%

One Quick Storyline: Is It Time To Worry About KUUSAMO.gg?

Maybe the headline is me projecting my own personal concerns, but for the first time since this team burst onto the scene back in ECL 23 Spring in the Lite Division as Mustaa Kultaa, I am legitimately concerned about where this team stands.

Now, before you say that I’m being over reactionary, allow me to take you all the way back to around this time of the ECL 25 Spring season. At the time, Mustaa Kultaa was sitting pretty. They were 3rd in the standings and looked primed for another potential Finals appearance. It seems like ever since that point, this team has quietly fallen off a bit.

They ended the regular season losing 8 of their last 12 games, and were bounced by EXEN in the Quarterfinals in six games. Sure, it was a step back from their Winter campaign that saw them just two wins away from an Elite title, but surely they were going to be back in contention this season, especially with @xAaro89x rejoining the team after spending one season with Parasite. They even got a well-deserved sponsorship for the season as well.

Unfortunately, that optimism hasn’t materialized 16 games in, and it's clear that this group is a good bit away from where they were 365 days ago. They rank around the middle of the pack in just about every team stat, and even their most reliable stars have seen down seasons individually.

They’re 3-6-1 in their last 10 games, and they have multiple key series coming up vs the likes of AFTERLIFE, SSK ESPORTS Umpikuja, and HAVU. KUUSAMO desperately needs to pick up points in all of these series. If they don’t, then their path to the playoffs becomes much merkier. If they do happen to miss the Top 8, don’t be surprised if we see some significant adjustments made over the offseason.

 SSK Esports

Playoffs: 28%
Top 1–4: 2%
4–8: 26%
9–12: 46%
Relegation Series: 26%

One Quick Storyline: SSK Still Hanging Around Despite Poor Run of Form

The shock of the Elite Division a season ago, SSK ESPORTS found themselves not only making the playoffs a season ago, but they were never in much danger of not making it at any point of the season. This was a team that many, including myself, had written off prior to the Spring campaign and had even predicted them to be relegated in the process.

Instead, they consistently found themselves on the positive side of the table and gave Mythix a competitive run in their playoff series despite bowing out in five games. It was always going to be a question of whether their Spring campaign was just a magical run or something sustainable, and though this season has not been as high-flying for the Swedish contingent, I do think they have proven that they are a solidified team in this division who can compete with anyone when they’re playing to their capabilities.

SSK Esports are still very much alive in the playoff race, and they have some series coming up against ROBE Esports, Polski Boys, and EXEN that could directly swing their chances. The biggest concern is that they were arguably one of the coldest teams in the division prior to the holiday break, having lost 8 of their last 9 games.

This is disappointing considering that they started out the season 5-2-0 and looked well on their way to being a playoff lock, but what’s done is done, and they'll now how to earn their way into the right side of the table over the next two weeks, all while also trying to avoid falling below 12th.

 Polski Boys

Playoffs: 25%
Top 1–4: 1%
4–8: 24%
9–12: 47%
Relegation Series: 28%

One Quick Storyline: New Season, Same Story For Polski Boys

I’ll be honest. I don’t think there is a team in this division that confuses me more than the Polski Boys. Every single season I find myself fully believing that they’re a team that are capable of making the playoffs, and they always find themselves directly in the hunt, but no matter what they do, or what moves they make, they just can’t seem to get over the hump.

So far, things look no different for this team despite their roster seeing multiple key transfers added to the team. This offseason was probably the most significant that we’ve seen from this team in terms of roster moves, as they brought in former Tunnel Vision teammates and Elite division champions in @Pikkarii, @wengerii and @benuh_. All three of these players were starters and key contributors to that Tunnel Vision team, so it would’ve been fair to assume that their experience, skill and familiarity with each other would elevate this team.

Yet the moves haven’t seemed to move the needle at all, and in all honesty, it's just puzzling to me. They’re the third-lowest scoring team in the division at 2.14 GF/GP, but as per usual, are a very sound team in their own end, ranking 6th in GA/GP with 2.57.

This is Polski Boys’ fifth season in the Elite division, and they are still looking to make the playoffs for the first time at this level. They've again been mired by the same issues that have kept them out in the past: Inconsistency and a lack of scoring punch.

They still have a chance to make it in, as they’ve only played in 14 games, but they’ve only got 9 out of a possible 27 points against playoff teams so far, and their current form won’t cut it. I’d really love to see them turn things around, but it currently is trending to be another season in No Man’s Land for this club.

 Vizio

Playoffs: 14%
Top 1–4: <1%
4–8: 13%
9–12: 38%
Relegation Series: 41%
Auto-relegation: 7%

One Quick Storyline: Vizio Hoping To Solidify Elite Status In Debut Season

After finishing as runner-ups in the Pro Division in the Springand winning their way into Elite through the Qualifier prior to this season, Vizio is in position to maintain their spot for the Spring if they can finish the rest of the season strong.

Though I’m sure that they would love to be in the position that their fellow newcomers are in ROBE Esports and AFTERLIFE, not every team walks the same path, and for Vizio, they haven’t been able to adjust to the Elite level as quickly. Their 22 games played are the second-most of any team in the division, which is why their playoff chances are so slim according to the math.

They’ve unfortunately been hampered by lengthy losing streaks, including a nine-game and seven-game losing streak this season, while also not being able to string together any win streaks to counteract that, as they’ve only won three games so far this season.

Luckily for Vizio, they only have one more series against a current playoff team, and that’s AFTERLIFE who are currently the last team in the field. They also have gotten some phenomenal play from their goaltender @SakkeTheEngineer, who leads the division in saves made with 346, while managing a respectable 78.1SV%.

If they can steal a few wins from the likes of Tiki x Pwoile, EXEN, and Polski Boys, then they may be able to avoid a relegation series, but they will need to figure out their winning ways quickly to do so.

 Tiki x Pwoile

Playoffs: 9%
Top 1–4: 0%
4–8: 9%
9–12: 32%
Relegation Series: 48%
Auto-relegation: 11%

One Quick Storyline: Things Are Not All Well In Tiki Land

Similarly to HAVU, it’s really nice to see the TIKI TALK branding back in the Elite Division. The club has played 1,009 games in the ECL during its time, which is amongst the most in ECL history across all divisions.

This club was actually one on the rise a year ago, as they finished 10th in Elite but had a Top 5 scoring offense. Unfortunately, some roster and leadership changes saw them go away for the Spring campaign, ultimately becoming Vapor who finished 16th and were relegated down to the Pro Division.

Tiki x Pwoile ended up taking over the Vapor team and earned their way back into the Elite division via the Qualifier. Unfortunately, like many of the teams around them in this part of the standings, Tiki x Pwoile have struggled to find any winning form.

They don’t suffer long losing streaks, with their longest of the season being just four games, but they also don’t string together wins either, as they’ve had just one win streak that lasted two games. Additionally, this team has the second-lowest GF/GP (2.06) while also having the third-highest GA/GP (4.44).

This isn’t a recipe for success, and it’s directly led to this team simply fighting to stay out of relegation, barring a miraculous comeback.

 EXEN

Playoffs: 6%
Top 1–4: 0%
4–8: 6%
9–12: 27%
Relegation Series: 52%
Auto-relegation: 15%

One Quick Storyline: Own-End Struggles Doom What Could’ve Been For EXEN

It’s crazy to think that just seven months ago, EXEN was playing in the Elite semifinals against the eventual champions. Now, they currently find themselves 14th in the division, barely alive in the playoff hunt, and in serious danger of being out of the Elite division altogether. This to me, without question, is both the biggest surprise and biggest disappointment of the season.

Though I didn’t feel like this team had as high a floor as some of the EXEN teams of past years, they undoubtedly felt like a team that would finish Top 10 at worst. Two of their players, @Puantso and @Lxndstrom, just won the Elite division championship last season with Last Dance. They also saw two long-time linemates make their return to the team in @tbnantti and @indi969, who bring plenty of chemistry and experience into the lineup.

Taking a look at the stats, they are actually a pretty respectable team offensively, as they rank in the top half of the division GF/GP and powerplay percentage. The problem is that they have been one of the worst teams in Elite in every defensive category. EXEN is dead-last in the Elite Division in GA/GP (4.67) and penalty kill percentage (54.5%).

There’s technically still time for them to turn it around, as they have more games remaining than any other team in the league and all but two of their games have been against playoff teams, but this team has been simply dreadful at anything that isn’t offense. I promise that I don’t mean to be rude in saying that, but there isn’t another way to describe it other than what it is.

I think they’ll find themselves in the 9–12 range despite what the numbers say, but the hole is likely too deep for them to have a realistic shot at the playoffs at this point.

 Vesuvius Esports

Playoffs: 2%
4–8: 2%
9–12: 18%
Relegation Series: 56%
Auto-relegation: 24%

One Quick Storyline: Star Names In An Unfamiliar Position for Vesuvius Esports

Though this team is new to the Elite Division, many of the names on its roster are not. In fact, multiple of them are former champions, former individual award winners, or both. The fact that a team that as @Laiitinen, @KingOfApes_ and @kriketski17 on its roster is sitting one spot away from automatic relegation, is shocking to me.

This doesn’t even include @AdriF_23, who was one of the best players in the Pro Division last season and someone that I would’ve had locked in as a Rookie of the Season contender prior to the season, as he was coming off of a 116 point and 70 assist campaign with Pirates Esports, leading the Pro Division in both stats.

This team’s biggest issue has been its defensive struggles, as they have the second-highest GA/GP in the division at 4.45. Despite the stats, I think that their goaltender @Brainrovsky deserves a shoutout, as he has still managed very respectable individual stats with a 78.2SV%.

This team will likely be harmed by losing to some of the teams ahead of them that aren’t in the playoffs, such as Vizio, Tiki x Pwolle, and others. Though they aren’t mathematically out, their chances at making the playoffs are close to none with just 10 games remaining, and they will likely just be fighting to stay out of 16th, as they are currently tied with Kastikauppa Esports at 11 points while having six more games played. These two teams have yet to meet head-to-head, so that series could very well decide which team sees themselves automatically relegated at the end of the season.
 

 Kastikauppa Esports

Playoffs: <1%
4–8: <1%
9–12: 12%
Relegation Series: 44%
Auto-relegation: 44%

One Quick Storyline: Kastikauppa Esports Looks To Stay Alive For Second-Straight Season

Formerly under the ONSE Esports name, Kastikauppa Esports did just enough to maintain their place in the Elite Division. They finished above last-place Vapor by four points in the regular season, and then had a Game 7 victory in their relegation series vs Vapor to secure their place for ECL 26 Winter. Wildly enough the difference in them getting in and earning 5 points in the final three games of the season.

In other words, they were dangerously close to being bumped down a season ago, and they now find themselves in almost the exact same position in their second Elite season. Though the math seems to favor EXEN and Vesuvius Esports to avoid finishing 16th compared to Kastikauppa, I would actually suggest that Kastikauppa has the more favorable route to points.

They still play multiple non-playoff teams ahead of them, including Tiki x Pwoile, EXEN, and Vesuvius Esports, who each rank 13–15th. The most interesting part is that this team is actually respectable defensively, as they rank 10th in GA/GP at 2.93.

What is hindering them is that their offense just hasn’t been able to produce, as Kastikauppa ranks last in Elite in GF/GP at 1.93. They are also the only team in the division that has yet to score a powerplay goal.

Maybe this is just personal preference, but I would favor the team with reliable defense and goaltending that has struggles scoring, than the team that can score, but can’t find their way defensively or get enough saves from the goaltending to make up for it.

They have some extremely tough series to go along with those series that we mentioned earlier, including games against both Tohtorit and HAVU, Mythix and vNexs I, so I would be surprised to see them avoid a relegation series, but if they can avoid the automatic relegation that comes with finishing 16th, then this team has shown that it can handle the pressures of playing with their spot in Elite on the line. We’ll see if they can do it again this season.

As the ECL Lite and Core regular seasons approach their conclusion, the focus naturally turns to the playoffs. While the top teams continue their journey toward the championship, we also want to make sure that the season doesn’t simply end for those who fall just short of playoff qualification.

For that reason, we’re introducing a new post-season competition for ECL Lite and ECL Core:

The Post-Season Cooldown Tournament

The Post-Season Cooldown Tournament is designed specifically for teams that do not qualify for the playoffs, giving them the opportunity to continue playing meaningful, competitive matches while the main playoffs are being played.

Rather than the season ending abruptly, the Cooldown Tournament offers a structured and level-appropriate way to close out the season.

How it works

• The Cooldown Tournament will be held separately for Lite and Core - one for each division
• Eligible teams are those that do not qualify for the playoffs
  • Teams are allowed to opt out, with the default expectation that teams will participate.
• The tournament will run parallel to the playoff phase
• All Cooldown Tournaments will be played in a group stage format

Group stage format – more games, better matchups

The Cooldown Tournament will be played in a group stage format, ensuring that all participating teams get multiple games against opponents of a similar level.

This format was chosen intentionally to:

• Guarantee more games for every team
• Avoid one-and-done eliminations
• Create closer, more balanced matchups
• Give teams a chance to build momentum and confidence toward the end of the season

For teams that may have struggled during parts of the regular season, this structure provides the opportunity to play several competitive series against teams with comparable results — often leading to tighter games and a more enjoyable experience.

What’s next?

Further details — including group sizes, match counts, and scheduling — will be shared closer to the playoff phase once final standings are confirmed.

We’re excited to introduce the Post-Season Cooldown Tournament as a new part of the ECL Lite and Core season structure and look forward to seeing more great games played right through to the end of the season.

SportsGamers,

We would like to remind every team that the transfer window for all ECL '26: Winter divisions expires tomorrow Sunday, January 4th at 23:59:59 CEST. 

Quote

14. 1 Transfer Deadline
​The deadline for transfers across all divisions is set to the 4th of January 2026 at 23:59 CEST.
A player cannot leave a team after the deadline has passed in one division, and then join a team in
another division where the deadline has not. No team can make transfers in either direction once they
have completed their regular season. This also applies to adding completely new players.

Please remember to make sure your trades are in line with the rulebook before making them, and check with support if you aren't sure. Remember, only one transfer per player is allowed per season - unless the player has played 0 games (overall, for any team) the entire season, which is covered in rule 14.6.

If you're a player still looking for a team or a team still looking to add to your roster, please head to the  Free Agents  section or the Clubs Looking For Players section on our forum.

Please post any last-minute transfers in the comments section below so everyone can enjoy them. 

Compete for the European Championship in 1v1

The European Championship League (ECL) is the highest level of structured NHL competition in Europe — and ECL 1v1 is where individual skill is put to the ultimate test. No teammates. No excuses. Just you, your opponent, and a season-long battle for the European Championship title in 1v1.
 

Two ways to compete in ECL 1v1 - Go for glory, or chill!

For the Winter season, ECL 1v1 is split into two clearly defined competitions, so players can choose the experience that fits them best.

1) ECL ’26: Winter – 1v1 Championship 🏆

This is the official European Championship League 1v1 competition.
    •    Structured group stage
    •    Playoffs for the top performers
    •    Prize pool on the line
    •    Clear commitment expectations

This is the path for players who want to compete at the highest 1v1 level and play for results that carry real weight.

Key Dates
    •    Sign-up deadline: January 17, 23:59 CET
    •    Group Stage: January 20 – February 9
    •    Playoffs: Starting February 13 (end date TBA)
 

 Winter Season Prize Pool

The ECL ’26: Winter Prize Pool is calculated as a fixed percentage of the net season revenue. For more information on how the prize pool is formed, please refer to this article.

• 🥇 1st place: 436.59 €
• 🥈 2nd place: 210.21 €
• 🥉 Semifinalists: 80.85 € each

These figures reflect the prize pool status at the time of writing. Any late license purchases will continue to contribute to the total prize pool, with final amounts confirmed after the season concludes.

Think you’ve got what it takes? Then sign up, suit up, and we'll see you on the ice!

2) ECL ’26: Winter – 1v1 Chill 🥳

Not everyone is looking for high-stakes competition — and that’s fine.

ECL 1v1 Chill offers:
    •    A more relaxed competitive environment
    •    Structured matches without pressure
    •    No prize pool
    •    No championship implications

This is ideal for players who:
    •    Want structured 1v1 games
    •    Prefer lower intensity
    •    Or are still developing their competitive level

⚠️ To protect the integrity of the Chill environment, League Administration may review sign-ups and deny entry to players deemed too skilled for the Chill competition.

Commitment & competitive integrity

ECL 1v1 — especially the Championship competition — relies heavily on player commitment.
Every player’s participation directly affects the standings and competitive balance.

⚠️ By signing up, players confirm their intent to complete the season.
Exceptional circumstances can always be discussed with League Administration, but leaving mid-season without a valid reason carries clear competitive consequences.

Commitment rules for ECL 1v1

To protect the competitive integrity of ECL 1v1 — especially the Championship competition — the following rules apply:

Mid-season withdrawals

• Players who withdraw or are removed mid-season will remain visible in the standings
• All matches of a withdrawing player will be recorded as 5-0 losses
  • Players who have finished more than 80% of their matches keep their played results.

This ensures complete standings and prevents competitive distortion caused by incomplete schedules.

Eligibility for future ECL 1v1 seasons

• First mid-season withdrawal
  • Player becomes ineligible to register for the following ECL 1v1 season
• Repeated withdrawals
  • Longer exclusion periods may apply
  • Eligibility reviewed on a case-by-case basis

Exceptional circumstances can always be discussed with League Administration.

Accepted Licenses for the ECL '26: 1v1 Winter Season:

The following licenses are accepted for ECL ’26: Winter – 1v1 (Championship and Chill):

• ECL ’26: Full Year Player License
• ECL ’26: Winter Player License
• ECL ’25: Spring – Player License
• ECL ’25: Full Year Player License

Whether you’re chasing a European title or looking for structured, stress-free 1v1 games, ECL ’26: Winter has a place for you.

Signups are now open — choose your path and we’ll see you on the ice.

Edit: Updated with final amounts, March 11, 2026

Hi SportsGamers,

As promised, we’re now ready to share the ECL ’26: Winter prize pool numbers, including how the total prize pool was calculated and how it is distributed across divisions.

While a small number of late license purchases may still slightly increase the final figures, we are now very close to the final totals, and the numbers below accurately reflect the current state of the season.
 

How the ECL ’26: Winter Prize Pool Was Calculated

The ECL prize pool model for the NHL 26 cycle is based on a simple and transparent principle:

35% of NET license sales are returned directly to the players as prize money.

Here’s how the Winter ’26 prize pool was formed:

• ➕ Total ECL ’26 license sales (incl. VAT): €63,884.99
  • ➖ VAT (25.5%): –€12,980.62
  •  ➖ Payment processing fees (PayPal): –€2,054.94
  •  ➖ Reserved for ECL ’26: Spring (50% of Full Year Player licenses): –€9,438.24

🟰 Winter ’26 NET sales: €39,411.19

➡️ 35% of NET sales allocated to prize pools: €13,793.92

This amount is fully dedicated to Winter ’26 prize pools across all ECL divisions.

Prize Pool Allocation by Division

The total prize pool is distributed between divisions based on participation, competitive level, and season structure.

ECL ’26: Winter – Total Prize Pools

• Elite: €6,000.35
• Pro: €3,103.63
• Lite: €2,276.00
• Core: €1,586.30
• 1v1: €827.64

Total: €13,793.92

Division Prize Distributions

Each division’s prize pool is paid out to multiple placements to ensure that strong playoff performances are rewarded throughout the divisions.

• ECL Elite – €6,000.35
  • #1: €2,640.16
  • #2: €1,200.07
  • #3–4: €600.04 each
  • #5–8: €240.01 each
     

• ECL Pro – €3,103.63
  • #1: €838.00
  • #2: €589.69
  • #3–4: €403.47 each
  • #5–8: €217.25 each
     
• ECL Lite – €2,276.00
  • #1: €546.24
  • #2: €432.44
  • #3: €318.64
  • #4: €250.36
  • #5–8: €182.08 each
     
• ECL Core – €1,586.30
  • #1: €412.45
  • #2: €285.53
  • #3–4: €222.08 each
  • #5–8: €111.04 each
     
• ECL 1v1 – €827.64
  • #1: €446.93
  • #2: €215.19
  • #3–4: €82.76 each

Final Notes

• These numbers reflect the current prize pool status at the time of writing.
• Prize allocations are based on percentage splits calculated from exact underlying values. Displayed placement amounts are rounded to the nearest cent, so small €0.01–€0.02 differences may appear when summing the rounded figures compared to the exact internal totals.
• Any late license purchases will still contribute to the overall prize pool, with final confirmation provided once the season concludes. Edit: This post now reflects the final sums for the ECL '26: Winter Prize Pool.
• As always, our goal is to keep the ECL transparent, fair, and community-driven, with a clear connection between participation and rewards.

Thank you to everyone competing in ECL ’26: Winter — and best of luck in the remainder of the season.

Hi SportsGamers,

There have been some questions regarding the Regular Season dates, the Transfer Deadline, and the Holiday Break, so we want to clarify all of these topics in one place.

Regular Season End - January 15th

The regular season is set to end on January 15th, 2026, in all divisions.

We understand that this may feel a little extra relaxed for the Core and Lite divisions, where the most active teams will potentially have finished their games already by Christmas, but we communicated the deadline early on, and we therefore do not want to change it, as some teams seem to have made their plans based on it.

Be sure to reschedule any games necessary with your opponents in good time and enjoy the holidays!

Transfer Deadline - January 4th, restrictions apply

The transfer deadline is January 4th, 2026; however, please note that no team can make transfers in either direction once they have completed their regular season.

All transfers, however, are subject to scrutiny by the League Administration. Therefore, transfers can be declined retroactively if deemed to have been illegal, potentially resulting in games played being nullified. 

Holiday Break

The Holiday Break is planned for December 19th to January 3rd.

Teams are allowed to play during this time if they mutually agree to do so; however, no team can be forced to play during this time period.

ECL Lite & Core Playoff system

To avoid any confusion, we want to mention that the Lite and Core playoff system for this season will be as follows:

A total of 24 teams will go to the playoffs in each division. The top 2 of each group go directly to the 2nd round of the Playoffs. Teams placing 3–6 will be seeded into the first round, meaning #9 vs #24, #10 vs #23, and so on.

As always, thank you for your cooperation and for helping keep the season running smoothly. We wish everyone a great end to the regular season and a relaxing holiday break.

The group stage of the ECL ’26: Winter Lite division is heading into the Christmas break, and things are getting tense. Every match feels like it could shift the entire playoff picture, and teams are throwing everything they’ve got into these battles. The usual powerhouses have looked strong, keeping their spots near the top, while a few unexpected teams have started to shake things up with surprising wins.

With contenders trying to lock down their 1st round byes for the playoffs and underdogs fighting to stay in the mix, the Lite division never disappoints. In this article, we'll review a few teams that have stood out, disappointed, and flat out just not stepped up this season, so have a read and give your own opinions in the comment section below on what you, the reader, would like to see in the next article.

This report is based on stats and standings from December 11th.
 

Group 1
 

1st Round Bye's

 Wida

Wida have been in the Lite divison for some time now and are oozing confidence this season, they haven't been able to take that final step in their game in the previous seasons, but this season could be a different story, with almost 4 goals per game average, they are leading their group and will surely try and clinch that 1st seed for the playoffs soon.

 Invasion Hockey
The Swedes (mostly) are trying their best to give Wida a run for their money. They are not going away anytime soon, with talented @RookieLIAMOVIC leading the team in points, with the right amount of luck and a few mishaps from Wida, they might just see themselves at the top of the standings soon.

 Fallen Rangers
The Czech/Slovak team has emerged as a team that could easily take this group by storm, now in 2nd place, still a few fewer games played than Wida, so it will remain to be seen who tops this group. Standout player so far for Fallen Rangers is @Sebko99 who could emerge as a contender for the top scorer this season.

Making The Playoffs

 Armeijan Kuri

A team many had in the category above when the season started, they now find themselves in a somewhat comfortable place, not in any risk of being out of the playoffs, and with a few well-timed wins, they could push for the 1st round bye.

 Hockeyholics 
This Central European side will surely make the playoffs, with seasoned veterans like @ViSiOnZ97_ and @I_Alex28_I at the wheel. We're in for an interesting end to the regular season. Now it's up to them how they want to finish the season, but keep an eye out for them to make it difficult for their opponents.

On The Outside

 FatBurritos
After 8 losses already this season, it's looking grim for the FatBurritos; they have an uphill climb ahead of them, and it won't be pretty if they don't start grabbing some points.

 Bladerunners HC
In a similar situation to FatBurritos, it's not looking good, but with a few fewer games played, there is always a bit more hope at the end of the tunnel, so time to buckle up and show the rest of the group something.

Group 2

1st Round Bye's

 Conexion
Whoever wins the matchup between these two teams will likely be the group winner, no doubt about it, as Conexion has gone undefeated so far; they are the slight favourite. @Flo_goes_grazy(flgr93) is 2nd at the moment in goals in the entire Lite division with 23 goals; he'll look to add to that tally as the season progresses.

 Veterankraft
The heavy favourites to take the entire Lite division before the season started, and have shown exactly what they're capable of so far. @STRANDMANNEN11 has been on fire and has posted a mere 4.5 points per game, and has shown no signs of slowing down. Considering the rest of their roster, maybe this team should've performed better in the Pro qualifiers?

Making The Playoffs

 Renegade HC 
Also unbeaten with a 4-0-0-0 record so far, they still have a lot of games ahead of them, but a hot start to the season is often a recipe for success. Now they look to build on that start with @MartindalexC as their veteran leader, former Elite standout has shown he can be a guy to rely on when the games get tough, we'll see if that's the case this season.
 

 HC Nova Hut 
The mostly Central European-based team has played almost all their games already, so it remains to be seen how their playoff chances look after the Christmas break, but right now @Xkeineri, their Finnish skater has been their most productive player, a calm 32 points (15+17) so far for the experienced winger.

On The Outside

 Iserlohn Roosters eSports 
With some tough matches behind them, they can now focus on the games ahead. A few wins are needed for them to climb right back in it for the playoff hunt. A veteran team, with veteran players, has its upside in tough situations; they know their own strengths and stick to that. Now is the time to execute.

 Mieskissat
A brutal start for the Finns, one point in ten games is not the way to start your season... They now face the impossible: a few games left and not a lot to work with; they need a miracle to make the playoffs.

Group 3

1st Round Bye's

 Kokemus Puuttuu 
The veterans have started undefeated, with almost full points in every matchup, and now they need to keep that flow going. @Jobeyz sure knows this, he's been around for a long time, and this season in Lite he'll get to showcase his talent.

 TROJANS

Another team that has played a lot of games so far, 12 games under their belt, and they have started well, 27 points and counting. Now comes the time to clutch that 1st round bye that the Lite division offers, and @softa_tofta can be that guy for the Trojans.

Making The Playoffs

 HC Vadelma 
HC Vadelma has been grinding away the ECL ladder for a while now, and it seems like they've found a system that fits. They made the playoffs last year after a solid season, and now want to get past the 1st round. @Awesome_Zone_ has been with the team and making changes this season, and if they can finish the season strong, no doubt in my mind this team has what it takes to advance further than last year.

 Pata Hellalla 
A team with a rich history has made a splash, now looking to enter the Pro division once again. They started the season well with 4 wins in 6 games, looking solid, and will surely make it difficult for the opposing teams to get points this season.

On The Outside
 Refuse Too Lose
We've seen downfalls before, and now Refuse Too Lose joins that club, just a few seasons ago challenging the Pro division to eventual relegation, and now facing relegation once again. Captain @sonny has a roster full of players, and nine players have played at least two games this season. If their captain can't soon find a regular lineup, it'll be Core next season.

 Jurricanes
The Finns looked a lot better last season in Lite, claiming a comfortable 3rd seed in their group, with one win in 8 games, it seems we won't see them in the playoffs this year. With a few more losses this regular season, Jurricanes will find themselves in the qualifiers.

Group 4

1st Round Bye's
 Supernatural
A more even group for the top spot than the rest, however, Supernatural seems like the favourites with goalie @eissi83 absolutely dominating in net after making a comeback between the pipes, he boasts a 94,4% save percentage and a 0.88 goals against average, which would be up there with the Lite record if he keeps it going.

 vNexs Vipers 
The third-tier team for the vNex organization, which has been extremely active in the ECL scene with four teams all the way to the Elite division. Now the Vipers want to establish themselves in the Lite division, and look to join the team in the Pro division next season, and @Zonkji v sure is making a name for himself with 17 goals so far, he is looking for more as the Vipers hope to finish strong this season.

Making The Playoffs

KELAGOLDCARD HC
With last season's leading goalscorer on the sidelines @Leevijopo01 has only played 2 games so far, and the opponents are thankful. Kela has played their toughest matchups and look now to gain full points from their last matchups and claim a playoff spot. Captain @Romurallimies has been their leader this season with the most points and most time with the puck.

 VBO STARS
The Swedes average a respectable 2 points per game, where in other groups that could be fine for the 1st round bye, but not group 4, with the right amount of luck, they might just see themselves there this season. In the playoffs, they need a boost, and looking to @Hampus11 their leading scorer to lead the way.

On The Outside

SSK Adepts 
When struggling to score, a team rarely gets a lot of points, and that's the case for the Adepts as they average a 2-goal per game pace this season. To avoid relegation this season, the whole roster needs to come together for a Christmas dinner and get some chemistry going before it's too late.

Dynamo HC 

The mostly British team has the same issues as the Adepts, and it's putting the puck in the net. They can't seem to have a consistent lineup on gamedays, and that shows in goals for department this season, qualifiers ahead surely, and considering the talent in the Core division, Dynamo might just find themselves one division lower next season.via

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

Welcome to ECL Essentials!

Here you’ll find a concise guide on how the European Championship League (ECL) operates. This includes important information on scheduling and reporting games, transfer rules, and communication best practices. Whether you’re a new team or a seasoned player, these guidelines will help ensure smooth participation in the league. Dive in and get familiar with the essentials!

Game Scheduling & Reporting Guidelines

1. Scheduling Games
   • Contacting Opponents:
     • Mandatory: Reach out to your opponents 12-24 hours before the default scheduled game time.
     • Use the SportsGamer.gg Private Message system or, if necessary, other platforms like Discord.
   • Default Schedule:
     • The default schedule is set by the league. DO NOT schedule games on top of your default opponent without prior agreement with said opponent to move the games.
   • Rescheduling:
     • After agreement, use the rescheduling tool on SportsGamer to update the schedule.
     • Only one postponement is allowed per matchup. If you need to move a matchup a second time, please contact support with an explanation and a suggested date immediately.
   • Deadline for Postponements:
     • Notify the opponent by 12:00 CET on the game day if rescheduling is required.
        
2. Reporting Games
   • Winning Team’s Responsibility:
     • Use the API Reporting Tool for normal games.
     • For disconnected games, use the manual reporting tool for accurate stats submission.
   • Submission Deadline:
     • Reports must be submitted immediately after the games due to EA’s limited game history available online (5 most recent games).
   • Accurate Stats:
     • Maintain screenshots of all stats (overview, events, and individual stats) for the entire tournament for verification.
        
3. Contacting Opponents
   • Essential Communication:
     • Do not assume opponents will show up without prior communication - always reach out well ahead of the scheduled games, at the very latest before 12 CET of the scheduled gameday
     • Always confirm the game time and servers in advance.
   • Missed Communication:
     • If opponents are unresponsive, notify League Administration (LA).
     • For advice on how to write Support, please read this article.

Transfer Rules

• Transfer Deadline:
  • The deadline for all player transfers is January 4th at the end of the day.

Licenses

• Basic Requirements:
  • Every team must have 6 licenses to be eligible.
  • Teams are allowed to hold up to 3 backup licenses.
  • A backup license can be used for up to 10 games total across ECL 25 Winter and Spring — including Qualification, Regular Season, and Playoffs combined.
  • Do not play a game if a player has a ❌ next to their name on the roster page.

• Are you still missing your license?
  • A valid license is required before stepping on the ice. Purchase your license here.
  • Need help with your license? Please contact Support.

SportsGamer Placeholder Team

• If you're wondering what the Placeholder team in the standings are at the start of the season:
  • This is a temporary extra team added to the group as a failsafe. 
  • This is not a real team and with an 80% probability will not become a real team, so if you're scheduled to play against this team, please ignore it unless told otherwise by the administration.
  • Placeholder teams are removed during the first few days of the season.

Season start & Information

• When will divisions, groups, and schedules be available?
  • The staff is hard at work analyzing the teams and rosters to make sure the teams have signed up for the appropriate division. We aim to have the groups and schedules up as soon as possible, but at the latest, on the evening of Saturday November 29th. Once the schedule is out, please contact your opponent as soon as possible to agree on the first games or reschedule, as instructed above.
• When does the season start?
  • The season for ECL Lite, Core and Neo starts on Sunday, November 30th.
  • The season for ECL Elite and Pro starts on Monday, December 1st.
  • For more specifics on the dates of the ECL '26: Winter season, see this post.

Did we miss something?

Please see our Frequently Asked Questions.

Still need help? Please contact Support.

Remember to sign up your team by the end of the day to secure your spot in the ECL '26: Winter season!

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

Hey Gamers,

I'm sure many of you have seen the reminders already, but we want to make sure nobody misses the fact that today is the last chance to purchase the ECL '26 licenses at the Super Early Bird pricing. This is the final reminder for those who have not had a chance to purchase the Super Early Bird Licenses yet.

Grab your Super Early Bird ECL '26: Winter Team license and ECL '26 Player License (Winter + Spring) at special pricing until midnight. After that, Early Bird pricing applies, so get yours now!

If you're wondering "What is the ECL?", read this article.

If you're looking for information about the new ECL season, read this article.

Licenses quick facts - Basic Requirements:

• For the upcoming ECL '26: Regular season, purchase your team and player licenses no later than November 30th, to ensure eligibility from the start of the season.
  • If you are playing in the Qualifiers, please do not play any further games without having activated your license.
• Every team must have a minimum of six (6) active Player Licenses to be eligible.
  • This can either be the Full Year Player License, or the Winter Player License.
• Teams may register up to three players designated as backups.
  • Each backup may appear in no more than 10 games combined during ECL ’26 (Winter +
    Spring, including qualifiers, regular season, and playoffs). All backups must be listed on the team’s
    official roster.
• Do not play a game if a player has a ❌ next to their name on the roster page.

It's time to kick off the ECL '26: Winter - 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: Winter season.
 

ECL Elite Qualifier Schedule

• Group Stage: 11-20.11.2025
• Finals (BO7): 23.-26.11.2025
  • #1 vs #4 & #2 vs #3

Click here to find the standings and schedule

Stage 1: Twelve promotions
The ECL Pro Qualifier consists of twenty-four (24) teams competing for seventeen (17) open ECL Pro spots. The group stage consists of four (4) groups of six (6) teams where every team plays each other twice - meaning each team will play ten (10) games.Teams have been snake-seeded into Stage 1 groups based on previous ECL ranking. Wild card team seeds have been randomized.

The top 3 of the group stage in each group is directly promoted to ECL Pro. The rest of the teams move into Stage 2. 

Please note that every game matters in Stage 1. If you're outside of the TOP 3 in Stage 1, you will take with you all the points you were able to win against the other teams you played that are going into Stage 2.
 

Stage 2: Four promotions

Groups 1 and 2 will merge into one group (A), and Groups 3 and 4 will merge into a second group (B). The points earned among the teams who already met in Stage 1 will be added to the standings and the teams will only play the three (3) teams they haven't met before.

Once the games have been played and the standings have been tallied up, the top two (2) teams of both groups A & B will be promoted to ECL Pro. The two (2) teams finishing third in the groups will compete in a BO7 series for the final Pro spot.

Teams finishing 4-6 in both groups will play in ECL Lite for the ECL '26: Winter season.
 

Stage 3: One promotion

The two (2) teams finishing 3rd in groups A and B of Stage 2 meet in one final best-of-7 matchup and the winner of the matchup will be promoted to ECL Pro.

• Group A #3 vs Group B #3

The loser of the final round will play in ECL Lite for the ECL '25: Winter season.

ECL Pro Qualifier Schedule

• Pro Qualifiers | Stage 1: 12-19.11.2022 (All teams)
• Pro Qualifiers | Stage 2: 20-24.11.2025 (12 teams)
• Pro Final Round (BO7): 25.11.2025 (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!

The European Championship League continues with its ECL ’26 Winter season, bringing another round of top-level eHockey competition across all divisions. Whether you’re aiming for Elite glory or making your first appearance in Neo, be sure your team is registered before the deadlines below 👇

 ⚠️ Important: The Pro Wildcard Battle sign-ups close today, November 3rd — this is your last chance to secure a spot in the Pro Qualifier and keep your ECL Pro ambitions alive.

✅ For Wildcard Teams

Teams that have already signed up — or plan to sign up during the day — for the Pro Wildcard Battle should ensure that their roster is complete before the deadline.

To be eligible for a Wildcard, your roster must meet one of the following requirements:

• Three former Elite starters, or
• Four former Pro starters

A “starter” is defined as a player who played 16 or more games in either the ECL ’25: Spring or ECL ’25: Winter season.

Make sure your lineup meets the criteria and is fully set before sign-ups close!

🏁 ECL ’26 Winter Sign-Up Deadlines

• ECL Pro Wildcard Battle: Deadline is today, November 3, 2025.
  Last chance to secure a place in the Pro Qualifier!
• ECL Elite, Pro, Lite & Pro Qualifier: All entries must be in by November 9, 2025.
  The competition will be fierce — make sure your lineup is ready to compete among Europe’s best.
• ECL Core & Neo: Final sign-up day is November 27, 2025.
  Perfect for new teams looking to gain experience and start their ECL journey.

🕛 All sign-ups close at 23:59 CET on the listed dates unless otherwise specified.

Get your team ready, finalize your roster, and be part of the action as Europe’s best eHockey clubs battle for glory.
👉 For full details and registration links, visit the official ECL ’26 Winter announcement on SportsGamer.

New to the ECL or curious how the divisions work?
➡️ Learn more here: What is the ECL?

Hey Gamers,

The groups and schedules for each ECL '26: Pre-Season level is now available and you can start reaching out to your fellow captains to confirm game times and reschedule where necessary. Get your lineups ready and hit the ice — the ECL ‘26 Pre-Season starts now

ECL Pre-Season Information

Elite & Pro  

• See schedule here
• Only ECL Elite & ECL Pro teams, and by special request wildcard & qualifier teams
• This is a friendly warmup tournament, no need to argue (=no League Admin cases)
• Regular season 30.10-10.11
  • Teams are divided into two groups
  • Top 4 from each group makes it into the playoffs
• Playoffs (BO5)
  • 13.-16.11 (Quarterfinals)
  • 17.-20.11 (Semifinals)
  • 23-25.11 (Finals)

 

Lite & Core 

• See schedule here
• Only ECL Lite & ECL Core teams, and by special request wildcard teams & qualifier teams
• This is a friendly warmup tournament, no need to argue (=no League Admin cases)
• Regular season 30.10-10.11
  • Teams are divided into ten groups
  • Top 3 from each group, plus the best two #4 teams make it into the playoffs
• Playoffs (BO3)
  • 12-13.11 (RO32)
  • 16.-17.11 (RO16)
  • 19.-20.11 (Quarterfinals)
  • 23-25.11 (Semifinals)
  • 27.11 (Finals)

 

Neo & Newcomers 

• See schedule here
• Only ECL Neo & Newcomer teams
• This is a friendly warmup tournament, no need to argue (=no League Admin cases)
• Regular season 30.10-12.11
  • Teams are divided into six groups
  • Top 2 from each group, plus the best four #3 teams make it into the playoffs.
• Playoffs (BO3)
  • 13-14.11 (RO16)
  • 16.-17.11 (Quarterfinals)
  • 19.-20.11 (Semifinals)
  • 23-24.11 (Finals)

 

 

Uniform and logo unlocks for organizations

This form is intended for organizations associated with SportsGamer to request primarily uniform and logo unlocks in order to represent their team appropriately. Here is a link for the unlocks form: https://forms.gle/3RezYrzCm1yZFFdU9

 

Rules

Although the Pre-Season Tournament will not be under as strict scrutiny as the ECL, we want to remind you to respect your opponents and go about the games just as you would when playing real ECL league matchups.

Rules: ECL '26: Winter Official Rules | Also see ECL ’26: Winter - Ability & Build Bans
 

If teams are tied in points after the group stage, we will utilize these usual tie-breakers:

• Wins (including OT-wins)
• Head-to-head record (points in mutual games)
• Goal difference (across all games played)
• Scored goals (across all games played)

 

We hope you're as excited as we are to get back into the action - build your team, sign up, and have fun!

 

 

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.

Basic information/requirements of ECL:

• The tournament will be played on the NHL 26 (PlayStation 5 & Xbox Series X/S)
   
• 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.
  The ECL '26 Pre-Season tournament does not require the license,
   
• Rules: ECL '26: Winter Official Rules | Also see ECL ’26: Winter - Ability & Build Bans

Hey Gamers,

After community feedback, and internal testing, we have decided to add Warrior to the list of banned traits. This decision is based on the idea that using Warrior leads to situations where players are unfairly given an advantage, for example where a player is hit and recovers faster than the player who made the hit. Additionally, there is the possible meta interaction to consider where banning Truculence, but leaving Warrior available could, and from observation of recent games has, lead to a large increase in Warrior use due to it not having a natural 'counter' available to players – tilting the scales in favour of forwards vs. defenders.

As stated previously, we have been monitoring the community discussion and while there is an active ongoing discussion about the banning of other traits, especially Sponge, at this time we have only received concrete evidence of Warrior exhibiting game-altering behaviour, and as such we have elected to not include any additional traits in this latest ban update.

Our intention by implementing this change before the start of the ECL pre-season is to provide teams with as stable a base as possible in their ongoing preparations for the upcoming ECL ’26: Winter season.

As far as other traits go, we will of course continue to examine community feedback, as well as gameplay balance, and revisit if need be, but at present the evidence in front of us leads us to believe that no other remaining unbanned traits are in the game altering position that Warriors holds.

ECL ’26: Winter Restrictions

After extensive discussion and testing, the League Administration has decided to continue restricting several player Abilities and Builds that were found to have a disproportionate impact on gameplay.

The following restrictions apply across all ECL divisions for the ECL ’26: Winter season.
 

🛑 Banned Abilities

All tiers (Gold, Blue, and Red) of the following abilities are banned:

•  Big Rig 
•  Big Tipper 
•  Elite Edges
•  Hipster
•  No Contest
•  Pressure+
•  Spark Plug
•  Truculence
•  Unstoppable
•  Warrior
•  Wheels

These abilities have shown to create unbalanced or unintended gameplay advantages, reducing the importance of player skill and positioning. Specifically, as a category, we have wanted to slow down the gameplay by prohibiting abilities that add significant speed boosts. The bans help ensure that all players compete on an even playing field, where awareness and execution matter most.
 

⚔️ Position-Based Build Restrictions

To further preserve role balance and gameplay authenticity:

• Forwards cannot use defensive classes:
  • Defensive Defender, Enforcer Defender, Offensive Defender, Two-Way Defender, Puck Moving Defender
• Defenders cannot use forward classes:
  • Dangler, Enforcer, Grinder, Playmaker, Power Forward, Sniper, Two-Way Forward

Additionally, skaters and goalies cannot use special characters or custom character builds.

🧾 Enforcement

Violations of the above bans will be handled as follows:

• 1st Infraction – Team captain warning + player suspended for 2 games + potential WO loss*
• 2nd Infraction – Second captain warning + full lineup warning + player suspended for 4 games + potential WO loss*
• 3rd Infraction – Captain suspended for 2 games + player suspended for 4 games + 2-point deduction + potential WO loss*

*A Walkover (WO) loss will only apply if the offending team was clearly informed and continued to use banned Abilities or Builds afterward. Clear video evidence is required when reporting violations.

You can view the full ECL '26: Winter - Official Rules here.

Looking Forward

While the overall ability structure remains similar to previous seasons, the addition of position-based build restrictions represents another step toward a stronger global standard.

As always, we’ll continue to monitor gameplay trends and community feedback throughout the Winter season and forward your feedback directly to EA SPORTS.

Thank you once again for your ongoing passion and input — it’s what continues to drive the ECL forward.

Best regards,

League Administration

ECL ’26: Winter Sign-Ups Open – Time for a New Season of European eHockey

SportGamers,

Our community is growing with new members every year. From time to time we are asked for tips on how to find a team or how to find players for your team.  In this post, we have put together a few links to our forum where you can either search for a team or sign up as a free agent. You'll also find some tips at the end, that might be just what you need to connect with that new group of potential teammates. This post is mainly intended for the European audience that is interested in playing in the European Championship League.

Free Agents EU - PlayStation 5 & Xbox Series X|S

In this forum section, you can register as a free agent or search for new players for your team. 
You will find a "reply to topic" section under the last message on the page where you can post your own free agent message. In this message, you can briefly tell us about yourself, what position you are looking to play, and how to best reach you.

Please note that a community account is required in order to post a message. Please also note that this forum section is only for free agent messages.
 

Free Agency Team feature

Last season we tested a feature to have the free agency status appear on the player card of free agents. We got some good feedback, so we'll continue running this. If you wish to participate, send a private message to @SG Free Agent Admin with your PSN ID/Gamertag. You will receive an invitation to the Free Agent team on SportsGamer and by accepting it, this will give you the status visible on your player card.

Please note that the invitation is usually not immediate and can take some time. Also, note that whatever positions and favorite position you have selected on your player card when accepting the invitation is what will appear in your free agency profile.

You can browse the Free Agent team here.

Once you find a new team you can join it right away and send a message to @SG Free Agent Admin (who is the captain of the Free Agent team), and you will be removed from the free agency. 

While this new approach will help list free agents and offer an additional way to be seen, for the best result in finding a team we still recommend following the other tips in this news story!
 

EU Clubs looking for players - PlayStation 5 & Xbox Series X|S

In this section of the forum, you can let everyone know when your team is looking for players, which means free agents can find teams by browsing this thread. You will find a "reply to topic" section under the last message on the page. Here you can write your "club looking for players" post where you tell us about the club and what kind of player you are looking for. You can look for good tips for your post in the numerous posts written by other clubs.

Please note that both of the above-mentioned forum threads are meant only for writing the "ads". When you see something you're interested in, please use private messaging (e.g. SportGamer, Discord, PSN or Xbox Live) to contact them. Usually, the writer of the post will let you know how best to get in touch. So here is your reminder: whenever you post, remember to mention how to best get in touch with you.

Useful tips

In addition to these previous tools, we recommend you to be active and try to play as much as possible.

• On our Discord server, you will find a section called "free for tonight"
  In this section, you can sign up for free play and of course, if you're lucky you might find some people that want to play with you in the future.
   
• Another good tip that works is to add "FA" or "Free Agent" to your player's name in the game so that your teammates and opponents can see during the game that you are looking for a team.

There you have it! We hope you find these tips useful. Feel free to share your advice in the comments. Good luck finding the perfect match!

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!

Hey Gamers,

The wait is over — it’s time to kick off the NHL 26 season with the ECL ‘26 Pre-Season Tournament.

This friendly event gives teams the chance to warm up for the upcoming ECL season in a relaxed and flexible setting. With three competitive tiers, there’s something for everyone — from top contenders fine-tuning their play to new teams getting their first taste of ECL action. Each tier features its own playoffs, offering every team a chance to compete, improve, and prepare for the season ahead.

Get your lineups ready and hit the ice — the ECL ‘26 Pre-Season starts now.

 

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.

Basic information/requirements of ECL:

• The tournament will be played on the NHL 26 (PlayStation 5 & Xbox Series X/S)
   
• 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.
  The ECL '26 Pre-Season tournament does not require the team license.
   
• Rules: ECL '26: Winter Official Rules | Also see ECL ’26: Winter - Ability & Build Bans

ECL Pre-Season

As stated, the tournament will be hosted in three tiers without any major restrictions except for the ones mentioned below.

Elite & Pro  

• See schedule here
• Only ECL Elite & ECL Pro teams, and by special request wildcard & qualifier teams
• This is a friendly warmup tournament, no need to argue (=no League Admin cases)
• Regular season 30.10-10.11
  • Teams are divided into two groups
  • Top 4 from each group makes it into the playoffs
• Playoffs (BO5)
  • 13.-16.11 (Quarterfinals)
  • 17.-20.11 (Semifinals)
  • 23-25.11 (Finals)

👉 Note: This Pre-Season will overlap with the ECL Winter Qualifiers. If you know or expect to participate in the Elite or Pro Qualifiers, you should skip the Pre-Season to avoid schedule conflicts.

Sign-ups are open until 12:00 CET, October 28th.

SIGN UP HERE

 

Lite & Core 

• See schedule here
• Only ECL Lite & ECL Core teams, and by special request wildcard teams & qualifier teams
• This is a friendly warmup tournament, no need to argue (=no League Admin cases)
• Regular season 30.10-10.11
  • Teams are divided into ten groups
  • Top 3 from each group, plus the best two #4 teams make it into the playoffs
• Playoffs (BO3)
  • 12-13.11 (RO32)
  • 16.-17.11 (RO16)
  • 19.-20.11 (Quarterfinals)
  • 23-25.11 (Semifinals)
  • 27.11 (Finals)

Sign-ups are open until 12:00 CET, October 28th.

SIGN UP HERE

 

Neo & Newcomers 

• See schedule here
• Only ECL Neo & Newcomer teams
• This is a friendly warmup tournament, no need to argue (=no League Admin cases)
• Regular season 30.10-12.11
  • Teams are divided into six groups
  • Top 2 from each group, plus the best four #3 teams make it into the playoffs.
• Playoffs (BO3)
  • 13-14.11 (RO16)
  • 16.-17.11 (Quarterfinals)
  • 19.-20.11 (Semifinals)
  • 23-24.11 (Finals)

 

Sign-ups are open until 12:00 CET, October 28th.

SIGN UP HERE

 

Uniform and logo unlocks for organizations

This form is intended for organizations associated with SportsGamer to request primarily uniform and logo unlocks in order to represent their team appropriately. Here is a link for the unlocks form: https://forms.gle/3RezYrzCm1yZFFdU9

 

Rules

Although the Pre-Season Tournament will not be under as strict scrutiny as the ECL, we want to remind you to respect your opponents and go about the games just as you would when playing real ECL league matchups.

Rules: ECL '26: Winter Official Rules | Also see ECL ’26: Winter - Ability & Build Bans
 

If teams are tied in points after the group stage, we will utilize these usual tie-breakers:

• Wins (including OT-wins)
• Head-to-head record (points in mutual games)
• Goal difference (across all games played)
• Scored goals (across all games played)

 

We hope you're as excited as we are to get back into the action - build your team, sign up, and have fun!

Hello, ECL Community!

The debate around X-Factors, abilities, and player builds in competitive EASHL continues to be one of the most discussed topics within our community. Over the past month after the NHL 26 release, we’ve followed your conversations closely — in Discord threads, party chats, and private messages — and we want to thank everyone who has contributed to this discussion.
 

This season, our goal has been twofold:

1. To maintain a fair and consistent competitive environment for all divisions, and
2. To strengthen alignment with our North American counterparts so that competitive 6v6 hockey moves forward together on both sides of the Atlantic.

We’ve been in regular contact with our North American counterparts to share experiences, discuss balancing, and explore ways to create a more unified competitive environment.

In addition, SportsGamer and other league representatives will take part in an upcoming conversation with EA SPORTS to exchange insights on gameplay balance, abilities, and the overall direction of EASHL. These discussions are part of an ongoing effort to ensure that community feedback from both regions is heard and considered as the game continues to evolve.

We believe that sharing unified feedback and experiences from both regions will help shape the next steps for the entire EASHL ecosystem.

ECL ’26: Winter Restrictions (updated October 29th)

After extensive discussion and testing, the League Administration has decided to continue restricting several player Abilities and Builds that were found to have a disproportionate impact on gameplay.

The following restrictions apply across all ECL divisions for the ECL ’26: Winter season.
 

🛑 Banned Abilities

All tiers (Gold, Blue, and Red) of the following abilities are banned:

•  Big Rig 
•  Big Tipper 
•  Elite Edges
•  Hipster
•  No Contest
•  Pressure+
•  Spark Plug
•  Truculence
•  Unstoppable
•  Warrior (Added October 29th)
•  Wheels

These abilities have shown to create unbalanced or unintended gameplay advantages, reducing the importance of player skill and positioning. Specifically, as a category, we have wanted to slow down the gameplay by prohibiting abilities that add significant speed boosts. The bans help ensure that all players compete on an even playing field, where awareness and execution matter most.
 

⚔️ Position-Based Build Restrictions

To further preserve role balance and gameplay authenticity:

• Forwards cannot use defensive classes:
  • Defensive Defender, Enforcer Defender, Offensive Defender, Two-Way Defender, Puck Moving Defender
• Defenders cannot use forward classes:
  • Dangler, Enforcer, Grinder, Playmaker, Power Forward, Sniper, Two-Way Forward

Additionally, skaters and goalies cannot use special characters or custom character builds.

🧾 Enforcement

Violations of the above bans will be handled as follows:

• 1st Infraction – Team captain warning + player suspended for 2 games + potential WO loss*
• 2nd Infraction – Second captain warning + full lineup warning + player suspended for 4 games + potential WO loss*
• 3rd Infraction – Captain suspended for 2 games + player suspended for 4 games + 2-point deduction + potential WO loss*

*A Walkover (WO) loss will only apply if the offending team was clearly informed and continued to use banned Abilities or Builds afterward. Clear video evidence is required when reporting violations.

You can view the full ECL '26: Winter - Official Rules here.

Looking Forward

While the overall ability structure remains similar to previous seasons, the addition of position-based build restrictions represents another step toward a stronger global standard.

As always, we’ll continue to monitor gameplay trends and community feedback throughout the Winter season and forward your feedback directly to EA SPORTS.

Thank you once again for your ongoing passion and input — it’s what continues to drive the ECL forward.

Best regards,

League Administration

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: 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. More information about licenses will be available closer to the season start.
   
• Rules: The ECL '26: Winter rulebook will be an updated version of the '25 Spring rulebook and will be shared soon. 

The divisions framework for the ECL ‘26 season 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 qualifications to prove that 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 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

SportsGamers,

This news story is intended to help understand the ECL Ranking for teams at the end of the ECL '25: Spring season. This ranking determines the eligibility for teams entering various divisions this upcoming ECL '26: Winter 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 ECL '26: Winter registrations later this week.

Pro Qualifier Wildcard requirements

• Three former Elite starters or four former Pro starters
• A starter is defined as having played 16 or more games in the ECL '25: Spring season, or 16 or more games in the ECL '25: Winter season
• If there are more players from the same team that were relegated out of the division Pro (in the same season) in the team applying for a wildcard, they may be counted as one player. The League Administration reserves the right to interpretations of this depending on the specific circumstances of the situation.
   

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 happens 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

The League Administration reserves the right to make adjustments to both the promotion process and the final promotions if deemed necessary.

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: Winter, 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 Spring season in the Neo division is over, and Personal Rainerit have emerged as clear champions after defeating Fladie Faxes 3–1 in the final series. It was a dominant campaign from start to finish, with Personal Rainerit losing only one single game all season—and it came in the finals against Fladie Faxes.

Their run was nearly flawless. They topped their group with 14 wins in 14 games, including one overtime win, scoring at will with over 10 goals per game on average while conceding just 2 per game. That offensive firepower carried over into the playoffs, where they swept past opponents and faced Fladie Faxes in the final.

The final series showed they could handle adversity. After taking Game 1 with a convincing 7–4 win, they stumbled in Game 2, dropping it 2–3 in a tight battle—their only loss of the entire season. But they answered immediately with a statement 7–2 victory in Game 3 and finished the job in Game 4 with a decisive 5–1 win to clinch the title.
 

Offensive Powerhouses
The team’s top scorers lit up both the regular season and playoffs. @ttskede was the league’s undisputed offensive leader with 121 points in 14 regular-season games (68 goals, 53 assists) and kept it going in the playoffs with 86 points in 16 games. @Elop-_- was equally lethal, adding 80 points in the regular season and 68 in the playoffs.

They weren’t alone. @hugobrann72, @Veljenpoika69, @Maltseviii, @joku_johonki and backups like @Mallungoldi and @J20NA01 added depth and balance, making the lineup dangerous from top to bottom.

Reliable in Goal
In net, @The-Tankki235 and @JonttuM12 shared duties and delivered when it counted. Both goalies posted solid numbers with save percentages over 80%, helping keep the team steady even when games got tight.

A True Statement Season
Personal Rainerit’s run in Neo was nothing short of dominant. Their ability to score in bunches, bounce back immediately from their lone loss, and finish series with authority showed they were a level above the competition. With this title, they’ve proven they’re ready for the next step and will be a team to watch going forward.

Personal Rainerit Roster:

Forwards:

• @ttskede
• @Elop-_-
• @hugobrann72
• @J20NA01

Defense:

• @Veljenpoika69
• @Maltseviii
• @joku_johonki
• @Mallungoldi

Goalies:

• @The-Tankki235
• @JonttuM12

ARMEIJAN KURI Road To The Championship:

• Regular Season: 13-1-0-0 (41pts) - 1st in Group 2
• 1st round: 3-0 vs Strength Of The Pack
• 2nd round: 3-0 vs Hawks Gaming
• Quarterfinals: 3-0 vs Tibro HC
• Semifinal: 3-0 vs Clowns On Ice
• Finals: 3-1 vs Fladie Faxes

ARMEIJAN KURI are your ECL ‘25: Spring – Core Champions

The Spring season in the Core division has concluded with ARMEIJAN KURI taking home the championship after a dramatic 4–3 series win over Conexion. It capped off an impressive campaign that saw them finish the regular season with a 20-0-1-3 record (61 points), topping Group 2.

Their playoff run was equally strong: 4–1 in the first round against Zamboni Zorros, a 4–0 sweep of Beer Bears in round two, 4–2 over MIESKISSAT in the quarterfinals, 4–2 against Nordic Nosebleed in the semifinals, and finally a hard-fought 4–3 victory over Conexion in the finals.

This final was anything but easy for ARMEIJAN KURI.

They opened with a solid 4–2 win on the road in Game 1 to set the tone. But Conexion responded immediately in Game 2, stealing a tight 2–1 overtime win away from home. Back on their own ice for Game 3, Conexion dominated with a 6–0 blowout to take the series lead.

ARMEIJAN KURI bounced back in Game 4 with a clutch 4–3 overtime victory at home to even things up. In Game 5, they earned a hard-fought 2–1 road win to get back in front in the series. Conexion refused to go away, forcing a decisive Game 7 with a 1–0 overtime win in Game 6.

But in the winner-takes-all Game 7, ARMEIJAN KURI delivered under pressure with a composed 4–1 road victory to claim the championship.

Key Performers and Team Effort

The team’s production was well spread out. @hefezuk85 led the way with 79 points in 28 games (33 goals, 46 assists), showing top-end consistency all season. @MutainenMalik and @WIRTAAZKIN47 were also strong offensive contributors, giving the lineup depth and balance. @Wertigosetti19 and @SUONEKASKOSTAJA_ added two-way stability and grit in tough games.

In goal, @kasuri1 was steady all season and especially reliable in the playoffs. Over 28 games, they earned 20 wins with an 83.8% save percentage. Their ability to make key stops in close games was a big part of ARMEIJAN KURI’s success in a final series full of overtime and one-goal games.

ARMEIJAN KURI stuck to a strong core lineup throughout the season, building chemistry and trust. Their ability to handle pressure, bounce back from tough losses, and deliver in high-stakes OT games proved they had the mentality of champions. They also got valuable contributions from players like @Wirta88 and @KunKKu_1998, who stepped up when the team needed them most..

With the title secured, ARMEIJAN KURI have shown they’re ready for the challenge of competing in the Lite division next season.
 

ARMEIJAN KURI Roster:

Forwards:

• @MutainenMalik
• @hefezuk85
• @WIRTAAZKIN47
• @Wirta88

Defense:

• @SUONEKASKOSTAJA_
• @Wertigosetti19
• @KunKKu_1998

Goalies:

• @kasuri1

ARMEIJAN KURI Road To The Championship:

• Regular Season: 20-0-1-3 (61pts) - 1st in Group 2
• 1st round: 4-1 vs Zamboni Zorros
• 2nd round: 4-0 vs Beer Bears
• Quarterfinals: 4-2 vs MIESKISSAT
• Semifinal: 4-2 vs Nordic Nosebleed
• Finals: 4-3 vs Conexion