ECL ELITE - WEEK ONE STORYLINES

We're seven days into the ECL '25: Spring season and are already seeing storylines develop across the Elite division. We've seen everything from early-season surprises (both good and bad), to significant transfers that could very well change to outlook of a team's season.

Considering all of that, let's take a look at some of the biggest storylines that we saw take place throughout the first week of action in the Elite Division. Also, thanks again to @Mozjayh for his contributions to this week's article!
 

 Defending Champs Looking To Recapture Last Season's Magic

As of this writing, Parasite has scored just 13 goals despite registering a staggering 129 shots on net. That is an average of 2.17 goals on 21.5 shots per game. Even though we all know that the goals will come eventually, this is the total opposite of what we saw from this team last season. During the Winter season, Parasite averaged 5.32 goals for per game, which is an ECL record.

The team's newest addition, Aaro, has also been held scoreless in their first 6 games. Despite the team's slow start offensively, its defense and goaltending have made up for it plenty, as Parasite has the fewest goals allowed per game by a landslide at 1.

This shouldn't be anything to worry about. Parasite is one of the best teams in the world and its only change in the lineup was replacing one of Europe's best wingers (NikkeDangles) with another one of Europe's best wingers (Aaro).

They will find their scoring touch eventually and when they do, this will be a non-story. After all, it's not like they aren't creating chances. Still, though, it's something to keep an eye on considering how steep of a drop it is from their Winter season goals number.
 

  Tohtorit's Surprisingly Slow Start

After back-to-back seasons of finishing in the Top 4 in the standings, Tohtorit is off to a much slower start to their Spring campaign; getting only 2 wins in their first 8 games with only one of them being in regulation. Their start also includes 4 OT losses.

Considering the fact that this team brought back its entire lineup from a group that earned the finish 2nd in the regular season standings and made it to the Semifinals just three months, it's surprising to see them struggle to find their form.

The reason for their struggles can be pointed at a few factors. One would be their struggles on the penalty kill, something that was a sizable flaw for this team a season ago. So far, Tohtorit has taken 16 PIM and is 50% on the penalty kill. Not good.

Additionally, last season's goaltender of the season Stammer has not been up to his usual form, sporting just a 75.7SV% in his eight starts. In comparison, he ended the Winter season with an 86SV% while starting all 28 games.

Tohtorit ended their week by playing over 186 in-game minutes in two matches against vNexs. A big 3rd-period comeback in the second game after trailing by two goals earned the team a victory in OT, one that feels much needed after six straight losses going into that game.

 Mythix Making A Statement Early

The story surrounding Mythix coming into the season was whether they could emerge as a true championship contender. One week into the season, and so far they've answered that challenge. Through their first six games, Mythix have earned a total of 16 out of possible 18 points; placing them 2nd in the standings only behind Last Dance.

Their offense has been dominant so far, leading the league in goals for per game with 4.67 and a total of 28 goals scored. Sokkelo has been the stand-out player amongst the group, scoring a staggering 14 goals and 21 points in those games, both of which lead the division. They've also been lethal on the man advantage, boasting a 58.33% power play with a total of 7 goals scored.

The most impressive part about was Mythix is doing is that they are doing this against multiple playoff-caliber teams; as they were able to sweep both EXEN and Tohtorit in their series' this week.

They were especially impressive in the two games against EXEN, and very well could've scored even more with the number of counterattacks they had (they outscored EXEN 10-3 in the series).

There's still plenty of hockey left to be played, but based on Week One, Mythix looks like a legitimate championship threat. Combine this with their recent FCL and I think you can officially say that Mythix is the hottest team in Europe right now. Time will tell if they can keep this up, but if they can, look out. 

  Heimo Back On The Rise?

Speaking of hot starts, let's talk about Heimo for a minute. The group finished the first week with only 1 loss in 6 games played while having one of the most productive offenses in the division. They've also been able to do this against a pair of playoff teams from a season ago in Last Dance and The Black Jacks, as well as a notable playoff hopeful in Polski Boys.

The biggest story for this group has been the offensive boost that their new acquisitions have provided. Last season, Heimo had the second-lowest goal total in the division, scoring just 56 goals and averaging 2 GF/GP. That is only three goals more than the lowest-placed team, which was Renascor. So far this season, the script has completely filled, as Heimo now has the second-most goals scored at 24 and are averaging 4 GF/GP, doubling their number from the Winter. 

KingOfApes' return to the Elite division has started off with quite a bang, as he's managed to put up an unheard of amount points for a defenceman to begin the season. Through six games, KingOfApes has tallied 18 points, which ranks second in the division.

Just to give you an idea of how insane that is, he is currently on pace to finish the season with 90 POINTS. AS A DEFENSEMAN. Is that not unreal???

The most notable series was against Last Dance, who currently sit at the top of the Elite standings. This series saw a totally opposite pair of games, as Heimo managed to earn a 7-1 win followed by a 5-1 loss. 
They also saw a pair of dramatic games against Polski Boys; losing a lead with just four seconds left on the clock in Game 1, and tying the game with only two seconds left in Game 2. Both games resulted in overtime wins. Can they continue this form? That'll be put to the test on Monday when they play against the defending champions, Parasite.
 

Multiple Notable Transfer Moves

Krike - FA ->  GOONS 

A long-standing piece to this GOONS has officially made his return in Krike. Though he hasn't played in any tournaments the whole year, everybody knows his ability and the impact he can bring to a team. In 130 career games as a defenseman, Krike has put up 146 points and 903 hits while being a +56 when on the ice.

He'll slot in at LD in GOONS' starting lineup and will not only be someone who can make an immediate impact, but will also be able to fit in well with a group that he is familiar with, as three of his current GOONS teammates were with the team when he last played in the ECL 24 Spring season.

This should make for a seamless and smooth transition for all involved. 

JM98 -  Polski Boys ->  Vapor

Replacing Jemmmuu and taking the LW spot with Nieppii switching wings, JM is a veteran, goal-producing winger who will make an impact on Vapor's forward core.

His Elite division resume goes back to as early as ECL 6 with Unlucky Boys, and he's scored as many as 32 goals at this level, doing so with YMCA Esports in ECL 12.

In its two games this week against Last Dance, Vapor were held to a pair of one-goal losses and mustered just three goals in the series, averaging 11 shots per game.

Though his goal-scoring numbers have gone down in each of the last three seasons, he also found himself on the division's lowest-scoring teams in each of those three seasons with Polski Boys and Renascor. A change of scenery paired with two other proven forwards in Dzouvi and Nieppi should make for a respectable forward trio.

Jemmmuu -  Vapor ->  Polski Boys

It's funny how things work out. JM goes to Vapor taking Jemmu's spot, and Jemmu winds up going to Polski Boys, JM's former team. Jemmu played in two games with Vapor this season, registering one point in a pair of one-goal losses to Last Dance.

Jemmu has played in one ECL season prior to this season, as he put up 44 points and 36 assists in 30 games with Gotham Knights in the Pro Division last season. He also tallied 59 points in 16 FCL games with TIKI TALK, which ranked second on the team was was 30 more points than the next closest player on the team. 

With Polski Boys having already played eight games prior to the move and struggling for goals (they averaged just 1.75 goals for per game), it'll be interesting to see if Jemmu can earn his place in the starting lineup as a rookie on a team with a ton of experience and chemistry.

Lakritsipiippu -  ONSE Esports ->  Blackbirds

The departure of Blackbirds starting goalie Jeerik17 was followed by a slightly controversial move with ONSE Esports starting goalie Lakritsipiippu switching teams within the division midseason.

The rookie goaltender has been able to prove himself by having the third-highest save percentage so far with 86% in six starts, including two with his new team on Sunday, where Blackbirds were able to split the series with the defending champs Parasite.

ONSE obviously had to react quickly and were able to acquire Hulkkoo. Hulkko was ONSE's starting goalie last season in the Pro division when they were still known by their previous name Ismon Valinta. He posted a 78.9SV% in the regular season while starting all 30 games.

xCurhed -  Brynäs IF Esport (Pro Division) ->  SSK ESPORTS

SSK was able to add to its forward group with the transfer of Curhed. Curhed the season in the Pro division, scoring 25 points in 8 games for Brynäs.

Last season was his second ECL season and the most action that he has seen in his ECL career, as he played 28 games with Devilz in the Pro Division, notching 51 points, 23 goals, and 28 assists. Prior to that, he played eight games with Section A12 in the Lite Division in the ECL '24: Spring season, but the team DNF's the remainder of the season.

He made his Elite debut on Sunday against GOONS, putting up 3 points with a goal and two assists. The 19-year-old Swedish rookie started at LW in both games.

Adaaaam_2 -  Brynäs IF Esport (Pro Division) ->  SSK ESPORTS

Another transfer to SSK ESPORTS from Brynäs IF Esport, Adaaaam will add another defenseman to an already plentiful SSK roster. 

Adaaaam managed to notch 8 points in his eight starts with Brynäs IF this season, and managed to earn himself 27 points in 28 games with AFTERLIFE in the Pro Division last season.

The rookie defenseman played in SSK’s season-opening series against GOONS on Sunday and managed to contribute two assists and 7 takeaways. The two teams split the series with a win-a-piece. Adaaaam started at LD in both contests.

Want to keep up with everything happening ECL in the this season? Make sure to follow/subscribe to SportsGamerGG on Twitch, YouTube, and X.

Ahh, Spring. The birds are chirping, the flowers are growing again and the ECL Elite Division is back for another season. The last time we were all here, Parasite lifted the Elite Division trophy at Winter Assembly; capping off what will go down as one of the most dominant campaigns in ECL history. Now, they will hope to defend their crown against 15 contenders, each of them hoping to be crowned champions of the Elite Division for the Spring season. With the season officially getting underway this week, let's take a look at each of the division's 16 teams and catch up on some of the changes that we saw over the offseason. Also, though my name may be on the post, I have to thank @Mozjayh for helping put this piece together. Now without further ado, let's get into our Elite division preview.

 Blackbirds

Last Season: Competed in Pro Division, ECL Pro Division Champions

IN: -

OUT: -

After a Winter season where we saw multiple recently promoted teams make their name known in the Elite Division, Blackbirds are hoping to be the next breakout team in ECL's top tier after winning the Pro Division title in February.

Despite not having a single game of Elite Division experience on its roster, Blackbirds returns its entire starting lineup from last season's championship team.

What they lack in experience, they make up for in continuity and chemistry. This is a young and very skillful group who have a good philosophy in their game and have been able to use their individual skill as an advantage.

Though the adjustment to playing Elite competition will be a viable concern for this team, many have said that they could be a dark horse in this season, certainly a team that I think no one expects to go down or be even close to it. 

I wouldn't expect this team to make a similar run as Mustaa Kultaa did last season in its inaugural Elite season, but their individual skill combined with their chemistry as a unit will help ease its transition in playing against the best teams that Europe has to offer. Though making it into the Top 8 feels like a lofty expectation, I do expect Blackbirds to catch a few teams by surprise this season. A successful season would be staying competitive and keeping themselves safe from the relegation zone; giving themselves something to build on for ECL '26.
 

 EXEN

Last Season: Finished 7th in Regular Season standings, lost in Quarterfinals vs Tohtorit in 5 games

• IN:
  • @x-_-BoBi-_-x from Mythix
  • @h3rmu__ from FA
• OUT: 
  • @benuh_ to Falun Coal Miners
  • @Mozjayh to Heimo
  • @Lxndstrom to Last Dance

EXEN's NHL 25 run has been one of the most fascinating stories there is. In last season's preview, I said that it was EXEN's most talented roster to date and that they should be a championship favorite. Six weeks later, EXEN barely made the playoffs and were ousted after just five games in the Quarterfinals. 

This team's biggest problem last season was goal-scoring and this showed up in the largest way in the playoffs. In their Quarterfinals series against Tohtorit, EXEN were outscored 8-2 and were shut out twice. Despite solid play on their own end, a lack of offense sealed this team's fate.

This was an unmitigated disappointment for a group with championship-level talent, and arguably one of the biggest letdowns that we've seen in the Division in years.

For whatever reason, things just never clicked for this group. This meant for multiple significant changes to the roster over the offseason to shake things up, as benuh_, Mozjayh, and Lxndstrom each departed to separate teams. 

To replace, them EXEN brought in one of the league's better point-producers in BoBi & an interesting signing in Hermu, who joins the team as a free agent after not playing since ECL 23 Spring in the Pro Division with Polski Boys. It would seem odd to sign someone like Hermu from an outside perspective, but he is a talented and mechanical winger who has so far fit in fine with the rest of the roster. Hermu will be making his Elite debut having only a total of 4 appearances in the lower Pro division.

The loss of benuh also makes it clear that kaz_zu is the now uncontested starter at goalie for this team, as the two split times last season in both the regular season and playoffs.

This group did play in the recent FCL, where they lost to Tohtorit again in the Round of 16, so the group has had some practice already. The expectations for this team are much more tame than they were six months ago, but they should still be a playoff team that should aim for a Top 4 finish in the standings.
 

 GOONS

Last Season: Finished 8th in Regular Season standings, lost in Quarterfinals vs Parasite in 4 games

• IN:  
  • @Sakkem from Heimo
  • @MrNipsuli from RYHTIC
  • @LeiskaViis7 from Kymmenelta Clubille
• OUT:
  • @sisu33_ to Almost Famous
  • @Easychasniper2 to N0VA

GOONS has been the rollercoaster team of the ECL for the past three years. They've seen the highs of an Elite Division Semifinals appearance, and the lows of being relegated to the Pro Division and having to earn their way back to Elite through a Qualifier last season.

Considering that they had just hit what felt like rock bottom, many were surprised to see GOONS make the playoffs last season after not even being a lock for the Division just weeks before.

GOONS are known for their unique, run-n-gun style of playing; powered by high-hitting numbers which has resulted in high-scoring games on both ends. Where they struggled however was in special teams, as besides Tohtorit, GOONS had the worst combined PP/PK in the division last season.

GOONS returns most of its core from a season ago, but after a shockingly disappointing display in FCL, their young defensive pairing of Sisu and Easychasniper decided to go their own ways and leave the team. 

Replacing the duo are two experienced defenders in Sakkem and MrNipsuli, who each boast multiple successful seasons in the Elite Division. The team also added to their defense in Leiskaviis, a rookie who though has had some successful seasons in the Core and Lite divisions, played as a forward with Kymmenelta Clubille, who finished last in the Pro Division last season. Though to his credit, he was the team's leader in points with 42 and assists with 22.

Thie biggest question for this team will be whether of not they can replicate last season. With increased parity and stiff competition in the mid-table, it'll be a tougher challenge for GOONS to find their way into the Top 8. I don't see this team elevating much more than it did last season, but they should be in the playoff conversation again and will hope to avoid the relegation battle.

 Heimo

Last Season: Finished 12th in Regular Season standings

• IN: 
  • @Mozjayh from EXEN
  • @KingOfApes_ from N0VA
• OUT: 
  • @xHatsi to FA 
  • @Sakkem to GOONS

The last time we saw Heimo make the playoffs was two years ago in the ECL ’23: Spring season, back when they were under the JANO name. They switched to the Heimo name and brand after that season and haven’t made playoffs since, though core members of that team in SadaPoika, Eemil, and Vamoux have remained with the group during that time and are back again with the team this season as captains.

Despite three straight disappointing finishes, Heimo made two key acquisitions in acquiring KingOfApes and Mozjayh. KingOfApes is back where he belongs in the Elite Division after spending last season in Pro, where he was instrumental in helping N0VA get promoted to Elite.

It doesn't feel like long ago that KingOfApes was undoubtedly viewed as one of the best defenders in Europe and was an anchor for hREDS during their run of three straight Elite Division titles. I still believe that he has a level of form in him, though lack of team success since departing hREDS has hindered him over the last few seasons. Expect him to be a vocal point of this team and a frontrunner for Comeback Player of The Year throughout the season.

Similarly to KingOfApes, Mozjayh was a key piece to a championship group, winning back-to-back championships with Tunnel Vision in ECL 23 and a third championship. with hREDS in the ECL 24 Winter Season. He spent the past two seasons with EXEN, but struggled to find his form last season with just 37 points in 28 games during the regular season. The former champion is now being given a fresh start with Heimo and will look to bounce back from what was a disappointing Winter.

Any time you can bring in two players who were key pieces to a championship team, you do it. These are the type of moves that Heimo has needed for a while. Players that have skill, ambition, and championship pedigree. These two will bring exactly that as highly-demanding and accomplished players who will be motivated to make their way back to the very top where they were not long ago. I'd expect this team to be in the playoff hunt if all goes according to plan, with the potential to even make some noise if they can make it there.

Last Dance (formerly Voittamaton)

Last Season: Finished 4th in Regular Season standings, lost in Semifinals vs Parasite in 5 games

• IN:
  • @NikkeDangles from Parasite
  • @Puantso from Tiki Talk
  • @Lxndstrom from EXEN
• OUT: 
  • @FlyerKungen to Golden Buffalos
  • @Patzlaf to Golden Buffalos
  • @temppanen to Mythix

After multiple seasons of speculation and disappointing playoff exits, Last Dance decided to completely revamp most of its core for the first time in a while. As much as it may hurt, a shake-up for this team was needed. Formerly Voittamaton, Straikers, and Frolunda HC, the previous just wasn't able to get over the hump, as it had fallen in the Semifinals each of the last four seasons and last made the Finals in ECL '23, where it fell short to Tunnel Vision in both the Winter and Spring season.

The departure of the most iconic duo in league history Eki and Patzlaf and a long-accomplished player in FlyerKungen is one that sent shockwaves around the league. The addition of NikkeDangles, who has been one of the best players in the scene for many, many years, caused even more.

Puantso, a former long-time forward of this team, makes his return to the lineup after a short stint with TIKI TALK during the Winter campaign. This will give Eki - one of the league's most consistent players no matter the situation - a familiar face to pair with the new acquisition in Nikke at the wings.

Is it actually the Last Dance? The team's name and the statement in its bio would suggest yet. Outside of NikkeDangles, this group has been long-starved for championship gold. Its last ECL Championship was in ECL 11. Time (apparently) is running out for this team to make it back to the top.

Though it won't be easy, anything less than a Finals appearance would feel like a disappointment considering the circumstances. They'll hope that their "Last Dance" includes one more trophy.

 Mustaa Kultaa

Last Season: Finished 3rd in Regular Season standings, lost in Elite Finals vs Parasite in 6 games

• IN:
  • @Wpaanane from PANIC ON ICE
  • @karlssonadam_ from Unwanted
• OUT:
  • @xAaro89x to Parasite

It's been a long time since we've seen a team rise as radially as Mustaa Kultaa has over the past two years. After the magical run and a great effort in the Elite Finals against Parasite, Mustaa Kultaa is back and hoping to make it one step further than it did in the Winter. A ton of credit has to got to Allupekkaz for the work he has done as the team's primary captain over the past year.

It'll be interesting to see if they build on what was a dream debut season; especially considering that their leading scorer and point-getter, Aaro, transferred to Parasite over the offseason. 

Replacing him is wpaananen, who returns to the Elite division after a two-year stint with teams in the lower divisions. In his last Elite season in Spring 23, he finished fourth in the division in points with 71, helping lead JANO to a playoff birth and the division's third-highest scoring offense. Mustaa Kultaa did well with this acquisition considering the circumstances and how late in the offseason it was.

This group also added another goalie in Karlssonadam, who was really able to prove himself in NHL 24 with Purification and Unwanted. It'll be interesting to see how the ECL 24 Winter Rookie of the Season will pair with last season's top rookie Latvex, as the two will likely split time despite both playing like unquestioned starters over the past year.

We also have to note that the removal of golden abilities, particularly "One Tee", will be something to watch with this team, as it takes away what is a considerable part of Mustaa Kultaa's game. I’m sure that they will be able to adapt with this group having high-level players across the roster, but it's still something to keep in mind; especially during the earlier stages of the season.

Though it'd be easy to view this team as "championship or bust" after falling just two wins short a season ago, I wouldn't expect them to surpass last season, nor would I put much pressure on them to do so. It's not that they aren't a playoff threat, but the only way this team could truly move up is by winning the championship, which feels like a considerable ask from a team that lost its most productive skater from its roster from a season ago. With that being said, this is still a team that can challenge for a Semifinals spot and potentially earn their way back into the Finals if everything clicks.

 Mythix

Last Season: Finished 5th in Regular Season standings, lost in Quarterfinals vs Voittamaton in 5 games

• IN: 
  • @Sokkelo__ from Roots Gaming
  • @temppanen from Last Dance (previously known as Voittamaton)
  • @Akunkku from FA (Played ECL ’24 Spring in Heimo)
• OUT:
  • @koleslaav_ to BLEGI
  • @x-_-BoBi-_-x to EXEN
  • @Valee__ to Almost Famous

Coming into the season as the newly crowned Finnish champion, Mythix will look to carry over the momentum and form to the ECL season.

This team has surprised some people as a consistent playoff threat in its first two Elite Division seasons; finishing 6th and 5th in the standings, but being bounced in the Quarterfinals each time. 

This season will be much different though than the last. Mythix returned all six of its starters for the Winter season, but lost multiple key players over the offseason and have undergone a significant roster revamp.

Temppanen was one of the bigger additions in the offseason, as he joins Mythix after putting up 54 points and 27 goals with Voittamaton last season. He will replace Bobbi who has proven to be a high-productive forward with Mythix the last two seasons. The team also brought in Sokkelo who joins from the relegated, and now-defunct Roots Gaming team.

Sokkelo is a good player who has unfortunately made history in the Elite Division for the wrong reasons unfortunately, as he has yet to make a single playoff appearance despite having 11 seasons in the Elite Division under his belt. Can he finally break the streak? This certainly felt like one of the best opportunities so far. As quietly as it's kept, he scored 32 goals last season with ranked sixth in the Elite division.

Kunkku will join WeDux at defense and are hoping to prove themselves as a top defense pairing in the Division. They have shown that the potential is there and will be key if Mythix want to elevate to the next tier of teams within the division.

This team and its form feel like it's improved over the past month. They brought in multiple skilled players and carried in more momentum than any team in the division to start the season. They even brought home their first trophy in club history. Now it's time for Mythix to take the next step in the ECL; proving themselves as a serious contender.
 

 NOVA

Last Season: Competed in Pro Division, lost in Semifinals vs Blackbirds in 5 games, won Elite Relegation series vs Roots Gaming in 4 games

• IN:
  • @Easychasniper2 from GOONS
  • @Motzzyy from Renascor
  • @LaxenHD from Unwanted
• OUT:
  • @KingOfApes_ to Heimo
  • @Nester4343 to Rusty X
  • @letsgoat to Aspyre
  • @XxKapUstaxX to MISSCLICK
  • @Shaitan_Batyr to HC NAMOTKA

After its best run as a club in the Pro Division last season, NOVA was able to break through and earn its way into the Elite division in their fourth season of competition. With promotion, however, comes the need for improvement, and NOVA got quite busy in the transfer window to try and make those improvements possible.

Vlxddy and Dekko are the only skaters who remain from the previous season's promoted side, with Dekko moving himself to defense after spending last season at LW. Outside of the loss of KingOfApes, who was second on this team in points last season and led the team in assists. His departure will be considerable, as NOVA would've loved to have his experience and skill in their first season up, but the rest of its departures were players without previous prior Elite experience though, and their additions were all players who have played at this level for multiple seasons.

Motzzyy will be a name to watch for NOVA. He'll likely be one of the more puck-dominant players in the league and looks to replace the production left behind by KingOfApes. He'll be a key part of NOVA's success this season. 

Easychasniper has the potential to be a great winger in this league. He's one of the best 1v1 players in Europe and his success in that scene has translated well to 6v6 so far. He comes over from GOONS after spending the prior two seasons at defense. It will be a significant adjustment for him, but the talent and potential are there. He will pair with another transfer in Laxen, who though playing just one game last season with Unwanted, was a solid player for Purification in his rookie season prior to that. 

This team feels like one of the more unpredictable groups in the field. With the additions they've made to their roster, they have the individual skill level to compete and play a high-tempo style of play. But is that enough in a long 30-game season? How much will their team game (on both ends) evolve and improve in that time period? That remains to be seen, but NOVA has the potential and the roster to potentially catch some people by surprise.

 ONSE Esports (formerly Ismon Valinta)

Last Season: Competed in Pro Division, lost in Quarterfinals vs Blackbirds in 5 games, won Elite Qualifier vs Herlev Eagles in 4 games

• IN:
  • @aJuti from Kolikot Esports
  • @Sagee95 from RHYTIC
  • @LucePro from Gotham Knights
  • @Lakritsipiippu from DILAC
  • @JoJuzz01 from FA
• OUT:
  • @Ikavalko to Almost Famous
  • @Jalkkin-- to Almost Famous
  • @Hulkkoo to Almost Famous
  • @xrikardo55 to Almost Famous
  • @lycki10 to ROBE Esports
  • @JoakimOilers to AFTERLIFE

Earning it place in the Elite Division just days before the start of the season, ONSE Esports will look to make a name for itself in the ECL's top tier. Formerly Ismon Valinta, this group is captained by Jusu121 and have competed in the ECL 23 Spring season, where they began in the Core division. They spent the last two seasons in the Pro division and despite being just the 13th seed, made a run to the Quarterfinals before being ousted by Blackbirds, the eventual champions.

Considering the amount of roster turnover that we saw from this team over the offseason, with five players entering and six exiting, ONSE Esports is presented with a unique challenge. Not only will they have to make th adjustment to the Elite division as a team with zero Elite experience on its roster, but it will also have to adapt to each other, as just three players return from last season's Ismon Valinta team. On a positive note, ONSE do return its to leading goal scorers from last season in Jusu and Puosu, who combined for 44 of Ismon Valinta's 82 goals during the regular season. 

They also have some positive momentum heading into the season, as not only did they win the qualifier to earn their spot into Elite, but they also had an impressive FCL run on top of it. ONSE Esports finished first in their Group which included an Elite division team in TIKI TALK (much of Vapor's roster was on that team). They eventually made it to Round 3 of the playoffs before being eliminated by Lemmenvelhot.

Admittedly, it's tough to truly predict where the ceiling for this team could be with there being so many unknowns. They have multiple talented players from the Pro ranks, but lack experience at this level and were a mid-pack team in their group in the Pro Division last season, and it's not often that a team in that situation stays in Elite for very long. I don't think it means that they can't, as we saw TIKI TALK manage to stay up and even compete for a playoff spot despite similar circumstances, but the lack of experience that ONSE is a real concern.

Their goal will be similar to many first-time teams in the division. Grow, be competitive, and fight to stay out of the relegation zone. If ONSE Esports can do that, their first season in the division will be considered a successful one.

 Parasite

Last Season: Finished 1st in Regular Season standings, ECL Elite Division Champions

• IN:
  • @xAaro89x from Mustaa Kultaa
• OUT:
  • @NikkeDangles to Last Dance

The defending champions are back and return the majority of their dominant core from a season ago. Their one loss however was the biggest of any team this season. The departure of NikkeDangles is a significant one. He's one of the best players in the world and has been a key part of the team since ECL 11, winning multiple championships and individual awards in the process. 

Despite the change though, Parasite was able to replace one of the scene's best forwards with another, acquiring Aaro from Mustaa Kultaa, who Parasite faced in last season's Finals at Assembly Winter.

Aaro was a key piece to Mustaa Kultaa's magical Winter season and proved that he belongs among the top players of the Elite division, notching a career-best 69 points and 40 goals. He will be switching from LW to RW this season, which is notable considering that he has played on the left side for his entire 6s career. We will see how quickly he can make the adjustment, though playing with fellow MVP-level talents in Beniittto and Vattu will certainly ease that transition.

Outside of this, it was an uneventful offseason, which is a great thing for a defending champion. Parasite did lose 2-3 in the Finnish championship Final against Mythix over the weekend, though with a different RW and ruleset (no abilities allowed to be used). It would be unfair to expect them to match their performance from last season. Parasite won 27 of their 28 games in the regular season and finished it as the highest-scoring team in Elite division history, putting up a mind-lowing 5.32 goals for per game. In the playoffs, they never went further than six games in a series and defeated three totally different styles of teams and some of the better players in the scene on those rosters.

Parasite are the championship favorites until proven otherwise.

 Polski Boys

Last Season: Finished 9th in Regular Season standings

IN: -
OUT: -

As weird as it is, I could almost copy and paste what I typed in last season's preview and it would apply. Polski Boys are still looking for their breakthrough moment in the Elite Division, finishing in no-man’s land in each of their first three seasons, but steadily improving during their time in the ECL's highest tier. 

Few teams have had more roster continuity than Polski Boys. They return their entire lineup from last season's team and they only made one move prior to the Winter season, adding Tunkeilija.

Last season this team finished 8th in the division in both goals for and goals against; all while flexing the league's best PK at 95.8%. Despite statically being one of the Top 8 teams last season, Polski Boys missed the playoff cutline by just three points, as they fell down the table at the end of the season after finishing 4-5-1 in their last 10 games, while EXEN, Mythix and The Black Jacks all passed them in the standings.

This team is experienced, together and has steadily improved since winning the Pro Division title in ECL 23 Spring. They've been widely predicted to make the playoffs for the last two seasons, but just not been able to get over that line, is it finally time? It feels like it has to be. If not, questions will begin to form on whether this group will ever be able to become a playoff team without a significant shake up to the roster. 
 

 SSK ESPORTS

Last Season: Competed in Pro Division, lost in Finals vs Blackbirds in 4 games, won Elite Relegation series vs Falun Coal Miners in 5 games

• IN:
  • @bystrom___ from Unwanted
  • @Demski_ from Serpentes
• OUT:
  • @jojjep- to vNexs Academy
  • @Jonte05_ to vNexs

Three months ago, no one would've predicted that SSK ESPORTS would be playing in the Elite Division. The Swedish lineup made the Pro Division playoffs by just one point after ending the regular season with a 7-2-1 record in their last 10 games. During their postseason run, they knocked off three of the top eight teams, including the #1 overall seed and a former Elite division team. Their Cinderella run came to an end in the Finals via a sweep, but they were able to earn their way into the Elite division the next week by knocking off Falun Coal Miners in a relegation series; giving SSK their first Elite season in club history.

This team will need for that magic to be replicated, as four of its starters from that run have returned this season. They made an experienced addition to their defense in Bystrom, who was a steady defender for Purification two seasons ago before playing eight games as a forward with Unwanted last season. Outside of Bystrom, the only other players on the roster with Elite division experience are Rubituss and Demski. Rubituss spent three seasons with Farjestad BK and two seasons with HV71. His most recent season in the division was in ECL 24 Spring with Purification, where he and Bystrom were teammates. He'll be slotting in at center for this team.

Demski spent two seasons in Elite with HV71 during the ECL 22 Winter and Spring season. He played eight games last season with Sepentes in the Pro division and will slot in at forward for this team. He's played sparingly over the last few seasons, but is familiar with the competition level and will be a welcome piece to the team's forward group.

Though few will view this team as a playoff threat, the expectation for this group should be to continue growing and improving while adjusting to Elite division competition; giving them the opportunity to avoid relegation and build on their progress for ECL 26.

 The Black Jacks

Last Season: Finished 6th in Regular Season standings, lost in Quarterfinals vs Mustaa Kultaa in 5 games

• IN:
  • @ProfaneKiss from Deadly Phantoms 
  • @Houddel_RBM from Red Bull Munich eSports
• OUT:
  • @kkostiiii to Almost Famous
  • @Keuschemisch

After three consecutive seasons of making the playoffs, The Black Jacks are back after falling in the Quarterfinals last season and undergoing a turbulent, and controversial end to their season.

Though the group has become an established playoff team and is coming off of its best regular season finish in Elite, they enter the Spring season without their most creative and maybe feared offensive player in Keuschemisch; putting this experienced Central European powerhouse into quite an interesting position. Losing Kermit takes away TBJ's most consistent and productive player, as he led The Black Jacks in points in each of the last four seasons.

Replacing Keuschemisch this season is ProfaneeKiss, an experienced player who was a long-time staple for Deadly Phantoms for many years. Though many of the Phantoms' recent seasons were in the Pro Division, Profane has some Elite Division experience, playing at this level in ECL 9, 10, and 11. He also put up multiple 60+ point seasons at forward during his time in Pro for a team that though wasn't able to make its way back to the Elite division during his time there, did get close several times.

Along with the loss of Kermit is the team's starting goaltender from last season, Kosti, who departs to Almost Famous in the Pro Division after posting a 79.6sv% and starting every game for the team last season. His shoes will be filled by rookie goalie THE EAGLE, who spent a few seasons with HC Lugano eSports before transferring to The Black Jacks midseason after just four games in the Pro Division.

This team also has plenty of form going for them, as they're still currently participating in the German Championship Playoffs and had an undefeated regular season in Division I.

The Black Jacks have a certain style of play, but Keuschemisch was able to put his own spark into it and make it work which certainly was shown in the results. This will be a significant gameplay adjustment for TBJ to undergo, and it'll take more than just Profane to make up for the loss of Keuschemisch's production. If they can do it, they'll be a fringe playoff team again. If not, then it could see their season end in no man's land.

 Tohtorit

Last Season: Finished 2nd in Regular Season standings, lost in Semifinals vs Mustaa Kultaa in 5 games

IN: -

OUT: -

Last season, Tohtorit proved that the ECL 24 Spring season was no fluke. This team is legit, and are likely here to stay. They finished in the Top 4 in the regular season for each of the past two seasons and won their first playoff series in the Elite division after knocking out EXEN in January's Winter season quarterfinals. Combine that with their run to the Semifinals in the FCL (fell to the eventual champions Mythix), and Tohtorit have proven that they belong in the conversation of Europe's top teams.

In terms of play style, Tohtorit plays compact, shutdown defense and pair it with one of the best goalies in Europe with Stammer, who won Goaltender of the Season in the Winter. Offensively, they are able to either counter very fast, or fully reset and take their time with possession. They're able to frustrate many high-puck possession teams and have unpredictable forwards who utilize deception to create quality scoring chances. They also have Kkarkas on defense, who has proven to be one of the best puck-handling defensemen in the league, as he led the division in time with the puck last season with over 200 minutes. He also finished second in that state in the Spring 24 season, placing only behind Tombo.

Tohorit made zero roster changes for the second offseason in a row and has as much chemistry as any team in the Division. They've proven that they can consistently in this division and have done so well beating other top teams. Tohtorit should be squarely in the championship conversation come playoff time and should aim for another Top 4 finish in the regular season.

 Vapor (formerly TIKI TALK)

Last Season: Finished 10th in Regular Season standings

• IN:
  • @dzouvi from FA
  • @Nieppii from Vizio
  • @Jemmuuu from Gotham Knights
• OUT:
  • @itspardytime to HC Lugano eSports
  • @TeMeX to Kokemus Puuttuu
  • @Puantso to Last Dance

After a strong return to the Elite division and a great end of the regular season to secure 10th, Vapor hopes to take the next step in their return to prominence; earning its way into a playoff spot for the Spring. 

This team had unfortunately had one of the more impactful departures of the offseason in longtime captain ItsPardyTime, who currently sits as a free agent and likely seems to be stepping away for the season. Pardy was a critical key to the group's success last season and was the heart and soul of TIKI TALK for many seasons. He had a career season in the Elite Division with 75 points, 33 goals, and 42 assists; which each ranked Top 5 in the division and earned him Comeback Player of the Season honors, as well as being a nominee for Forward of the Season. 

Along with Pardy's departure was TeMex, who was the team's second-leading point-getter at 54 points. Losing these two forwards is a considerable loss for a team that was tied for third in the division in goals per game at 3.11, so this will be the biggest question mark for them this season.

Vapor was able to acquire Vesa Pompa's long-time servant and a highly skilled center in Dzouvi, who returns after taking last season off. Expect him to likely be in the running for Comeback Player of the Season. Searching for a new home alongside the other experienced winger Nieppii, who after his comeback to the scene hasn’t really found a long-term home yet. He spent last season with Vizio in the Pro division and will play his first season in Elite since ECL 23 Spring when he was with Växjö Lakers. 

They also added Jemmu to the roster. The 17-year-old rookie only has 1 ECL season under his belt which was in Pro, but he played with TIKI TALK in the recent FCL and was impressive through his 16 games, putting up 59 points.

Vapor's fate this season will likely be decided by whether or not it can improve defensively and/or replicate its offensive production from last season despite losing its top two forwards. Despite being one of the division's highest-scoring teams, TIKI TALK was also one of its worst teams in its own end, allowing 3.46 goals per game. Only Root Gaming and Falun Coal Miners allowed more, and both were relegated at the end of the season. They were able to add some proven names to its roster which is encouraging, but with many of them being new to each other, we will have to wait and see how quickly they can mesh. This feels like a team that can either make the playoffs, or end up in a relegation battle depending on the answers that they give to these questions.

 vNexs (formerly Vesa Pompa)

Last Season: Finished 11th in Regular Season standings

• IN: 
  • @iSvamp from FA
  • @Ttv_ahnbergs99 from Bjorkloven Esport
• OUT: 
  • @Eken45jr to Golden Buffalos
  • @SebbeLarsen86 to FA

vNexs is an interesting team for a lot of reasons. The past two seasons have been a bit of a disappointment for Vesa Pompa. They haven't been a bottom-of-the-barrel team, but they've found themselves stuck in mediocrity as of late; finishing 12th and 11th in the ECL 24 Spring and ECL 25 Winter season.

On top of that, two of its most experienced players, the team's long-time captain Eken and SebbeLarson are both no longer with the team. It doesn't mean that this team doesn't have talent, as it return four of its starters from a season ago, including two of its three forwards

vNexs' revamped backline will be the biggest story to follow this season. Vesa Pompa allowed 3.04 goals per game last season, so they will hope that a new pairing and a new brand will help them improve in that area. Ahnbergs, the 14 year-old phenomenon, will be a player to watch. The young Swedish defenseman makes the jump to the Elite division after an impressive Pro campaign with Bjorkloven Esport last season. If he's in the lineup consistently, look out for him to be contender for Rookie of the Season.

He'll pair up with iSvamp, who joins the team as a free agent after taking the Winter season off. He was a key piece to the Leksands IF team that made it to the Pro Division finals in ECL 23 Winter before falling to Tohtorit. He's played sparingly in the Neo division since, but he has multiple seasons of Elite division experience, last playing in ECL 9 with Miracle, so he should provide a steady, veteran presence with the young rookie by his side.

This team is a bit of a mystery and slow starts to the season have plagued them in each of the past two campaigns. It'll be important for this team to collect points consistently rather than play catch-up like they've had to in the two seasons prior. If they can do that, then they have the talent to be in the playoff race at season end, but they will need to show some improvement from what we've seen from them over the past calendar year.

Predictions

#	@Mozjayh (Excluding Heimo)	@bMaJuH
1	Parasite	Parasite
2	Last Dance	Last Dance
3	EXEN	Tohtorit
4	Mythix	Mustaa Kultaa
5	Tohtorit	EXEN
6	Mustaa Kultaa	Mythix
7	Blackbirds	Heimo
8	Polski Boys	The Black Jacks
9	The Black Jacks	Polski Boys
10	vNexs	Vapor
11	N0VA	Blackbirds
12	Vapor	vNexs
13	GOONS	N0VA
14	ONSE ESPORTS	GOONS
15	SSK	ONSE ESPORTS
16	-	SSK

  ECL Elite

Format: 1 Group - 16 Teams

Team license required: Yes

Player license required: Yes

Gamedays: Mon, Wed & Thu

• Regular season starts: 7.4
• Transfer deadline: 25.4 23:59 CET ⚠️
• Regular season ends:  8.5
• Playoffs (BO7)
  • Quarterfinals
    • Monday  26.5 - 20:00 CET | 4vs5 & 1vs8 | Games 1-2
    • Wednesday  28.5 - 20:00 CET | 3vs6 &  2vs7 | Games 1-2
    • Thursday  29.5 - 19:30 CET | 4vs5 & 1vs8 | Games 3-4
    • Sunday  1.6 - 19:30 CET |  3vs6 &  2vs7 | Games 3-4
    • Monday  2.6 - 19:30 CET | 4vs5 & 1vs8 | Games 5-7
    • Wednesday  4.6- 19:30 CET | 3vs6 &  2vs7 | Games 5-7
  • Semifinals
    •  Sunday 8.6 - 20:00 CET | 2vs3 & 1vs4 | Games 1-2
    •  Monday 9.6 - 19:30 CET | 1vs4 | Games 3-7
    •  Wednesday 11.6 - 18:30 CET | 2vs3 | Games 3-7
  • Finals
    • Saturday 14.6 - TBC

Want to keep up with everything happening ECL in the this season? Make sure to follow/subscribe to SportsGamerGG on Twitch, YouTube and X.

With 52 hungry teams entering the fight, the stakes in the ECL Lite division are as high as ever. From seasoned former Pro squads to fresh faces looking to make a name for themselves, this season is shaping up to be another exciting one!

Whether you’re chasing redemption, fighting for that first big breakthrough, or just trying to stay afloat, the Lite division has it all—grit, grind, and glory on the line. Get ready for highlight-reel moments, breakout stars, and a playoff race that’ll go down to the wire.

Let’s take a closer look at some of the top contenders, dark horses, and teams speculated not to have such an easy time this season.

🏆 Title Contenders

  Wida

After a hard fought Pro qualifier, they quite couldn’t make it this season, but they surely made some waves, and showed teams that they can play this game. Now it’s time to take to Lite and fight for promotion with 51 other teams.

With more experience year after year, players get more comfortable in their respective positions, and Wida hopes that young and hungry goalie @Veijo13 can be the difference maker this season.

Player to watch:  @Veijo13 🥅

 Deadly Phantoms

As expected the former Pro team has to be a favourite, the once mighty Elite team has taken a few steps back from their glory days and are now in Lite again, with their experience and skill level a deep playoff run is more than close, but will it be enough for the title?

In a tough group it might not be as easy as some may think, Lite is not for the faint of heart and Deadly Phantoms are going to be put to the test.

Player to watch: @RPH_31 🥅

 Hokurit

Another well rounded team that has made a comeback for this season, now with some additions to their team, a hard team to play against with some skill too, after a break it’s always tough to get back into it, but those who’ve played against this team knows what they’re capable of.

One of their signings is a seasoned veteran in @MCH_98 , a tough defender to play against for any winger, and can showcase his talent in the offensive zone if his team needs it.

Player to watch: @Sanezh 🛡️

🥈 Deep Playoff Teams

 HC Last Resort

A solid team with good chemistry is always a tough matchup, for any team. Now looking to build on a strong FCL campaign, HC Last resort is a must follow team this season, they play an exciting brand of hockey loaded with talent.

If they want to be in the title race, they have some big teams to beat first and now they have their eyes on the prize and a potential promotion to Pro.

Player to watch: @Tzon93 🎯

Lemmenvelhot

Lemmenvelhot have been a Lite mainstay team before a hiatus, now they’re back and hungrier than before. After a successful FCL they now have the tools and the momentum to get a hot start to the season, and those who have played ECL for a while knows that momentum can be a dangerous thing.

Player to watch: @hallonberg69 🔥

🧩 Fighting For Playoffs

 TikiTaka

An exciting team that plays well and moves the puck quickly, at the Core level it seemed to bode well and they challenged far more experienced teams, now they’ve made the Lite division and have made strides in their game.

New players are always a gamble and TikiTaka made that gamble with a relative new signing in goal, @K3mpny takes the starting goalie position and with new goalies you never know, we’ll see if their gamble pays off.

Player to watch: @Patadevils ♠️

HC Vadelma

Last season in Lite playoffs does wonders for a team, now they want to expand on that and take it further, with a tough group I believe this team will be on the right side of the playoff line at the end of the season.

Captain @Awesome_Zone_ now has the task to change the playbook for his team, they know what it takes to get to the playoffs, but now for the tough task, going all the way.

Player to watch: @Ubula ruttuberse 🧠

🐎 Dark Horses

Modo Hockey

They now know what not to do, a good solid regular season and a 2nd round exit last season, with a similar season ahead of them it’ll be a coinflip if they will repeat last seasons style or go further.

The playoffs are a different breed, and now Modo faces the challenge many do, how to get there, and newly signed Rookieliamovic might just be what Modo needs to get back to the Pro division.

Player to watch: @RookieLIAMOVIC 🎯

🚨 Relegation danger

 HC Pustertal Esports

After a solid season, most of the team had to be reconstructed, a difficult task to do for any team. If they can find the talent and learn to utilize it, this might just see themselves in the playoff hunt, but it’s a long way there.

Now starts the rebuild and hopefully it will be short lived, @Elmageo has the talent to take this team on his shoulders and get this team into a good spot, maybe even push for playoffs?

Player to watch: @Elmageo 🛠️

SSK Adepts

Now with 3 teams in the ECL SSK has stepped up their game, however, a new team in the Lite always has their challenges and SSK Adepts are going to experience that first hand.

There are some positives too, new teams bring new exciting players and if SSK can somehow harness this talent onto the ice, with some luck they might avoid relegation.

Player to watch: @Asap_Kev321 🛠️

  ECL Lite

Format: 4 Groups

Team license required: Yes

Player license required: Yes

Gamedays: Tue, Wed & Sun

• Regular season starts: 7.4
• Transfer deadline: 25.4 23:59 CET ⚠️
• Regular season ends:  7.5
• Playoffs (BO7)
  • Round of 32: 
    • Monday  26.5
    • Tuesday 27.5
    • Wednesday 28.5
  • Round of 16: 
    • Sunday 1.6
    • Tuesday 3.6
    • Wednesday 4.6
    Quarterfinals: 
    • Sunday  8.6
    • Tuesday  10.6
    • Wednesday  11.6
  • Semifinals:
    • Sunday  15.6
    • Tuesday  17.6
    • Wednesday  18.6
  • Finals:
    • 23.6- 24.6*

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

We would recommend everyone to go through the ECL Essentials - A Guide to the ECL. If you face any problems, feel free to contact us through the Support Tool.

Welcome to the season. May the best team win!

Meet the ECL '25: Spring Cover Gamer: Lauri "sopulii_" Enström

The ECL '25: Spring season is here, and leading the way as the Cover Gamer is none other than Lauri @sopulii_ Enström of Blackbirds. A Pro division champion, competitive floorball player, content creator, and a driving force behind Blackbirds' esports project, Enström embodies what it means to be an ECL athlete both on and off the ice.

We caught up with him to talk about his journey, his team's rise through the divisions, the connection between virtual hockey and floorball, and what it means to represent Blackbirds on two fronts.
 

List of previous ECL cover gamers:
ECL 8: Erik @Eki Tammenpää  🇫🇮 
ECL 9: Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen  🇫🇮 
ECL 10: Casper @ICappeI Lundgren 🇸🇪 
ECL 11: Tuukka @FlyerKungen Kuha  🇫🇮 
ECL 12: Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen  🇫🇮 
ECL '22: Winter: Johan @Lehmannens Lehmann  🇸🇪 & Hampus @l-Furyan-l Duvefelt 🇸🇪
ECL '23: Spring: Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen 🇫🇮
ECL '23: Winter: Erik @Eki Tammenpää 🇫🇮
ECL '23: Spring: Tomi @tomboo- Laitinen 🇫🇮
ECL ‘24: Winter: Adam @dzouvi Menšík 🇨🇿
ECL ‘24: Spring: Perttu @Beniittto Kemppainen 🇫🇮

Interview with Lauri "sopulii_" Enström

Congrats on becoming the ECL '25: Spring Cover Gamer! What does this recognition mean to you personally and as part of the Blackbirds organization?

Thank you, being named cover gamer is of course a great honour considering the cover gamers in the past. It is very cool to be able to represent the league as a team that was just promoted to Elite for this season. The journey we've had with this team has been unbelievable and finally, after so many seasons in lower divisions, we have our chance to give it all we have at the highest level.
 

Your journey in the ECL has been steadily rising season by season—how did it all start for you, and what motivated you to keep pushing to this level?

I personally started in ECL 11 during NHL 21, but the story of the modern-day Blackbirds really began in the ECL'23 Winter season with xBots. Finally, we were able to build a team around the Xbox community since this was the time cross-play was added to the game. We were also the first and only Xbox team to compete that season, and we managed to push into the Lite division in the qualifiers. Our group has always been pretty close, so I think over the years that has been our strength - being able to really stick together as a group even through the tough times.
 

Blackbirds had a dominant Winter season and capped it off with the Pro title. What do you think made the difference this time compared to earlier seasons?

This is a pretty simple one to answer - we played much more together than any previous season. And we played with this exact roster a lot. Most seasons during our club's existence have seen sometimes even up to 10+ players playing throughout the season. But this past season it was really the first time we were able to play a stable season without a huge amount of roster variance between games. The current roster was mainly 1v1 oriented players in the past meaning the motivation to play a lot of 6s wasn't really there.
 

You’ve been part of the team’s core through multiple seasons and changes. How has the chemistry evolved, and how important is that off-the-ice connection to your success?

I think the off-the-ice chemistry is a huge strength of ours - and has always been. The core of our team has been friends ever since around 2020, so the club was created much after we knew each other. What separates the current lineup from the ones in the past is probably the way we're all more or less on the same page about how we want to play and what our expectations/goals are. It's a young team but I think the past 2 seasons have given us so much growth as a team - both on the ice and off it.
 

Are there any teams or players in Elite you’re especially looking forward to matching up against?

The floorball derby - Blackbirds vs Heimo. Both teams are representatives of Finnish floorball clubs (Blackbirds, Kerava & Westend Indians). Funny enough we have a player playing for Heimo in real life, so this is a matchup I'm looking forward to. SportsGamer was even kind enough to schedule this matchup as a broadcast game.
 

You’re not just a top-tier NHL player—you also compete in floorball at a high level. How do the two sports complement each other for you, if at all?

I've said this for years and I still believe it's true - the virtual hockey gameplay resembles floorball much more than real hockey.

So I really think they do complement each other in a lot of ways. The principles of the games are very similar - a good play in one is very likely a good play in the other. The gameplay allows for much more control than real-life hockey does, meaning it's possible to make for example passing plays the same way it can be done on the field in floorball.
 

What does it mean to represent Blackbirds in both physical and digital arenas? That’s a pretty unique position to be in.

Haha, yeah. I've represented Blackbirds in real life for almost 10 years now and it is always a cool feeling to step on the field or virtual ice at "Kurkela Garden".

Tune in to the Season Opening Broadcast Tonight!

Stay tuned as Lauri and Blackbirds take on their biggest challenge yet in the Elite division. Watch them live this season on twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG and twitch.tv/BlackbirdsUnited follow their journey across both the esports and floorball arenas.

Both Blackbirds and ONSE Esports kick off their maiden ECL Elite broadcast matchup together, starting tonight at 19:45 CEST, followed by NOVA taking on Polski Boys - be sure to tune in!

The time has come – the most thrilling esports hockey competition in Europe is back! 🏒🔥
ECL '25: Spring is officially here, and we’re in for another action-packed season. Whether you're a diehard fan eagerly awaiting the action or a newcomer curious about the excitement, now's the perfect time to get involved. Fire up those systems because the competition is about to reach new heights! 🎮🚨

In this preview, we’ll dive into a few teams and their key players taking center stage in the fierce battle for supremacy in the prestigious ECL. From the experienced veterans to the rising stars looking to make their mark, this season promises to be full of high-stakes matchups and unforgettable moments. Stay tuned as we explore what makes this spring’s ECL so special and what fans can expect as the season unfolds! 🌟🏆
 

 Almost Famous

It wasn’t many seasons ago that Almost Famous won the Pro title, with a few different players of course, nonetheless this is a new team with new expectations.

@Ikavalko headlines this roster as he usually does, this veteran player takes his age-old team into ECL once again and is now looking to win the Pro title once again, with a revamped squad.

Player to watch: @kkostiiii 👀
Season Prediction: Title Contenders 🏆

 Carnages

With newcomers from qualifiers it’s quite hard to give a good read or estimate, but plowing through the qualifiers in stage 1 and gaining the Pro spot as group winners surely made a statement for other teams in the Pro division.

Captain @Fin_S1su has assembled a worthy team for the Pro division that will be fighting for a playoff spot this year and beyond, with great goaltending from their leader and solid offense we might just see that happen.

Player to watch: @Bugimir🧤
Season Prediction: 1st round of playoffs 📈
 

 Chiubibigle

After a few rough seasons in the Pro division (former Devilz), this team continues to stay alive and keep their spot in the second highest division, now after qualifiers they claim their spot once again in Pro, with their main goal to not be playing qualifiers at the end of the season.

However, with a completely new look this season, Devilz have gotten some experience in the form of @Haldeem &  @Original-SnuS, if the whole team can find some chemistry to begin the season, Devilz might just find them pushing for a playoff spot.

Player to watch: @I_Alex28_I 🎯
Season Prediction: Relegation 📉
 

 Falun Coal Miners

After a disappointing season in Elite, they had another chance at redemption in the Elite qualifiers but didn’t quite pull through, another top performance is highly likely in the upcoming Pro division for the experienced Swedish team.

With a lot of experience comes different ways to play the game, and Falun Coal Miners surely knows how to do that at the Pro level, if they can put up a similar effort as their last Pro season they surely are a favourite.

Player to watch: @STRANDMANNEN11 💪
Season Prediction: Title Contender 🏆
 

 F U R Y

Fury comes in with one of the most experienced of new teams in Pro. Players from different teams come together and take a Pro spot and immediately become favourites to go far in the playoffs.

 @LE1PAKONE nordzman headlines the newly founded team and is looking to pave his way back to the Elite division, now as a forward Nordzman has to make it work with some new teammates and big expectations on his shoulder.

Player to watch: @Konsuk05 🎮
Season Prediction: 2nd round of playoffs 🚀
 

 Golden Buffalos

This one sure is an interesting one, as everyone watches and wonders what this team has done, and is going to do we’ll give a fair evaluation at the mid-season report when it’s clear who plays at what position, with new signings like @Patzlaf , @FlyerKungen &  @Eken45jr who have played in Elite for their entire careers, we’ve never seen anything similar in the Pro division, so buckle up and follow this team closely this season.

Player to watch: @xSauron_96 👑
Season Prediction: 2nd round of playoffs 🔥
 

 Golden Sticks

After a strong playoff performance in ECL 24, the team faced a bit of a setback during the offseason, losing several key players to transfers and other commitments. Despite these challenges, they narrowly avoided relegation to the Pro qualifiers, managing to stay in their current league by the slimmest of margins. With a renewed focus and a few strategic additions to the roster, the team is now looking to bounce back and make a stronger push this season, aiming to build on their playoff experience and overcome the difficulties they faced in the past.

Player to watch: @peppenntur 🧊
Season Prediction: Relegation 🚨
 

 HC Lugano eSport

After a solid regular season for Lugano, their playoff hopes got squashed by eventual semifinalists and qualifier winners Nova, and are now looking for redemption. This season Lugano needs to prove that last season's regular season finish wasn’t a fluke, and that this is their true level.

Now with some more experience under their belt, Lugano are looking to build something great and go deep in the playoffs with the same roster from last season.

Player to watch: @CMB-wf- 🧱
Season Prediction: 1st round of playoffs 🎯
 

 Kertoimia Vastaan

After a difficult Pro qualifier, Kertoimia Vastaan made it to Pro and now want to cement themselves as a playoff team immediately, that’s going to be tough with some new teams and a lot of dark horses.

One who can stand out for them this season is @HopeaKypara99, he has that Pro experience and he knows what it takes to succeed at this level. If Kertoimia Vastaan can get a hot start, they can fight for a playoff spot.

Player to watch: @HopeaKypara99 🎯
Season Prediction: Relegation 📉
 

 Nurnberg IceTigers eSport

Landing in Pro for the season and not seeing a big change from last season for the German team might just be what they need, more time to get their ducks in a row and start progressing as a team.

Now they need that little bit of a push to be more competitive, and @Flo_goes_grazy flgr93 has that needed flair any team needs to be a good team in Pro, but can the rest of the team keep up?

Player to watch: @Flo_goes_grazy flgr93 ⚡
Season Prediction: No-man's land 🗺️
 

 Otukset

Always a team that competes well in the Pro division, again quite close as they made the Elite qualifiers, but they were outclassed and sent packing.

Now a new season in Pro and their goal has to be a deep playoff run, a very skilled team with a lot of games played together under their belt, and once again a heavy favourite to win it.

Player to watch: @Mikka mikkaah 🎯
Season Prediction: 2nd round of playoffs 🚀

 REALISTIC

A team that played well in FCL, and took a Pro spot and is eager to show that this is where they belong, now Realistic has everything going for them and need to capitalize on that.

@N44TTI_16 naatti__ joins Realistic after a few seasons in Elite with good numbers, and is going to be one of many who might be after the top scorers position in Pro this season, if his team can keep with him, they might just find themselves in a good position at the end of the season.

Player to watch: @N44TTI_16 naatti__ 🏹
Season Prediction: 2nd round of playoffs 🔥
 

Blegi

An experienced squad who some have played in the highest level of ECL, now they begin their climb back up with a new squad, with uncertainty in the squad who plays yet it will be interesting to see who starts when the season starts.

After an interesting FCL campaign, Blegi sure has a lot of doubters, and wants to prove them wrong, recent Elite standout @koleslaav_ who captains Blegi surely wants to win more games than most now has something to prove once again.

Player to watch: @ItzPoro 🎮
Season Prediction: No-man's land 🌫️

 Pivto4ka

Another newly founded team in Pro with some good experience, this Russian side is spearheaded by veteran @NyambI4. Advancing through the qualifiers and eventually making it, this team had its issues with finding chemistry early on, it’ll be an interesting season for them if they keep having the same issues.

Player to watch: @muzhichok39 xbelzzyy 🧩
Season Prediction: No-man’s land 🚧

 Sunne IK esport

The newly crowned SCL champions are headed to the Pro division! Has a nice ring to it, right? Or maybe ECL 25 Winter champions, either way this team has accumulated a ton of experience and trophies on the way, and now they’re looking for one more.

After a few seasons in ECL, Sunne IK really found their groove and leading the way is @forreberra, the talented winger really can put on a show, so Pro defenseman, be ready.

Player to watch: @benjamint737 ✨
Season Prediction: 1st round of playoffs 💪

 Vizio

A mainstay now in Pro for a few seasons, this Finnish side seem to have found that groove that it takes to play in the Pro division. Now is the time to build on their upwards trajectory, after a tough ending to the season last ECL where they were held off of making the playoffs in the last regular season game.

The team gets some well needed boosts this season, notably experienced defenseman @SirLateksi who has built a resume worthwhile, now helping Vizio hopefully to the playoffs.

Player to watch: @Artuzio 🛡️
Season Prediction: 1st round of playoffs ⚔️

  ECL Pro

Format: 2 Groups - 33 Teams

Team license required: Yes

Player license required: Yes

Gamedays: Mon, Tue & Thu

• Regular season starts: 7.4
• Transfer deadline: 25.4 23:59 CEST ⚠️
• Regular season ends:  8.5
• Playoffs (BO7)
  • Round of 16:
    • Monday 26.5
    • Tuesday 27.5
    • Thursday 29.5
  • Quarterfinals: 
    • Monday 2.6
    • Tuesday 3.6
    • Thursday 5.6
  • Semifinals: 
    • Monday 9.6
    • Tuesday 10.6
    • Thursday 12.6
  • Finals:
    • 16.6- 17.6*
• Promotion & Relegation games are to be played shortly after the season, however dates are flexible.

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

We would recommend everyone to go through the ECL Essentials - A Guide to the ECL. If you face any problems, feel free to contact us through the Support Tool.

Welcome to the season. Let the games begin!

The ECL '25: Spring - Neo season is finally here, and it's ready to deliver an unforgettable experience for all players and teams! Kicking off tonight with 44 teams split into four groups, this season is sure to bring the heat, and we couldn’t be more excited to see it all unfold. Whether you’re stepping onto the virtual ice as a new player or team joining the ECL for the very first time, or returning from previous seasons, we want to extend a warm welcome to the world of competitive eHockey.

Fallen Rangers were your Neo Champions of ECL '25: Winter and with them taking the step to the next level, we are now looking for a new champion. Who will take the title and who will emerge as the potential stars of the future? Let us know in the comments down below.

  ECL Neo

Team license required: No

Player license required: Yes (Neo Player License)

Prize Pool: No

Gamedays: Wed & Sun

• Regular season starts: 7.4
• Transfer deadline: 25.4 23:59 CET ⚠️
• Regular season ends:  4.5
• Playoffs (BO5)
  • Round of 32: 
    • Wednesday 28.5
    • Sunday 1.6
  • Round of 16: 
    • Wednesday 4.6
    • Sunday 8.6
  • Quarterfinals: 
    • Wednesday 11.6
    • Sunday 15.6
  • Semifinals: 
    • Wednesday 18.6 
    • Wednesday 25.6
  • Finals:
    • Sunday 29.6

We would recommend everyone to go through the ECL Essentials - A Guide to the ECL. If you face any problems, feel free to contact us through the Support Tool.

Welcome to the season. Welcome to the ECL! Let the games begin!

Welcome to ECL Essentials!

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

Game Scheduling & Reporting Guidelines

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

Transfer Rules

• Transfer Deadline:
  • The deadline for all player transfers is April 25th at the end of the day.

Licenses

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

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

SportsGamer Placeholder Team

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

Did we miss something?

Please see our Frequently Asked Questions.

Still need help? Please contact Support.

SportsGamers,

The newest update to the ECL '25: Spring rulebook is now live and can be accessed through the league pages. Generally speaking, the rulebook is a revised and improved version of the rulebook used in ECL '25: Winter. Find the new rulebook here.

Here's a snapshot of some of the major adjustments / additions compared to ECL ‘25: Spring: 

• 11.7.: Player ability bans and their enforcement have been updated
• Fair Play has been updated to include not spamming empty net as a goalie
• Updated qualifier transfer rules
• Handing out WO wins during the qualifiers is no longer allowed

We ask every team and it's members to familiarize themselves with the rulebook before taking the ice for the ECL '25: Spring season. Please refer to the rulebook in case of any issues that may arise throughout the season. If you have any questions, please get in touch with support.

Statement on the ECL Division placement of team BLEGI

Background:
The League Administration raised concerns regarding BLEGI, a team initially signed up for the Lite division for ECL '25 Spring. Their roster consists of two former Elite Starters and four former Pro starters, which led to worries that they might be too strong for the Lite division, potentially disrupting the competitive balance. This concern stems from a similar situation in ECL '24 Spring, where Nordic Stars dominated the Lite division with a highly accomplished roster.
Upon inquiring, BLEGI explained that they had originally intended to compete in the Pro Qualifiers. However, due to a tight schedule with the FCL and late roster changes, they were unable to complete a full roster in time for the qualifiers.

Decision:
To maintain the integrity of the divisions, BLEGI will be placed directly into the Pro Division as the 33rd team. This decision should be treated as a one-time exception. Moving forward, the rulebook will be reviewed to provide clearer guidelines for handling such situations in the future. Additionally, the League Administration retains the right to make final decisions regarding team placements, seedings, and potential refusals of entry, ensuring that the competitive balance of the league is upheld. 

ECL ’25: Spring Sign-Ups Close Tonight – Welcome to Season 20 and the League’s 10-Year Anniversary!

It's hard to believe it’s been 10 years since we kicked off the ECL! Now, as we enter Season 20, what started as a one-division journey with around 50 teams has grown into a 200+ team, five-division experience. It’s incredible to see so many players who have been with us since the beginning—there’s been a lot of eHockey played over the years! You can browse some of these legendary player profiles on the SportsGamer All-time Stats page.

I’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the players who have joined us on this journey and continue to compete in the league we all live and breathe.

Since its inception in 2015, the European Championship League (ECL) has established itself as the pinnacle of eHockey. It’s where the best players from across the continent face off in a 6v6 format that leaves no margin for error. Every position on the ice—forward, defense, and goalie—is controlled by a human player, creating a uniquely competitive and authentic environment. With divisions ranging from the elite to entry-level, the ECL provides a platform for players of all skill levels to make their mark.

With a total prize pool of 24 000 EUR on the line—spread across both 6v6 and 1v1 formats—the stage is set for yet another amazing competitive season in European NHL esports.

The ECL is the pinnacle of European NHL esports. The abbreviation stands for the European Championship League and it features NHL 6v6 esports in five divisions aimed at various skill levels. Every player, including the goalies, is controlled by a human. League games are played in the EASHL mode and the platform is PlayStation and Xbox. ECL has been played since 2015, so the upcoming season is already the 17th. The latest addition to the ECL product family is a 1v1 tournament, where Europe's best solo players fight for the championship. ECL 1v1 has been played since the ECL '23 Winter season.

Basic information/requirements of ECL:

• Regional restrictions: ECL is a European tournament format, however, we do not necessarily exclude players located in North America or Asia. A European server will always be used. We reserve the right to exclude teams or players in case of severe connection issues.
   
• Individual requirements: Each player needs to have an account at SportsGamer.GG and create their personal player card.
   
• ECL licenses: Teams in ECL Elite & ECL Pro, ECL Lite, and ECL Core will require their respective ECL ‘25: Spring team licenses in order to play. In addition, every player in the above-mentioned divisions needs to have a valid ECL ‘25: Player License or ECL ‘25: Spring Player License before taking the ice. Players in ECL Neo require only an ECL '25: Spring Neo Player License.
  
   

For a more extensive overview of the ECL as a whole, check out our “What is the ECL?” news story.

The sign-ups close on the below-mentioned dates:

• Pro Wildcard Battle: 18.3.2025 
• ECL Pro Qualifier: 21.3.2025 
• ECL Neo:  4.4.2025 ⚠️
• ECL Core: 4.4.2025 ⚠️
• ECL Lite: 4.4.2025 ⚠️
• ECL Pro: 21.3.2025 
• ECL Elite: 21.3.2025 

* Signups will close at 23:59 CET on the day mentioned unless otherwise specified.

For more detailed information on the different divisions and their schedules, see this article.


Regular Season duration:
7.4-8.5.2025

Estimated finals dates:
Below are estimated dates for the Finals to be approximately played. We reserve the right to changes in schedule.

• ECL Neo Finals 29.6
• ECL Core Finals 25.6. - 26.6
• ECL Lite Finals 23.6. - 24.6
• ECL Pro Finals 16.6. - 17.6
• ECL Elite Finals 14.6

Free Agents & Teams Looking for Players

Don't have a team yet? Team looking for additions to your roster?

If you are a free agent looking to be picked up, please head over here.

If you are representing a team looking for players, please head over here.

Need more help, check out the below article!

The ECL Neo division does not require a team license, however, you do need the ECL Neo Player license at the cost of 10 EUR per season. All other divisions require the ECL '25 Spring or Full Year Player License and Spring Team License. 

 PURCHASE YOUR ECL '25 LICENSES HERE 

Please refer to this ECL Ranking in order to understand which teams are eligible to sign up for each division.

Rule Changes: Ability Bans

All Gold abilities and the silver abilities Truculence, Big Tipper, and Stick 'Em Up are banned for the ECL '25: Spring season.

Read the full League Administration statement here.

The full updated ECL '25 rulebook will be published on Saturday, you can check out last season's rules here.

⏳ Last Call: ECL '25: Spring Registration Closes Tonight for the ECL Elite and ECL Pro divisions, and the ECL Pro Qualifiers! ⏳

Time is running out! Tonight is the absolute deadline to sign up for the ECL '25: Spring Season across Elite, Pro, and Pro Qualifier divisions.

If your team hasn’t registered yet, this is your final chance to secure your spot in Europe’s premier competitive NHL tournament series!
 

🔹 Registration Closes:

🗓️ Tonight, Friday 21st of March

⏰ 23:59 CET

✅ Who needs to sign up?

• Elite teams looking to confirm their place in the top division.

• Pro teams ready for another shot at glory.

• Pro Qualifier teams eager to climb the ladder.

If you haven’t signed up, you risk missing out on this season entirely!

👇 Register now:

Let’s make ECL '25: Spring another unforgettable season on the ice! 🏒🔥

Are you ready to take your team to the next level? Today is your final chance to sign up for the ECL '25: Spring - Pro Wildcard, and secure your shot at joining the ECL Pro Division this season!
 

Sign-ups close at midnight tonight—don’t miss out!
 

What Is the Pro Wildcard?

The Pro Wildcard is an exclusive opportunity for teams who believe they have what it takes to compete at the Pro level of ECL but weren’t placed there directly through ranking eligibility.

By signing up for the Pro Wildcard, your team requests an opportunity to enter a qualifying stage where you’ll compete against other ambitious squads for a place in ECL Pro this Spring. It’s your pathway to fast-track your club to the higher levels of European NHL esports!

Who Can Sign Up?

Not every team can jump straight to Pro. Teams are invited to apply for the Pro Wildcard if they:

✅ Believe they have the skill and experience to compete at Pro
✅ Want to prove themselves on the ice
✅ Meet the eligibility requirements outlined below

Pro Wildcard Eligibility Requirements

Pro Qualifier Wildcard requirements:

• Three former Elite starters or four former Pro starters
• A starter is defined as having played 16 or more games in the ECL '25: Winter season, or 16 or more games in the ECL '24: Spring season
• If there are more players from the same team that were relegated out of the division Pro (in the same season) in the team applying for a wildcard, they may be counted as one player. The League Administration reserves the right to interpretations of this depending on the specific circumstances of the situation.

It is possible to apply even if your team doesn't quite meet the requirements, however, teams that do will be prioritized. Applying does not guarantee a spot in the Wildcard qualifier.

Key Dates to Remember

📝 Pro Wildcard Sign-ups Close:
Tonight! Monday, March 18th, 23:59 CET
Sign up before midnight to take part in the Wildcard process!

⚔️ Pro Wildcard Battle:
Wednesday, March 19th – Thursday, March 20th
Teams accepted into the Wildcard process will face off (if necessary) to earn a place in the Pro Qualifier.

🎯 Pro Qualifier:

Sign up by Friday, March 21st.

• Round 1: Sunday, March 23rd – Thursday, March 27th
• Round 2: Sunday, March 30th – Tuesday, April 1st (If needed)
• Round 3: Thursday, April 3rd (If needed)

Winners from the Wildcard Battle will advance to the Pro Qualifier and compete for the final spots in ECL Pro.

Don’t Forget! Elite and Pro Sign-ups Are Open Too

Even if your team is already ranked for Elite or Pro, you still need to complete your registration to secure your place!

📝 Elite & Pro Team Registration Deadline:
Friday, March 21st, 23:59 CET
All teams in Elite and Pro must be fully registered by this date, or risk losing their spot.

👉 Read more about the ECL 25 Spring season and sign up here:
🔗 ECL 25 Spring Sign-ups Are Open

Please refer to this ECL Ranking in order to understand which teams are eligible to sign up for each division.

Don’t wait—register your team now and claim your chance to rise to Pro!

ECL ’25: Spring Sign-Ups Are Open – Welcome to Season 20 and the League’s 10-Year Anniversary!

Can you believe it’s been 10 years since we kicked off the ECL? Now, as we enter Season 20, what started as a one-division journey with around 50 teams has grown into a 200+ team, five-division experience. It’s incredible to see so many players who have been with us since the beginning—there’s been a lot of eHockey played over the years! You can browse some of these legendary player profiles on the SportsGamer All-time Stats page.

I’d like to extend a heartfelt thank you to all the players who have joined us on this journey and continue to compete in the league we all live and breathe.

Since its inception in 2015, the European Championship League (ECL) has established itself as the pinnacle of eHockey. It’s where the best players from across the continent face off in a 6v6 format that leaves no margin for error. Every position on the ice—forward, defense, and goalie—is controlled by a human player, creating a uniquely competitive and authentic environment. With divisions ranging from the elite to entry-level, the ECL provides a platform for players of all skill levels to make their mark.

With a total prize pool of 24 000 EUR on the line—spread across both 6v6 and 1v1 formats—the stage is set for yet another amazing competitive season in European NHL esports.

The ECL is the pinnacle of European NHL esports. The abbreviation stands for the European Championship League and it features NHL 6v6 esports in five divisions aimed at various skill levels. Every player, including the goalies, is controlled by a human. League games are played in the EASHL mode and the platform is PlayStation and Xbox. ECL has been played since 2015, so the upcoming season is already the 17th. The latest addition to the ECL product family is a 1v1 tournament, where Europe's best solo players fight for the championship. ECL 1v1 has been played since the ECL '23 Winter season.

Basic information/requirements of ECL:

• Regional restrictions: ECL is a European tournament format, however, we do not necessarily exclude players located in North America or Asia. A European server will always be used. We reserve the right to exclude teams or players in case of severe connection issues.
   
• Individual requirements: Each player needs to have an account at SportsGamer.GG and create their personal player card.
   
• ECL licenses: Teams in ECL Elite & ECL Pro, ECL Lite, and ECL Core will require their respective ECL ‘25: Spring team licenses in order to play. In addition, every player in the above-mentioned divisions needs to have a valid ECL ‘25: Player License or ECL ‘25: Spring Player License before taking the ice. Players in ECL Neo require only an ECL '25: Spring Neo Player License.
  
   

For a more extensive overview of the ECL as a whole, check out our “What is the ECL?” news story.

Please note that the sign-up window for the Pro Wild Card Battle, the Pro Qualifier and the Pro and Elite divisions is quite short, so don't miss out and please don't hesitate to reach out to support if you have any questions.

The sign-ups close on the below-mentioned dates:

• Pro Wildcard Battle: 18.3.2025 ⚠️
• ECL Pro Qualifier: 21.3.2025 ⚠️
• ECL Neo:  4.4.2025
• ECL Core: 4.4.2025
• ECL Lite: 4.4.2025
• ECL Pro: 21.3.2025 ⚠️
• ECL Elite: 21.3.2025 ⚠️

* Signups will close at 23:59 CET on the day mentioned unless otherwise specified.

For more detailed information on the different divisions and their schedules, see this article.

Qualifiers:
The schedule for the qualifiers will be tight - as usual, to allow the maximum time for sign-ups - so please prepare to play quite intensely during the qualifiers stage.

• Pro Wildcard Battle: 19.-20.3 (if necessary)
• Pro Qualifier starts 23.3
• Elite Qualifier start: 30.3 (if necessary)

The exact details will be shared once the number of teams is known.

Regular Season duration:
7.4-8.5.2025

Estimated finals dates:
Below are estimated dates for the Finals to be approximately played. We reserve the right to changes in schedule.

• ECL Neo Finals 29.6
• ECL Core Finals 25.6. - 26.6
• ECL Lite Finals 23.6. - 24.6
• ECL Pro Finals 16.6. - 17.6
• ECL Elite Finals 14.6

Free Agents & Teams Looking for Players

Don't have a team yet? Team looking for additions to your roster?

If you are a free agent looking to be picked up, please head over here.

If you are representing a team looking for players, please head over here.

Need more help, check out the below article!

Early Bird Offer on Team Licenses

Below you’ll find the pricing of the team for ECL ‘25: Spring. You can pick up the ECL ‘25: Spring Team license for the Super Early Bird and Early Bird pricing listed below. After that, we will offer a slightly elevated regular pricing from March 27th onward.

PURCHASE YOUR ECL '25 LICENSES HERE

For those of you participating in the qualifiers and unsure which division your team will play in for the ECL ‘25: Spring season, you can still take advantage of this offer; Purchase the Super Early Bird license for the division you are qualifying for and if your team is unsuccessful in the mission, we will refund you the difference to the Super Early Bird price for the division your team ends up in. For example, if you enter the qualifiers for the Pro division, purchase the Super Early Bird Pro license. If your team doesn’t qualify for the Pro division, you will play in the Lite division and we will refund you the difference - in this example: 100 EUR.

The ECL Neo division does not require a team license, however, you do need the ECL Neo Player license at the cost of 10 EUR per season. 

Please refer to this ECL Ranking in order to understand which teams are eligible to sign up for each division.

Rule Changes: Ability Bans

All Gold abilities and the silver abilities Truculence, Big Tipper, and Stick 'Em Up are banned for the ECL '25: Spring season.

Read the full League Administration statement here.

The full updated ECL '25 rulebook will be published closer to the season, you can check out last season's rules here.

SportGamers,

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

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

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

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

Free Agency Team feature

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

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

You can browse the Free Agent team here.

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

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

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

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

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

Useful tips

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

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

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

Hello, all members of the ECL Community!

We have had a long ongoing discussion about the X-Factors and Abilities and whether they should be allowed in a competitive environment or not. It has been enlightening to see and hear all the different opinions on this matter on the public forums, party chats, and private messages. We thank you all for taking part in this discussion!

Looking closely at the situation, all the abilities have a way to make or break the game - in one way or another - and those effects can go both ways, whether you are or aren't allowed to use them. Abilities allow you to do things that you wouldn't or perhaps even shouldn't be able to do in certain situations, but they also reward you for making good plays, good passes, and timing your actions correctly.

Playing without abilities can take away a lot of those rewards and may leave you frustrated because of that. One of the big concerns about banning all the abilities is that it could lead to a much more passive playstyle on defense. Of course, you are still able to score in many different ways, but it is a fact that some things in this game are built around the abilities and the animations they allow you to trigger. Abilities at their best can create these "wow!" moments for both the players and the viewers. It's worth mentioning that the discussion has mostly been around the gameplay experience, but we also want to take the viewers into account, even though currently most of them are you, the players.

It is also to be stated that we want to keep the same ruleset for all the ECL divisions. While we see that the opinions are heavily divided between the players from different skill levels, the structure has always aimed to make it possible for teams to climb the division ladder all the way from the bottom to the top. Different rulesets could create a huge barrier between the divisions, which would be against our core values. We don't think either end of the extremes would necessarily result in a bad gameplay experience, but there are a lot of players on each side of the conversation and a compromise between the main two parties feels like the best way to go forward.

Based on the community feedback and after an internal discussion we have decided on the following ability restrictions for the ECL '25: Spring season:

All Gold X-Factors will be banned for both skaters and goaltenders

Activating the Gold X-Factors doesn't require you to spend any XP points for certain traits and it allows you to have the abilities of a superstar even if your actual ability stats e.g. on a shooting skill would say otherwise. This change also brings the number of usable abilities down from 3 to 2. When you need the skill points to use the Superstar abilities, it will require you to carefully think about where to place those scarcely available skill points, and whether you want to focus on offense, defense, or somewhere between. With the removal of the Gold X-Factors, the balance between offense, defense, and goaltending should also stay similar to what we're already used to.
 

The following X-Factors and Superstar abilities will be completely banned

The following X-Factors are deemed too powerful even in their silver state and will be banned completely.


  Big Tipper

This ability helps players in front of the net to deflect pucks with ultimate precision. This is the one ability almost everyone seems to agree doesn't belong in a competitive environment, due to the usage requiring little to no skill and being so efficient.

  Truculence

This ability gives you exceptional stability and assists on shoulder checks and greatly increases the chance of knocking over the opponent and sapping their energy. Truculence breaks the game in a few different ways. It slows down the game due to the energy loss and long animations to get back up. It enables you to hit from too far away and from impossible angles, no matter which size player build is being used. You can still hit without truculence but without it, a better understanding of when a hit should be made will be required.

  Stick 'em up

This ability gives you phenomenal defensive stick speed and exceptional accuracy when poke-checking against momentum or at speed while also lowering the chance of a penalty. The game already has a very strong auto-aim built into poke-checking whether you use this ability or not. The ability allows you to spam the stick check without much worry of getting penalized for it. It also allows you to reach the puck from too far away and from impossible angles.

Why are the Regional Leagues played without abilities?

There was a large group of players who made their voices heard with the so-called "#BanThemAll" messages that were going around after the announcement of the ability bans for the ECL '25: Winter season.

As there was no conversation indicating a change in opinion around this subject, we wanted to give the players a chance to try it out in a competitive environment the regional tournaments that were next on the schedule felt like the be the best place to do that. We understand that the timing of this "test period" was far from ideal, especially with the biggest league FCL starting later than we were originally aiming for. We decided to have the same ruleset for all the Regional Leagues, because we wanted all teams and regions to have an equal chance to experience the gameplay without abilities and prepare for the upcoming ECL Season. Our communication of this should have been clearer, but ultimately it was a timing issue with the leagues running at different times.

Why was there no community vote?

While we understand that there is a big argument to have a vote for this decision, we believe in practice it would not be the best way to go. If we look at some of the unofficial polling results that have been circulating, they show that most people voting were against any kind of change compared to the ECL '25: Winter season. In one specific poll around 130-140 players out of around 650 people on the server voted, even though the server could be considered to consist of some of the most active members in the community. The ongoing public discussions have been very "top-heavy" regarding what division the players play in and this was also reflected in the polling. The higher up you go in divisions, the players tend to be more active and we expect that would also be reflected in a community vote. To actually reach the whole community would be a huge task on its own, and there would still be a big majority of players that the possible vote would not reach, especially given the often narrow time frame. The flip side of the coin is, that even if we would reach all players and have them vote anonymously, we have no way to verify if they have actually looked into all the intricacies of the matter or if they're just casting their vote based on what someone else told them to vote for. This is why we prefer to have an open and constructive dialogue where we collaboratively try to get into the details and thoughts behind the opinions and experiences within our community. 

What to expect from future decisions?

We understand from the feedback that we've been lacking in communication regarding this issue. Communication is our main goal to improve along with reacting quicker to possible changes and make the process smoother overall. Whether it is at the start of the game cycle when something has radically changed, or in the middle of the year when some issue has been raised, we want to react quicker and give the players enough time to adjust for the tournaments. We're very thankful for all the feedback we've received and we warmly welcome any future feedback or suggestions! 

Best regards,

League Administration

The ECL is the pinnacle of European NHL esports. The abbreviation stands for the European Championship League and it features NHL 6v6 esports in five divisions aimed at various skill levels. Every player, including the goalies, is controlled by a human. League games are played in the EASHL mode and the platform is PlayStation and Xbox. ECL has been played since 2015, so the upcoming season is already the 20th. The latest addition to the ECL product family is a 1v1 tournament, where Europe's best solo players fight for the championship. ECL 1v1 has been played since the ECL '23 Winter season.
 

Basic information/requirements of ECL:

• Regional restrictions: ECL is a European tournament format, however, we do not necessarily exclude players located in North America or Asia. A European server will always be used. We reserve the right to exclude teams or players in case of severe connection issues.
   
• Individual requirements: Each player needs to have an account at SportsGamer.GG and create their personal player card.
   
• ECL licenses: Teams in ECL Elite & ECL Pro, ECL Lite, and ECL Core will require their respective ECL ‘25: Winter team licenses in order to play. In addition, every player in the above-mentioned divisions needs to have a valid ECL ‘25: Player License or ECL ‘25: Winter Player License before taking the ice. Players in ECL Neo require only an ECL '25: Winter Neo Player License.
   
• Rules: The ECL '25: Spring rulebook will be an updated version of the '25 Spring Winter, you can check out last season's rules here. The decision regarding the Banned Abilities conversation will be communicated this week.

The divisions framework for the ECL ‘25 season will follow the same logic as for previous seasons. We will have a total of five divisions with the following team allocation:

• Elite 16 teams
• Pro 32 teams
• Lite 64 teams
• Core (up to) 128 teams
• and Neo 32+ teams.
   

Please refer to this ECL Ranking in order to understand which teams are eligible to sign up for each division.

Generally speaking, teams that are new to the ECL will start in the Neo or Core division. However, it is possible to apply for the ECL Lite qualifications to prove that you can compete at that level.

Don't have a team yet? Team looking for additions to your roster?

If you are a free agent looking to be picked up,  please head over here .

If you are representing a team looking for players, please head over here.
 

Hall of Fame: The ECL Champions so far

ECL 6v6:

• ECL 1: Nordic Blizzard
• ECL 2: Mukimiehet
• ECL 3: X Factor
• ECL 4: Laser HT
• ECL 5: Aapon Taikasauva
• ECL 6: Carlsberg HC
• ECL 7: FILADELPHIA
• ECL 8: Written In the Stars
• ECL 9: Linköping HC
• ECL 10: HAVU Gaming
• ECL 11: FILADELPHIA
• ECL 12: hREDS
• ECL '22: Grand Champion: hREDS
  • ECL '22 Winter: hREDS
  • ECL '22 Spring: hREDS
• ECL '23: Grand Champion: Tunnel Vision
  • ECL '23 Winter: Tunnel Vision
  • ECL '23 Spring: Tunnel Vision
• ECL '24: Winter Champion: hREDS
• ECL '24: Spring Champion: Tunnel Vision
• ECL '25: Winter Champion: Parasite

ECL 1v1:

• ECL '23: Winter: Sisu "sisu33_" Nurminen
• ECL '23: Spring: Väinö "Pikkarii" Pikkarainen
• ECL '24: Grand Champion: Teemu "Temppanen" Karvonen
  • ECL '24: Winter: Erik "EkiOriginal" Tammenpää
  • ECL '24: Spring: Väinö "Pikkarii" Pikkarainen

SportsGamers,

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

Below you will find a list of teams that have secured a division spot at the Elite, Pro, or Lite league level. If you didn't find your team on the list, don't worry! You can apply for a wildcard spot for your team in the Pro qualifiers or participate in the Lite qualifiers, which are open to everyone.

Please note that the Qualifiers will be starting very soon and the registration time will be short, so start mentally and psychologically preparing for them as we look to release the ECL '25: Spring registrations later this week.
 

Pro Qualifier Wildcard requirements

• Three former Elite starters or four former Pro starters
• A starter is defined as having played 16 or more games in the ECL '25: Winter season, or 16 or more games in the ECL '24: Spring season
• If there are more players from the same team that were relegated out of the division Pro (in the same season) in the team applying for a wildcard, they may be counted as one player. The League Administration reserves the right to interpretations of this depending on the specific circumstances of the situation.
   

What if all Pro Qualifier positions are not filled?

• Teams will not be promoted straight and all open spots will be filled through qualifiers (excluding automatically relegated/promoted teams). If there happens to be more open spots than anticipated (e.g. from teams disbanding which would have been invited to play in the qualifier) spots are filled as follows:
  • Pro relegated teams
  • Wildcard teams
  • Lite #17-32

All teams without an Elite, Pro, or Lite league spot can participate and choose to apply for ECL Lite without restrictions. There will be no ECL Lite qualifier for ECL '25: Spring, but a maximum of 64 teams can participate in the season, so signing up on time is encouraged. Spots will be filled in the order of registration.

As always, League Administration will monitor sign-ups and reserve the right to step in to make sure teams don't sign up too high or low compared to their perceived skill level.

ECL '25: Winter - Elite Individual Player Award Winners
 

SportsGamers,

It's time to recap the ECL Elite Player Awards for the Winter '25 season!

With six categories and five players with remarkable season in each, winners were announced on the ECL '25: Winter - Elite Finals @ Assembly broadcast and in this article we want to showcase the winners for easy access to the history books in the future. For the full list of nominees, see our previous article.
 

Below you'll find a list of winners in each category:

Forward of The Season

The Top Forward award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their forward position.

Valtteri @Vattuyy Virtanen, Parasite

Defender of The Season

The Top Defender award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their defenseman position.

Teemu @Teemuyy Polttila, Parasite

Goalie of The Season

The Top Goalie award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their goaltender position.



Stan @Stammer70 Adamus, Tohtorit

Rookie of The Season

The Rookie Of The Season award is awarded to a player in their rookie ECL Elite season, who has excelled above the competition regardless of position.

Veeti @LatveX Laitinen, Mustaa Kultaa

Transfer of The Season

The Transfer Of The Season award is awarded to a player who after a transfer is deemed to have been the most impactful player for their new team.



Aaro @xAaro89x Arvala, Mustaa Kultaa

Comeback Player of The Season

The Comeback Player Of The Season award is awarded to a player who after one or more seasons away from ECL Elite competition, makes an impactful comeback to the highest level.
 

Theo @itspardytime Pardy, TIKI TALK

ECL '25: Winter - Pro | Individual Player Award Winners

SportsGamers,

For the first time ever, it's time to give some glory and recognition to players with the best individual performances and most significant contributions for their teams in our second-highest tier of European 6v6 eHockey: ECL Pro Player Awards for the Winter '25 season!

Awarded players were selected by our council including writers, staff, and casters who have been observing the accomplishments of our teams and players precisely.

Below you'll find a list of winners in four categories:
 

Forward of The Season

The Top Forward award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their forward position.
 

Mikko @Toivone_ Toivonen, NOSTREETSPORTS

Defender of The Season

The Top Defender award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their defenseman position.

Tuukka @KingOfApes_ Röpelinen, NOVA

Goalie of The Season

The Top Goalie award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their goaltender position.



Jesse @Jeerik17 Leppä, Blackbirds

Leppä was also chosen as the playoffs MVP by his team Blackbirds.

Rookie of The Season

The Rookie Of The Season award is awarded to a player in their rookie ECL Pro season, who has excelled above the competition regardless of position. Players who have played in ECL Elite but now played their first season in ECL Pro are not eligible.

Aatu @aomyo6195 Myöhänen, Blackbirds

The ECL '25 Winter season concluded at the LAN Finals at Assembly where Parasite were crowned the ECL Elite Champions. They claimed the title as the best team in Europe after winning the finals series 4-2 over Mustaa Kultaa. Parasite went into the season as the clear frontrunner for the title and they did not disappoint. Breaking multiple records, both team and individual, this performance will be remembered as one of the most dominating we have witnessed in recent years. NikkeDangles was crowned as the playoffs MVP and for the team Captain Beniittto this now marks the eighth ECL title, continuing to cement their legacy in the ECL history. For Mustaa Kultaa it was a great performance in the Finals and they should be nothing but proud of themselves. They were able to take two games against this all-star lineup, something which many did not expect, and had their chances in all of the games besides the series-deciding game 6. They can now use the experience of the LAN Finals and have all the keys in their hands to have a bright future ahead.
 

The Assembly Winter 2025 stage was a beauty! | Photo Credit: Feng Deng / SportsGamer.gg

Finals overview

Game 1: Parasite 2-1 OT
Mustaa Kultaa came out of the gates hot and put Parasite under a lot of pressure. They were able to find lots of shooting opportunities and @Launonexx found the first goal at the halfway of the first period. Parasite struggled a lot to find their game but the score stayed the same through the first two periods. We saw some big saves from both goalies and especially @LatveX was standing on his head at moments. At the start of the third period, Parasite were finally able to find their first goal of the series from Beniittto which saw the game heading into overtime. The OT was a cautious battle but eventually, Vattuyy found the game-winner halfway through the first overtime.

Valtteri "Vattuyy" Virtanen celebrates with his teammates | Photo Credit: Feng Deng / SportsGamer.gg

Game 2: Mustaa Kultaa 3-2
The second game started off with some penalty trouble to Mustaa Kultaa and on their second powerplay chance Parasite found the first goal from the defender of the year in Teemuyy. Despite dominating the time on attack Parasite were not able to put many shots at the Mustaa Kultaa net, but with the 2-0 goal at the start of the third from NikkeDangles the game, and possibly the series, looked to be close to over. A few minutes after @Allupekkaz did manage to bring some life to the team with a goal eleven minutes before the end. It took all the way to the last minute for @xAaro89x to find his first goal of the series tying up the game and not long after, only five seconds before the end, he found the game-winning one-timer.

Did we mention the venue was amazing!? | Photo Credit: Feng Deng / SportsGamer.gg

Game 3: Parasite 5-2
After the comeback victory, Mustaa Kultaa stayed on the gas and took a 2-0 lead with two quick goals from xAaro89x and @NuariJamal. The party was short-lived though as Parasite had tied up the game by the halfway of the second period. Mustaa Kultaa found themselves again in some penalty trouble against the best powerplay team in the league and they paid the full price in the third period. Beniittto found the game-winner in the powerplay and Vattuyy scored two more goals to cap off the victory.

A sneak peek behind the Mustaa Kultaa point of view | Photo Credit: Feng Deng / SportsGamer.gg

Game 4: Parasite 4-1
This time it was Parasites' turn to get off to a flying start with two quick goals in the first period. @Miseee96 was able to bring the game within one with his first and only goal of the playoffs, but that was all they got. Parasite seemed to have found their game and after the 3-1 goal from Vattuyy they did not really give a chance for Mustaa Kultaa to get back into this game. Beniittto capped off the game in the dying seconds and Parasite were one game away from the Championship.
 

Parasite celebrating a goal | Photo Credit: Feng Deng / SportsGamer.gg

Game 5: Mustaa Kultaa 4-3 OT
The fifth game got off to a fast start with two goals from both teams in the first period. In the second Vattuyy found the back of the net with a one-timer and heading into the third period it was all or nothing for Mustaa Kultaa. They managed to create some chances, but eventually, it was a breakaway goal from Allupekkaz that tied the game and we were in for another overtime. It went on for three minutes before xAaro89x capped off his hat trick with a beautiful spin-o-rama snipe to the glove side.

xAaro89x (right) scores and Launonexx (center) and Allupekkaz (left) go wild! | Photo Credit: Feng Deng / SportsGamer.gg

Game 6: Parasite 8-0
Game six was just all Parasite. They took a quick 2-0 lead in the first period and added another one to start the second. There was still some hope left for Mustaa Kultaa but all that was shattered when NikkeDangles found his second of the game at the end of the period. In the third period, Parasite was just playing the time and after some late-minute goals and a fight to cap off the series, it was a rough 8-0 score that ended this season.
 

Parasite celebrates their victory, lead by captain Perttu "Beniittto" Kemppainen | Photo Credit: Feng Deng / SportsGamer.gg
 

Road to the Championship

Regular Season: 24-3-0-1, 78 pts, 1st overall
Quarterfinals 4-0 vs GOONS
Semifinals 4-1 vs Voittamaton
Finals 4-2 vs Mustaa Kultaa
 

The ECL '25: Winter - Elite Champions: Parasite | Photo Credit: Feng Deng / SportsGamer.gg

 (1) Parasite 

Championship Lineup

Perttu @Beniittto Kemppainen
Valtteri @Vattuyy Virtanen
Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen
Teemu @Teemuyy Polttila
Tomi @txmbo999 Laitinen
Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen
Sebastian @FINSeRe Remes

Thank you to everyone who came out to support the finals event at Assembly Winter and Congratulations to Parasite on a well-deserved Championship - see you all in the Spring Season!

Today it's finally time to crown ECL '25: Winter - Elite Champions and therefore we will also give recognition again to individuals who had bthe rightest performances throughout this season. This season our nominees were selected by our council including writers, staff, and casters who have been observing the accomplishments of our teams and players precisely.

It's time to make your voice heard! Who deserves these awards? Tell us your personal favorites or even hot takes below or on social media @SportsGamerGG #ECL25Winter

Winners will be announced today on the ECL Elite Finals Broadcast, starting at 18:00 CET at https://twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG!

Below you'll find a list of nominees in each category:

Forward of The Season

The Top Forward award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their forward position.

Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen, Parasite
Aaro @xAaro89x Arvala, Mustaa Kultaa
@itspardytime, TIKI TALK
Perttu @Beniittto Kemppainen, Parasite
Valtteri @Vattuyy Virtanen, Parasite
 

Defender of The Season

The Top Defender award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their defenseman position.

Oliver @Pensasmies Litokorpi, TIKI TALK
Teemu @Teemuyy Polttila, Parasite
Tomi @txmbo999 Laitinen, Parasite
Mico @Miseee96 Pulli, Mustaa Kultaa
Niklas @xPsykoSkills Schmitz, The Black Jacks

Goalie of The Season

The Top Goalie award is awarded to a player who has excelled above the competition in their goaltender position.

Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen, Parasite
Stan @Stammer70 Adamus, Tohtorit
Veeti @LatveX Laitinen, Mustaa Kultaa
Johannes @Gresu__ Gressmann, Renascor
Sebastian @FINSeRe Remes, Parasite

Rookie of The Season

The Rookie Of The Season award is awarded to a player in their rookie ECL Elite season, who has excelled above the competition regardless of position.

Veeti @LatveX Laitinen, Mustaa Kultaa
Oliver @Pensasmies Litokorpi, TIKI TALK
Leo @Lekxsa_70 Hämäläinen, GOONS
J-J @NuariJamal Raatikainen, Mustaa Kultaa
Aleksi @xSnaipperi Honka, Heimo

Transfer of The Season

The Transfer Of The Season award is awarded to a player who after a transfer is deemed to have been the most impactful player for their new team.

Valtteri @Vattuyy Virtanen, Parasite
Aaro @xAaro89x Arvala, Mustaa Kultaa
Eetu @Launonexx Launonen, Mustaa Kultaa
Tomi @txmbo999 Laitinen, Parasite
Jimi @J-_-Jamaltheman Rönkkönen, Voittamaton

Comeback Player of The Season

The Comeback Player Of The Season award is awarded to a player who after one or more seasons away from ECL Elite competition, makes an impactful comeback to the highest level.

Teemu @Teme Sainio, TIKI TALK
Juuso @Xkeineri Latvala, GOONS
Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen, Parasite
Jimi @J-_-Jamaltheman Rönkkönen, Voittamaton
@itspardytime, TIKI TALK

It has been three months since the start of the ECL '25: Winter season and now it all has come down to this, the Finals of the Elite division. Taking place live at Assembly, Mustaa Kultaa will be taking on Parasite in a mighty showdown between the two best teams ECL has seen this season. Three months ago these teams were starting their seasons in very different positions. Of course, we have all learned to know the strength and power of Parasite, a team that not only has seen it all but has also won it all, multiple times. After making some key additions they have only gotten better and have been the favorites long before the season even started. On the other side, Mustaa Kultaa came into the season as what many would've considered a dark horse to battle for playoff spots. After getting promoted to the Elite division, the team went through big changes in their lineup and those changes have really hit the spot. Will Parasite finish what everyone expected of them or will Mustaa Kultaa be able to pull off one of the biggest upsets we've seen in recent years?

The ECL '25: Winter - Elite Finals are played live at Assembly on Thursday 20th of February. Join us in Helsinki or watch the stream on twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG, starting at 18:00 CET.
 

 (3) Mustaa Kultaa 

Regular season 17-1-3-7, 56 points
Quarterfinals 4-1 vs The Black Jacks (6)
Semifinals 4-1 vs Tohtorit (2)

Predicted Lineup

Left Wing: Aaro @xAaro89x Aarvala (15+5=20)
Center: Eetu @Launonexx Launonen (8+10=18)
Right Wing: Alex @Allupekkaz Buntsel (A) (4+11=15)
Left Defender: J-J @NuariJamal Raatikainen (A) (3+9=12)
Right Defender: Mico @Miseee96 Pulli (0+12=12)
Goaltender: Veeti @LatveX Laitinen (8-1-1, 85%, 1.8 GAA, 1 SO)
 

Regular season

After successfully qualifying for the Elite divisions in the "fastest BO7 series we've ever witnessed" Mustaa Kultaa had a stormy offseason all the way until a few weeks before the season start. They ended up bringing back only two starting players from their Pro campaign in Allupekkaz and LatveX, with Launonexx also making a return to the team after a successful rookie season in Elite. They added a new defensive pairing in NuariJamal-_-, last season's point leader in Pro, and Misee96 from the Gotham Knights. Completing the team was xAaro89x, who has managed to take his game to a whole another level this campaign after looking for a home from a few different teams in the Elite division. The team had a very strong start to season losing only three games through nine matchups, and were leading the league for some time. From the last 10 games though they only managed to grab three wins, which saw them finishing the regular season in third place, tied in points with second place Tohtorit.
 

Playoffs

In the Quarterfinals they were challenged by The Black Jacks, who had been in a similar situation many times, hoping to finally make it through the first round. Mustaa Kultaa started the playoffs with a big 5-1 victory and made a comeback down from 0-3 to take it in overtime in game 2. They went into the deciding night with all the momentum on their side and The Black Jacks riddled with lineup changes could not change the series around. Mustaa Kultaa continued to the Semifinals with a convincing 4-1 series victory to face Tohtorit.

Tohtorit were coming from a strong first-round performance against Exen and had @Stammer70 put up what could be one of the best playoff series ever for a goalie. The first games were tight but Mustaa Kultaa seemed to always be a bit ahead, and most importantly were able to solve Stammer. Game two was one of the most exciting games we've seen this season. Being down 0-4 with 18 minutes on the clock, Mustaa Kultaa was able to pull of the unthinkable and took the game to overtime, where Launonexx gave them the 2-0 series lead with his hat trick goal. The second night started rough for Tohtorit and after scoring 3 goals on 4 shots in game 3, Mustaa Kultaa found themselves 3-0 up in the series and just one step away from the finals. Tohtorit put all they had into game 4 and managed to take it in the overtime, but that push seemed to be all they had as Mustaa Kultaa got off to a strong start in Game 5. Even though they controlled the gameplay, they found themselves down 1-2 in the last period, but they showed their resilience tying up the game. Only two seconds before the end xAaro89x was able to find the series winner which put them through to the finals.

Aaro has really managed to turn around his image as a weak playoff performer this season. He's leading the team with 15 goals, 4 of which are game-winners, in the playoffs and he's led the team through the first two rounds. Launone has been the unsung hero of this team with his 18 points and is crucial for this team's success. Allupekkaz has had some trouble finding the back of the net, but with 15 points he's still doing great. Misee96 and nuarijamal both have 12 points and form a strong backline with Latvex, who's elevated his game after a great regular season and is looking like one of the lead candidates for Rookie of the Season.

 (1) Parasite 

Regular season 24-3-0-1, 78 points
Quarterfinals 4-0 vs GOONS (8)
Semifinals 4-1 vs Voittamaton (4)

Predicted lineup

Left Wing: Valtteri @Vattuyy Virtanen (13+13=26)
Center: Perttu @Beniittto Kemppainen (C) (9+12=21)
Right Wing: Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen (A) (12+14=26)
Left Defender: Tomi @txmbo999 Laitinen (0+10=10)
Right Defender: Teemu @Teemuyy Polttila (4+15=19)
Goaltender: Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen (88.14%, 1.75 GAA, 1 SO)

Regular season

Is this the best lineup we've ever seen put up on the ECL ice? There are very strong arguments to say that after how dominant their season has been. Adding the star players from Tunnel Vision in Vattuyy and txmbo999 this Parasite team has been the clear favorite to win the title and possibly dominate the scene seasons to come. They had a record-breaking season scoring 149 goals with an average well above 5 and Vattuyy broke the goalscoring record with 65 goals, even with the season cut out by two games. NikkeDangles, had a personal record in points with 96, finishing second in the league, and formed a deadly playmaking duo together with Beniittto. They lost only one game during the regular season and took the first seed with an impressive margin of 22 points. Their dominance did not stop to only offense, as they also allowed the least goals, had the best powerplay (46%), and were second on the penalty kill while also taking the least penalties. FINSeRe shared playing time in goal with their other new addition UhNikke and they both, not surprisingly, had a great regular season.

Playoffs

In the Quarterfinals they were faced against the number eight seed GOONS. In the first game, GOONS did a good job keeping the scoring down but in the end, it was not enough as Parasite dominated the game with the puck and took home a 2-1 win. Things did not get any easier after that with Parasite being able to find more and more opportunities to score. After some wild offensive games, Parasite swept the series. The 8-5 score from Game 4 tells the whole story from the series which did not really test the Parasite squad. In the Semifinals Parasite took their second loss of the season in Game 1 against Voittamaton, but they were able to tie the series after a shutout from UhNikke. Voittamaton had their chances in the third game of the series but did not get the result with Parasite taking the win in the overtime. After that,t it was all Parasite as they dominated games four (5-1) and five (7-1) and booked their ticket to the finals.

Their offensive trio Vattuyy, NikkeDangles, and Beniittto have continued from where they left off in the regular season and are taking up the top three spots in the playoffs. Teemuyy is even more dominant in the scoring for defensemen while Tombo has been handling more of the defensive duties. The goalie tandem has continued to share playing time and they will have two stars to choose from for the Finals series.

Points to watch

• Can Parasite be beaten? That has been an almost impossible task for any team this season and Mustaa Kultaa will now have the task of doing that on the big stage.
• Regular season matches between these teams went to Parasite 5-3 and 6-2. Mustaa Kultaa will need to do a much better job defensively if they want to have any chance of taking it home.
• Rookie Goalie vs a seasoned veteran. While LatveX has had a great Rookie season and has been even better in the playoffs, he will still be facing a highly accomplished veteran in UhNikke. Parasite will create lots of offense and LatveX will be put in the toughest test of his young career.
• LAN experience is all on the side of the Parasite but at the same time, it will be interesting and at the same time exciting to see how this young Mustaa Kultaa squad can handle the pressure.
• "Hockey is a momentum game" as Finnish coach Juhani Tamminen once said. The start of the series will be important, but especially Mustaa Kultaa will need to make the most out of it and get into that flow state. If Parasite do that, it can be a very quick one.
• Rumors flying around about the Mustaa Kultaa squad and possible transfers. It is definitely not the ideal way to prepare for the biggest matchup of their career but maybe a good performance in the Finals could change things around?
   

One thing is for sure, we're in for a hell of a show and we want everyone to join us, whether it is live at Assembly or on our live stream. Thursday, 20th of February 18.00 CET (19.00 local time in Finland).

Europe’s best NHL 25 teams meet on the big stage for the 6v6 European Championship Finals

The ECL ’25: Winter Finals are set to take center stage at Assembly Winter 2025 in Helsinki next week! 🏆🔥

On Thursday, February 20th, Mustaa Kultaa and Parasite will battle for the championship in front of a live audience—an event you won’t want to miss!

If you hold an ECL ’25: Winter Player License or an ECL ’25: Player License, you’re entitled to a free ticket for the ECL ’25 Finals day at Assembly Winter. This is your chance to experience the Finals live and connect with the community!

🎟 Claim your free ticket now: https://forms.gle/eZdDm63kdv3ksa4L9
🚨 Tickets are first-come, first-served, so act fast!

Over 80 community members have already signed up, and we’re looking to bring together as many of you as possible for this unforgettable event.

For more details about Assembly Winter 2025, visit https://assembly.org/en/events/winter25.

We can’t wait to see you there! 🙌🎮
 

QUICK FACTS

Date & Location

📅 Thursday, February 20th, 2025
📍 Assembly Winter 2025, Helsinki Exhibition and Convention Centre
⭐ Main Stage: 19:00 – 23:59 EET (Action starting at 18:00 CET)

Watch Live on Twitch

📺 Streamed live on twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG
🎙️ Commentary in English, featuring @Tougie24 & @Eki

Event Overview
The ECL ’25: Winter Elite Finals brings together the top two teams from the most competitive NHL esports league in Europe. After battling through the 16-team regular season and intense best-of-seven playoffs, the finalists will face off live on stage to claim the European Championship Title.

Last week we saw six teams battling it out for three spots in the Elite division for the ECL '25: Spring season. Blackbirds already secured their spot by winning the Pro Championship,  but the teams placed 2nd-4th had to battle for promotion against the Elite teams seeded 13th-15th. In the end, SSK ESPORTS and NOVA were able to claim their spot in Elite, while Renascor was able to hold on to their spot in the highest division.
 

 SSK ESPORTS rebound from the Pro Finals and will play in Elite, Falun Coal Miners relegated 

After a disappointing result in the Pro Finals against Blackbirds, SSK ESPORTS were able to bounce back in the relegation series against Falun Coal Miners. The series, which was played in one night, ended 4-1 in favor of SSK after a mostly tight series. FCM were forced to play the series with their backup defender, LastMandalorian, who hadn't played tournament games in almost two years. They were able to win the first game 4-3 after a late winner but from there it was all downhill. Their offensive struggles from the regular season continued as they were able to score only seven goals in the remaining games. Zuppe_29 stayed in hot form and led SSK with 12 points. PSchibra scored three game-winners in the series and Janikka- had a very strong showing with 3 goals and 10 points from the left defender spot. For Falun, it is a tough loss as they were able to stay in Elite for only one season since their rebuild. After a good first week of the season truly nothing went their way and they will see themselves back in Pro for the Spring season.

SSK ESPORTS vs Falun Coal Miners | 4-1 (3-4 OT, 2-1, 7-3, 2-1 OT, 3-2)

 Renascor survive - Heartbreak for Otukset 

After losing game seven in overtime against SSK in the semifinals, Otukset went into the relegation series with high hopes. Renascor was able to win the first game in double overtime with a game-winner from Virusactive. After that, Otukset took control of the series both on ice and on the scoreboard. They won three games straight, all by a one goal margin, and were just one step away from Elite. In game five Renascor got two quick goals but Otukset managed to tie it in the second period. Otukset were controlling the game but were unable to take advantage of their scoring chances and powerplays while Renascor used theirs and stayed alive in the series. Game six was the same story all over again, Otukset controlled but Renascor was the one on the scoreboard. A 21-save shutout from Gresu__ took the series into game seven. In game seven Otukset seemed to crumble under the pressure after giving up an early goal in the first. After surrendering a second goal, Miguli36 was able to bring some hope for them but that was all they got. Renascor shut the door and scored two more goals in the third, securing their spot in Elite. Fire_cats88 scored 8 goals and 12 points in the series but the MVP for the series has to be Gresu__ with his 88.14% save percentage and 2 GAA. For Otukset, miguli36 finished with 11 points but they would've needed more scoring, especially from Pursuitti who finished the series with 3 goals, 6 points, and a shooting percentage below 10.

Otukset vs Renascor | 3-4 (3-4 OT, 3-2 OT, 3-2, 2-1, 2-3, 0-2, 1-4)

NOVA steamroll through Roots Gaming - End of an Era 

Roots had been in this position many times before but this time it just wasn't meant to be. NOVA won the series straight in four games and we will see them in Elite for the first time. For Roots, games 1 and 3 were definitely something that could've turned the series the other way around. They were leading game one 2-1 heading into the third period, but 22 seconds before the end of regulation time NOVA was able to find the tying goal and eventually the winning goal in overtime. In game three Roots lost a two-goal lead in the last period and NOVA again found the winner at the end of the first overtime. That seemed to be the last straw for Roots as they looked very lost in game four and NOVA got to start their celebrations. NOVA will have to get straight back to work though as they announced that two of their star players in Nester_43 and KingOfApes will not continue with the team. It will be an interesting off-season for the team and we're left to wait what kind of lineup they will bring to the Spring season in Elite. This series loss also marks the end of an era for Roots after seven straight seasons in Elite. Roots Gaming announced that they will be stepping away from the scene with a few of their players hanging up the skates and the rest looking for a new home.

NOVA vs Roots Gaming | 4-0 (3-2 OT, 4-1, 3-2 OT, 3-1)

Fallen Rangers completed their perfect playoff run and are your ECL '25 Winter - Neo Champions. They dominated the division all season long and left nothing up to question. Salaseurue gave them a good fight but in the end, there was nothing stopping Sidney @Sebko99 Kiska and the Fallen Rangers squad. Congratulations to the Champions!

Fallen Rangers finished at the top of Group 5 and went into the playoffs as the number one seed. After scoring 8.5 goals per game during the regular season they were the favorites for many to make it all the way. They continued their dominating performance in playoffs sweeping one opponent after another. Despite their defensive mishaps in some of the games, their offense was always able to come through finishing the playoffs with an average of 6.8 goals per game. Salaseurue was able to challenge them momentarily in the finals but they were unable to convert those good moments into wins. After a record-breaking regular season, Sebko99 continued to lead the offense and finished the playoffs with 85 points. PR3D4T0R6083 gave excellent support from the back end with 50 points and mildalempik posted a 80.5% save percentage and three shutouts in their 15 playoff games.

We got a chance to interview Fallen Rangers Captain Peter @Kiso69 Kiska after the finals series. He talked about how the team got started and how it is to have teammates from the same family.

Road to the Championship

Regular season: 12-0-0-2, 36 points, 1st in Group 5, 1st overall
Round 1: 3-0 vs Davemiehet
Round 2: 3-0 vs Hannover Indians Esports
Quarterfinals: 3-0 vs Hawks HC
Semifinals: 3-0 vs Viitapohja Vikings
Finals: 3-0 vs Salaseurue

Championship roster

Peter @Kiso69 Kiska (C)
Jan @Zaky111 Žák (A)
Sidney @Sebko99 Kiska
Kristián @PR3D4T0R Kiska
Jane @Jane PhDr Wolf PhDr Wolf
Milan @mildalempik93 Lempera
Pavel @cangis01 Hoang (A)
Martin @Hori68 Hořavson

Thank you to all the teams for an amazing season and we hope to see you in the Spring season! Congratulations to Fallen Rangers, your ECL '25 Winter - Neo Champions!

Sunne IK Esport were crowned your ECL '25 Winter - Lite Champions after managing to beat the Finnish side Setelikerho in overtime of game seven. After finishing first in their group, Sunne marched convincingly all the way to the finals and pulled off a comeback in the Finals after being down 1-3 in the series. With their Championship, they gain automatic promotion to the Pro division for the Spring season, where they'll be joined by the second-place finisher Setelikerho and the third-place Project X. Congratulations to Sunne IK Esports!

Sunne IK finished on top of Group 3 after a tight race, putting them in a good position going into the postseason. Through the first four rounds of the playoffs, the team put on a clinic, losing only five games on their way to the finals. After the first night of the Finals they found themselves down 1-2 and the game 4 blowout loss the following day put them in a tough position down 1-3 in the series. In game 5 they were one minute away from defeat but thanks to Prolane's last-minute tying goal they headed into OT. The game went all the way to the third overtime before Forreberra found the winning goal and the series was back alive. Forreberra's hattrick in game 6 pushed the series into game seven despite a last-minute scare. Setelikerho got a quick start to the deciding game with a goal from tbnantti but Captain 03_Dafa tied the game in the dying seconds of the second period. After some big saves in each end of the ice the game headed into overtime where Svana_22 was the hero scoring the series winner from a partial breakaway.

We got a chance to interview Mathias @Prolane Larsson after the series, where he shared his thoughts and told how believing in themselves played a big role in the comeback.
 

Road to the Championship

Regular season: 13-4-0-5, 47 points, 1st in Group 3 and 4th overall.
Round 1: 4-1 vs Technical Disaster
Round 2: 4-2 vs HC VADELMA
Quarterfinals: 4-1 vs Seinajoki Noms
Semifinals: 4-1 vs Farmalaget
Finals: 4-3 vs Setelikerho

Championship Roster

David @DAFA_03 Halvorsen (C)
Mathias @Prolane Larsson (A)
Fredrik @Larzzon96 Larsson (A)
Edvin @forreberra Bengtsson
Andreas @Svana_22 Svanberg
Benjamin @benjamint737 Tallgren

Kalle @trikishash Sjoblom
Kai-Remi @sneipmusic Berge
Tobias @Pettersson18 Pettersson

Thank you for a great season and congratulations to your Champions Sunne IK Esport!

It's time to decide the ECL '25: Winter - Neo Champion - the finals await us! We started the season with 48 teams and now we're left with the best two of them, quite literally, as the two top-seeded teams made it to the finals. Can Fallen Rangers make it all the way as the number one seed or will Salaseurue be able to crush their hopes of a near-perfect season on the last hurdle? The best of five finals series will be covered tonight, Sunday 9th of February, starting at 20.15 CET on twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG

.

(1) Fallen Rangers -  (2) Salaseurue 

Storylines to follow

• High-scoring gameplay - Both teams have been scoring at an impressive rate, Salaseurue with 4.4 and Fallen Rangers with 7.1 goals per game. Fallen Rangers definitely have the edge here but they've also had some very wild games in the playoffs, like a 8-7 OT win in the Semifinals. Both teams are averaging around 2.75 GAA but Salaseurue has had more defensive stability in the later rounds of the playoffs.
   
• Battle of the LWs - Fitting the theme of the two best teams, this series also features the two highest scorers of the playoffs. @Sebko99 has been leading the scoring race all season and playoffs and has scored 73 points in his 12 playoff games. @nikezuki He is on an impressive run of his own, scoring 61 points in 17 games. Both players have contributed to over 80% of their teams' goals scored and they will be the main targets to stop for both defenses.
   
• Goalies in a tough spot - @mildalempik93 (79.62%, 2.67 GAA) and @Zhenda tt3mee (81.68%, 2.82 GAA) have both had good playoff runs and have improved their numbers with the season progressing. As mentioned earlier Fallen Rangers have had some crazy games during the season and it seems like defense has not always been the first priority for the team, and those games are not always the most enjoyable for the goalies. On the other side, tt3mee will have the job of trying to stop Fallen Rangers offense, something that no team or goalie has been able to do so far.
• Salaseurue lineup? - Salaseurue used nine skaters during the regular season and in the playoffs, they have had seven different skaters. Looking at the numbers, all of them have been performing very well but it will interesting to see which lineup we'll see in the playoffs. You also can't leave out that the team Captain and scoring leader Nikezuki seems to already be looking for a new team for the next season. Definitely an interesting choice from the Captain with the finals still yet to be played.
• Fallen Rangers unbeaten run - They've gone through four rounds of playoffs without losing a single game. Semifinals were the first time they were somewhat challenged and they still have the toughest task waiting for them in the finals. They did lose two games in the regular season, one of them being a 2-10 blowout loss, so teams at this level have shown that they can't just cruise through all the games.

Watch the finals broadcast:

The Neo Finals will be played in a best-of-five format with all the games played tonight. We wish both teams good luck in the finals and see you all on the broadcast, starting at 20.15 CET on twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG

Who do you think will win each series? Let us know in the comments!

We have crowned another Champion as Silver Sword Griffins took home the title in the Core division after a thrilling seven-game series against KOST Wolves. After a dominant regular season, which saw SSG heading into the playoffs as the number one seed, they continued to show their excellence throughout the playoffs. Huge congratulations to the Latvian side for the Championship and congratulations as well to KOST Wolves and Rusty X for their second and third-place finishes!

The Silver Sword Griffins have been around since the very first ECL tournament and are known to be the Latvian powerhouse. With some of their current players having played in some of those very first tournaments they truly are one of the longest standing teams in the ECL.

After a great regular season, the team headed into the playoffs as the number 1 seed. In the postseason they went through round by round without much trouble but in the finals, they found themselves in a difficult spot. After winning the first game they lost three games in a row and were their back against the wall heading into the third period of game 5 being down by two goals. That period ended up being the turning point of the series as they managed to tie the game in the last minute and took the win home in OT. A dominant 6-2 victory in game 6 saw them heading into the deciding game seven with all the momentum and they used it.  @LATMinx has been with the team from day one and was their MVP of the season, scoring 20 points in the finals series, and finishing the playoffs with an impressive 38+38=72 point total.
 

We got a chance to interview SSG's left defenceman Linards @Lxnards Logins after clinching the title, you can watch it below.

Road to Championship:

Regular season: 17-1-1-1, 54 points, 1st in Group 3 and Seed 1
Round 1: 4-2 vs EV Duisburg
Round 2: 4-1 vs Salaseura
Quarterfinals: 4-1 vs HC Last Resort
Semifinals: 4-1 vs Rusty X
Finals: 4-3 vs KOST Wolves

Championship Roster

Mārtiņš @martinssilins Siliņš (C)
Kristaps @kriteris Grinfelds (A)
Robert @LATMinx Zariņš (A)
Edgars @Shmiha99 Naida
Linards @Lxnards Logins
Gatis @gacorigavecit17 Klekers
Henrihs @Rocket_Science72 Lazdāns
Kristaps @CapinsH-LV Zūdiņš

Thank you for the great season and once again Congratulations to the Silver Sword Griffins!

ECL '25 Winter - Lite: The Final Showdown Between Sweden and Finland

After weeks of intense competition, standout performances, and thrilling matchups, ECL '25 Winter Lite has reached its grand finale. Two of the most battle-tested teams remain, as Setelikerho and Sunne IK Esport prepare to face off in a championship clash between Finnish experience and Swedish structure. Setelikerho, a team filled with seasoned veterans, has once again proven their quality by eliminating top-seeded Project X in the semifinals. Now, they look to cap off their impressive run by securing the title against a well-organized and disciplined Sunne IK Esport squad.

Meanwhile, Project X, the pre-tournament favorite, will battle Farmalaget, the surprising 16th seed, for the bronze medal. Both teams are eager to end their campaigns on a high note after tough semifinal losses.

With Finnish skill and Swedish precision set to collide, the stage is set for a dramatic conclusion to the Winter Lite season. Will Setelikerho’s experience and offensive firepower lead them to victory, or will Sunne IK’s tactical approach and structured play secure the title? And in the fight for third place, can Project X bounce back, or will Farmalaget continue to defy expectations?

All will be decided as ECL '25 Winter Lite reaches its thrilling climax!

Setelikerho and Sunne IK Esport Set for Championship Clash

Setelikerho (18) eliminated the top-seeded Project X (1) in a hard-fought 4-2 series victory, proving once again that they belong among the best. With a combination of experience, balanced play, and clutch goaltending from Jugi9 @Jugi9, Setelikerho outperformed the tournament favorites and secured their place in the Finals. Their disciplined approach and ability to rise to the occasion have brought them to the brink of the championship.

On the other side, Sunne IK Esport (4) showcased their consistency and structure with a commanding 4-1 win over Farmalaget (16). The Swedish squad’s well-organized play, led by forreberra and standout goaltending from benjamint737 @benjamint737, proved too strong for their opponents. With their tactical approach and strong defensive core, Sunne IK heads into the Finals with momentum and confidence.

These results set up a thrilling championship battle, pitting Setelikerho’s offensive firepower and experience against Sunne IK’s structured and disciplined play. Both teams have proven their strength throughout the tournament, and now only one can lift the ECL '25 Winter Lite trophy.

Finals:

Sunne IK Esport (4) vs. Setelikerho (18) 

Sweden vs. Finland

Overview

The Finals bring a thrilling matchup between two teams with contrasting paths to the championship. Sunne IK Esport enters the Finals as the steady, balanced Swedish powerhouse, while Setelikerho, the lowest seed to reach this stage, represents Finnish grit and determination. The clash is not only a battle for the ECL '25: Winter - Lite title but - as usual when these two countries are in play - also a representation of national pride between Finland and Sweden.

Path to the Finals

Sunne IK Esport (4)

Sunne IK Esport (4) has demonstrated consistency and structure throughout the tournament, delivering strong performances in every round. They started their campaign with a solid 4-1 victory over Technical Disaster (29), followed by a well-executed 4-2 win against HC VADELMA (20) in Round 2. Their ability to control games and dictate the pace made them a tough opponent for any team.

Building on their momentum, Sunne IK secured a dominant 4-1 victory over Seinajoki Noms (21) in the quarterfinals, showing their ability to shut down opponents efficiently. In the semifinals, they once again displayed their depth and discipline with a 4-1 win against Farmalaget (16), securing their place in the Finals. With a structured playstyle, strong defensive core, and reliable goaltending.

Setelikerho (18)

Setelikerho’s Path to the Finals has showcased their quality and experience throughout the tournament, earning their place in the Finals with a series of strong performances. Their journey began with a hard-fought 4-3 victory over Macho HC (15) in Round 1. In Round 2, they took down MoDo Hockey (5) with a convincing 4-2 win, demonstrating their ability to compete at the highest level.

Continuing their strong form, Setelikerho secured a 4-2 victory over Kertoimia Vastaan (7) in the quarterfinals, handling the pressure with confidence. In the semifinals, they delivered another impressive 4-2 win against top-seeded Project X (1), proving their ability to overcome any opponent. With a combination of experience, depth, and disciplined play.

Key Matchups

1. Offense vs. Defense: Setelikerho’s high-octane offense, powered by tbnantti @tbnantti (59 points) and Timotei_97 @Timotei97 (53 points), will face their toughest challenge yet against Sunne IK’s disciplined defense, led by 03_DAFA @DAFA_03 and backstopped by benjamint737 @benjamint737.
2. Goaltending Duel: Both goalies Jugi9 @Jugi9 for Setelikerho and benjamint737 @benjamint737 for Sunne IK have been exceptional. Their performances will likely determine the outcome of this series.
3. Momentum vs. Consistency: Setelikerho thrives on energy and unpredictability, while Sunne IK relies on their structure and methodical approach. The team that imposes their style of play will have the upper hand.

Key Players to Watch

• forreberra @forreberra (Sunne IK): With 36 points in 21 games, he is the centerpiece of Sunne IK’s attack and a player Setelikerho must contain.
• tbnantti @tbnantti (Setelikerho): The leading scorer of the tournament with 59 points, his ability to find the net under pressure makes him a constant threat.
• benjamint737 @benjamint737 (Sunne IK): His elite goaltending has been the foundation of Sunne IK’s success. He will need to be at his best to shut down Setelikerho’s dynamic offense.
• Jugi9 @Jugi9 (Setelikerho): The backbone of Setelikerho’s defense, his clutch saves and composure will be critical in this high-stakes series.

Prediction: A Split Decision Among Experts

With two experienced teams battling for the championship, opinions on the outcome are divided. Some believe Sunne IK Esport’s structured and disciplined gameplay will give them the edge in a tight series, while others see Setelikerho’s high-scoring offense and vast experience as the key to victory. Here’s how our experts predict the Finals will unfold:

• AI: 4-3 Sunne IK
• Vamoux: 4-2 Setelikerho
• hifk_fani: 4-0 Setelikerho
• Pensasmies: 4-3 Sunne IK
• Pekedipeks: 4-2 Setelikerho
• eSwahn: 4-2 Setelikerho

With four out of six predictions favoring Setelikerho, the Finnish squad enters the Finals with strong backing. However, Sunne IK’s ability to control the pace and dictate the game’s tempo shouldn’t be underestimated. If the series goes the distance, their structured playstyle could prove decisive.

Bronze Game:

 Project X (1) vs. Farmalaget (16)

Overview

The Bronze Game features two teams that came up short in the semifinals but still have much to fight for. Project X, the pre-tournament favorite, looks to salvage their campaign after their shocking loss to Setelikerho. Meanwhile, Farmalaget, who exceeded expectations as the 16th seed, hopes to cap their impressive run with a podium finish.

Key Players to Watch

• Konsuk05 @Konsuk05(Project X): The tournament’s top scorer with 45 points will look to lead his team back to victory.
• sallee42 @Sallee42(Farmalaget): With a 1.55 GAA and an 88.03% save percentage, Farmalaget’s goaltender remains a crucial piece in their strategy.

Prediction

Project X’s depth and offensive firepower give them the edge, but Farmalaget’s resilience cannot be underestimated. Expect Project X to bounce back with a 4-2 win and claim third place.

Don’t Miss the ECL '25: Winter - Lite Finals!

The Finals will be broadcast live on Wednesday and Thursday, February 5-6, exclusively on twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG. Tune in to witness the drama, skill, and passion as the ECL Lite reaches its thrilling conclusion. Don’t miss out on the action—this is hockey esports at its finest!

The Final Chapter: Bronze Battle and Championship Clash

The playoff journey has brought us to its most exciting and decisive stage: the Bronze Series and the Grand Finals. After weeks of intense matchups, unexpected upsets, and stellar performances, the teams are ready to leave it all on the ice. Lutunilkat and Rusty X, two squads that have fought valiantly but fell just short in the semifinals, now face each other in the Bronze Series, with pride and a podium finish on the line.

Meanwhile, the championship spotlight shines on the Silver Sword Griffins and KOST Wolves. The Griffins, as the top seed, have lived up to expectations with dominant performances and a clear path to the Finals. However, the Wolves have proven to be the playoff dark horse, showcasing resilience and determination as they knocked out higher-ranked opponents on their way to the final clash.
 

ECL '25: Winter - Core Finals:

Silver Sword Griffins (1) vs. KOST Wolves (8) 

Path to the Finals

The Silver Sword Griffins entered the playoffs as the top seed, and they’ve lived up to their billing as the team to beat. Dominating every round, the Griffins displayed their prowess early with a commanding 4-2 win against EV Duisburg in the first round. They followed it up with a decisive 4-1 victory over Salaseura in the second round. In the quarterfinals, they dismantled HC Last Resort with another 4-1 series win, showing both offensive firepower and defensive discipline. In the semifinals, they faced Rusty X, a team riding high on momentum after knocking out Tikitaka. Despite Rusty X’s efforts, the Griffins' skill and depth proved too much, and they advanced to the finals with a 4-1 victory.

On the other hand, the KOST Wolves have been the underdog story of the playoffs. Entering as the eighth seed, they’ve defied expectations at every turn. The Wolves started their journey with a strong 4-1 win over The Ghillie Gang. They then faced CapeTown Kings in the second round, where their tenacity and team cohesion shone in a 4-2 series triumph. In the quarterfinals, they stunned Turun Gasellit with a flawless 4-0 sweep, showcasing their ability to adapt and dominate against higher-ranked opponents. Their Semifinals matchup against Lutunilkat was their toughest test yet, but the Wolves prevailed in a hard-fought 4-2 series, punching their ticket to the finals.

Key Players to Watch

For the Silver Sword Griffins, LATMinx @ProMinx24 has been the heartbeat of the team. Leading the playoff scoring charts with 56 points in 21 games, LATMinx has delivered consistent performances in every round. Supported by martinssilins @martinssilins and Shmiha99 @Shmiha99 , the Griffins’ offensive trio is a nightmare for any defense. In net, gacorigavecit17 @gacorigavecit17 has been a rock, with a 82.3% save percentage and timely stops in crucial moments.

The KOST Wolves, meanwhile, have relied heavily on their star forward MaroulCZE @MaroulCZE, who has amassed an impressive 65 points in 21 games. His ability to find the back of the net and set up teammates like freez_skillers77 @freez_skillers77 and TakableAxe5 @Jimmy21 makes him the Wolves’ biggest threat. Goalie Lazan31 @Lazan23 has been the unsung hero, making crucial saves and maintaining a 78.1% save percentage despite facing some of the league’s most potent offenses.

Prediction

This matchup pits the league’s most dominant team against its grittiest underdog. The Griffins have the experience, depth, and top-tier talent needed to control the game, while the Wolves bring momentum, belief, and a never-say-die attitude that has carried them through tough battles. The key to victory for the Wolves will be neutralizing LATMinx and capitalizing on counterattacks, while the Griffins must maintain their structured game and avoid underestimating the Wolves’ ability to turn the tide.

While the Wolves have proven themselves as giant-slayers, the Griffins’ consistent dominance and playoff pedigree make them the favorites in this matchup. Expect a thrilling contest, but the Silver Sword Griffins seem poised to hoist the trophy at the end of this incredible playoff run. Final prediction: Silver Sword Griffins in 5 games.

Bronze Game:

Lutunilkat (4) vs. Rusty X (15) 

Path to the Bronze Game
Lutunilkat's journey to the Bronze Game has been impressive, showcasing their offensive capabilities. However, their semifinal loss to KOST Wolves (2-4) highlighted areas of improvement in their defensive strategies. Rusty X, on the other hand, entered the playoffs as the 15th seed and shocked many with strong performances. Despite falling 1-4 to the top-seeded Silver Sword Griffins in the semifinals, they’ve proven to be a resilient team.
 

Key Players to Watch

• Lutunilkat: mikkihiiri- @mikkihiiri-- (61 points in 20 games) has been an unstoppable offensive force and will need to lead his team one last time.
• Rusty X: Hrustyler @Hrustyler (43 points in 21 games) will be the key to Rusty X’s offensive efforts, with his ability to create chances under pressure.

Prediction
This game will be an exciting battle of contrasting styles. Lutunilkat’s offensive firepower could give them the edge, but Rusty X’s knack for pulling off surprises might swing momentum. Expect a close match, with Lutunilkat edging out a victory to claim bronze.

The Final Chapter

As the season reaches its dramatic conclusion, all eyes are on the championship clash between the Silver Sword Griffins and the KOST Wolves. Both teams have proven their mettle throughout the playoffs, and now, only one can rise to claim the title.

Mark your calendars, as the bronze game and finals will be broadcast live on Sunday, February 2nd at 20:15 CET and Monday, February 3rd, at 20:45 CET. Tune in to witness the action unfold on twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG.