SportsGamer is at the Tubecon Games event at Tampere-talo this Friday and Saturday (January 6 & 7).

There is plenty to play, as well as challenge games against some of the most known faces in the in the gaming influencer industry in Finland! Ilari Pro, Paqpa, Jaakko Parkkali, ZoneVD and many others will be there during the weekend! The games are tongue in cheek, intended for more casual gaming.
 

For SportsGamer users willing to make the trip, we are able to offer a discount code for the purchase of both a day ticket and a two-day tickets, which you can purchase here.

You'll find our FIFA & NHL stations in the Duetto 2 area, where you can play challenge games and small tournaments on both days, with both FIFA 23 and NHL 23 games available.

Hope to see you there!

The long awaited return of Tiger Woods to the realm of golf video games is happening in the form of PGA Tour 2K23. The arguably best golfer of all time returns together with 2K and developer HB Studios as a creative director for the PGA Tour 2K series, and fans of the series are excited to watch it unfold.

The newest iteration in a long line of golf simulation games is aiming to bring the most immersive experience to date, but with a spin of arcade feel on the side. This is accomplished by authentic PGA Tour Courses, several authentic playable Pros and a multitude of sliders and settings to alter your experience when hitting the virtual green either on your own or with a bunch of friends. 

Playable pros

2K22 already had a Pro roster with several of the world's best golfers going up against you in the MyCareer mode on the PGA Tour, but this year, you'll be able to actually play as these superstars of the game. The 2K23 roster includes golfers like Justin Thomas, Jon Rahm, Will Zalatoris and for the first time in franchise history, female stars like Brooke Henderson and Lexi Thompson. Naturally, you'll also be able to take control with poster boy Tiger Woods and in the crossover we didn't know we needed, even basketball's GOAT Michael Jordan. Now, these are only some of the characters available to play at launch and we can certainly expect more content to arrive in updates along the games lifecycle. Quite interestingly, the 2K23 launch trailer could even hint at even more cool crossovers later, as self-proclaimed golf aficionado Schoolboy Q is featured in the trailer, together with 100T co-founder and CEO Nadeshot. Naturally, all playable characters have individual abilities and traits, making each golfer feel and play different.

Jon Rahm is one of the playable golfers in PGA Tour 2K23.

The Topgolf experience

The wildly popular Topgolf experience enters PGA Tour 2K23. For those unfamiliar with the concept, Topgolf is like a driving range out of a video game - perfect to actually be featured in one! Now you can enter the Topgolf location to hone your driving skills and precision in a set of various challenges.

Traditional three click swing 

The three click swing will bring back memories for those who played golf games of the late 90s and early 2000s, and it's now making a return in a reimagined way. The three click swing allows players to set power on the first click, set swing trajectory on the second click and finally impact an open or closed club face on the third click.

Struggling competition

2K has had the golf video game market locked down for a few years already, and you'd imagine that having a superstar like Tiger Woods on board only makes them stronger, while simultaneously it appears main competitor EA Sports is struggling with their product. EA Sports PGA Tour was originally scheduled to release in spring 2022, but EA announced on March 22nd, that the game will be delayer by a year. EA Sports' latest golf simulation game was 2015's Rory McIlroy PGA Tour. 

Three editions available for pre-order

As we've seen with other sports games titles recently, also PGA Tour 2K23 offers a few different editions to choose from. The PGA Tour 2K23 Deluxe Edition and the PGA Tour 2K23 Tiger Woods Edition will grant three days early access among other perks, including some pre-order additions. 

Standard Edition


Pre-order bonuses
Michael Jordan Bonus Pack
Playable Michael Jordan
4 Common Golf Ball Sleeves

Deluxe Edition


Deluxe Bonus Pack
1300 VC
1 Hockey Stick Putter
1 Gold Baseball Cap
1 Gold Golf Glove
3 Rare Golf Ball Sleeves

Michael Jordan Bonus Pack
Playable Michael Jordan
4 Common Golf Ball Sleeves

Golden Club Pack
1 Golden Driver
1 Golden Putter
4 Uncommon Golf Ball Sleeves

Tiger Woods Edition

Tiger Woods Edition Bonus Content
1 Tiger Woods TaylorMade Club Set
1 Tiger Woods T-Shirt
3 Epic Golf Ball Sleeves

Tiger Woods Signature Sunday Pack
1 Red Polo Shirt
1 Pair of Black Pants
1 Black Hat
1 Tiger Woods Golf Shoes
1 Tiger Woods Golf Belt
Tiger Bridgestone Branded Golf Balls

Deluxe Bonus Pack
1300 VC
1 Hockey Stick Putter
1 Gold Baseball Cap
1 Gold Golf Glove
3 Rare Golf Ball Sleeves

Michael Jordan Bonus Pack
Playable Michael Jordan
4 Common Golf Ball Sleeves

Golden Club Pack
1 Golden Driver
1 Golden Putter
4 Uncommon Golf Ball Sleeves

NBA 2K23 hits the shelves today, and the new iteration of the world's most popular basketball game brings more control to players on both ends of the court, translating to more wins and more seamless actions.

Last year's NBA 2K22 was the first release of the popular basketball series fully geared towards the next gen market, and it ended up impressing the target audience. 2K Games have managed to create a highly visual gameplay experience with a storytelling perspective in their popular MyPlayer mode, all while staying true to the fundamentals of basketball. Now it's time for NBA 2K23 to one-up its predecessor and set the bar even higher for competition in the future. This year, Devin Booker of the Phoenix Suns will grace the cover of the game, but 2K have also taken the chance to showcase other great athletes of the sport in their special editions. WNBA superstars Diana Taurasi and Sue Bird will be on the WNBA Edition cover, whereas the legendary Michael Jordan will be featured on his own edition of the game. 

Uprgaded Pro Stick for more control

After their successful release last year, the developers have put their main focus into fine-tuning and balancing some of the quirks of NBA 2K22. A major issue has been trying to give players as much control as possible when handling, as well as defending in any given situation. As a solution, the Pro Stick has been upgraded and now allows for players to have more control and pull off moves like switchbacks, hop-steps and euro-steps on their way to the rim. An expansion of the dedicated dunking controls will also hope to give players more options when looking for chances to go for highlight reel plays.

New Gen Badge System

One of the first things many NBA 2K players have done ever since the introduction of the badge system, is heading into the MyPlayer creation zone looking for the best build to go for. In the past, certain combos have been the way to go and in the end, not much diversity has been seen on the virtual courts when it comes to the best player builds. With the revamped badge system, 2K hopes to create more viable options when creating your player build, forcing players to make some tough choices when looking for which badges to go for. 

The new badges will be tiered in three tiers, with 16 badges in total for each attribute category. Lower tier badges are less powerful than the higher tier ones, but cheaper to equip. The basic idea is that you'll need to equip a certain amount of lower tier badges before gaining access to the most powerful ones.

On top of the badge tiers. NBA 2K23 is introducing four unique badge slots for each attribute category called "core" badges. These will be badges that can be equipped without counting towards your total badge points. Each badge will have a certain challenge requirement you'll need to meet before being able to select it as a core badge.

The Jordan Challenge

The Jordan Challenge, giving players the chance to relive some of the greatest moments in the history of the game, returns since its debut back in NBA 2K11. Now with even more iconic moments to jump into, players will be able to put themselves in the shoes of His Airness and reshape history in period-specific arenas, broadcasts and environments from the '80s and '90s.

Adrenaline boosts

A new feature introduced to NBA 2K23 is aimed at preventing over-dribbling and brings a level of added authenticity to the game. Adrenaline boosts will be available for all players on the court, but will be limited to three boosts per possession, and will be consumed every time a player does a hard go or explosive sprint launch. This is a new take on the stamina system and definitely adds a bit of strategy to how players are going to set up their offensive plays in the future. As with dribble combos, it's important to play smart basketball and be efficient with your movement.

NBA 2K23 hits the shelves today and is available in five different editions! For the time being, you will still be able to get pre-order bonuses if you make the purchase quick!


NBA 2K23 Standard Edition

Pre-order bonus
5,000 Virtual Currency
5,000 MyTEAM Points
10 MyTEAM Promo Packs (delivered one a week)
A Boost for each MyCAREER Skill type
A Boost for each Gatorade Boost type
Devin Booker MyPLAYER Jersey
95 Rated Devin Booker MyTEAM Free Agent Card

NBA 2K23 WNBA Edition (Available only in the US as physical copies)

Pre-order bonus
5,000 Virtual Currency
5,000 MyTEAM Points
10 MyTEAM Promo Packs (delivered one a week)
A Boost for each MyCAREER Skill type
A Boost for each Gatorade Boost type
Devin Booker MyPLAYER Jersey
95 Rated Devin Booker MyTEAM Free Agent Card

Digital bonus content
The NBA 2K23 WNBA Edition includes:
1 Sue Bird Jersey in The W and in MyCAREER
1 Diana Taurasi Jersey in The W and in MyCAREER

NBA 2K23 Michael Jordan Edition

Pre-order bonus
5,000 Virtual Currency
5,000 MyTEAM Points
10 MyTEAM Promo Packs (delivered one a week)
A Boost for each MyCAREER Skill type
A Boost for each Gatorade Boost type
Devin Booker MyPLAYER Jersey
95 Rated Devin Booker MyTEAM Free Agent Card

Digital bonus content
This edition also includes NBA 2K23 for PlayStation®4.
100K Virtual Currency
10K MyTEAM Points
10 MyTEAM Tokens
23 MyTEAM Promo Packs
Receive 10 when you first launch the game plus an Amethyst topper pack, then receive 2 per week for 6 weeks.
Sapphire Devin Booker and Ruby Michael Jordan MyTEAM Cards
1 Free Agent Option Pack
1 Diamond Jordan Shoe
1 Ruby Coach Card Pack
10 Boosts for each MyCAREER Skill Boost type
10 Boosts for each Gatorade Boost type
1 2-Hr Double XP Coin
4 Cover Star T-Shirts
1 Backpack and Arm Sleeves
Custom-designed Cover Star Skateboard

NBA 2K23 Digital Deluxe Edition

Pre-order bonus
5,000 Virtual Currency
5,000 MyTEAM Points
10 MyTEAM Promo Packs (delivered one a week)
A Boost for each MyCAREER Skill type
A Boost for each Gatorade Boost type
Devin Booker MyPLAYER Jersey
95 Rated Devin Booker MyTEAM Free Agent Card

Digital bonus content
This edition also includes NBA 2K23 for PlayStation®4.
10K MyTEAM Points
10 MyTEAM Tokens
23 MyTEAM Promo Packs
Receive 10 when you first launch the game plus an Amethyst topper pack, then receive 2 per week for 6 weeks.
Sapphire Devin Booker and Ruby Michael Jordan MyTEAM Cards
1 Free Agent Option Pack
1 Diamond Jordan Shoe
1 Ruby Coach Card Pack
10 Boosts for each MyCAREER Skill Boost type
10 Boosts for each Gatorade Boost type
1 2-Hr Double XP Coin
4 Cover Star T-Shirts
1 Backpack and Arm Sleeves
1 Custom-designed Cover Star Skateboard

NBA 2K23 Championship Edition

Pre-order bonus
5,000 Virtual Currency
5,000 MyTEAM Points
10 MyTEAM Promo Packs (delivered one a week)
A Boost for each MyCAREER Skill type
A Boost for each Gatorade Boost type
Devin Booker MyPLAYER Jersey
95 Rated Devin Booker MyTEAM Free Agent Card

Digital bonus content
This edition also includes NBA 2K23 for PlayStation®4.
12 Month NBA League Pass Subscription*
100K Virtual Currency
10% XP Boost on MyTEAM Season Progression
10K MyTEAM Points
10 MyTEAM Tokens
23 MyTEAM Promo Packs
Receive 10 when you first launch the game plus an Amethyst topper pack, then receive 2 per week for 6 weeks.
Sapphire Devin Booker and Ruby Michael Jordan MyTEAM Cards
1 Free Agent Option Pack
1 Diamond Jordan Shoe
1 Ruby Coach Card Pack
10% XP Boost on MyCAREER Season Progression
Michael Jordan-themed Go-Kart
10 Boosts for each MyCAREER Skill Boost type
10 Boosts for each Gatorade Boost type
1 2-Hr Double XP Coin
4 Cover Star T-Shirts
1 Backpack and Arm Sleeves
1 Custom-designed Cover Star Skateboard

An excellent campaign in the 3rd season of the WECL has seen Nottingham Panthers HC hoisting the trophy for the first time in team history! The British team managed to put forth a strong effort in the regular season, but only accelerated their pace in the playoffs, only suffering one loss in the postseason at the hands of fierce rivals London Lightning. In the Finals, Nottingham eventually defeated Valence Hockey in a 4-0 sweep.

Notthingam Panthers HC's road to the championship:

• #2 seed with the record 17-2-1
• Quarterfinals: vs London Lightning (7) 4-1
• Semifinals: vs Silver Sword Griffins (3) 4-0
• Finals: vs Valence Hockey (1) 4-0

The winning roster:
GOALTENDERS
#33 @CW1LLO (C)

DEFENSEMEN
#24 @AdamB_24xx
#88 @Ketsivaa
#95 @Natholomew (A)

FORWARDS
#11 @mj_slam
#16 @MartindalexC
#23 @NotzPanthers (A)
#93 @RASTAWILL_

On behalf of the entire SportsGamer community, we congratulate the champions and extend a warm thank you to all participants!

On Friday, the SportsGamer community received sad news. One of our players and valued members had passed away far too soon. The always so happy, funny and kind Wille @airwizzard (AiRaThLeTe) Mattsson aka Ville Valo # 9 has unfortunately passed.
The Swedish community honored him by playing with Ville Valo # 9 on our back on Friday.
Our thoughts and prayers are with his friends and family in these tough times. 

SWEEASHL has started a fundraiser on Facebook for a burial flower and a fundraiser has been started for the Swedish heart and lung fund in the name of AiRaThLeTe, all raised funds will go towards their research to prevent similar deaths in the future.

Donations to the heart and lung fund can be made here.
Donations for a burial flower can be made here.

Rest in peace Wille #9 💔

«In the memory You live
You are always there
In memory we see You
Just as You were «

Hi there NHLGamers,

As you might have heard by now, our very own @Eki and @Artuzio have signed new contracts with an esports organisation called Sampi. I had the chance to have a discussion with both guys regarding their new contracts and how all of this went down. Most of you might have noted that Eki was already signed to Helsinki Reds, so this is a transfer for him. Artuzio, however is now signing his first ever pro contract. NHLGamer congratulates both!

Team Sampi is most likely a very unfamiliar name to all of you, not simply because of the fact that is isn't a big organisation, but it wasn't officially founded until September 1st 2018. The founder of the franchise is professional football player Jakub Jankto, who currently represents Sampdoria in the Italian Serie A. "Jakub contacted me a few weeks ago and told me about his plans of launching an esports franchise. He mentioned that he used to compete in EA Sports FIFA some years ago, but financial restrictions came in the way. I think he even won a Czech championship in 2012. Jakub also got the chance to pursue a professional football career. He has a desire to help young gamers achieve their goals without restrictions.", says Eki about how the contract talks with Team Sampi begun. Artuzio says that in addition to NHL, the organisation has players competing in FIFA and Rocket league. competitive NHL will be one of the main focuses of the organisation.

« Team Sampi made me an offer I couldn't refuse » -Artuzio on signing with Team Sampi

I asked Artuzio about how he feels about his new organisation: "After the European Qualifiers of the NHLGWC I started receiving offers quite consistently, but I didn't want to rush it. Team Sampi made me an offer I couldn't refuse, so I'm very excited to represent them and start making a name for my new team!"

What will your roles be representing the new organisation?

"The organisation is so new right now, so I'm not completely sure what my role will be, but the main objective of Team Sampi is to support us players and provide the possibilities for us to compete at the very top.", said Eki. Both Eki and Artuzio will be focusing most on attending various tournaments and competitive play, they will be streaming occasionally but it isn't a requirement of the organisation.

As this is now a transfer situation for Eki, I wanted to go a bit into the reasons behind the transfer and what he had to say about his former organisation Helsinki Reds. "Team Sampi offered me a contract I couldn't refuse. I have nothing bad to say about Reds, it was a good time. I learned a lot about the esports business and got to participate in all kinds of events thanks to them. It was a completely new thing for me. As Helsinki Reds was so close by, they were very involved in my gaming, creating stream graphics and hosting events. Team Sampi will be different in the sense that they merely aim to support their players and stay in the background. As of now there are no plans on hosting events or such. We will simply focus on winning and gaming."

A piece of advice from the champion

- Eki, as you now have some experience in the scene and have signed your second contract, what kind of tips would you give to gamers out there waiting to get their shot and sign a deal? "Once you have some success, you might get be getting several offers. I'd suggest staying patient and not just signing any deal. I've heard of players with really bad deals, so be careful and don't just sign a deal for the sake of representing an organisation."

"Vegas didn't go as planned and I feel I am better than that, so I'll be looking to attend as many tournaments as possible and gain a lot of success in NHL 19. Versus is my main focus due to my contract, but I'll be looking to compete in some 6v6 action too!", states Artuzio after being asked about his ambitions for the new iteration of NHL.

Eki's Car situation

- I recall you saying you'll be buying a car if you win the NHLGWC, what kind of car stands in your driveway? I asked Eki. "I didn't get a car, says Eki with a laugh. I received the money a few weeks ago and decided to save it. It was the smart thing to do." Not only an unbelievably skilled gamer and new found the poster boy for the EA Sports NHL series but a responsible young adult too, who would've known?

Huge thanks to both Eki and Artuzio for taking the time to have a chat with me. On behalf of the community, I wish both luck in their upcoming competitions. We're excited to see what the future brings!

NHLGamer member @Hansulinho signs with SJK eSports

Some of you may have already guessed it a few weeks ago when well-established ECL franchise Laser HT changed their name to SJK eSports, but today the SJK organization made it official by way of press release: they have signed Hannes "Hansulinho" Kettunen.

Hansulinho himself recently announced he was leaving the ENCE organization and it should come as no surprise that SJK had since been active in trying to aquire the services of the successful finnish NHL player:

- Hannes has been in our sights for quite a while. He's a tremendous character and a very skilled NHL player, says SJK eSports Manager Pekka Riihimaa.

Officially joining the SJK organization also means Hansulinho will be able to call his close friend Risto "Dominointi" Järvi (already a member of the SJK team) a teammate both in the EASHL and on the Versus side of NHL competition.

- To join SJK at this stage of my career feels like the right move. They have a lot of talented people involved both when it comes to console gaming and management. Above all, they are eager to keep the movement around competitive NHL gaming moving forward, says Hansulinho.

The first official competition for Hansulinho under the SJK banner, outside of the currently ongoing ECL 5, will be IS Cup 2 in November, administered by NHLGamer.com. 

- The level of play in Versus has improved dramatically these last few NHL games. Watching the recent online IS Cup qualifiers it was especially evident so I better keep calm and bring my A game during the IS Cup tournament to have a shot at winning, says Hansulinho.

Here at NHLGamer we'd like to congratulate Hansulinho on joining SJK eSports and wish him the best of luck at the IS Cup in November.

Hansulinho Fact Box [Player profile]

• 5x Finnish Champion
• Finished 3rd at the NHL World Championship Series in Las Vegas
• Finished 4th at IS Cup 1 (NHL 17)
• Participated in all 5 ECL tournaments at NHLGamer: twice for Nordic Blizzard (champions of ECL 1), twice for Laser HT (champions of ECL 4 Elite) and now SJK eSports
• Favors the G position in EASHL

Read the full announcement article (in Finnish) at: https://www.sjk2007.fi/w/sjk-esports--tervetuloa-hansulinho-

Fun Fact: With his SJK signing, Hansulinho once again becomes the third NHLGamer member to currently represent an official esports organization. Outside of himself and Dominointi for SJK eSports, @Chafak represents Paranoia esports.

It remains to be seen which organization will scoop up rising NHLGamer stars like @plee999 (PleeMaker); the champion of IS Cup 1, @eskoeinari; champion of the recent Finnish Championship eSM and @Erkki (I_EKI_I); finalist in both IS Cup 1 and eSM. 

Stay tuned!

@The_Alpha_Furyan for NHLGamer.com

Hello NHLGamers,

For the second week in a row we bring you a very special kind of news story here on NHLGamer.com.

It is a deal that has been in the works for quite some time but we can finally say - with great pride - that we have confirmation that another one of our fellow NHLGamer members has signed a deal to play NHL professionally. We are of course referring to previous ECL championship winner, champion of the last NHL 17 10k$ Worldgaming Faceoff tournament and captain of Laser HT... Risto "Dominointi" Järvi! 

What team was lucky enough to snag this top-ranked player? Look no further than the eSports section of professional Finnish football club SJK (SJK eSports), currently playing in the top Finnish division.

Just like with Hansulinho, The_Alpha_Furyan managed to get a hold of Dominointi for a few minutes to pick his brain on this recent development

NHLG: Congratulations Dominointi - I'm sure you must be thrilled to sign this deal!
Dominointi: Haha, thanks. Yes, of course I am! To be honest, I actually had a couple really good options to consider... but for me this was the best offer. I was truly happy that a team like SJK would like me to play in their eSports section. I feel like this team has enormous potential overall and I hope - and also believe - we are going to do some great stuff together in the near future.

Tell us a bit more about SJK - I am sure a lot of people (especially non-Finns) aren't entirely familiar with them
SJK is actually a finnish football club from Seinäjoki! They play in what is known as the "Veikkausliiga" - which is the highest football league in Finland. SJK eSports is their video game team... I really can't explain it any better, haha. At the moment I am their NHL eSports player and "Koppinen" is their FIFA eSports player - meaning they have a total of two players in their eSports team at the moment, but they are expanding. For example, they actually have another connection to this website (NHLGamer.com) because they also have Rynnäkköviikset as their "minor" team.

What do you mostly hope to achieve while playing for SJK eSports?
Of course I want to continue playing good and win some tournaments as a SJK member. Personally, I also hope that these kind of contracts help our NHL community here to grow even bigger so that maybe in the future we might see some 6v6 team contracts too!

I feel like most people know "Dominointi the NHL player" - people certainly know after they have played you in Versus, HUT or EASHL - but when did this whole journey start for you? When did you realize you were actually really good and one of the top players to play the game?
Well, I have been playing the NHL Series since I think... NHL 07 and a few years after that (NHL 09) started playing online games and competing for real. I guess it was in that same game - NHL 09 - when I first started experiencing success with my NHL playing. If I remember correctly, I think I was ranked 4th Overall for Versus at the end of that game. I didn't lose that many games and eventually a lot of players were wondering who I was - that is when I would say I started to realize I was pretty good at this.

"Pretty good"... I'd say that is being humble. What would you consider are some of your biggest achievements and greatest memories playing this game?
Haha, thanks. Ah, that is a tough question. Well, I won the Finnish Moneyleague once in NHL 16 and also a 2v2 Finnish Championship with Hansulinho in NHL 14. My most recent win at the Worldgaming $10K Faceoff Tournament in NHL 17 is of course special. I am very proud over having been in Top 5 in Versus rankings ever since NHL 09. I would consider winning ECL 1 with Nordic Blizzard a great memory.

Playing NHL professionally - will your view of the game change? Is it now more of a job than a hobby?
It hasn't really changed that much, atleast not yet. I mean, after I won the Worldgaming tournament the support has been insane. Of course, there has been a lot of "roasting" too... but I like it. I think it is great because I love reading those messages. Honestly, in my opinion this is still a hobby even though I will now get paid

So - with these news in mind - where do you see yourself in 5 years?
Ah, man... that question is so damn hard. It is really tough to say but I of course hope I am able to keep playing NHL professionally. I mean, then again I could be doing so many different things. To be honest with you, things happen so fast nowadays that it is sometimes unreal - almost hard to keep up. Just take a look at whats going on with eSports - so many people streaming, many teams have social media accounts. But it is great - I love it - and again, I hope that with these kind of contracts we give a lot of hope for others to achieve similar things.

Certainly. So, when you think of the future of NHL eSports - what do you see?
The future of NHL eSports is bright in my opinion, I believe that. We just need more of these kind of contracts and we will continue to be noticed more and more.

On a more personal note, what are your hopes for NHLGamer.com and this community moving forward?
NHLGamer and the entire NHL community in general are really important for me. I see a lot of potential in NHLGamer. The site already features the best 1v1 players and 6v6 teams in Europe, for example. In the future, I hope we could play against NA teams/players more in the future. Also, some form of a live 6v6 tournament would be really cool.

Got any tips for players who want to improve their NHL gaming?
I will actually be streaming in SJK eSports twitch channel in future. So, if you want to challenge me and get some tips you are free to join! As a tip if you want to get better in game you have to play against the best players and teams, that is truly how you improve your skills.

I might take you up on that! Lastly, what is the secret to beating our very own NHLGamer co-owner, @Kenu, in Versus?
You should! Tough question again. How do I beat Kenu? Well, he is a really good player.... but I guess I know a few secret tactics that could give him a hard time if we would matchup, hehe.

Dominointi Fact Box [Player profile]

• Winner of Worldgaming.com NHL 17 $10k Tournament
• Finished Top 5 at the Versus rankings in all iterations of NHL since 09
• Participated in all 3 ECL tournaments, twice for Nordic Blizzard (champions of ECL 1) and now Laser HT
• 185 ECL regular season points in 58 games and 121 playoff points in 45 games
• Favors the C position in EASHL

Read the full announcement article at: http://www.sjk2007.fi/w/sjk-esports-kiinnitti-risto--dominointi--jarven

On behalf of the NHLGamer staff,

The_Alpha_Furyan

Hello NHLGamers,

Today we bring you a different kind of news story, albeit a very welcome one. We are very happy to announce we've received word that our fellow NHLGamer member, previous ECL championship winner and immensly talented NHL 17 player @Hansulinho has signed a contract with well-known e-Sports organization ENCE eSports.

First of all, a big round of applause to Hansu for what we're sure is an insanely exciting opportunity. Second of all, this signals there is growing interest in creating an eSports scene using the NHL series as a platform. With trailblazers like Hansulinho and other profiles in the community leading the way, this could hopefully lead to some great opportunities in the future.

We had a chance to talk to Hansu for a few minutes to find out his reaction to the new contract;

NHLG: First off, congratulations Hansu! So, tell us about ENCE!
Hansulinho: Thank you! Well, ENCE is basically a Finnish eSports organization. They have their own CS:GO & Overwatch teams and Starcraft and Heartsone players. Now they are expanding to console sports and want me to be their "NHL-player".

So what does this mean, practically?
Practically, they want me to improve mine and their visibility in the eSports scene. This also means representing them in upcoming tournaments and events!

Quite an opportunity, huh?
Honestly, this is a project full of opportunities! I believe this will bring my "career" quite a large boost and I can't wait to see what the future brings - exciting times.

What are your thoughts on NHL and eSports in the future?
In my opinion it's definitely growing. To be honest, so far it's been growing in baby steps, but there may be big changes in the future.

I'm sure many of us would like to know, what made you so successfull in the Versus game mode?
Basically, many years of experience and having played in so many important games. The tolerance of stress grows from the experience and it has given me the ability to win tight games consistently.

The ECL quarter finals are under way - how is the atmosphere in the Laser HT locker room regarding your matchup with Northern Ascendancy?
Feels great, getting to play against dear enemies and friends again. Hopefully we'll be able to win this one! (Editors note: After 3 games, the matchup is 2-1 Laser)

Finally and most importantly, what is the secret to beating last years finalist in the Finnish Championships, @Kenu, in Versus?
Well, it's not that hard really. Just score more goals than him...  

Hansulinho Fact Box [Player Profile]

• 4-time Finnish National Champion in Versus
• Participated in all 3 ECL tournaments, twice for Nordic Blizzard (champions of ECL 1) and now Laser HT
• 117 ECL regular season points in 29 games and 67 playoff points in 22 games
• Favors the RW position in EASHL

Read the full announcement article at: http://www.ence.gg/article/welcome-hansulino/

Finnish speakers may appreciate this article: http://www.iltasanomat.fi/digitoday/esports/art-2000005041322.html

On behalf of the NHLGamer staff - later skaters,

The_Alpha_Furyan

Hey NHL Gamers,

this week, Sony revealed two new PlayStation 4 models: Slim and Pro.

In short: While the Slim model will replace the original model going forward, by offering the same features with up to 28% less power consumption, the new Pro model is aimed at the core gamer with improved hardware and some new features.

The US PlayStation Blog compiled a nice FAQ about the PlayStation 4 Pro, with lots of burning questions about what to expect from this new console. If you want to catch up on all the details, please have a look:

http://blog.us.playstation.com/2016/09/08/ps4-pro-the-ultimate-faq/

What does it mean for NHLGamer.com and NHL 17?

For the website and it's tournaments, the new PS4 Pro won't have any impact. The Pro, Slim and Original models all play the same games within the same community - so all owners across these models can still play together and against each other. There will not be seperate tournaments.

For NHL 17 itself, the impact is yet to be detailed. With the PS4 Pro releasing on November 10th this year, NHL 17 would require a game update to fully take advantage of the model's improved hardware (e.g. better graphics, higher framerate). At this point, EA already revealed support for FIFA 17 and Battlefield 1, so there is a chance NHL 17 will receive a similar update. In case it does not, NHL 17 will be the same experience as on the standard PS4 models - however, if you are a 4K TV owner, the PS4 Pro will uprender the resolution to 4K for a crisper image.

What do you think about the new PlayStation 4 Pro? Would you like for EA to support the new model with this year's NHL iteration?