NHLGamers,

NOTE: This log was written on Friday, 11th of December and opinions/statements reflect the situation of the past.

I thought I’d post some recent thoughts on my team and ECL 11. First things first: we haven’t had the easiest season so far. This is both because our game wasn’t ready from the beginning and because ECL Pro is a tough division these days. It’s so tough, in fact, that perhaps I should have tempered my expectations for our brand new roster. So far, though, I feel like we are learning as we go. That’s obviously not the optimal way to go about it, considering you tend to miss all-important points in the process, but we need to accept that reality and move along.

As the captain, there’s been a lot to learn. One thing is the important role of the assistant captains. It gets difficult trying to manage everything by yourself, and the utility of having a variety of perspectives cannot be overstated. Having the C and A’s play off each other is imperative in the successful management of the team. A dictatorship actually worked for us for a really long time, but it was a unique situation where we benefited from the unwavering leadership of one Johtaja the Great (@J0HTAJA).

Another big aspect of team management has been player dynamics and figuring out the lineup for games. I’ve never had to think about that before unless I really wanted to, so mostly I’ve just focused on playing my own game in the past. It’s such an intricate thing to balance, isn’t it? There’s a lot to consider—how do you find the specific 6-man unit that works together the best, and how do you keep everyone happy and committed enough in the process? It’s also crucial to find that optimal lineup as quickly as possible so as to ensure continuity in the team’s game. I am fortunate in that my team has been very good about this as there has been zero drama about who gets to play and who doesn’t. I am very grateful to everyone on the roster because such distractions are sure to detract from the team’s main objective in some way.

On a more personal level, I find myself returning to something that was first pointed out to me by Roots defenseman @vSilenttio a long time ago. During games, it is vital to focus on the current moment instead of things external to it. All too often, a player starts thinking about a situation in the game that should have gone differently or begins to form various scenarios in the mind of how the momentum is shifting, how much time there is left to tie the game, and so on and so forth. Barring the obvious requirement for someone to assume a leader’s role in reacting in the party as needed, none of that really matters. The way to help your team is to focus on one very simple thing: performing the next situation to the best of your abilities. Shift after shift, moment after moment.

And that’s why, going back to the beginning, where we’re at in the standings right now doesn’t really make a difference. You always know what to do next because nothing could be simpler. Get in the moment and stay there until you hear the sound of the final buzzer.

A huge thanks to @Janikka for sharing his thoughts in this article! Are you interested in also sharing some inside from your teams perspective? Contact @jahajaha93 for more information.

NHLGamers,

After the second full week of ECL 11 Elite action, we have somewhat restored order in the kingdom and the usual suspects FILADELPHIA and HAVU Gaming top the tables. One of the looming questions before the season was speculation about how Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen would slot into the LW spot in that HAVU roster and now a few weeks later with his team going 8-0-0 and the man himself snagging some personal success in eLiiga along the way, I think we can at least put some of that speculation to rest. Order has also been restored in the scoring leaders department, where FILADELPHIA duo Erik @Eki Tammenpää and Paul @PleeMaker Arontie are topping the tables at the modest pace of around 3 points per game after their first ten outings. 

A look at the overall picture of the division shows that all teams have now managed to snag their first win of the season and only one remains undefeated - HAVU Gaming to no surprise. Despite not yet having to face any of their fiercest rivals, staying undefeated is a strong feat and shows just how formidable of a contender HAVU is yet again this season. 

While the broadcasted games this week didn't provide the caliber of highlights we saw in the first week of the season, we surely had some interesting turns of events and some discussion surfacing. Some eyebrows were raised during Wednesday's matchup between SAWO ESPORTS and Gotham Knights when a seemingly unenthusiastic SAWO took a beating in their first game of the night while a team member had more screen time in the Twitch chat than in the actual game. While this undeniably creates some comedic value in the chat, one must wonder how it impacts the focus on the game and perhaps more importantly, how it is valued within the team. Luckily, SAWO managed to gather themselves and bounce back nicely in the second bout but it's a tough look for the team regardless. 

From the lows to the highs of last week, despite suffering two consecutive losses without a goal scored against HAVU Gaming, German Team LEISURE can draw some consolation from this insane save made by goaltender Patrick @RPH_31 Braun:

Transfers
It's a somewhat rare occasion to see some movement at the Elite level after the start of the season, but some transfers have come to knowledge in the past week or so, we'll also be recapping possible movement in these reports. The past week was unusually exciting at the transfer market as several teams shuffled some players around and we also ended up seeing some always controversial player poaches:

hREDS 
OUT Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen, Tunnel Vision

Having proven his level at the Elite level but taking a step back from the starter duties due to attending military service at the start of 2021, @uhNikke decided to take his talents to Tunnel Vision in Pro on a loan deal. Most likely this move will not affect hREDS competitiveness as they still have @FinKonna who is a very competitive goaltender who is capable of winning games for his team.

Dark Horse 

IN Janne @JanneK. Komsa, Tunnel Vision
The newest team in the Elite division decided to strengthen their ranks in net with an experienced goaltender as a result of @Magizam having a tough first week at the Elite level and with one matchup behind, @JanneK. seems to have improved the netminding department to some extent at least.

OUT Kristian @Krisutus Räsänen, SAWO ESPORTS

Dark Horse had a tough start to the season as expected and no points will be coming easy for them in their first Elite campaign. The loss of a starting forward in @Krisutus will sting despite having a quality player in @Ollizhki backing him up. It remains to be seen if Dark Horse will look to strengthen their ranks but due to transfer deadlines having passed in other divisions, they will need to poach a player from another Elite team if looking to do so. 

KOVA Esports 

IN Igor @xMotzz Motov, Nordic Stars

KOVA made an acquisition that is somewhat of a headscratcher when getting another defenseman into their roster. The team already has two starters who are unlikely to be moved so it is probable that @xMotzz will not be seeing competitive ice time with his new team.

SAWO Esports 
IN Kristian @Krisutus Räsänen, Dark Horse

Finding yourself at the bottom of the standings meant that there would be a need for changes for SAWO. Whether acquiring @Krisutus was done as a result of @SUPERVIRTA leaving or not, it'll be interesting how it will affect the dynamic in the team.

OUT Joonas @SUPERVIRTA Virta, FA

The recently acquired defenseman suddenly left the squad due to time constraints. Team captain @TackleControl has been seen at the LD position since.

Power Rankings

Making a return this season will be the Elite: Power Rankings, provided by @MartindalexC. As always, the rankings are generated by weighting a team's results with the level of opposition that was faced, i.e. a team that went 4-0-0 against teams at the very bottom of Elite may very well be ranked below a team that went 0-4-0 against Elite's very finest. Without further ado though, let's have a look at how teams fared over the second week of ECL Elite:

1.  HAVU Gaming (4-0-0) [+2]

2.  FILADELPHIA (5-1-0) [=]

3.  JYP Jyvaskyla (4-2-0) [+4]

4.  YMCA Esports (4-1-1) [+2]

5.  hREDS (3-1-2) [-2]

6.  Northern Ascendancy (2-1-1) [+6]

7.  Färjestad BK (2-3-1) [+2]

8.  Roots Gaming (3-1-0) [+7]

9.  Gotham Knights (3-3-0) [+1]

10.  KOVA Esports (3-3-0) [-2]

11.  Conquer Gaming (1-5-0) [+3]

12.  SJ Gaming (1-3-0) [-7]

13.  Team Leisure (2-3-1) [=]

14.  Vesa Pompa (1-1-0) [-8]

15.  SAWO Esports (1-2-1) [-4]

16.  Dark Horse (1-2-1) [=]

NHLGamer,

The midpoint of the ECL 11 Pro season is right about now and it's a good time to take a closer look at what happened in the first half of the season in both groups. The first half of the season has been very even for both groups with no teams really running away with it yet and everyone still in the mix. There are only a few points difference between the top eight teams in both groups which will definitely add to the excitement as the season progresses even further. Despite it being a close fight for each team, there have still been several squads that have surprised us - some on the good side and some on the worse.

GROUP 1

Top performers:

 Herlev Eagles
As the biggest surprises of group 1, the Herlev Eagles have continued their strong run of form that started in the FCL. The team seems to have found their identity nicely and ever since assuming their Danish prefix they have really came into their own. The teams play has seen consistent development and their form curve is on an upwards trajectory. It is to be expected that the team will be seen in the important playoff battles, but the team's playbook might not be thick enough in order to secure any of the brighter trophies this season.

 Inter Iceland
Inter Iceland's strong momentum has carried the team to a good start of the season. The German squad has managed to hang with the big boys of their group for quite some time and could even be on their way towards a #1 seed. Before the start of the season, the team was not expected to be at the top of the group but has surprised positively. It should be noted, however, that the team has encountered a majority of the weaker teams in the group during the early part of the season, but without taking anything away from Inter – the team's going has been very strong and disciplined. The discipline shows that most of the games played by the team have ended with a one-goal difference, but converting those tight battles into victory takes a great amount of skill. Both @Fire_019 and @Stefan_397 have been crucial to guaranteeing Inter Iceland's success during the early part of the season.

 Tunnel Vision
In the early moments of the regular season, Tunnel Vision lost two of key players when talented @Eemil moved to SJ Gaming and goaltender @ITemeI moved on to JYP, both in pursuit of that famed Elite ice time. Although the team experienced player losses, there was also player traffic in the other direction, as the team was joined by a very experienced player, @JanneK. who is a great goalie that has the capability to steal games for his team. Their recent addition of @uhNikke makes them even stronger and solidifies Tunnel Vision as a title candidate. Production is very even across all three forwards and their defensemen are also chipping in, but they will need to ramp up their numbers in that department to be at the absolute top when the bigger games start.

Should do better:

 Vaxjo Lakers 
The Swedish Vaxjo Lakers have had a very challenging start to the season, but the team is firmly sticking to the lower seeded playoff spots despite having a bit of a tough time. A strong SCL put Vaxjo right up there as one of the strongest Swedish teams in the scene, but their ECL campaign hasn't quite worked out and some of the roster shuffling they did seemed to have impacted the team negatively. They might have dropped games here and there, but at least their powerplay has been as deadly as ever, finishing with a 57,14% efficiency rate.

 Kiekko-Espoo Esports
Kiekko-Espoo Esports made playoffs and even got the chance to qualify for an Elite spot at the end of ECL 10, but this season their usual selves have been nowhere to be found. Having seen minimal player turnover with only @Mikka leaving his winger position open for the at leas on paper equally talented @Borjendahlen the structure and dynamics of the team shouldn't have been thrown off so the question remains - what has happened in the offseason? Going below .500 in the season so far is troubling for a team of their prestige and Kiekko-Espoo needs to find a solution to their problems fast if they wan't to salvage their season.

Disappointing start:

 TIKI TALK
Halfway through the regular season, not all teams have kept up pace. TIKI TALK currently holds the tail end of the first group with way less games played than their competition. The team is very legendary in the scene and despite their golden ages being ancient history, TIKI TALK is still used to better than this. For the first time ever, they might be facing relegation to the Lite division. The team has not yet been able to scrape any wins from their matches. They have experienced major roster changes that will certainly affect the team's play, in defense of TIKI.

GROUP 2

Top performers:

 GOONS
GOONS cannot really be seen as a great surprise, as they were very active on the transfer market and made some great acquisitions such as former Elite level centerman @xKeskitalo and Black Horse defenseman @Miika. The team also received very strong reinforcements when @kriketski17 joined the playing roster out of the blue. This player move further boosted the team's stock in playoff battles and has spurred them in their push to the top of the table. 

 Djurgarden Hockey
Djugarden's high league ranking can be seen as something of a surprise early on especially considering that the team didn't make playoffs last season and have acquired an interesting centerman in @LordStanley46_, who takes the massive leap from Neo to Pro and doing that in a convincing fashion. The defensive extraordinaires have now fallen into a brewing losing streak, dropping three consecutive games which is causing some worry. DIF is among those teams that seems to have found the clue to a deadly powerplay though - scoring at a rate of 43,75%.

Should do better:

 Pata Hellalla
In the middle of group two Pata Hellalla has been a bit sidetracked for a very long time and at times the team has been very close to falling down the league level even. However, the team has a very long background in the scene and has gradually improved their game. Recent development has boosted their stock when considering potential playoff teams, and the playoffs is where they should do well with all their experience and the rejuvenated style of play.

 Enigma
Enigma started the regular season as a very heavy favorite to take group two, but success has not been achieved as hoped. As a result, some moves were made and newly acquired center @Ojamoska was allowed to leave. He was replaced by @laitineen64, who started the season with MUKIMIEHET and seemed to better the Enigma squad after a short adjustment period. Last season, the team was already knocking on those Elite gates, so it shouldn't be out of the question to see Enigma improve drastically as the season progresses.

 Nordic Stars
Nordic Stars has been one of those teams who seem to play every night for a very long time. they are also a very familiar sight in the Pro division as they have been in the division for all except one Elite season. The team consistently dominates the regular season but seems to fade away in the playoffs, maybe this time they'll do it the other way around? Their roster surely is as strong as ever and @Vire30 as a centerman is one of the better players in the division which makes you wonder when they'll start clicking and firing on all cylinders.
 

With that we'll be concluding this short snapshot into the ECL Pro season, if your team wasn't mentioned, don't worry - perhaps we'll get to you in the upcoming pieces! Do you agree with the takes above and if not, what do you think should have been discussed? As always, have fun - play hard!

NHLGamers,

We would like to remind every team that the transfer window for ECL Pro expires today at 23:59:59 CET. In turn, the ECL Elite transfer window is open until the end of December.

Quote

14. 1 Transfer Deadline
The deadline for transfers is set to 23:59:59 CE(S)T, on the following days:

• ECL Elite: 31^st of December 2020
• ECL Pro: 9^th of December 2020
• ECL Lite: 30^th of November 2020
• ECL Neo: 30^th of November 2020

Note: A player cannot leave a team after the deadline has passed (e.g. Pro and 9^th of December), and then join the team in another division where the deadline has not yet expired (e.g. Elite and 31^st of December).

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 14.1.

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. 

Also, be sure to tune in to our ECL Elite action presented by Wilhelm starting 19:45 CET at twitch.tv/NHLGamer! 

NHLGamers,

The ECL 11 Lite season has now progressed far enough that it's time for your Mid-season report. In this report we will be going through some of the groups, but taking a look at teams that have impressed and some that should have showed us a bit more.

The style of this report might change a bit this time due to the fact that the Lite division has an increased number of teams. For this reason, I decided to attempt writing as widely as possible about the Lite season while keeping it brief in order to keep this report as readable as possible. So with readability and clarity in mind and with the objective of including as many teams as possible, some aspects might be covered at a glance.

Who's hot, who's not?

Fist off, some star teams and some teams which had not played so well when reflecting on the expectations these teams should have had before the season.

Top performers

 ECDC Memmingen Esports

As predicted in the season preview, this strong team has taken their place in the TOP 3 of the standings and has scored a huge number of goals - averaging 6,1 per game in fact. Attacker @Wowa_1995 (36+46) is currently at 3rd position in the league scoring race.

 Tic Tac Toes

Prior to the season Tic Tac Toes was predicted to be one of the better teams of the season. Last season went well and their form has continued from where it left off. @Wpaanane (39+46) and @Artuzio (35+41) are among their stars of the season so far. @L4nnisto was initially expected to start as goalie but has played as a skater (6+36) and seen zero action in net so far.

 MUKIMIEHET

The legendary team that has been reunited and was one of the strongest contenders in the preview of the season. They haven't been as dominantly strong as they could have been but still played more or less like you might expect. @hpkfani has had a great season so far in terms of points (19+36) and @PCJP as a goalie (84,43 SV%) has performed outstandingly.

 Hokurit

Same applies as for Tic Tac Toes. One of the success stories of last season continues their good form. In Group 5, Hokurit is one of the teams playing for the group win together with Dynastia. @Somerjoki as one of the best goalies (81,6 %) in Lite so far has been one of the teams key players contributing to their success. @jouni29 is Hokurit´s best in scoring currently (33+27). The team spent last weekend in bonding terms at a cabin somewhere in the Finnish wilderness - by the looks of it, the guys could have some shaky thumbs on Sunday evening, but all in all the team should come away a stronger unit.

 Dynastia

Two of their players @Majuri20 (31+54) and @makichuk (57+27) are leading in scoring and assist stats which has had a tremendous impact on the whole teams performance. Dynastia is currently at the top of the table in group 5. They have some very experienced players and should be able to handle an upcoming playoff run well.

 Bjorkloven Esport

Outstanding 100% win rate so far in 14 games at the writing time of this report. Scoring an average of 5,5 goals per game. Tremendous season at the group stage so far and has the potential to go undefeated but it remains to be seen if this form will continue in the playoffs. Strong finalist contender if they can even somehow keep up their level of play. @Tacterz(23+36) and @olgaaa71 (21+36) are the leading players of Bjorkloven Esports so far this season.

 SPIRIT
SPIRIT is a squad in group 7 that has managed to go 17-0-0 so far into the season. Having a group of players from former Me Carvoset makes for a strong foundation and adding some well rounded pieces to that has seemed to work for the club. Currently @Toivonen_ at the right wing is their go-to-guy with a nice lead in the points department.

Improvement expected

 TuTo Esports

Expected a whole lot more than struggling to reach to play-off positions. Recently improved their playing a little bit potentially at the point of acquiring @topikeranen and results have followed. Has risen above the playoff line but still needs more points to remain in such a position. Has the potential to do better and have lost many games with only a 1 or 2 goal margin or in OT. If they reach playoffs they might still be a tough task for most opponents at the later stages of the season.

 Sjukstugan

Last season was a success as along with teams like Tic Tac Toes and Hokurit that have proven most of their potential so far unlike Sjukstugan. The quality team Sjukstugan is you should and can expect a whole lot of more from them. At the moment in an 8 win streak but still needs to win more games to secure their place in the playoffs. Has some crucial games in last rounds of the regular series against TuTo Esports and EISFORCE Hockey. Has the experience to be a really tough playoff opponent.

Group overview

We are also going to take a short look at the groups in general and speculate a bit on playoff positions and the potential outcomes in the groups. The speculation is based on the time of writing which is Sunday, 6th of December and situations might have changed since. In some groups the top two places are quite clear already but all the other positions in the table are still wide open.

Group 1

ECDC Memmingen Esports is a strong contender for winning the group. Almtuna and Hammarby Hockey are challengers but are more likely playing for positions 2 and 3. Positions 7-13 in the table are still open and most likely the last playoff places will be determined in the very last rounds of the regular season. One of the highlights in the playoff race is KohKae Esports vs Virtuoso towards the end of the season. KohKae Esports also has high stakes in their matches against Clowns on Ice who are also still in the pursuit playoffs so it will be a tough battle for sure.

Some upcoming matchups to watch:

Almtuna Esports vs Juggernauts (top 4 positions )

Remparts de tour Esports vs Almtuna Esports (top positions)

Hammarby Hockey vs Blackjacks (top 4 positions)

ECDC Memmingen vs Almtuna Esports (title-race)

KohKae Esports vs Virtuoso (Playoff-race)

KohKae Esports vs Clowns on Ice (Playoff-race)

Group 2

Tic Tac Toes still have chances for the title. Pahat Pommittajat and Golden Nights are the two fiercest rivals to fight for the top spot. Ringette HC is not out of the battle yet either. Verket and Northern Legacy Esports are most likely to play for the last playoff place. The Last Line still needs more points to secure their place and DEG Esports are not yet  completely out. Some teams have more games at the moment than others so that can give the edge to the team that has more games in pushing the pressure to the team that has some catching up to do.

Some upcoming matchups to watch:

The Last Line vs Golden Nights (Both fighting for crucial points)

DEG Esports vs Pahat Pommittajat (Both fighting for crucial points)

Tic Tac Toes vs Ringette HC (playing for top 4 places)

Group 3

Bjorkloven Esports are convincingly going on towards winning the group. There are still teams in short distance who can still challenge like Exerceo and Sinister. In the playoff race the situation is as close as can be: nearly all teams between positions 5-13 can still reach playoffs and also drop out if they go on a cold run. Only the bottom team Mighty Stixxx is out of the playoffs for sure.

Some upcoming matchups to watch:

Bjorkloven Esports vs Sinister (top spot on the table)

Grenoble BDL Esports vs Teutons (playoff race)

Grenoble BDL vs Lulea Hockey (playoff race)

Group 4

MUKIMIEHET have returned to ECL in convincing fashion. However the fight for the group #1 spot is still wide open. Teams like Sopranos and ASM Hockey are among the contenders racing for the last playoff spots with their matchup being one of the key battles determining the playoff race. In addition to that, ASM Hockey particularly still has some games against other teams in that mid-table range which are really important. Sopranos also has many important matches later in the regular season like the game against Northern Falcons which is important to both teams for different reasons: Northern Falcons is playing for a top 4 position whereas Sopranos fights for that last playoff spot. 

Some upcoming matchups to watch:

MUKIMIEHET vs Calzone HC (top spot on the table) 

Sopranos vs ASM Hockey (playoff race)

ASM Hockey vs Saucer Hockey (playoff race)

Oton Letkutemppu vs Baby Goons (playoff race)

Oton Letkutemppu vs ASM Hockey (playoff race)

Group 5

Dynastia is leading quite clearly at the moment but Hokurit is trailing close behind. Arguably THE match of the regular season in the group - and probably in the entire division so far - is Dynastia vs Hokurit at the very last round of the regular season. Close to the playoff line the most interesting teams are the teams in positions 5-12. The point differences are very small and the last playoff spots will most likely be solidified in the very last games. Illumination, Handu Pumpulla, Night Shift Hockey and Bare Knuckles Hockey are the ones to watch going forward.

Some upcoming matchups to watch:

Dynastia vs Hokurit (top spot on the table)

Illumination vs Handu Pumpulla (playoff race)

Illumination vs Bare Knuckles Hockey (playoff race)

Group 6

Group 6 is wide open and nearly all spots are open to contest. Therefore, many games are crucial towards the end of the season. It is very probable that all the positions in 1-8 range will not be solidified until the very last rounds. One of the most important matches are Burning Goats games against Rogle BK and Helter Skelter since the results of those matches play a major role in determining the last playoff spots. Old Farts against Armada Hockey and Black Sharks are some of the games that will decide the group winner. Black sharks and Old Farts will also be battling for #1 between the two of them.

Some upcoming matchups to watch:

Old Farts vs Armada Hockey (top spot on the table)

Rogle BK vs Helter Skelter (playoff race)

Helter Skelter vs Burning Goats (playoff race)

Old Farts vs Black Sharks (top spot on the table)

Rogle BK vs Burning Goats (playoff race)

Group 7

Arguably the most notable race for the top spot is between Spirit and Tequila Sunrise who have matches to play against each other. TuTo Esports are finding themselves in the playoff race although they would have the potential to fight for the top spot. Their games against Syndrome and Sjukstugan will be tremendously important in deciding where they end up in the group. GIFU Hockey is another contender for winning the group and is currently in second place based on point average.

Some upcoming matchups to watch:

TuTo Esports vs Syndrome (playoff-race)

Spirit vs Tequila Sunrise (title-battle) 

TuTo Esports vs Sjukstugan (playoff-race)

Sjukstugan vs EISFORCE HOCKEY (playoff-race)

NHLGamers,

We're underway with perhaps (as always) the most exciting ECL Elite season yet. The first week held three broadcast nights and a bunch of interesting matchups outside that and we're really happy with the turnout in the streams. Our teams surely did not disappoint as we saw a bit of everything over the course of the first week- some games proved to be scoring battles and others were a bit tighter, we even saw a goal of the season candidate in the first week when Joona @jm98II Muona of YMCA Esports put his hands on display in this beauty of a goal:

The incredible moves on display unfortunately posterized hREDS defenseman Tuukka @Tuukka.R Röpelinen, who will without a doubt be bouncing back and has been seen starting some minor Twitter beef with Gotham Knights defenceman Timi @Rimpe Rimpeläinen - the two will be going head to head already tonight in an exciting hREDS - Gotham matchup.

We were also treated to some of the bigger goals we've seen in a while, when newly signed HAVU Gaming goaltender Oskari @sibeelius Grönroos was pulled for the extra skater at the end of their matchup against JYP Jyvaskyla. The long-time netminder managed to snag a massive goal against his former team to tie up the game, what a performance!
 

To move on from the ridiculous goals that were on display this past week, we've also got to discuss the standings situation, despite it not being worth looking into too much after only a few rounds have passed by. After the first week we've got SJ Gaming and Vesa Pompa HC topping the table, albeit with two games in hand on the rest of the pack. Teams that are at the bottom of the standings still without their first win are Team LEISURE and SAWO ESPORTS, who will be going into the second week of action with some pressure of notching that first W soon enough. SAWO will be showcased in an NHLGamer broadcast against Gotham Knights on Wednesday, maybe that will be their chance? Other interesting matchups scheduled for the upcoming week are the Swedish rivalry Farjestad - Vesa Pompa, which will be broadcasted tonight and Thursday night's Finnish esports org clash between KOVA Esports and SJ Gaming.

Transfers
It's a somewhat rare occasion to see some movement at the Elite level after the start of the season, but some transfers have come to knowledge in the past week or so, we'll also be recapping possible movement in these reports. Here are the transfers that have come to light since the ECL 11 Elite season preview:

HAVU Gaming  
OUT Topi @topikeranen Keränen, TuTo Esports

After being in a backup role with Written In The Stars/HAVU Gaming since ECL 7, @topikeranen made the decision to move on to a playing role with Lite team TuTo Esports. He is taking a massive role in the club and will definitely be making an impact, which he already has in his first six games of the season. His departure will not affect the competitiveness of HAVU Gaming in any way.

SJ Gaming 
IN Eemil @Eemil Koski, Tunnel Vision
IN Samu @Ojamoska Ojamo, Enigma

SJ Gaming have secured their much needed second starting defenseman in what seems to have been a package deal when signing @Eemil to play a huge role in their defense and @Ojamoska to a potential backup job at the center position, both of former Raccoon Rampage fame. The move significantly strengthens the defensive core of SJ Gaming, but might throw balance on the offensive side off if they need to work @Ojamoska into their seemingly clear plans in that department.

Power Rankings

Making a return this season will be the Elite: Power Rankings, provided by @MartindalexC. As always, the rankings are generated by weighting a team's results with the level of opposition that was faced, i.e. a team that went 4-0-0 against teams at the very bottom of Elite may very well be ranked below a team that went 0-4-0 against Elite's very finest. Due to time constraints, the first edition of these rankings will be pretty bare, and thus missing any additional writing that looks to elucidate the minutiae of what went into each respective ranking. The base ranking used for the first week is the ECL 11 Elite Preview. So without further ado, let's have a look at how teams fared over this first week:

1.  HAVU Gaming (4-0-0) [+2]

2.  FILADELPHIA (3-0-1) [=]

3.  hREDS (2-2-0) [-2]

4.  YMCA Esports (1-2-1) [+2]

5.  SJ Gaming (5-1-0) [+8]

6.  Vesa Pompa (5-1-0) [+5]

7.  JYP Jyvaskyla (1-2-1) [-2]

8.  KOVA Esports (3-1-0) [-1]

9.  Farjestad BK (3-1-0) [-1]

10.  Gotham Knights (1-3-0) [=]

11.  SAWO Esports (0-3-1) [+3]

12.  Northern Ascendancy (2-1-1) [-3]

13.  Team Leisure (0-3-1) [-1]

14.  Conquer Gaming (2-2-0) [+2]

15.  Roots Gaming (1-2-1) [-11]

16.  Dark Horse (1-3-0) [-1]

NHLGamers,

Welcome to the 2nd half of the ECL11  Neo mid-season report where we’ll look at Groups 6 through 10. Let’s get back to it, shall we!

Group 6

Group 6 looks to have a clear winner already, with Latvian Warriors cruising in to a comfortable 5 point lead over nearest challengers Bone Breakers, who they won both games against earlier in the season. MOGA and EHC Traktor Chelyabinsk sit behind in 3rd in 4th place, but the playoff battle in the group remains wide open. Only 7 points separates MOGA, EHC Traktor Chelyabinsk, HC Poteropojat, Nordic Eagles, Etuna Eagles, Acta Non Verba and Aina Pystyy, with some of the lower placed in these teams already averaging a higher points per game average than the teams above them, with several games in hand over their rivals.

Etuna Eagles will battle this week with Acta Non Verba, and Nordic eagles, the teams above and below them, in what will shape a fascinating playoff race in group 6. With the games coming thick and fast for these sides, the playoff race in group 6 could end with as little as 2 points between 7 teams. SC Rackelhahn eV, who sit bottom of the group with just a point will also play key games vs Bone Breakers and MOGA. While Rackelhahn can no longer qualify for the playoffs, their solitary win came in OT vs the Group leading Latvian Warriors, in their most recent round of games and they will take confidence from this going into the end of their season.

Key team stats

Most points per game:  Latvian Warriors (1.8)
Most goals per game:   Latvian Warriors (3.08)
Least goals against per game:  Latvian Warriors (1.42)
Best power play:  SC Rackelhahn eV (40%)
Best penalty kill:  MOGA (91.67)

Group 7

UKnighted HC hold a comfortable lead in Group 7 at the midway point. With just 1 loss to their names this season, and holding two wins over nearest rivals IHL Rams, they certainly hold advantage in the group. The most likely side to cause them problems is Masiina. Who also hold one loss, but winning their 2 extra games will leave them tied at the top of Group 7, with UKnighted and Masiina to meet in the final round of fixtures, neither side can afford to slip up in their remaining games. Elsewhere in the top half of the group, Karhukissat are sitting pretty in 4th place but 3 losses at this early stage may have already turned their table topping dreams into a damp squib.

In the playoff battle, Ballbusters HC and Gleumes Hockey Krefeld occupy the final playoff spots, holding a considerable points advantage over the teams below them. In 7th place, most likely playoff spot challengers IHL Royals can still look to spring a surprise and overtake Krefeld but it will prove a difficult challenge. Games against HC Ice Time, Russian Ghouls, and leaders Uknighted leaves the Royals needing a minimum of 6 points prior to their last round of games which sees them play against Krefeld.

At the bottom, Czech side The Hockey Crew, have disappointed this season. Holding just a single win over fellow strugglers Russian Ghouls. HC Ice Time also sit outside the playoff race, with their defensive struggles being the cause of their woes, as their offence has been effective despite their league position.

Key team stats

Most points per game:  UKnighted HC (1.83)
Most goals per game:   UKnighted HC (8)
Least goals against per game:   UKnighted HC (1.17)
Best power play:   UKnighted HC (44.74%)
Best penalty kill:  UKnighted HC (89.47%)

Group 8

A top of the table encounter tonight between EHC Tatneft AK Bars and the Finnish Finishers may well decide the winners of the group if either side can take the 4 points on offer in regulation, be sure to keep an eye out on twitch for these games! The Russians, who hold a 3-point advantage going into tonight’s games will see this as an opportunity to put the Group out of sight if they can put the Finishers away early.

In the playoff spots, it remains extremely tight. BackDoorLoosters hold 3 points over their group rivals but just a single point separates x6tence Hockey, HC Palosaari and Team Czechoslavakia and French side Remparts Tours Esport 2. These sides all play each other in the coming week in what is the most cutthroat playoff race in ECL Neo this season. As Spain’s solitary representatives in ECL, x6tence will be hoping they can carry the flag into the playoffs but face a tough schedule to allow this to happen.

At the bottom, Swiss Seniors, HC Korobka and French Rookies are all well out of the playoff race. The Rookies sit bottom of the group but and face Korobka tonight in battle to move off the bottom. For the Seniors, while the playoffs are gone, their remaining games against Finishers and Palosaari gives them a huge chance to affect the final group standings should they pull off a shock.

Key team stats

Most points per game:  EHC Tatneft AK Bars (1.71)
Most goals per game:   EHC Tatneft AK Bars (6.71)
Least goals against per game:  Finnish Finishers (1.92)
Best power play:   Finnish Finishers (41.67%)
Best penalty kill:  EHC Tatneft AK Bars (100%)

Group 9

Group 9 sees both a 3 team race for Group winner and a 6 team race for the playoffs. At the top, Vemppaosasto sit with a 3 point lead over Dynamo Dragons. Vemppaosasto however have the benefit of games against strugglers Epinal HC Esport and playoff challengers Uudenmaan Oilers to round of their race for the top. Dynamo Dragons face fellow Challengers The Real Rookies in the final round of fixtures however. The Rookies are the most physical side in Neo this season, racking up 296 hits so far this season.

Herforder Ice Dragons debut season sees them hold a comfortable lead over the other playoff challengers. Just three points separates the next four teams, Enkopings SK HK eSport, Uudenmaan Oilers, EASHL Russian, and Motherfreakerz. Of these 4, Motherfreakerz hold the advantage in scheduling with 2 games to play against bottom side Karvanakit, maximum points here followed by a huge match this week vs the Oilers would see them sneak into the playoffs for the first time in 4 attempts.

Karvanakits position in the table could be false however, as they are yet to play three of the four teams that lie directly above them, and while wins in all six of these games is unlikely, it would still be enough to pull them in to the playoff race also.

Key team stats

Most points per game:  Vemppaosasto (1.71)
Most goals per game:   Vemppaosasto (4.64)
Least goals against per game:   Dynamo Dragons (1.5)
Best power play:  Dynamo Dragons (43.48%)
Best penalty kill:  Vemppaosasto (94.12%)

Group 10

Group 10 sees possibly the strangest table in ECL Neo. With the race for the top underway, All, 6 teams in the playoff spots can still win the Group. Due to this, all 6 teams sit at least 8 points clear of the teams outside the playoffs, having played the same number of games, or less. Outside the playoff places, both Swiss Tigers, EHC Ice breakers sit tied at the bottom with just one win each. Annecy Hockey eSport, sit above in 8th but need 6 wins from their final 6 to mount a very unlikely playoff challenge. Taskubulis in 7th need the same.

At the top, a 2nd game loss for EHC Amur against Annecy leaves them also needing straight wins to secure the group, despite having beat nearest challengers Monkey Brotherhood twice earlier in the group. With the Brotherhood unlikely to slip up tonight against Ice Breakers, it’s all to play for in the top 2. Ettan IK play both teams in the deciding week of fixtures and will want to prove that they can also challenge the top teams, with just 4 points separating them from the top its everything to play for Ettan.

For Wisby Islanders this week, they will look to right things on offence as their 15 minutes on attack against Deggendorfer SC eSports mustered them just 3 goals, and zero wins.

Key team stats

Most points per game:  EHC Amur (1.67)
Most goals per game:   EHC Amur (5.92)
Least goals against per game:  Wisby Islanders (2.33)
Best power play:   EHC Amur (60.61%)
Best penalty kill:  Biggie Stockholm (90.91%)

With that, we conclude this second part of our ECL 11 Neo mid-season report. The last half of the season is already underway and now is the time to rack up those extremely important points, we wish all teams good luck in the pursuit of those last playoff spots!

NHLGamers,

Welcome to the first half of the ECL Neo mid-season report. As things begin to heat up in the race for the playoffs, we will take a look at the at the teams leading the race in pursuit of Group glory, the teams chasing those elusive final playoff spots, and the teams at the bottom looking to cause problems. Let's get on with the good stuff:

Situations may have changed since the writing of this article - the article was written on 3.12.2020.

Group 1

We begin with EV Duisburg and Reign who sit tied with 18 points each at the top of the group. Reign, however, hold two games over their rivals at the top. Reign will have their work cut out as they look to create an assured lead at the top of Group 1, they play their two fixtures in hand this Saturday evening against ambitious Piukat Paikat who sit just below them in third place, albeit with four more fixtures played. Both Reign and Duisburg then have a huge night this Sunday as they hold double headers. Duisburg play Eskilstuna Snake at 20:00 CET, and Reign face Black Wings HC, before the two meet each other in what could be a winner takes all encounter at 21:00 CET. 

In mid table, Rostedtin Jetit could remain the surprise package of the group. An incredibly tough early schedule has seen them face all the teams above them already, losing just twice. They finish the season with games against teams in the bottom 3 of the group, but fixtures with Black Wings and Northmen before this stretch could see their group topping dreams diminish. Northmen’s debut season in the ECL has been successful so far, with a staggering 72% powerplay success rate being the key to their success, but an opening day OT loss against Black Wings could come back to haunt them.

In the race for the final playoff spot, Black Wings sit in 6th place with a comfortable three-point lead over nearest challengers, Alpenforcer.  With a game in hand, they will look to extend this lead further. Eskilstuna Snake are the only team outside the playoff spots with a real chance to make up their point deficit, but 4 wins in a row for a team who have only won 2 games all season may be too much to ask. At the bottom, Polish Patriots have lost by 11 goals four times this season and will be hoping that they can recover some pride before the end of the season.

Key team stats
Most points per game:  Reign (1,8)
Most goals per game:  Piukat Paikat (4.71)
Least goals against per game:  EV Duisburg (1.5)
Best power play:  HC Northmen (72.73%) 
Best penalty kill:  Alpenforcer (89.29%)

Group 2

It’s tight at the top of group two as 5th Line Heroes, Aladinit, Pinaattikone and Bauer Rangers GmbH battle it out for Group winners. With no team in these four having lost more than two games in regulation, it boils down to a number of big fixtures between the teams in the closing gamedays. Pinaattikone will face all three of their rivals in their final 6 games, meaning they are the only team in the group that control their own destiny: win all 6 in regulation and they will win the group, lose one and it all gets very complicated!

In mid table, Mora IK eSport should have done enough to secure their playoff spot considering the struggles of the teams below them. While their tough finishing schedule contains group challengers Bauer and Aladinit, they have a fixture against group whipping boys Valhalla Riddare HC which should give them the 4 points needed to guarantee their progress.

Occupying the final playoff spot is HC PyllistyS. They must defeat Redlight Jokers this Sunday to secure their own progress. Redlight, who also control their own fate, must win both games vs PyllistyS in regulation to give themselves hope of progressing before facing fellow playoff hopefuls Iserlohn Roosters and finally, Valhalla Riddare. Pirate Esports must also hope for a Jokers win vs PyllistyS, as they face the challenge of a penultimate game vs 5th Line Jokers before concluding their season against PyllistyS.

For Valhalla it has been a debut season to forget. 11 games, 11 losses. Nevertheless, they hold they hold the key to other team’s playoff fates in their hands and will look to throw a spanner in the works before the end.

Key team stats
Most points per game:  5th Line Heroes (1.75)
Most goals per game:  5th Line Heroes (5.08)
Least goals against per game:  Bauer Rangers GmbH (1.4)
Best power play:  Aladinit (21.05%) 
Best penalty kill:  5th Line Heroes (97.44%)

Group 3

Group 3 is the most cut and dry group in the division. Electric-paced newcomers Fila De La HC have raced to the top of Group 3 and are yet to lose in regulation. Their final fixtures against fellow challengers Sesku Patversme and the always dangerous Russian Lightning give Fila the chance to win the group outright having never lost a match in 60 minutes. A stat that would mark them out as extremely dangerous opposition for any potential playoff opponents. Sesku Patversme could still upset their party however, a double victory over Fila, combined with wins over third place Sawolanche, and some help from Russian Lightning in their fixtures over Fila gives them a chance of upsetting the odds.

In the middle of the pack, NHLgang and Goosebumps look clear favourites for the final playoff positions. UnknownHeroes sit just outside the playoff spots and will look to overhaul NHLgangs points advantage. With this said, their inability to defeat the Gang in the last round of fixtures leaves their playoff hopes hanging by a thread. Particularly with NHLgang still to face the 0-10 Galaxy Huskies.

At the bottom of the group, Galaxy Huskies prop up the table, but close out the season with fixtures against fellow strugglers OilBarons and Tango Delirium which gives all three teams a chance to avoid last place in the group and the dreaded wooden spoon.

Key team stats
Most points per game:  Fila De La HC (1.86)
Most goals per game:  Sesku Patversme (6.58)
Least goals against per game:  Sesku Patversme (1.25)
Best power play:  Sesku Patversme (26.09%) 
Best penalty kill:  NHLgang (100%)

Group 4

At the top of Group 4 Ultimatum are also unbeaten so far this season in regulation, racking up a frightening average of 7.5 goals per game on their journey to the top. Hannover Indians eSports look to be the only team left in the group that can challenge Ultimatum, with the two teams set to meet this Sunday in a top of the table encounter.

Packing out the rest of the playoff spots are Million Plus, EHC Basel eSports, SCB eSports. With Fearless Knights holding on to the final play-off spot, their fixture with 7th placed HC Sokol Moscow this Sunday could be a knockout blow for the Moscow side should they fail to take all 4 points on offer against the Knights. Given that they entertain Group leaders Ultimatum and challengers Hannover prior to the season’s conclusion, 4 points is a must for the Men from Moscow. The two Swiss sides Basel and Bern have enjoyed strong debut seasons, and with their Points per game positions will both enjoy pressure free games vs Ultimatum before the close of group play as they seek to send out a playoff warning to potential rivals in the next round. 3rd place Million Plus, with their low points per game average, will also be watching this weekends fixtures with a bit more anxiety as they seek to avoid being pulled into a playoff spot struggle.

Legion of Doom, who sit dead last in Group 4, having been crushed 19-1 by Ultimatum in Season 11’s biggest margin of defeat, entertain fellow strugglers Puliveivarit and HC Porokeisarit. These 3 teams may look at these encounters as a way to build a winning mentality in competitive 6’s before their return to ordinary play.

Key team stats
Most points per game:  Ultimatum (1.89)
Most goals per game:  Ultimatum (7.56)
Least goals against per game:  Ultimatum (2)
Best power play:  Ultimatum (48.28%) 
Best penalty kill:  Ultimatum (100%)
 

Group 5

‘It’s lonely at the top, but the view is nice.’ - Rahinakaukalo.

Finnish club Rahinakaukalo have utterly dominated Group 5. 12 played, 12 wins and 15 goals conceded in the process. They have defeated 2nd place Norrland twice this season, and face 3rd place Dead Evil on Sunday. You would be hard pressed to find someone willing to bet against them winning 18 straight, they have been that dominant. Norrland and Dead Evil also look secure in their playoff qualification and it would take a monumental collapse by both teams to see them enter the playoff battle.

In 4th place, 3Tuna Le Sport are being led to a fine season by Captain TableHockey, and despite some last-minute roster changes prior to the season puck drop, they have looked convincing. Tough single goal losses to Norrland in the last round of fixtures were a sore blow to the Swedes, but they do not look like slowing down in their playoff pursuit. Team Rocket, Yellow Jackets and KulmalaHengaus will battle it out for the final playoff sport, with less than 3 points separating these teams with 6 fixtures remaining, it’s going to be a no holds barred battle in the Group 5 playoff hunt.

KulmalaHengaus hold the advantage in the pursuit for the playoffs, facing both Yellow Jackets and Team Rocket in their remaining fixtures. Full points from these games would place them in the playoff spots going into the final fixture round.

At the bottom HC Lachen’s troubles continue, they are 1-11 going in to a 3-game stretch against 3 teams in the playoff hunt. With this said, their single victory this season came against 3rd place Dead Evil, with no pressure on Lachen, they could always create another upset.

Key team stats
Most points per game:  Rahinakaukalo (2)
Most goals per game: Rahinakaukalo (5.83)
Least goals against per game: Rahinakaukalo (1.25)
Best power play:  Yellow Jackets (32.26%) 
Best penalty kill:  Dead Evil (100%)

That's it for the first part of our mid-season report! We'll be releasing the overview of the rest of the groups shortly.

Hey NHLGamers,

For the start of ECL Season 11 we’ve put together a set of 16 wallpapers for the ECL Elite teams. Rep your favourite team by downloading the wallpaper and setting it as your phone Lock Screen!

Without further ado, go grab yours!

NHLGamers,

If you missed the previous parts of our preview, check them out here (part 1) or here (part 2).

In any competitive environment, be it business, sports or other ventures, the goal is to ascend to the top. For some, that goal is to be achieved as quickly as possible whereas others prefer to take their time. As the old adage goes; “the journey is the award”.

Regardless of your approach, the goal remains the same: climb upwards.

Nowhere is this scramble to reach the top more evident than in mountaineering. When you are climbing mountains, you are literally pushing yourself to make it to the top.

And, hopefully, back down again.

The better you get at summiting mountains, the greater the challenge becomes. Should you reach the pinnacle of mountaineering – the so-called “eight-thousanders” – you are staring down the 14 tallest peaks on the planet, including Mt. Everest. And it is when you reach this level that you first come into contact with the inhospitable, ruthless environment known as “the death zone”.

Dramatic as it sounds, the death zone is exactly what you think. It is the altitude-level of the mountain (8000+ meters) at which point oxygen levels become so low, your ability to breathe so hindered, that the cells in your body begin to die. The human body just cannot exist in such an environment for more than a brief period of time.

Basically, the longer you stay in the death zone the more likely you are to succumb and die.

At NHLGamer, the closest thing we have to a death zone is ECL Elite.

And while the top 16 teams in Europe are thankfully not in danger of running out of oxygen any time soon, they know what it is like to spend time in an inhospitable environment. Because not only are your 15 opponents in Elite doing everything in their power to keep you from reaching the summit; each and every team below this “death zone” would like nothing more than to see you plummet from the top, taking your place in the process.

Such are the conditions facing Black Horse, Farjestad BK, FILADELPHIA, GHETTO FIREBIRDS, Gotham Knights, HAVU Gaming, hREDS, JYP Jyvaskyla, KOVA Esports, Northern Ascendancy, Roots Gaming, SAWO ESPORTS, SJ Gaming, Team LEISURE, Vesa Pompa and YMCA Esports headed into ECL 11 Elite.

And at the very top – the teams usually expected to be the first ones to plant their flag at the summit of this metaphorical Mt. Everest – we usually find the likes of FILADELPHIA, HAVU Gaming, JYP Jyvaskyla and hREDS.

But remember, the longer you stay in the death zone the greater the danger becomes. 

And after multiple consecutive tournaments of being viewed as the best of the best in pre-season rankings, could there now be trouble brewing at the top? Or will we find the same teams prevailing?

As late as FCL 2020, the last NHLGamer tournament to be played on the NHL 20 edition of EA SPORTS series of hockey games, these four teams made up the ‘top 4’. FILA defeated HAVU in the finals by a series score of 3-2, whereas JYP claimed the bronze by defeating hREDS 2-1.

Since then, much has changed.

1.  hREDS (ECL 10 Elite: 4th - Semifinals)

hREDS is the team that has experienced the least amount of change as of late. In fact, the lineup of seven this Helsinki-based organization is fielding for ECL 11 is exactly the same as it was for FCL – minus a loan player or two. The hREDS roster is one of tremendous promise, a group that have stayed together for a long time and have put in the work in NHL 21 to be able to ascend from contenders to champions. Could this be the season where their roster consistency finally pays off? If so, it’ll happen through Joakim @Joukki Nyholm slamming one-timers from the left wing, Perttu @Beniittto Kemppainen weaving through traffic like a precision driver, Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen making opponents’ heads spin behind the net, Tuukka @Tuukka.R Röpelinen and Teemu @Xteemuz Polttila conjuring up a formidable second wave with Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen and Mika @FinKonna Paasikontu forming a wall.

But first they need to get over the hump of the semi-finals – a roadblock that have put a stop to their title aspirations for the past couple tournaments.

Player to watch: Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen
This youngster came up a while ago and has just been getting better every season. The hREDS offense is arguably the most skilled in the entire division so you could rightfully pick just about anyone out of the tree to be their player to watch. But this time, the spotlight is on Nikke. While he might not always play with a razor-sharp focus when the opponent isn't up to snuff, as the going gets tough Nikke has a tendency to rise to the occasion and score the big goals. Will this be the season he truly solidifies himself as one of the best wingers in the game?
 

2.  FILADELPHIA (ECL 10 Elite: 2nd - Finals)

FILADELPHIA have gone through some changes since their FCL title, but those changes have mostly come outside the “core six” of Casper @ICappeI Lundgren, Joel @jtorro-_- Tourunen, Aleksi @loimmu Loimuvirta, Erik @Eki Tammenpää, Joonas @Patzlaf Paatiala and Paul @PleeMaker Arontie. The team’s utility players, successful Twitch streamer Joonas @SUPERVIRTA Virta and Swedish 1v1-specialist Sebastian @SebbeLarsen86 Larsen, both left the team in mutual agreement – Virta ending up with SAWO Esports and Sebbe returning “home” to Vesa Pompa HC. Instead, SCL silver medalist Jonas @poliskontroll Lindström was brought in to back up Cappe in net with Cappe taking on the role of utility forward outside of his netminding duties. On paper, FILA looks to have a good chance of claiming another title. Their starting lineup is, after all, unchanged.

However, a somewhat unique question mark remains for FILA: can you truly be a digital multi-sport esports pro? PleeMaker already achieved “verified” status (winning 27+ games in Weekend League) in FIFA 20 and have done so in FIFA 21 as well. What is new is that ICappeI has managed to do the same in FIFA 21 – twice even. While NHL is surely still the primary focus for both these gifted console gamers, getting the verified badge in FIFA does not come without a significant amount of time and effort invested. Can FILA keep their eyes on the prize?

Player to watch:  Joel @jtorro-_- Tourunen
We've all seen what Torro can do as he's been a dominant force for seasons on end already, but his SCL run in the Vesa Pompa jersey was something else and showed that there is an even higher ceiling for this guy. His calmness with the puck and the flow of his game is unparalleled. If it's one of "those" seasons, keep your eyes peeled for #40.
 

3.  HAVU Gaming (ECL 10 Elite: 3rd - Champion)

HAVU is another team that will see multiple players in their oh-so-successful starting lineup replaced. Or, well, in a way at least. Because while long-time left wing Ilmari @Buantso Lehkonen requested to be shifted from active roster to backup, the club chose to promote from within. Taking the reigns as starting LW will be former goaltender extraordinaire Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen. Now, for those who have been around the ECL scene for quite some time it is no surprise to see the gifted stickhandler and former 1v1 champion be the team’s choice for new LW. But it has been quite some time since Hansu last saw Elite action as a forward. ECL 6, to be precise. With Puantso being such a vital part of HAVU’s title collection, it certainly won’t be easy for the team to just “pick up where they left off” as if nothing happened. Not to mention, with Hansu now considered a forward – a new goaltender had to be found. Fortunately, HAVU were able to secure the services of long-time JYP wall Oskari @sibeelius Grönroos.

Even so, this kind of roster turnover means you cannot automatically just pencil HAVU in as a finalist this coming season as you perhaps could in previous iterations of Elite. The new-look green and black will have their work cut out for them. Will they be able to fend off the competing sharks smelling blood in the water?

Player to watch: Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen
Despite having all the experience in the world and having proven his skill on multiple occasions, Hansu is stepping into an extremely difficult situation in replacing one of the most clutch players in the HAVU roster. There's no doubt HAVU's offensive trio will be highly effective, but could the x-factor be fading with the absence of Puantso on the left wing?

4.  Roots Gaming (ECL 10 Elite: 7th - Quarterfinals)
The Kerava-based organization is home to some very experienced gamers that have spent an extended period of time together. The main change that is seen compared to their ECL 10 campaign is wingers Timi @Rimpe Rimpeläinen and Jere @keranee Keränen being exchanged for a high-powered offensive motor in André @Foppatofflan Liljegren - a move that's been paying dividends all offseason long for Roots as their offensive game is looking sharper than ever. Despite a whole slew of naysayers and doubters, long-time captain Juhani @Tanski87 Tanskanen has become a defensive force in the division and elevated his offensive game in the process. Roots are now also running a tandem of two very capable goalies in Joonas @swagx88 Kuossari paired with Kasper @Kaz_zu Ramstedt and it'll be interesting to see which one will see the majority of ice time. At least on paper, Roots have made small but important improvements to their roster and there should be no doubt this squad is making the playoffs. How far they go is entirely up to them.

Player to watch: André @Foppatofflan Liljegren
One of the great playmakers of the game is making a return. After spending the majority of his career with Northern Ascendancy in various forms and making a short stint in Djurgarden Hockey in ECL 10, the magician is returning to top tier competition. @Foppatofflan likes to have the puck on his stick but also move it quickly and smartly. He is the definition of a player that makes his linemates better alongside him. 

*****

For the first time in quite some time, we have seen significant changes among the perceived top 4. For the first time in quite some time, the future does not appear to be quite as set in stone as it has been in previous tournaments.

For the first time in quite some time, there could be trouble at the top.

We're kicking off the season already today with the first broadcast of the season at www.twitch.tv/NHLGamer starting 19:45 CET. Tune in for the action, we'll see you there!

NHLGamers,

We would like to remind every team that plays in either ECL Neo or ECL Lite that the transfer window for both series expires today at 23:59:59 CET. In turn, the ECL Pro transfer window expires on the 9th of December and the ECL Elite transfer window is open until the end of December.

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14. 1 Transfer Deadline
The deadline for transfers is set to 23:59:59 CE(S)T, on the following days:

• ECL Elite: 31^st of December 2020
• ECL Pro: 9^th of December 2020
• ECL Lite: 30^th of November 2020
• ECL Neo: 30^th of November 2020

Note: A player cannot leave a team after the deadline has passed (e.g. Pro and 9^th of December), and then join the team in another division where the deadline has not yet expired (e.g. Elite and 31^st of December).

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 14.1.

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. 

NHLGamers,

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

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

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

*****
 

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

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

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

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

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

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

7.  KOVA Esports (ECL 10 Elite: 10th)

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

*****

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



 

NHLGamers,

The ECL Elite holds the very best teams in the business and there's no denying the prestige that all of these 16 teams hold. It's no easy feat making it to the top and it's even harder gaining that ultimate prize - the championship. When someone wins, others lose and that's the way it's always been in sports. In the end there are no win-win situations and in a 16-team division there will always be several teams that face disappointment when it's all said and done. It's just the way it has to be. Despite playing at the highest level and actively being considered one of the 16 best teams in Europe - why not even in the World, losing always stings and it feels the exact same regardless of the level of play. It wears on players and teams, eating away at their chances to succeed. Getting stuck in a losing mindset can be detrimental to a team and if that happens, the tide can be hard to turn. The fight is never over though, there will always be chances to bounce back and continue the fight.

In this first part of our ECL 11 Elite season preview, we'll be going over six teams that we are expecting to be found towards the bottom of the table this upcoming season. These teams all have their place among the top 16, but various reasons lead us to believe that they would be having a tough time overcoming their opponents at a rate that would push them to see the more important games of the postseason. 

One of the combining factors for these teams outside of the fact that they are undoubtedly among the best in the business is that they might be among the group of teams that will be stuck in no-man's land or even worse - in the relegation zone. Being at the receiving end of several losses will effectively push down a team in the standings and finding yourself in the relegation zone is not a fun thing at all. While it is a chance for second breath as long as you avoid being dead last. It is unfortunately often the time when the core of a team is left to their own devices. What happens after a difficult season or how you deal with adversity is ultimately what defines you as a team. Being a part of this list is not a sentence, it is a challenge - game on!

*****

11.  Vesa Pompa HC (ECL 10 Elite: 11th)

Vesa Pompa HC has seen some great domestic success by being the back-to-back SCL champions and they've completed an impressive rise to the top in the ECL in that time span too. The Swedes made their first ECL Elite appearance last season and had a rather turbulent campaign at that. Vesa Pompa struggled mightily to start the season but after going 4-10-0 through the first half of their run, they recruited scoring legend Vili @Vilupoika Häkkinen to the rescue. ECL 11 sees the return of @Vilupoika and together with the skilled Henrik @Eken45jr Eklund and Jere @jergelii Jortama, the trio should pose a serious offensive threat at the top tier of ECL competition. Vesa Pompa HC went 9-5-2 to finish ECL 10 with @Vilupoika in their roster and should be able to continue on that same path. This season the competition is much harder though - will Vesa Pompa be able to improve along with the rest of the pack?

Player to watch: Vili @Vilupoika Häkkinen
Despite taking some time off, @Vilupoika proved that he still possesses the scoring touch that we saw back in his times with Butterfly Effect. Now reunited with good friend @jergelii, simply going through the motions should guarantee a solid amount of success, but if he wants to really battle for those playoff spots with Vesa Pompa, even a prolific scorer like him will have to step it up.
 

12.  Team Leisure (ECL 10 Elite: 6th - Quarterfinals)

The former Deadly Phantoms HC have been the proud torchbearers of the German NHL esports community for quite some time already and are already experienced players at the Elite level going into their fourth season with the big boys and seeing playoff action in each of their previous campaigns. They're a tough team to play for anyone as proven by their success so far, but there are clouds on the horizon. As usual, Team Leisure has seen limited action against other Elite teams due to their geographical location and the fact that one team would be at a disadvantage either way, but the server selection feature of NHL 21 will even out the score allowing Team Leisure to play their home games at the Central European server whereas away games will most likely be played at the North European server. It's not a matter of decreased skill in the ranks of Team Leisure - they're as strong as ever, but their opposition will be tougher this time, at least in 50% of the games this season.

Player to watch: Simon @PlaymakerSJ Junker
Having started his career with Team Leisure (then Deadly Phantoms), @PlaymakerSJ has consistently been one of the teams go-to guys when talking about generating offense, but the fact is that he is also a tremendously reliable player in his own end. Leisure is somewhat known for a disciplined style of play that evidently has been working for them. There's no room for slack when doing so and @PlaymakerSJ will be the last man to go easy on the opponent in that department.

 

13.  SJ Gaming (ECL 10 Elite: 13th)

Having escaped relegation after a 13th place finish in ECL 10 Elite, SJ Gaming might be finding themselves in a similar pickle to end this season again. The SJ Gaming of ECL 11 has been overhauled drastically, having renewed two forwards and a defenseman in their roster. As it seems currently, their defense will consist of captain Tero @Terodee Dahlström and Henri @Kusimaakari Raittinen, who steps down the flank from his more familiar forward position. Young talent Jiska @Jorma Näppä will be centering their dangerous offense but the question will ultimately be if they can hold up in their own end. We know for sure that these guys can score but alike last season, they have the occasional collapse defensively and letting in 5+ goals in your own net will not be sustainable if you're looking for success among the best in the business. It will be up to SJ Gaming as a unit to prove us wrong and instead of getting stuck in the relegation zone start improving on their performance from last season.

Player to watch: Jiska @jorma2001 Näppä
The youngster spent a total of four seasons playing at the top of the Pro division but somehow promotion always seemed to escape the teams he played for. After a short stint and some valuable experience in KOVA Esports, @jorma2001 is now ready to take on a leading role in the Elite division and will do so with ease. Playing alongside Jussi @JaKurrii Koivuniemi and Mikko @EABUNKA Kärkkäinen, the newest addition should be en route to a successful Elite debut season that will unfortunately be cut short if SJ Gaming makes the playoffs due to @jorma2001 heading into military service.

14.  SAWO Esports (ECL 10 Elite: 9th)

Formerly known as Checkmate, SAWO had a disgruntling start to their run in their crisp new black and yellow colors as they first dominated their group in the FCL, but faced a quick exit at the hands of rival Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa in the first round. Since then, the team has seen some changes mainly on the back end when letting Vesa @VesKuLiNe Voutilainen go in favor of signing Joonas @SUPERVIRTA Virta, who has a lot to prove this season going into his first ECL campaign ever in a starting role. SAWO as a whole will also need to rise up to the challenge this season, as they are going into their third run at the Elite level and have barely missed playoffs twice. The unfortunate thing this time is that their roster - at least on paper - looks weakened in comparison to ECL 10 and their recent competitive performances have clouded the sky for SAWO a bit.

Player to watch: Saku @Mehukatti10 Serttilä
@Mehukatti10 joined SAWO Esports goalie corps after spending most of his ECL career as a forward in various teams around the Lite and Pro region. As one of the teams newer members, he quickly found his groove in net and could be the one to steal the starting spot from his colleague Juuso @Juizki Nikkinen. Despite being green in net when it comes to ECL, this guy is not a newbie to the sticks at all and has nerves of steel. 

 

15.  Dark Horse (ECL 10 Pro Champion)

Dark Horse managed to gain direct promotion through winning the ECL 10 Pro championship and rightfully deserves their spot among the very best teams in the scene. They've got a very experienced core of players that has been strengthened by the addition of Kristian @Krisutus Räsänen, who lead the team in scoring in the FCL and will be flanking the teams successful duo Markus @Pasi Modry Vanhala and Mikael @Tapparafan Virtanen. The back end of Dark Horse has seen an overhaul since their last ECL stint and as it looks right now, it is largely up to Ville-Petteri @vviljo Särmä to take the lead in the teams own zone. The first season at the top level is always full of excitement and it is really a season to prove themselves for several of the players, some have kind of been drifting around for a couple of seasons and others are taking their first strides on the Elite ice. In fact, one of the main concerns there is with the Dark Horse squad is their lack of experience at the highest level of competition in the ECL - the team has a combined ECL Elite experience of only 161 games between two players, out of which @vviljo has racked up 137.

Player to watch: Kristian @Krisutus Räsänen
There's no reason why this kid shouldn't have a proper breakout season in his first Elite showing. @Krisutus has quickly paved his way through the masses of players and become one of the most exciting talents in the game. There are still some flaws, but the potential is undeniable. In his first competitive league (FCL) with Dark Horse, he already led the team in scoring throughout the regular season and provided a much needed second wave to captain @Tapparafan in the playoffs.
 

16.  Conquer Gaming (ECL 10 Elite: 12th)

Conquer seems to be one of those teams that never get a chance in these previews, right? They still end up surprising a bunch of teams and proving how little we know about ECL Elite after all. If we were to talk about teams facing adversity in the offseason, Conquer Gaming would be around the top of that list without a doubt. Things were looking up for them, impressing in their ECL Elite Premier and continuing it into the FCL, where they challenged JYP in the quarterfinals and just barely missed advancing. However, disaster struck like lightning from a clear sky when both Valeri @Valluxet Reihel and Saku @Sakkem Saaranluoma would be leaving for KOVA Esports in one of the biggest steals of the offseason. The fact is that both @Sakkem and @Valluxet were massive pieces of the machinery in the play of the team. As a great squad does, Conquer did not waiver and have been pushing forward with the assets at hand. Their disciplined style of play should be exactly what they need to enforce in order to see some success this season - they've got a roster of guys who know each other well but are at the moment somewhat limited in terms of skill when compared to the rest of the division.

Player to watch: Jere @Jertsicc Sirviö
The centerman has evolved as a player alongside his team since joining GHETTO FIREBIRDS back in ECL 7. After a true career season in ECL 9 Pro, he was doubted by many going into his first Elite campaign, but together with the solid unit that the former FIREBIRDS had built, they managed to show all naysayers that they were a force to be reckoned with. We're hoping to see a repeat of that this time, but the signs are not looking up for Conquer or @Jertsicc for that matter.

*****
 

Despite the even somewhat harsh words uttered about the teams above, we cannot stress it enough that we are talking about some of the very best in the business. Naturally we hope that these teams will do better than this and show all the doubters what they can really do in the world of NHL esports, however perhaps you get the picture based on this piece - the struggle is real.

NHLGamers,

With puck drop for ECL 11 Elite just some days away, today is the day for some big news! We're happy to announce our partnership with Atria Wilhelm, who will be joining the ECL as presenting partner. Together with Atria Wilhelm we are able to produce an awesome league that meets both the standards of our own and those of our passionate gamers. We're also bringing high stakes to the table with a prize pool of 15 000€ in ECL 11 Elite! Atria's Wilhelm product range will keep gamers and fans fed throughout the ECL season - find your favourite game night snacks, such as the Wilhelm Flaming hot snacks or the spicy Carolina Reaper sausage in stores all around Finland.
 

Alike last season we're happy to have an increasing number of organizations both from the esports scene and from the traditional sports side joining in on the ECL action. The highest tier of ECL competition will host 12 teams represented by an organization this season. It's a season we're more excited for than ever and with some changes going on at the top of the pack this might be the chance for just about anyone to steal the crown, bring it on we say!

Say hello to our new ECL cover gamer

We're also continuing the tradition started in ECL 8 and introducing this seasons cover gamer. As usual, our cover gamers have been players of ultimate prestige and joining the club together with Erik @Eki Tammenpää, Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen and Casper @ICappeI Lundgren is something we want to be considered as one of the greatest recognitions in the sport.

"There's no understating how great it is to join Eki, Hansu and Cappe as the fourth ECL cover gamer" -Tuukka "FlyerKungen" Kuha
 

With that being said, the time is right to announce that Tuukka @FlyerKungen Kuha will be the cover gamer of ECL 11. The HAVU Gaming captain has taken the long road to success, leading his team to several runs coming just short in the Written In The Stars-era, culminating in the multitude of championships clinched first with Written In The Stars and lately with HAVU Gaming. @FlyerKungen is one of the great players in the game and handles himself accordingly, being a true role model for his peers.

Photo credit: Tuomas Kujansuu, HAVU Gaming

"Being the cover gamer is a title I appreciate a lot. There's no understating how great it is to join Eki, Hansu and Cappe as the fourth ECL cover gamer in history and it's a huge honor for me. I've got a tremendous amount of respect for each of the previous cover gamers as they are truly guys who will go all out for victory. I've played together with all of them and can vouch for each one as good players and even better people. There's a lot of similarities to them and me, so I didn't think twice about accepting the offer to be the face of ECL 11. It's also a great show of respect to the success we've had with Written In The Stars, HAVU Gaming, FILADELPHIA and Linköping HC. It's great to see that it doesn't go unnoticed and credit is given where it is due. I feel like we've all been pioneers in paving the way for teams and players around the scene and we've tried to realize that in the way we conduct ourselves. There's a lot of young players in the scene and us experienced players need to think about the way we act both representing ourselves and our teams. It's crucial to act professionally, respecting your opponent and the end result. Among all the victories it is also important to learn how to lose."

ECL Elite Finals and prize pool

Due to the COVID-19 situation, the ECL 11 season is currently planned to be played entirely online. The semifinals are played between the 1st and 4th of February and the finals the 12th and 13th of February. More details about the playoffs will be shared as the season progresses towards that point.

The Elite division of the prize pool will be as follows:

#1. ECL 11 Elite Champion: 10 000 €
#2. ECL 11 Elite Runner-Up: 3 000 €
#3.-4. ECL 11 Elite Semifinal losers: 1 000 €

*Prizes are subject to tax as per Finnish law and the tax is withheld before payment. Prizes will be paid out within 90 days of the ECL 11 Finals.
 

When?
ECL 11 Elite kicks off on Monday, November 30th at 20:00 CET. Our broadcast of the night features heated battles between the previous season finalist FILADELPHIA and challenger hREDS, followed by JYP Jyvaskyla and Farjestad BK going head-to-head. 

Where/how to follow?

You saw the effort we put into our broadcast production during ECL 10 and we'll be continuing on that path during ECL 11. We've secured your favorite casters to continue with us on three nights weekly as broadcasts will be airing on Twitch.tv/NHLGamer each Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. The broadcasts will feature three various caster duos, as Cody @Tougie24 Tougas & Paul @Cyn Anderson, Drew "Farbsy" Goldfarb & Nick @f5penguin DiMeo and Arttu @OLVARI Hämäläinen & Julius Sorjonen will be in the booth this upcoming ECL season. Broadcasts on Thursdays will be in Finnish.

Social media

Twitter:

When posting tweets of your lineups, matchups, recaps, clips, articles - or any other content you might want to create - please make sure to tag the following accounts and hashtag: 

• @NHLGamerCOM
• #ECL11
• #mukanaWilhelm
• #NHL21
• #esports

Instagram:

When posting on Instagram, please make sure to tag the following accounts and hashtag: 

• @NHLGamerOfficial
• @atria_wilhelm
• #ECL11
• #MukanaWilhelm
• #NHL21
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About our main partner

Atria Wilhelm
Atria's Wilhelm product range has become a staple in Finnish snack culture throughout the years. Whether you're having a summer night barbeque or need something to go with the big game of the night - Wilhelm has you covered. Check out the full product range here!

About us

Since its inception, NHLGamer has continuously strived to offer the best possible experience for any and all gamers who have come to enjoy the competitiveness of playing the EA Sports series of NHL games. Created by gamers for gamers, we are very much in touch with the growing community and want to understand the fundamental desires of our end customers fully. The international competitive leagues in Europe (ECL) and North America (NACL) are our crown jewels, which have proven to draw interest from the very best teams and players worldwide. 
While proud of our achievements and the success we've had in creating and maintaining such a great community of talented gamers, we are not done yet. Our long-term goals include growing the community, hosting larger leagues with growing prize pools, and working together with organizations at the cutting edge of gaming and esports.

NHLGamers,

German elite team Deadly Phantoms HC will be joining the ranks of Team Leisure, a German esports organisation that will now be represented in the ECL 11 Elite season. Team Leisure was founded in 1999 and in their history they have had teams in several games such as Diablo, Counter Strike, FIFA, Call of Duty and League of Legends. In addition to their new NHL team, the organization currently has teams in Counter Strike and FIFA. There has also been success in their history, with their CS:GO team winning the ESL Meisterschaft in 2016 - a tournament known as the German Championship. 

"The main reason for partnering with Team Leisure was to get introduced to the nature of a true esports organisation. We had a partnership before but our former partner wasn't quite familiar with the world of esports. Therefore we decided to part ways and get to know a real esports organisation. We hope that they can help us with the next step forwards and with the whole project of an NHL esports club. They already have a FIFA Pro Clubs team in their organization which means to us that they are familiar with team sports which is a big plus.", commented team captain Frank @Franky__2768 Muench.

The Team Leisure organization is also excited about expanding to NHL esports: "We will be taking the next logical step for us with the engagement of the NHL team as we want to boost our portfolio of sport simulations. Anybody who watched a team match of the sport simulation category knows how that team spirit so important. When it comes to NHL, "action" will be the added factor. We are very excited to take on the upcoming tasks on the international stage together with the team."

Deadly Phantoms HC was established in 2010. One of the team's founders - Stefan @Rayman Mieth continues to play actively for the team. A few years ago, the team under experienced a complete rebuild, with which the team started their ECL 5 season from the Lite division and has made a steady ascent to the highest level since. The team has also had domestic success, winning the German championship five times in a row.

"We have different goals for the season which have to be completed step by step. The first goal is always to stay in the division. Over the last seasons the ranks 6-16 were pretty tight so basically one or two bad days can get you from playoff bound to relegation. Hopefully we will qualify for the playoffs again and then everything is possible, while we are aware that if you get matched against the big guns, it's kind of an impossible task.", @Franky__2768 states.

A brand new esports organization UNI Gaming takes part in the ongoing ECL 11 Pro and doing quite well at it so far, going 3-1-0 through their first games in group 2. UNI Gaming founder and owner Tommi  @Dominik Uni Ranta-Eskola has played many seasons in the ECL but now the man between the pipes has become the man behind the desk.
 

Ranta-Eskola has been working full time on the esports scene for a couple years. UNI Gaming is the founder’s dream come to reality. The organization’s CS:GO team has been competing in the ESEA league. Now its’s time for some competitive NHL.

"The competitiveness of the NHL scene brought UNI to the ECL. We want to pursue success in many games. The first NHL game in 93-94 was also one the first games I had on a floppy disk", says Ranta-Eskola.

The NHL team of UNI Gaming has their roots in the former Cheers Hockey. The captain of Cheers Hockey Harri @Black1Eagle1 Tervonen has taken his captaincy and Pro league spot to UNI. Ranta-Eskola and Tervonen have known each other for a long time and have played along each other in previous teams.

The team leader in hands on matters is Markus @Maki-san2 Leskinen who has also taken the jump from playing to managing the team. He was the backup goalie when Cheers Hockey got their ECL Pro spot. Another piece from the Cheers roster is assistant captain Samuli @samblenegger Repola.

"We played about two years with the same roster as Cheers Hockey, but now we’ve got a new group put together around me and Samuli. It goes without saying, that we have challenges ahead this season. But I have full confidence in our team and organization. Every challenge that comes our way, we take as an opportunity, not as a threat", says the team captain.

The starting lineup of UNI has some familiar faces from past ECL seasons and some possess more experience than others. Many players also have a background in traditional sports, even on a semi-professional level.

"I believe that our strength will be in playing a balanced game in unison. We’ll proudly stand for UNI Gaming and we’ll respect any opponent we play against", says Tervonen.

Sustainability is a key value to the newly formed organization on the way to success.

"Developing a competitive and flexible team is a goal in the long run. Our ultimate objective would be gaining promotion to ECL Elite in our first year, but not maybe in this first ECL. For now, we need to learn and get some experience", states founder Ranta-Eskola.

Hey NHLGamers,

we are back with another player spotlight! We believe there are many talented and skilled players in the German speaking community that are currently quite unknown to the bigger audience. For this edition of the Player Spotlight, we will get to know more about Max "@Toneee9" Tonitz who recently joined ZSC Esports for NHL 21.

Let's get right into the interview with Max:

1. What was your first experience with the EASHL mode in NHL?

In 2011 I got a stable internet connection and started playing EASHL drop-ins in NHL 11. After some games I was invited to play for the ICY DEMONS by @ali-kn (see ali-kn's player profile).

2. What’s the best part of playing NHL 21 for the Swiss club ZSC Lions?

Everybody is playing for the team and while it's very professional we still have fun while playing.

3. What do you remember the most from your NHL career?

The EHL semifinals in NHL 14 with the Finnish team EA Riivaa, there still might be some highlight videos on YouTube.

4. What is your favourite food?

Spaghetti Bolognese

5. If you would be a manager for a day and had to pick one defender, one forward and a goalie to build a new ECL Elite (no DACH players) team and a new GCL team - which players would you choose? You can only choose one from your own team.

ECL:
G - Hannes "@Hansulinho" Kettunen - for me the best goalie in the community (see Hansulinho's player profile)
D - Joel "@jtorro-_-" Tourunen - he is the most complete defender I've ever seen. He has no weakness. (see jtorro-_-'s player profile)
F - Erik "@Eki" Tammenpää (ENCEKI) - he is the best NHL player of the whole community (see ENCEKI's player profile)

GCL:
G - Sandro "@I-THE_EAGLE-I" Wüller - If Sandro would decide to play mainly goalie, he would be the best german speaking goalie (see I-THE_EAGLE-I's player profile)
D - Niklas "@xXPsykoSkillsXx" Schmitz - The most dangerous defender in the DACH community, hockey IQ over 1000 (see xXPsykoSkillsXx' player profile)
F - Stefan @Stefan_397 Hämmerle - I only played against him and he gives me a headache every time doing so (see Stefan_397's player profile)

6.  Do you play or have you played hockey?

I have played hockey since I was 4 years old.
 

7. What would you rather be, an average player in the real-life Swiss hockey league or the world’s best EA Sports NHL-player in both 1v1 and 6v6?

The best EA NHL player.
 

8. What’s your best hockey memory?

We finished on rank 14 out of 128 teams in Kitzbühel in a one week U14 tournament in France.
 

9. What do you like to do in your spare time besides playing NHL? 

In my spare time I engage myself a lot with hockey and sport in general, if my job leaves me with some free time.
 

Click here for full player profile | Artwork: Chris @RyanDesigns Ryan

10. Pineapple or no pineapple on pizza?

Without pineapple - that's very clear. (ADMIN NOTE: WARNING! 🍍)
 

11. If you would have to spend one day playing NHL and had to listen to one song only, for the entire day, what song would you pick?

Rise Against - Prayer of the Refugee
 

12. How did you come up with your PSN ID?

My nickname in hockey is Tone, which refers to my family name. My jersey number was always number 9.
 

13. Who’s the best player in ECL/GCL according to you?

ECL: Erik "@Eki" Tammenpää
GCL: Simon "@PlaymakerSJ" Junker (see PlaymakerSJ's player profile)

14. What kind of holiday is your favorite and why? 

I like to travel to the sea. Spain and Greece are my favourite spots as they have a very nice culture.
 

15. High-scoring game or OT Thriller?

As I lost pretty much every important game in the ECL which went to OT, I'm more into a high scoring game.
 

16. Do you have any rituals before the league games?

5 minutes of 1vs1 against a bot.
 

17. What was your motive behind the transfer to Zürich and what do you expect?

I wanted to take the next step and thought that this was the right time. I expect to develop myself as a player and get used to the higher level and can bring my strengths into the team
 

18. What are your goals for ECL 11 and GCL 7? 

ECL: I want to reach the second round of the playoffs.
GCL: To kick the Phantoms (who are now known as Team LEISURE) from their throne.

We would like to thank Max for his time and hope you enjoyed the article. We would be happy about your wishes who should be featured for the next article - let us know in the comments!

NHLGamers,

Hockey in the southern parts of Finland has long roots and fans are used to seeing success with the big clubs such as HIFK and Jokerit, but the teams in the surrounding areas such as Vantaa and Espoo have been doing tremendous work growing the sport and expanding into new areas which can be proven by Kiekko-Vantaa getting into esports now being followed by Kiekko-Espoo partnering with ECL Pro powerhouse HanaaHC. Game Cave Espoo will be providing the esports team with top-of-the-line facilities and equipment to realize their full potential.

Kiekko-Espoo is especially known for promoting growth in Finnish junior hockey and being the club where hockey legends such as Jere Lehtinen and Juha Ylönen among others took their first strides at the professional level. Since then, the history of the club has been somewhat turbulent as they spent several years with the name Espoon Blues, but the teams was eventually defunct in 2016 due to financial issues. 2018 saw the return of Kiekko-Espoo to fill the void at the mens level of hockey in the Espoo area and the teams secured a spot in the Mestis (second tier of hockey) for the 2020-2021 season. 

"We'll be taking this one step at a time but believe that a sustainable partnership could develop into great things for both parties. Together with the esports team, we'll generate added value to the entire Kiekko-Espoo organization. We believe in the growth of esports and want to be a part of it." - Antti Manninen, COO of Kiekko-Espoo Oy.

After good efforts in ECL 10 Pro, but a tough FCL stint, the Kiekko-Espoo esports roster is now set on seeing the success that they believe they are capable of achieving. NHLGamer reached out to captain Jere @Hazard-laser Korte for some insight: 

ECL 10 Pro was a good run, but you struggled at times too - what are some things you've changed or put time into during the offseason?
"Firstly, we were forced to make some changes to the LW position since Mikael @Mikka Alaheikka started his military service, but Toni @Borjendahlen Karjaluoto has been a great addition to our squad. We also acquired Tomi @tominointi Mäkelä from Enigma. Last season was our first run in the Pro division and I believe the experience has made us a better team. We've practiced hard and believe in ourselves."

What's the story behind partnering with Kiekko-Espoo in particular?
"When looking for organizations to partner with, we wanted to find a partner that shared our ambition and values. Kiekko-Espoo is an organization with heavy focus on development and we're really happy with how they handle their business."

What are your goals in your first season representing Kiekko-Espoo?
"I can't say enough how glad we are to represent Kiekko-Espoo. It will give us a great boost going forward that we hope we can turn into momentum this season. Our roster has seen some changes and we believe that we have to keep working hard in order to reach our final goal - a promotion spot."

Kiekko-Espoo Esports can be seen in action in group 1 of the ECL 11 Pro, that starts already tonight! Follow the team on social media in order to stay up to date with their schedule.

Twitter

Twitch.tv

Instagram

NHLGamers,

Once again we are heading towards an exciting ECL Pro season. We've got a new game with new features and mechanics that will make predicting the upcoming season really challenging and the first weeks will truly tell us which teams and players have mastered the new meta of NHL 21. Because of the current server system, it’s also the first time for most of the teams, that teams from Northern Europe will be facing some teams on the Middle European server in NHL 21, which will make the season even more unpredictable. 

It feels like an eternity ago that Black Horse were crowned champions after beating Enigma in a tight final series. Last season we saw that winning the competition won’t be easy and even getting to the playoffs will require a great amount of work and commitment from the whole team. As the Elite division is getting even more competitive after every season, winning the promotion gets harder and harder each time for teams currently at the Pro level. None of the Pro clubs that played in the Elite relegation battle after last season managed to beat their opponent and this has been addressed in many teams: It’s not enough to be only a good Pro team, you have to be at the level of Elite teams. This has also shown on the transfer market.     

To summarize:

This time there will not be teams in the Pro division that were relegated from ECL 10 Elite since Almost Famous disbanded and SJ Gaming, Northern Ascendancy (Luleå Hockey) and Gotham Knights were able to beat their opponents in the relegation battle. 

Teams that earned the direct promotion (top 4) from ECL 10 Lite to ECL 11 Pro are the champions Sack Brothers, runner-up Ducktales BK and semifinalists GOONS (HUIPPUPASSI). The fourth team in the top 4 was Angry Cats but unfortunately the team disbanded before the new season. 

After the registration period ended, there were three spots to fill in the Pro division. NHLGamer staff accepted applications from noRex Gaming, HV71 and RCTIC for the open spots in ECL 11 Pro. All of these three teams were in the top 8 of ECL 10 Lite.

Team name changes from ECL 10:

• Team Frosty -> Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa
• Riven Johdolla -> Tunnel Vision
• Children of Ice -> Finnish Roosters
• The Syndicate -> Södertälje SK (SSK Esports) 
• MOCKBA -> Perttilän Kommandot 
• Cheers Hockey -> UNI Gaming (UNI)
• Exen esports -> Alliance HT 
• Shooting Stars -> Inter Iceland
• EBR eSports Official -> noRex Gaming
• GENESIS -> RCTIC
• HV71 eSHL -> HV71 
   

Here are the groups of ECL 11 Pro. Like in the previous tournaments we decided to take a look at the groups, some of the teams and players and give the basic information and predictions to keep an eye on when the season starts and during it. 

Group 1
Blackdawgs
Company of Geeks
Ducktales BK
HanaaHC
Herlev Eagles
HV71
Inter Iceland
Leksands IF
Perttilan Kommandot
Sack Brothers
SSK Esports
TIKI TALK
Tunnel Vision
Vaxjo Lakers
We Kings
ZSC Lions

  
  Tunnel Vision

Enigma is maybe considered as the favourites at the start of the season but Tunnel Vision is a team with the greatest potential to cause an upset for them. Compared to last season's roster when Tunnel Vision was still called Riven Johdolla, the team has seen many changes in its lineup. However Tunnel Vision played with the current roster in FCL where they enjoyed an excellent campaign. Team went all the way to the quarterfinals where they were beaten by future champions FILADELPHIA in a tight series 3-1. Individual talent in this roster is outstanding and the former HAVU Gaming defender @Eemil (eKoskii) is a massive boost to their already strong defense. @Pikkardz and @Sokkelo__ will also bring the Elite experience to the lineup that could become really valuable especially in the playoffs. Tunnel Vision had a little setback before the season when @Vattu__ moved to Elite team JYP Jyväskylä and recently recruited goalie @ITemeIto go with him. There is no doubt that @BensaPoju (Jerskayy) can fill the forward spot just fine, but the goalie situation remains more of a mystery. Confidence must be high in this team after a successful FCL campaign, which will carry the whole team to another great season. Tunnel Vision can end the regular season topping group 1 and stats tables as well.    

Placement after regular season: 1-2

Player to watch: Even though every individual is worth following in this team this season, eyes will be on @BensaPoju (Jerskayy). He will fill the boots of Vattu__ in an attacking trio that had already found the perfect chemistry during FCL and his fitting to this lineup will play a key role for the teams success in the offensive zone. 

  Leksands IF

When you hear people talking about excellent chemistry on ice, Leksands IF always works their way into the conversation. Something that has become a staple for most of the top Swedish teams is the disciplined teamplay especially in the defense and Leksands IF is mastering this style. This added to the fact that Leksands IF is alway dangerous when they get the puck to the offensive zone is a scary combination for their opponents. In ECL 10 Pro this team was on top of their group after the regular season ended but faced fast elimination against HanaaHC in the first round of the playoffs. Leksands IF also had a good SCL season where they were beaten by future champions Vesa Pompa HC in the semifinals. @Supremski and @berbaboon17 will once again form the defensive pair that can stop even the most slippery individuals on the ice. However it's notable that this time Leksands IF will start the season without the long time serving goaltender @DUNZA. It’s really interesting to see how goalkeepers @relikab and @Mesimaki will cover the spot though it’s believed that playing behind Leksands IF defense isn’t the worst place to start your Pro career. This season Leksands IF will continue from where they left off and fight for the top spot of group 1. I believe last season's early exit has motivated the team and this will show in the playoffs as well.  

Placement after regular season: 1-3

Player to watch: @fearfulnasu (RAKKAUSPAKKAUS-) had a really good first season with Leksands IF in SCL and it seems he’s settling in really well in the squad. With the help from @Mumsi- and @Isindar he will improve his game even more this season and become one of the top forwards in the league. 

 Södertälje SK - SSK Esports

I want to say it before everyone notices: This team will be one of the biggest surprises this season. SSK esports, or Södertälje SK played with the name The Syndicate in ECL 10 Pro where they were left just under the playoff line. After the season ended, Södertälje SK did the opposite compared to other mid table teams who became more passive during the summer. Södertälje SK sharpened their style of play and is now ready to become a playoff team and even more if everything goes well. Also signings center @el_tacobag and forward/defender @svetidaje made the team more complete and dangerous. Södertälje SK advanced all the way to the quarterfinals of SCL where they lost to bronze medalists Växjö Lakers in a series ending 4-1. Compared to other teams that were close but under the playoff line last season, Södertälje SK has improved the most during the summer and will clinch the playoff spot and maybe even challenge for the top of the table at the end of the regular season. Fast paced hockey with accurate passes in the offensive zone is the deadly combination that this team excels in. Södertälje SK is definitely the team that is currently flying under the radar and will surprise many teams during the season.

Placement after regular season: 4-7

Player to watch: You can’t leave any room for @Strumpan87 at the left wing since his hockey IQ is one of the best in the league and will give a massive boost to SSK esports attacks. It will actually get a lot harder for SSK esports if this guy is kept in the shadows by the opponent, but good luck with that everyone!   

  Herlev Eagles

Last time in ECL 10 Pro, Herlev Eagles were left out of the playoffs by some margin. Since then everyone who has faced them during the off-season have noticed clear improvements in their playing. Herlev Eagles roster played under the name Kouvola Screaming Eagles in the FCL and did a brilliant job finding their way to the playoffs, leaving teams like HanaaHC and ECL 10 Lite champions Sack Brothers behind them. In the first round of the FCL Playoffs Kouvola Screaming Eagles faced Elite team KOVA Esports and were very close making a surprise when the series was taken all the way to game five (BO5) where eventually KOVA Esports was relieved when they saw the puck going in to the Eagles net in overtime. This was definitely a massive confidence boost for Herlev Eagles and it will show in ECL 11 Pro as well. The core of the team hasn’t changed much during the years and if you watch through the player cards, you will notice that most of these guys have been in the team from the very beginning. This means they are really enjoying playing together and have been able to improve season after season and individuals have taken big steps forward along the way.  One of the new signings that should keep an eye on is former Vesa Pompa HC winger @Spearzz_ who played his first games with this group in FCL and will bring more firepower to the team's offense. In ECL 11 Pro Herlev Eagles will take the next big step and become a strong playoff candidate.

Placement after regular season: 5-8

Player to watch: Since his arrival to Herlev Eagles in ECL 10 Pro, @vibholm10 has been the best offensive player for his team. Especially in the FCL regular season he was in the top 10 of points stats with an outstanding 73 points in 20 games. We might very well see this player doing the same thing again in ECL 11 Pro.    

  Perttilän Kommandot

Team that was called MOCKBA in ECL 9 and ECL 10 decided to go back to their old name for this season. Perttilän Kommandot was unfortunate to be just of the playoffs by three points in ECL 10 Pro. In FCL they faced another setback when they were left out of the playoffs there as well. After FCL their beloved goalkeeper @sumskoy26 decided to join his countrymen in Alliance HT and the team was left without a goalie. Former Almost Famous goalkeeper @Jonitski was signed to the team to cover the net and help in the defender position as well when it’s needed. Other than that the team has remained the same as before. Several sources have been saying that the team hasn’t yet been able to climb to the level they once were. As we know the race for the playoff spots will be more fierce than ever before this season and if Perttilän Kommandot can’t find the confidence and balance they had in ECL 9 Lite and ECL 10 Pro, this season could very well become one to forget for them. However underdog status could fit for the team and they should not be underestimated. Experienced defender @riihimaenharski and their best goal scorer @ROUHEEE will play the key role for the team this season. If these two guys can play at their limits, the playoff dream isn’t buried completely just yet for Perttilän Kommandot.  

Placement after regular season: 9-13

Player to watch: Captain @Jarmonen will have to motivate his troops after a difficult preseason and show an example on and off the ice. The experienced center will balance the team both up and down the ice since it’s known that Perttilän Kommandot’s defenders like to play physical game that will sometimes open dangerous attacks in their own half and that’s when @Jarmonen is needed. 

Sack Brothers

Lite champions will always be interesting to follow when they start their first season in Pro. Sack Brothers had an unforgettable ECL 10 Lite season where they were clearly the best team of the season and were crowned as the champions. Right after the successful season Sack Brothers lost two of their best players @luosttin to HanaaHC and @Kucherov86 (Jalkkin-) to Blackdawgs. These losses hit the team pretty hard. In FCL Sack Brothers were given a tough group and couldn’t challenge for the playoff spot. To cover the spot that Jalkkin- left behind at the defence Sack Brothers signed @Tuulimylly91 who has the Pro experience with God Tier in ECL 8 and Freddie Mercury Institute in ECL 9. One of the biggest questions is can he and @Jjomppa who was clearly too good for ECL 10 Neo fill the big boots of luosttin and Jalkkin- . It’s expected that it will be a hard first season for Sack Brothers compared to other teams that were able to earn the promotion this season and they could very well be one of the teams that will have to fight for their Pro spot at the end of the season. However it’s a long season and a couple of big wins at the start of the campaign could turn the wind completely. Getting to the playoffs is maybe a bit too big of a task for a team with not much previous Pro experience but not impossible.   

Placement after regular season: 13-16

Player to watch: @snippystatue played a big part in his teams success in ECL 10 Lite and got even better the as the season progressed. He was also the best player for Sack Brothers in FCL and every point that he will make this season will be vital for his team. Every counter attack will be important this season and snippystatue has the individual talent to convert them into goals. 

Group 2
Alliance HT
Djurgarden Hockey
Enigma
Finnish Roosters
Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa
GOONS
Kaupallinen Yhteistyo
Nordic Stars
NoRex Gaming
Orebro eHockey
Pata Hellalla
RCTIC
Rookie Mistakes
RPEAT ESPORTS
Sulkavan Sudet
UNI Gaming

 Enigma

I think it’s fair to say that on paper this team looks absolutely terrifying. Last season's runner-up Enigma has again gone through lots of changes during the off-season. Former captain and center @MozjaTG moved up to Elite team YMCA Esports and both starting defenders are out of the roster. To cover these major spots Enigma signed former Almost Famous center @Ojamoska, JYP Jyväskylä defender @Makeaxl and Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa defender @zNico. With these new signings Enigma has all the potential to do even better than last season. Despite the slow start in ECL 10 Pro Enigma was able to find the right balance on ice which led them all the way to the finals where they were eventually beaten by Black Horse in game seven. Another setback came against Gotham Knights in the Elite relegation series where they faced another game seven defeat. With the experience from last season and hunger that has been building up from last season's setbacks, Enigma will start the ECL 11 Pro as the favourites and should see themselves on the top of the league table after the regular season. 

Placement after regular season: 1-2

Player to watch: Aside from the new signings, like in the previous season @Nieppii will be on the spotlight in this season as well. Left winger who will now carry the ‘’C’’ on his chest was the points leader in ECL 10 Pro playoffs and is expected to have another great season. 

 Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa

If Leksands IF is the Swedish masters of disciplined teamplay then Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa is the Finnish version of it. Formerly known as Team Frosty had an excellent first season in ECL 10 Pro where they were really close to topping their group after the regular season and moved all the way to the semifinals in the playoffs. Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa also had a really good run in the FCL. They were able to advance to round 2 of the playoffs after beating Elite team SAWO ESPORTS in the series 3-1 but eventually lost against future champions FILADELPHIA. Despite the positive run in FCL, the team lost defenders @zNico to Enigma and @Patsberg_ to Rookie Mistakes. Also captain @imosi announced before the season that he’s moving to free agent. Dark clouds were on the horizon but the new signings turned this team really interesting to follow this season. Forwards @Ikavalko and @JesseL2002 brought a great amount of individual talent to the team's attack and experienced defender @MrNiceguyEddie was brought to pair with captain @MCH_98 at the back. Watching through the roster I would say that the balance in this team is at great level right now. Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa is ready to take the next step and become one of the best teams in the Pro division.      

Placement after regular season: 1-3

Player to watch: @Naikou88 is the leader on the forward for this team. As the center he’s maintaining the balance of the formation on ice, which is one of the main strengths of Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa. It’s also interesting to see what is Naikou88’s role when @Ikavalko is playing since both are natural centers.   

 GOONS

I don’t think many people expected much success in Pro for former HUIPPUPASSI after last season's ECL or FCL but then things started happening. Team that might had been considered as the fourth best team of ECL 10 Lite suddenly turned out to be maybe the fourth best team of ECL 11 Pro. Signings such as @xKeskitalo , @Tzon93 , @Miika (MiiQu81-), @SanteriAK47 (santerichristian) and most recently @kriketski17 gave this team a massive boost at least on paper and many sources are telling that things are working out pretty well on ice as well. Yet still the new signings won’t be the only thing that makes this team one of the top teams and interesting to follow. Young fellows winger @bergsti (pikkuroger) and defender @viba2008 will most likely make their breakthrough this season to be considered as one of the most promising rising stars in the Pro division and in the whole community. There won’t be any room for underestimating when playing against this team. If GOONS can get their motors running and defence stable they will be one of the top teams after the regular season. 

Placement after regular season: 4-7

Player to watch: @bergsti (pikkuroger) played his first competitive 6vs6 games in ECL 10 Lite and was one of the best players of the whole season. Since then he has shown great progress through the year and it’s really interesting to see how he will do at the Pro level. He is already doing very well in the versus scene and could do the same in EASHL as well.

 Pata Hellalla

This team has been in the scene for a long time, they deserve the title: Legendary. Team that has been playing at the Pro level since ECL 4 had a really difficult season in ECL 10 Pro. They finished the season in 14th place and were forced to play in the relegation series. Pata Hellalla was able to keep their Pro spot by beating Bellizzi with a score of 4-1 and since then good things started happening. In the FCL Pata Hellalla played really good hockey and with the record 13-4-1 advanced to the playoffs. Along the way they took some big victories against teams like KOVA Esports, Gotham Knights and one of the Pro favourites this season: Enigma. From ECL 10 Pro the teams roster has become more compact which can really help with the chemistry and the new addition from ECL 10 Pro champions Black Horse @PasiPuukäsi (bot_dole) will make a fine addition to their team. Fast paced hockey is expected when playing against Pata Hellalla and the team will start the season well and advance to the playoffs.  

Placement after regular season: 5-8

Player to watch: This time Pata Hellalla has a clear number one goalkeeper when @Nixa_da_fck will be the final lock for his team. This guy showed real character in the beginning of the FCL tournament against Gotham Knights where he saw the puck ten times behind his net in the first match but gathered himself and allowed only one goal in the second match while recording a 90.91 save percent to help his team split the points. The same good form continued to the end of the tournament and will probably continue in ECL 11 Pro as well. 

 NoRex Gaming

The team that was previously named EBR eSports Official in ECL 10 Lite and in GCL 6 is now called NoRex Gaming. German ehockey is on the rise and NoRex Gaming is showing the way to other teams dreaming of playing in Pro and even Elite someday. In ECL 10 Lite NoRex Gaming had an excellent season and went all the way to the quarterfinals where they were beaten by GOONS (HUIPPUPASSI) in a tight 3-4 series. They will now have the chance for revenge as both teams will play in the same group in ECL 11 Pro. In GCL 6 NoRex Gaming was the second team on the table after regular season only a couple of points behind the German giants BRAYCE Phantoms. However ZSC Lions, who were actually beaten twice by NoRex Gaming in the regular season, turned out to be too strong for the team at the semifinals of GCL 6 and NoRex Gaming was sent home with a score of 4-0. None of the players in the current roster have Pro experience, so it’s expected that this first season will be a learning process for them. This will also have a positive effect as the excitement of playing on the higher level will help the team avoid relegation this season.   

Placement after regular season: 9-13

Player to watch: @Keuschemisch has been the top points man for his team since joining the club in GCL 4 and ECL 9 Lite and now we will see how well he can do at the Pro level. In ECL 10 Lite he was among the best attackers in the league and has the individual talent to put the puck in the net if given the chance. Definitely a player that none of the defenders playing in the league should underestimate.

 UNI Gaming

In ECL 10 Pro UNI Gaming, or formerly known as Cheers Hockey was able to avoid the relegation series by two points after the regular season. Despite the disappointing season UNI Gaming was able to gather themselves and put up a fight in FCL where they found their way to the playoffs. UNI Gaming faced HAVU Gaming in the first round and couldn’t do the ‘’impossible’’ losing the series 3-0. After FCL things started happening. The team faced a little crisis when both alternative captains @Borjendahlen and @Vilisopanen15 (Ruandalaine) announced that they will leave the club for new challenges. They also lost both of their goalies and every defender. The team was ay a crossroads and captain @Black1Eagle1 had to make a big decision whether to rebuild and continue in Pro or just give up. Players who remained in the team decided to stick together and keep fighting. Numerous new signings found their way to the roster and especially former Symphony keeper @Lauri (Laurilion) is a great addition to the team. To cover the spot that Borjendahlen left in the offense, UNI Gaming recruited @juusto18 who played a major role in Angry Cats success in ECL 10 Lite. The UNI Gaming defence is covered with many new faces with only a little Pro experience and this might raise questions before the season starts. UNI Gaming has the chance to write the best fairytale of the whole season if they manage to take big wins and even challenge for the playoff spots. However these roster changes might have hurt the team a bit too much and UNI Gaming will be one of the teams that are potentially playing in the relegation series after the regular season. 

Placement after regular season: 13-16

Player to watch: Team captain @Black1Eagle1, who will most likely also play the center role for his team is going to play a big role on and off the ice with the new roster and choosing the lineups for each game. He’s also the player that is expected to put up most of the points for his team during the season and help his teammates to get used to Pro level hockey. 

As always, we hope you enjoy the new season. Feel free to comment about these predictions or other interesting points that should be watched when the season begins. Don’t forget to follow our Pro teams on social media to get to know when the games are being played and where you can watch them. There will also be match lineups, game results and other useful info directly from the teams. Play hard and fair, let the season begin! 

NHLGamers,

The completed version of the ECL 11 rulebook is out now and can be accessed here. You can also always access it through the league menu.
 

In ECL 11, we will use the rule book from ECL 10 as a foundation. In addition to this, we have tweaked some rules based on feedback from ECL 10 and subsequent tournaments. As always, it is very important for us to be as clear as possible regarding League Administration procedures, as such if you have any difficulties understanding specific rules then feel free to contact us via the support tool! We ask every team to familiarize themselves with and memorize the different sections. Team captains must be aware of the entire ruleset, as it includes lots important guidance that stays relevant throughout the entire league/tournament. Regular players on the other hand should be aware of member registration requirements, etiquette, fair play and game rules.

Here's a snapshot of some of the major adjustments / additions compared to ECL 10:

• Added rule 2.6, the player card name must match a player’s in-game name
• Updated rule 3.2, team signup requirements (specifically that a Neo signup must have 8 players on the team)
• Added rule 11.2, server selection in challenge games
• Added rule 11.7.1, player customisation (specifically CHEL gear)
• Added rule 13.1.7, Elite players and the use of their IRL name in-game
• Updated rule 10.7.1, specifying that teams must stick to the home/away split as dictated by NHLGamer
• Finally, there will be a further update coming soon to the rulebook (as well as an article to help explain the rationale) concerned with the promotion structure from ECL 11 to ECL 12. Please stay tuned!

Play hard, play fair and have fun!

NHLGamers,

The third tier of ECL competition - ECL 11 Lite - is about to launch its new season and we're excited as ever!  Let's kick off this season preview by revealing the groups, whereafter we'll continue with highlighting a few teams to keep an eye on this season.

Here are the groups for ECL 11 Lite:

Teams to watch in ECL 11 Lite

Season 10 ended with Sack Brothers winning the title and gaining promotion to the Pro division. Ducktales BK played a tremendous season but ultimately faltered 4-1 to the eventual champions. In the regular season teams like HV71 and ECDC Memmingen Esports both played a great season and might be extremely dangerous opponents in starting season (HV71 promoted to Pro based on previous performance). In fact HV71 lost to Ducktales - the finalists - in a quarter-final series and ECDC Memmingen played a huge second round series against Ducktales losing in Game 7 so both teams have showcased potential going into ECL 11.

Two interesting teams that made huge contributions last season are missing from ECL 11 Lite and those are GENESIS and HUIPPUPASSI. GENESIS reached the quarterfinals after finishing 18th in the regular season whereas HUIPPUPASSI went even further to the semifinals from 10th place in the regular season. In the quarterfinals, HUIPPUPASSI beat EBR Esports Official and in the semifinals gave an admirable opposition to the eventual champions Sack Brothers. Both GENESIS and HUIPPUPASSI are playing Pro in this season under new names and colors - GENESIS as RCTIC and HUIPPUPASSI as GOONS.

However, the fact that last seasons top performers are out opens up exciting opportunities for newcomers and other contender teams in Lite. HOKURIT is one of the teams expected to really shine in season 11. They finished 6th in the regular season and reached the quarterfinals in ECL 10, where HOKURIT eventually lost to Angry Cats who unfortunately doesn't make a return but would have been one of the teams to follow. 

As stated, notably many of last seasons top performers are missing. There might be numerous of reasons and most probable reason is that enough players that stood for those success stories last season either moved on to other teams or were unable to participate in ECL 11. That leaves a wide open space for many other teams to fill the gap like. Potential prospects are definitely Old Farts and Tic Tac Toes, who have some experience mixed with great talent on their rosters. Tic Tac Toes had a difficult regular season of ECL 10 but played well in the postseason and was eliminated by the eventual champions, whereas Old Farts had a similar season and saw a second round exit against EBR Esports Official. Powerhouse HC is also one of the candidates to see success this season in Lite as they finished 4th in the regular season of ECL 10 and reached round 2 in the playoffs. An exciting new ensemble for the Lite division is also Exerceo with several skilled players that have been seen at higher levels before. The club saw fair success in the FCL but suffered a first round playoff exit.

Last but not least, MUKIMIEHET is an interesting team with several former Elite players in their roster. Players such as defenseman Janne @Janzuh Nyqvist  or scoring machine and captain Ville @hpkfani Luukkonen who has been a top scorer at the Elite level for a long time are surely still in their own class at the Lite level. The team has also added Arttu @laitineen64 Laitinen who represented Reality Check in the FCL and Black Horse last season in ECL while Petri-Christian  @PCJP Pelkonen takes the reigns in net. MUKIMIEHET is reborn and while they have a long way to go, they will for sure be a contender in the Lite division this season.
 

Players to watch in ECL 11 Lite

Due to so many teams and players moving on to new challenges, the stage is also set for new stars to shine individually. We'll do our best to pick out some interesting prospects to fill those gaps. As stated before, we're expected ECDC Memmingen Esports to have a big season, which will be helped by players such as @Wowa_1995 stepping up. He is of the most prominent players from last season that can still be seen in the Lite division as he scored 30+46 in the regular season and added 12+11 in the playoffs. Also the very experienced @Bjono from Sjukstugan should be expected to thrive at the Lite level after a good performance last season, where the Swede put up 16+66 in the regular season and added 7+21 in the playoffs. On the topic of skilled Swedes, Bjorkloven Esport recently announced the acquisition of former Farjestad BK winger @Tacterz who should be a force at the Lite level depending on how much ice time he will see. To pick out a player with the potential to surprise is hard out of the massive pack, but @kim_johan dominated Neo last season by putting up 112 points and is looking to continue on that same path at the Lite level, it'll be interesting to see if he can keep it up.

It's safe to say that the 112 teams in Lite will have their work cut out for them this season! Despite there being some strong teams to look out for, the title is up for grabs for anyone. With that being said, we wish all teams good luck with the upcoming seasons and remember to keep your eyes peeled for updates about upcoming matchups on social media, teams are getting active and will keep you updated.

NHLGamers,

We're just a few days away from puck drop in the ECL 11 season! With the record-breaking amount of 264 teams signed up, we continue to raise the bar and can be considered the biggest NHL esports league in the world. Due to the amazing quantity of teams this season, our staff has been hard at work over the weekend and will be finalizing group divisions by the evening of Monday, November 16th. However, we decided it was best to confirm the full list of teams in each division accompanied by some crucial scheduling information.

Without further ado, here are your ECL 11 divisions:

ECL 11 Neo - Starts Wednesday, 18.11. 

Default game days and times are:

• Wednesday 20:00 CET
• Sunday 20:00 CET
   

Schedule for ECL 11 Neo:

Group stage: 18.11 - 13.12

Playoffs Round 1: 14. - 20.12 (BO5)

Playoffs Round 2: 28.12 - 3.1(BO5)

Playoffs Round 3: 4. - 10.1 (BO5)

Quarterfinals: 11. - 17.1 (BO5)

Semifinals: 18. - 24.1 (BO5)

Finals: 25. - 27.1 (BO5)
 

Brief season description of ECL 11 Neo:

The regular season consists of 104 teams split into 10 groups. The regular season lasts 4 weeks and the playoffs will feature 64 teams. The playoffs will be played in best-of-five manner.

Quote

 ECL Neo Teams

3TUNA le Sport
5th Line Heroes
acta non verba
Aina Pystyy
Aladinit
Alpenforcer
Annecy Hockey eSport
ArKhAm CiTy
BackDoorLoosters
Ballbusters HC
Bauer Rangers GmbH
Biggie Stockholm
Black Wings HC
Bone Breakers
DEAD EVIL
Deggendorfer SC Esports
Dynamo Dragons
Dynamo Tresen
EASHL Russian
EHC Amur
EHC Basel eSports
EHC Icebreakers
EHC TATNEFT AK BARS
EHC TATNEFT BARS
EHC Traktor Chelyabinsk
eKoVy UNIT3D
Enkopings SK HK ESPORT
EPINAL HC ESPORT
Eskilstuna Snake
Ettan IK
Etuna Eagles
EV Duisburg
Fearless Knights
FILA DE LA HC
Finnish Finishers
Flying Hirsche
French Rookies
Galaxy Huskies
Goosebumps
Hannover Indians eSports
HC Ice Time
HC Korobka
HC Lachen
HC Northmen
HC Palosaari
Hc Porokeisarit
HC Poteropojat
HC PyllistyS
HC SOKOL MOSCOW
Herforder Ice Dragons
Ice Force EU
IHL RAMS
IHL Royals
Iserlohn Roosters eSports
Karhukissat
KARVANAKIT
Kiekkonorpat
KulmalaHengaus
Las Dilas
Latvian Warriors
Legion of Dooom
Mailavuoro
Masiina
Milion Plus
MOGA
Monkey Brotherhood Hc
Mora IK esport
Motherfreakerz
Nhlgang
Nordic Eagles
Norrland
OilBarons
Pinaattikone
Pirates eSports
Piukat Paikat
Polish Patriots
Predators
Puliveivarit
Rahinakaukalo
Redlight Jokers
Reign
Remparts Tours eSport 2
Rostedtin Jetit
Russian Ghouls
Russian Lightning
Sawolanche
SC Rackelhahn eV
SCB eSports
Sesku Patversme
Swiss Seniors
SWISS TIGERS
Tango Delirium
Taskubilis
Team Czechoslovakia
Team Rocket
The Expendables
The Real Rookies
UKnighted HC
Ultimatum
Unknown Heroes
Uudenmaan Oilers
Valhalla Riddare HC
Vemppaosasto
Wisby Islanders
x6tence Hockey
Yellow Jackets

ECL 11 Lite - Start Tuesday, 17.11.

Default game days and times are:

• Tuesday 20:00 CET
• Wednesday 20:00 CET
• Sunday 20:00 CET
   

Schedule for ECL 11 Lite:

Group stage: 17.11 - 20.12

Playoffs Round 1: 28.12 - 3.1 (BO7)

Playoffs Round 2: 4. - 10.1 (BO7)

Playoffs Round 3: 11. - 17.1 (BO7)

Quarterfinals: 18. - 24.1 (BO7)

Semifinals: 25. - 31.1 (BO7)

Finals: 4. - 7.2 (BO7)

Brief season description of ECL 11 Lite:

Due to popular demand the division size has been expanded to 112 teams. The group size remains at 16 teams per group. The regular season lasts 5 weeks and 64 teams will be making the playoffs that are played in best-of-seven manner.
 

Quote

 ECL Lite Teams

AfroDunk
AlHamduLillah
Almtuna ESPORT
Armada Hockey
ASM Hockey
Baby Goons
Bare Knuckles Hockey
Basic Instinct
Beast Hockey
Birka Vikings
Bjorkloven Esport
Black Sharks
Bombers Hockey
Bonusambers
BoxinElite
Burning Goats
Calzone HC
Central Hockey Canucks
Clowns On Ice
CZ JDOUCI NA SMRT SK
Dark Marshalls
DEG eSports
Dompa Poppers
Dynastia
ECDC Memmingen eSports
EISFORCE HOCKEY
EN HUND
Exerceo
Fat whales
Finnish Hockey Legends
GIFU Hockey
Golden Nights
Grenoble BDL Esport
Grilli Tulille
Hammarby Hockey
Handu Pumpulla
HC Berlin Eagles
HC JUOPON RETKUT
Helter Skelter
Hockey iNC
Hiki Hockey
Hokurit
Hotbox
IK Oskarshamn
Illumination
InFamous
Jouer
Juggernauts
KohKae Esports
KSE Teutons
KVL Esports
Lassen Lampaat
Le Club Chat Noir
Lekstugan HC
Lulea Hockey
Lutunilkat
MAD KINGS
Masters of Puppets
Mighty Stixxx
MUKIMIEHET
Murohoki
Nearbird Fighters
Night Shift Hockey
No Name
Nordic Nosebleed
Northern Dust
Northern Falcons
Northern Legacy eSports
NOVA
Old Farts
Oton Letkutemppu
Oulunsalo HT
Pahat Pommittajat
PohjoiSavon Ylpeys
Powerhouse HC
PunaKala
Randominational
Raukat
Rava HC
Remparts de Tours Esport
Ringette HC
Rogle BK
Rusty Bulls
Saucer Hockey
Seinajoki Noms
Show Time
Sinister
Sjukstugan
Sopranos
Spirit
StickLifters
Syndrome
Taavetin Starat
Taifun Hybridi
TAKAVUOSIEN TEKIJAT
TEAM MODO
TeQuila SunRise
The Black Jacks
The Last Line
Thunder United
Tic Tac Toes
Titan HC
TTK
TuTo Esports
Ulvhednar HC
United Front
VANHAT KYLJYKSET
Vasteras IK
Verket
Virtuoso
Wasp

ECL 11 Pro - Starts Monday, 23.11.

Default game days and times are:

• Monday 20:00 CET
• Tuesday 20:00 CET
• Thursday 20:00 CET

Schedule for ECL 11 Pro:

Group stage: 23.11 - 10.1

Playoffs Round 1: 11. - 17.1 (BO7)

Quarterfinals: 18. - 24.1 (BO7)

Semifinals: 25. - 31.1 (BO7)

Finals: 8. - 10.2 (BO7)

Brief season description of ECL 11 Pro:

ECL Pro consists of 32 teams. The regular season lasts 5 weeks. The top eight teams from each group (16 in total) will make playoffs, where they will be cross-seeded and play best-of-seven series. 

Quote

 ECL Pro Teams

Alliance HT
Blackdawgs
Company of Geeks
Djurgarden Hockey
Ducktales BK
Enigma
Finnish Roosters
Frosty Kiekko-Vantaa
GOONS
HanaaHC
Herlev Eagles
HV71
Inter Iceland
Kaupallinen Yhteistyo
Leksands IF
Nordic Stars
noRex Gaming
Orebro eHockey
Pata Hellalla
Perttilan Kommandot
RCTIC
Rookie Mistakes
RPEAT ESPORTS
Sack Brothers
SSK Esports
Sulkavan Sudet
TIKI TALK
Tunnel Vision
UNI Gaming
Vaxjo Lakers
We Kings
ZSC Esports

ECL 11 Elite - Start Monday, 30.11. 

Default game days and times are:

• Monday 20:00 CET
• Wednesday 20:00 CET
• Thursday 20:00 CET
   

Schedule for ECL 11 Elite:

Group stage: 30.11 -  21.1

Quarterfinals:  24. - 27.1 (BO7)

Semifinals: 1. - 4.2 (BO7)

Finals: 12. - 13.2 (BO7)
 

Brief season description of ECL 11 Elite:

ECL Elite is the highest tier of the ECL, consisting of the best 16 teams in Europe. The top eight teams in the six week regular season will advance to the playoffs that are played in a best-of-seven manner, while the bottom four will be in for relegation. The ECL Elite season will be closely followed on our broadcasts. Prize pool will be announced closer to the Elite season start.  

Quote

 ECL Elite Teams

Black Horse
Deadly Phantoms HC
Farjestad BK
FILADELPHIA
GHETTO FIREBIRDS
Gotham Knights
HAVU Gaming
hREDS
JYP Jyvaskyla
KOVA Esports
Northern Ascendancy
Roots Gaming
SAWO ESPORTS
SJ Gaming
Vesa Pompa HC
YMCA Esports

*Note: The divisions are still a work-in-progress and NHLGamer reserves the right to adjust the divisions as necessary.

More information about the ECL and the groups will follow tomorrow (Monday November 16th).

On behalf of NHLGamer, I want to thank the community for positively surprising us season after season and the constant big growth of ECL continuing steadily! As we are blessed with a lot of new members and teams, let's be helpful towards each other and help everyone find their place in our community. 

NHLGamers,

The year was 2017 and one of the most successful (to that day) Finnish esports organizations announced that they were stepping down for the foreseeable future. RCTIC Esports had been one of the pioneers in Finnish esports since 2008, with over 70 trophies in various games throughout the years, but the time had come to take a step back - at least for a while.

In the summer of 2020, RCTIC announced their return by signing rosters for Fortnite and CS:GO together with backup personnel and a couple of streamers. The organization was making a comeback and were here to stay this time. This week, RCTIC also announced the signing of an NHL roster, when GENESIS will be assuming the name and colors of the organization.

Jere Alanen, COO of RCTIC Esports talks about the signing as follows: "The interest towards virtual hockey has increased greatly since the summer when we started cooperation around the eFutisliiga. NHL as a game is close to heart for us and we've received lots of inquiries from various clubs in the scene this fall. GENESIS seemed to tick all the boxes and was eventually the only one we got into negotiations with. The guys in GENESIS shared values and ambitions with us, which led us to inking a deal in the end."

"It feels great to make the comeback to console esports and more specifically the NHL series with GENESIS. All of us value long-term commitments and developing from the ground up which will allow us to take our own, sustainable path towards the highest level of competitive console gaming", Alanen continues.

In various NHLGamer organized tournaments, GENESIS has been making waves for the past year or so, really taking off in the last few months after adding Joona @Hullued Saarinen at the center position, where the former top goaltender has found a suitable spot for himself not only elevating his own game but helping the team do so too in the process. The teams latest placements have been a quarterfinal exit in ECL 10 Lite and a similar outcome at the hands of HAVU in the FCL. 

Jani @layout Laakkonen is the right defenseman and acting captain of the team, he knows that partnering with RCTIC adds to the pressure, but their objective is still clear: "When it comes to our objectives on the ice, they have remained unchanged. Our aim is to play at the highest level and eventually be one of the best teams. I believe that we are on the right track and can already challenge the best teams in Europe."

The captain further iterates that the teams strength lies in unison: "In the FCL our main strength was a tight five man defense and that is something we want to take with us into future tournaments. The biggest improvement areas are in our offensive game and we have strived for faster puck movement and better utilization of all five skaters."

NHLGamers,

The upcoming ECL 11 season will feature some more German colors as the Herforder Ice Dragons further add to the growth in the central European community. The German organization was founded in the early 2000s and although its history has not been long, it has risen in popularity in its home country. Currently, the Ice Dragons are competing in the German Oberliga, which is the third tier of national competition. The esports section has made their biggest goal of the ECL 11 season to make the playoffs of the Neo division.

The Herforder Ice Dragons stand for loyalty above all, as the virtual hockey team's colors will be represented by Dennis @NHLDennis86 Kuhlmann, who plays in net for the team and handles captains duties. He also happens to be the Zamboni driver in the home rink of the Herforder Ice Dragons.

Tobias @Hohner Hohner, who plays forward for the virtual hockey team, commented on the team's starting points for the upcoming ECL 11 season. "Our players come not only from one region, but from different regions around Germany. Furthermore we can consider ourselves lucky to have a Croatian in our team.  Most of us have already played together successfully in other clubs, so we can fall back on some experienced people."

The Herforder Ice Dragons' virtual hockey team is formed out of the former NHL4you Gaming team. Hohner says that the goal has been to form a completely new team, as only three players from the current roster have previously played for NHL4you Gaming. 

"Our esports team is formed from the former team of NHL4you Gaming, the team has now been completely reformed and completely repositioned with only three players from the original roster. Me, Marko @Tornado.hr Dominkovic and Dennis @NHLDennis86 Kuhlmann have together taken the goal to build up a new ambitious team. It was important to us that the chemistry in the team is right and of course the performance on the ice should be good too."

Despite seeing major changes since their last tournament, the team leans back on familiar forces to see success in their upcoming ECL campaign:

"Our strength is the cohesion with each other. We discuss a lot about tactics and moves, which we try to implement outside and inside the league games. Team chemistry is also extremely important to us, so that we have a good atmosphere in the team." says Tobias @Hohner Hohner.

With not too long left before the start of the season, the teams ambitious goals will be highlighted in discussions. 

"We want to develop as a team and have fun on the ice while also getting as far as possible in the ECL. The goal is of course the playoffs and everything else is a bonus."  Hohner states

 NHLGamers,

Ak Bars Kazan is a traditional ice hockey club that has been competing at the highest level of the Russian KHL since the leagues inception in 2008, when a total of 20 teams moved over from the former Russian Superleague. The word Ak Bars means comes from the Tatar language, spoken in the Tatarstan region in the southwest of Russia and means snow leopard, a vicious creature that is showcased on the logo of the club. It is the swift movement and vicious attack that the club also looks to emulate on the ice.

It's a joy for us to report that AK Bars is among the first KHL clubs to officially announce their esports involvement by signing the roster of EHC Tatneft Ak Bars, formed out of former Arctic Lightning players. The team consists of a rather inexperienced group of players that have earned their stripes in the Russian competitive gaming scene and are now looking to take their success into the European ice by moving up in the ECL ranks. 

"We had a long discussion about the forming of an esports team for Ak Bars, and the club was fully on board with our ideas, so there weren't really any difficulties in that regard. Our goal is to be competitive at the European level and at the highest Russian level. We're going to start working our way up from ECL Neo and hopefully will qualify for Lite after our first season under the AK Bars colors." - Captain Ivan @Ivanjunior34 Schetina 

The roster has come together over a longer period of time, when captain Schetina brought together the most skilled players from his former team Arctic Lightning that saw a second round exit in the most recent Russian RCL Cup. 

"Ehc Tatneft Ak Bars will be fully operating under the Ak Bars organization, the club will be backing us and helping us on our way to hopeful success even on the European ice. We are really happy to be working with such a professional organization." - Schetina on their cooperation with Ak Bars

Interestingly enough, Ak Bars will be one of the first clubs to issue a cooperation between two teams at the ECL and RCL level, when EHC Tatneft Ak Bars will be serving as the KHL clubs first team in the esports scene and their second team will be EHC Tatneft Bars. NHLGamer leagues do not allow back and forth transfers between teams during leagues, but according to the club, the objective of their second team is allowing fans of Ak Bars Kazan to get acquainted with esports hockey in a low-pressure environment. 

NHLGamers,

EHC Amur is one of the newer clubs to be put on the esports map and they're doing so with a bang in representing the famous KHL club Amur Khabarovsk. Located in the city of Khabarovsk in the Russian Far East, the team takes their name from the Amur River. The logo of Amur is a Siberian tiger, sometimes also referred to as the Amur tiger.

Due to their geographic isolation from competitors in the KHL, it's been hard for Amur to get proper rivalries going, but that's going to change, since they are together with EHC Tatneft Ak Bars now the two new KHL clubs joining esports competition. The two Russian powerhouses will now be able to fight for the throne of best KHL club on the virtual ice, hopefully with lots of other competition following close behind.

The esports roster of EHC Amur has in fact already participated in a few leagues under the KHL clubs name, but their entry to the european ice will be when they really look to come into their own. Captain Taras @Taras Nosulko informs NHLGamer that their roster has been heavily overhauled, with the possibility to still recruit some additional strength if required: "We have quite heavily renewed our team. Several guys were unhappy with their role in the team and we wished them well in future endeavors. Me, Stepan @SteBastian Belyakov and Semyon @Sokollito Sokol are the remaining original members of the club. In net this season I think we have one of the most underestimated and talented goalkeepers in Russia - Vadim @Vadim87 Losev. We're still on the lookout for a strong defenseman to help our journey in the Neo division and in the RCL. Of course I would like to sign one of the talented Finnish or Swedish defenders on the market and we'll be trying our best to accomplish that."

"We have to understand that representing HC Amur in the ECL is a privilege and we simply cannot afford to perform poorly. We've already established ourselves in the Russian scene over the summer by conceding minimally to a top team like Exen and imposing a fight on Nova. We always prefer training against high level opponents from the Lite and Pro divisions in order to ready up for the ECL season."

Nosulko believes that their cooperation with the KHL club allows their team to up their level on social media and increase visibility also on other channels. The objective is translating this into recruiting better players for the team. 

NHLGamers,

Västerås IK is a Swedish ice hockey club with a very long history. At the moment, it is playing at the second highest tier of competition in Sweden. In their past also lies a 12-season stretch in the national top league between 1988 and 2000. With a long history in hockey, moving to console hockey was their great next step.

Jimmy Gerdin, media officer at Västerås IK, commented on the club's decision to join console hockey. "From the club side, we thought it was time to try to get the team into esports. We have received a lot of requests in recent years to start a team, so we put the ball in the hands of our own fans, who had the opportunity to form a team that would represent Västerås IK."

The pandemic situation around the world also affected the club's willingness to build a new console hockey team alongside their hockey team. Gerdin highlights the locality of the players and their passion for the club.

"First of all, we see it as a fun initiative because it is a team made up of local players who are passionate about the club. When it comes to the situation with the pandemic and the economy, this is not a burden on the association either financially or in terms of workload. This is run entirely voluntarily by the dedicated supporters and players who are passionate about both VIK and esports. Moreover, this is a sport that is not affected by either crowd restrictions or the spread of infection among the players."

Daniel @Gunde021 Gunstedt, who's the acting netminder of the Västerås IK console hockey team, commented on his interest in console hockey and his association with the club's colours: "We are all very passionate about console hockey and the fact that we will then get the chance to represent our favourite team Västerås IK setting up a team for esports is an absolutely amazing feeling. Hockey is a great sport and playing alongside teammates and competing is probably the best thing."

Västerås IK is heading into the upcoming ECL 11 season with an experienced team, as there are several players who have previous experience in the ECL, among other leagues.

"We are part of a team with previous experience competing in esports such as the ECL but we also have some players that are brand new to the competitive scene as well. Many have previously played club games and such, but simply haven't taken their game to the next level yet, so it's a little new for some."

Expectations for the team are high, as several players are looking to up their level or get back to their prime: "The goal of the team is to get as far in the divisions framework as possible. Me and a few more of the team have previously played in the Pro and that's where you want to be again, preferably higher than that of course!"

The players took initiative in starting up the esports club for Västerås IK in the offseason. Gunstedt opens up about the steps in building their squad.

"It started with the gang deciding to leave the Xbox for Playstation and talking to some of the Swedish community on Facebook. In the recruitment process when we got to know each other I realized they were also supporters of Västerås, which made the selection rather smooth. The idea really took off and when connecting with the club we learned that also they were extremely interested in setting up an esports team."

"As a team, we try to be hard to play against, focusing a lot on team play, where everyone has to do their part to succeed. As a goalkeeper, I want to say that I have a pretty good idea of the game, but there is still a lot of work to be done." - Gunstedt on their team strengths and his own play in net.

NHLGamers,

SC Bern is a truly traditional and successful hockey club whose history dates back all the way to the 1930s. On the hockey side, success has come in the form of several championships and other trophies. However, they are now looking towards taking over a new kind of segment, as the traditional sports club joins esports and virtual hockey with NHL21.

Esports has gained popularity among Swiss people quite quickly. 2009 was the last time Bern had an esports team represent the city.

Sina Wymann, Marketing Manager of SC Bern says that the current situation spurred the club exploring opportunities with esports. "In Switzerland we are living in a huge crisis – considering economy but also society. Before Corona it was my job to investigate new business opportunities. Looking for chances in a crisis like this you must think about the isolated activities which remain even in times like these. So, gaming and eSports was the closest thought. Back in 2009 Bern already had an eSports team for a truly short amount of time. We were much ahead and not able to establish this team. SCB is very traditional as you mentioned, but we are always trying to be a pioneer in everything".

Wymann states that getting the esports team to Bern was a very quick decision. Together with team captain Adrian @adu83 Siegenthaler, they went through the concept and common goals.

"Our interests are of course driven by new target groups. If you want to reach generation Y, you must consider new ways – especially ways which are connected in the virtual world such as gaming. We’re also hoping for new sponsorships with less “traditional’’ partners."

As stated, esports is gradually receiving increasing attention in Switzerland, and the population is accepting it as a form of culture alongside traditional sports. SC Bern and their newly signed esports roster see tremendous opportunities in developing their operations. 

"Well, almost a third of the Swiss population perceives esports as a real sport which shows that esports gained quite some popularity and is growing every day! We are clearly not the only club with the idea to build an eSports Team: Basel, Geneva and Fribourg are also in the middle of the building process. It is a great development because we are hoping for creation of an eNational League in the NHL", Wymann comments on the development of the scene.

Upon talking to team captain @adu83, he's on the same page as Wymann. "The Swiss population is accepting eSports as a popular sport. Of course, NHL is not (yet) among the most popular games here, but we hope this will change in the future", says the captain.

SC Bern's NHL team has been playing together for a long time. The club reports that Siegenthaler, who's the acting captain of the team, brought together some good players. The club did not participate in the team building, but the reigns were with the players entirely.

"This was my job as captain from the team. A few players of the actual team have been playing NHL together for the past 10 years. I found the rest of the players through connections and tryouts. I was born in Bern and therefore it was an easy choice for me which team I will want to play for. A few of the other teammates are supporters of SC Bern too."

NHLGamers,

As always, we look to bring you the most superior competitive gaming experience possible, and we're continuously looking to improve on previous iterations of our leagues. Nothing has changed in regards to that in our ECL, and therefore we assure you that ECL 11 will be run at the premium level you are used to. This time, we wanted to launch the signups as early as possible in order to allow entry for as many teams as possible, also minimizing the risk of someone simply missing the deadline. Without further ado - here you go:
 

Signups will be open until Wednesday, 11.11 at 23:59 CET.

Divisions framework

The divisions framework for the ECL 11 will follow the same logic as for previous seasons. We will have a total of four divisions with the following team allocation: Elite 16 teams, Pro 32 teams, Lite 96-128 teams*, Neo 32+ teams.

• ECL Elite: 16 teams
  • Sign up: ECL Elite eligible teams
  • Regular season: One group
  • Playoffs:
    • 8 teams
    • Best-of-7
       
• ECL Pro: 32 teams
  • Sign up: ECL Pro eligible teams
  • Regular season: Two groups
  • Playoffs:
    • 16 teams
    • Best-of-7
       
• ECL Lite: 96-128 teams
  • Sign up: Anyone can apply for ECL Lite
    • Teams will be decided by Franchise history, Roster composition, and EASHL record
    • ECL Lite registrants are also allowed to apply for a spot in ECL Pro
    • Teams signing up for ECL Lite that don't make it into ECL Pro or ECL Lite will be automatically placed in ECL Neo
  • Regular season: TBD
  • Playoffs:
    • TBD
    • Best-of-7
       
• ECL Neo: 32+ teams
  • Sign up: Without restrictions
  • Regular season: TBD
  • Playoffs:
    • TBD
    • Best-of-5

*NHLGamer reserves the right to alter the team allocation to ECL 11 Lite depending on the number of total teams signing up.

Preliminary schedule for the ECL 11 season:

• ECL 11 Neo: Start Wednesday, 18.11
• ECL 11 Lite: Start Tuesday, 17.11
• ECL 11 Pro: Start Monday, 23.11
• ECL 11 Elite: Start Monday, 30.11

Stay tuned for more info dropping over the coming weeks, we'll be releasing more detailed information about the season and announcing the cover gamer for ECL 11!
 

What is the ECL?

The ECL is the pinnacle of European NHL esports. The abbreviation stands for the European Championship League and it features NHL 6v6 esports in four divisions aimed at various skill levels. League games are played in the EASHL mode and the platform is PlayStation 4. 

Basic information/requirements of ECL:

• Regional restrictions: ECL is a European tournament format, however, we do not necessarily exclude North American or Russian players. A European server will always be used. In case of severe connection issues, we reserve the right to exclude teams or players.
• 6v6 tournament: ECL is played 6 vs. 6 only, using the EASHL Challenge Club game mode in NHL 21.
• Individual requirements: Each player needs to have an account at NHLGamer.com and create their personal player card.
• Roster requirements: Teams in ECL Elite need to have at least 7 players to sign up. Teams in ECL Pro, ECL Lite and ECL Neo need to have at least 8 players to sign up. The roster cap is 14 players.
• ECL Elite license: Teams in ECL Elite will be required to pay for an ECL Elite license in order to play (more details to follow).
• Rules: The ECL 11 ruleset will follow the same foundation as in season 10. The updated rulebook will be available before the season. 

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.