NHLGamers, 

Read the preview in Russian here.

The start of the most long-awaited main tournament of Russia and the CIS countries, RCL season 9, is just around the corner!

From year to year the Russian Championship has quietly stepped forward, but this season, it's time to change things up a bit in the RCL. We have a lot to look forward to, and it'll take some time to discuss, so we have to dive right into it. The main and most important changes will be here, so let's continue.

First off, we've got the appearance of another division, now there are three - Pro, Lite, Neo. This step was made in order to expand the league and in order to create a playing field for all players regardless of skill or experience. All teams have the opportunity to climb the ladder of divisions to gain tremendous experience and fight for the title, the championship, in the most prestigious division RCL Pro!

Secondly, The RCL will be adopting a ruleset more similar to that of the ECL, which is the crown jewel and longest standing league at NHLGamer. The new RCL rules completely reflect the essence and work of NHLGamer. With this move, we merged and adapted our league to the standards of NHLGamer. Now our league is fully in line with what it should have been at the beginning of the journey. Of course, nothing is perfect in our world, so we will work together with the league management and captains to improve the league rules. You can read them at the link at the bottom of this article.

Thirdly, as a great bonus for the teams, the RCL Pro prize pool lives on! In Season 9, with the new structure of the prize pool distribution, all playoff participants will receive a piece of cake, and the top 3 will take the main cash prize. The entire prize pool will be 100.000 rubles.

You can see the percentage of distribution in the infographic below.

Of course, that's not all that awaits you in the season. A lot of quality match broadcasts are ahead, where our commentator will indulge you into the world of virtual hockey and become your guide to this beautiful and spectacular esport. A lot of media work, interviews and entertaining content in both text and video format, which will be prepared and released by your RCL Staff.

You'll find it all here:

 www.twitch.tv/nhlgamerrus   vk.com/nhlgamerrus 

 twitter.com/NHLGamerRussia   instagram.com/nhlgamerrus

We're here to grow the league and make it better every season, we work for you! @RCL Staff

RCL 9 Schedule

• 14.12.2021 - Start of season
• 27.12.2021 - 10.01.2022 - Pause
• 18.02.2022 - End of regular season
• 21.02.2022-27.02.2022 -  Quarterfinals
• 28.02.2022 - 6.03.2022 - Semifinals
• 7.03.2022 - 13.03.2022 - Finals

Qualifications

The RCL 9 Qualifiers started December 1, and the experienced teams Alliance, Virtuoso, Corsair, as well as new teams in the form of Severstal and Almaz, and some members of the Lite division met. This season, the qualifiers were held in a new format, which is described below:

In the first round the strongest teams were Alliance, Severstal and Almaz. These teams had the highest concentration of skilled players with great experience and performances in prestigious tournaments. The teams didn't have any problems at all performing in the group stage and took the first places in their respective groups with confidence. 

Lainaa

Qualification 

In qualification, 1-7 quotas for participation in the RCL Pro will be played. Both novice teams (at the discretion of the League Administration) and last season's RCL Lite quarterfinalists are eligible for qualification. Qualification will take place after the end of registration and will last +/- 2 weeks.

New qualification format (RCL 10 Pro)

1. #9 RCL Pro 9th place
2. #10 RCL Pro 10th place
3. #11 RCL Pro 11th place
4. #12 RCL Pro 12th place
5. #13 RCL Lite 4th place
6. #14 RCL Lite 5th place
7. #15 RCL Lite 6th place
8. #16 RCL Lite 7th place
9. #17 Invited team
10. #18 Invited team
11. #19 Invited team
12. #20 Invited Team

Under the circumstances, if there are more spots available in the RCL Pro, more participants will be admitted from the qualification group accordingly.

Provided the team from positions 1-3 from the list above will not take part in the qualification, then it will be replaced by an additional invited team*. 

Provided the team from position 4-9 from the list above will not take part in the qualification, then its place will be replaced by the invited team*.

* This team received an invitation from the League Administration based on the composition of the team members or achievements of the last season/tournament (current tournament). To receive an invitation, the composition is required:

 4 starting RCL 9 Pro players

The qualification groups were as follows.

Lainaa

 RCL Pro Qualification

Round One

Group 1

 

1.  SEVERSTAL CHEREPOVETS 
2.  Ice melody
3.  XK KOPCAP 
4.  VHC NEVA

Group 2

 

1.  Alliance HT
2.  HC SOKOL MOSCOW
3.  HC NICE
4.  Red Ice Peppers

Group 3

 

1.  ALMAZ CHEREPOVETS
2.   Virtuoso
3.   Moscow Capitals
4.  HC Smolensk Lynx

Round 1 results:

•   SEVERSTAL CHEREPOVETS  ✔️
•  Alliance HT ✔️
•  ALMAZ CHEREPOVETS ✔️

•   VHC NEVA ✔️
•  Red Ice Peppers ✔️
•  HC Smolensk Lynx ✔️

Round Two

Group:

 

1.  HC SOKOL MOSCOW
2.  HC NICE
3.  Ice melody
4.    Moscow Capitals
5.   Virtuoso
6.  XK KOPCAP 

Second round results:

•   HC SOKOL MOSCOW ✔️
•  HC NICE ✔️
•  Ice melody ✔️
•   Moscow Capitals  ✔️

•   Virtuoso  ✔️ 
•  XK KOPCAP  ✔️ 

It was quite obvious that the Sokol team looked very impressive right from the start, and without any problems they took the first spot in the group getting themselves 18 points. Below for a ticket to the Pro we saw a fierce struggle and the remaining three places were very toughly contested. HC NICE and Ice melody also secured a place in the Pro Division. The most interesting battle was on the last day of the Qualifiers, when Moscow Capitals and Virtuoso decided their fate in the last match of the second round. As sad as it may sound, the musicians lost their Pro status and the Capitals deservedly entered the Russian elite.

Congratulations to the teams that qualified for RCL Pro and best wishes for a great RCL 9 season! And also a big thank you and best wishes to those who couldn't make it to the top division.

Season 9

Now let's move on to the stage of the new season of RCL 9, where we will be in for a lot of action throughout the season. All participating teams pose some questions heading into their campaigns and we're looking for answers moving forward!

Our journalist Fyodor Nichushkin has previewed the RCL 9 Pro teams extensively:

Lainaa

 

Nova will no longer be the Champion. What to expect from the new RCL Pro season?

Snow, cold weather, New Year stickers on Coca-Cola bottles - winter gradually covers the wide Russian expanses, and what does it mean? A new RCL season is coming, the ninth, which promises to be the most interesting in a long enough period of reign on the golden throne for juggernaut Nova/Metallurg. We are so used to have a clear set idea of the power rankings already before the season starts, but this time we cam most likely expect the participants to surprise us!

This season is already at this point very notable: the first season without the champion of the last year and a half, Nova, whose players are now scattered in different clubs of the Pro division. The team, which in the absence of force majeure factors would arguably be strong contenders to win again, by its disintegration gives hope for quite an interesting season. Yes, in the RCL there is still a significant gap between the first 5 teams and all the other teams, but among the top echelon - let's call it that - the obvious leader in the pursuit of the gold now seems impossible to determine. All have their strengths and weaknesses, but in a thoughtful comparison, we understand that the teams are approximately equal in strength and the deciding factor will be pre-season preparation combined with some sprinkles of luck along the way. Let's still make a list of approximate contenders to win the championship, these five names and let's dig into the names, so to speak, in order to voice who they are and what they are capable of, where the pluses and minuses are.

 

Alliance HT

Yes, you're not crazy - Here we have a true RCL juggernaut that holds multiple titles from previous years and several sucessful ECL campaigns. Alliance HT returns via qualification to the RCL, after almost a year of absence from the European playing fields. The old-timers of domestic virtual hockey again under the leadership of Mark @MAYZIIX Kuivanen decided to get together and fight for the championship, it seems to me the team does not set itself any other goals. The names are mostly the same: Artem  @Awptim  Osipov, Evgeny  @mons3223 Mons, Andrey @Khemnos Svanidze and Mark @MAYZIIX Kuivanen himself, with the additions of former Barys player, Andrey@GLADIATOP Goryachikh and the best goalie of the last tournament, three-time RCL champion Alexei @Алексей Zvezdin. In terms of names, the lineup raises no questions, it sounds powerful, but there is a problematic question: has the old guard retained its skill or has it fallen behind the times?

 

Rusty Bulls

The Bulls have long been among the top contenders for the top spots in Russia, but they always lacked something, some small things, even though their roster and style of play showed their ambition about claiming victory. Now, let's face it, the team qualifies as a contender in advance. The roster's undergone significant changes, and the current roster is surely better suited for the playoffs than ever before: Alexander @Hrustyler86 Gushchin, a versatile player, last season played a bit of lite in both the RCL and ECL but struggling to stay effective on the European ice; Sergey @mosjuve Mosyagin, a defenseman who holds a "separate art form in Russian cyber hockey"-status; lastly forwards Oleg @Oleg N Naidenov and Kirill@Kirill9423 Ivanov played last season in the second division, and Damir @Doni Gubaidullin missed last season. Will they be able to gel in this short time and become the team we'll remember?

 

SEVERSTAL CHEREPOVETS

Until this moment we were talking about the two teams that returned to play in the Russian championship after the break, but now we will talk about the new team, which, having made its way through the qualification process to the first division of the Russian Championship, is preparing to face the biggest of challenges. The roster speaks for itself: former players from Russian top clubs with a strong legacy background, preaching an aggressive style of play Severstal have already declared themselves first of all as a team ready to compete at the top. One question mark remains, though, consistency. Will the guys be able to carry the entire season at the same pace, not burn out in the process, on their first try?

 

EHC TATNEFT AK BARS

Now we move on to the two most obvious contenders for first place, starting with the Kazan squad: the team has retained its core while strengthening their squad with players like Vladimir@NoisyMan_x Maksimov and Maksim @Haiissey Trukhanov. based on the names, and by looking at their game, one gets the feeling that this season should be a breakthrough for the Tartars. However, like all previous roster members, the Greens have one problem: a potential clash of mentalities, which already has lead to the downfall of several clubs in the Russian community. If the team can't set their objectives straight, then this could all end badly.

 

Renascor

Probably the most obvious contender out of all of the above to win this season. The former BlackDawgs, after the departure of Sergey @Serg1vratar Filippov from the leadership of the club and after the arrival of Valery @Valluxet Reichel did not change the composition, but rather strengthened the team. One of their newest recruits being Ilya @ilyagolubev Golubev, according to many, one of the best versatile players in Russia, who can, if necessary cover any position. Renascor already proved in the RCL Cup that their sole focus is winning and no opponent will be in their way.

 

And so, we see five more or less obvious contenders for high finishes, among which with a greater likelihood and will play for the championship, and to determine the favorite among them has become much more difficult than it was in past years.

Now let's talk a little bit about the other participants in the RCL Pro division.

Golden Sticks ->  Admiral eSports

Admiral played an excellent preseason tournament in the KHL ESPORTS RIVALS and reached all the way to the final, where they actually held the advantage by 3-1 but eventually had the victory slip out of their hands. The squad took the second place, but still the captain Artjoms @ZiGi100229 Kuvsinovs was very upset, but he noted that such a tournament and the final result only united the team and gave the foundation for confidence in the future. Already then it was clear that Admiral will bring the heat in the new RCL season. Now they've also put together a very impressive roster with some big names. The first such player worth following is Kristers @PSchibra Bauers, with a track record of performances that can be listed for a long time, but it is worth noting for sure that the team is built around this player. Kris' ECL Pro experience puts him head and shoulders above many players in RCL Pro, and he's the absolute leader of his team. Then comes the heavy artillery in the form of Alex @IDangledYouOut Wagner, as shown by the preseason tournament Alex is able to create scoring chances, and is as dangerous around the net. He has single-handedly outclassed opponents and decided games before, on multiple occasions.

ALMAZ CHEREPOVETS

Another team from Cherepovets, that is able to ensure a high position in the RCL Pro division. Over the course of the preseason the team was tested and adjusted, and I think they've found a good balance just in time. A very interesting player Kevin @Keuschemisch Berg came into the squad, thanks to whom many members of the club opened up in a new way. Kevin is the captain of noRex Gaming, and is individually a very strong player capable of generating those wow-moments on the ice. Let's see how the players will interact with each other in the strongest division of the RCL.

Latvian Warriors -> EHC Dinamo Riga

The team hailing from Riga have worked their way up all the way from Lite and are now among the very best in the Russian scene. Making their debut appearance in Pro, time will tell how well they'll fare.

The former Latvian Warriors, in the offseason has become a representative of the KHL team Dinamo Riga, and that's already a great accomplishment in itself. The squad is very balanced, a team of hard workers and true grinders of the game, and with each game they look more confident on the virtual ice. There are also big names in their camp, in the form of RCL 8 Champion from Metallurg Daniels @CMB-wf- Magonis, who is a very strong and versatile player, capable of being the cornerstone of any team. Great reinforcement for Dynamo, who will bolster their attack from before.

 HC NICE

The team got a lucky ticket to the qualification, and used it to perfection. There are no big names on the team, but there are experienced players that certainly know how to put the puck in the net when given an opportunity. This is their first serious test, and we can only wish good luck, and follow the team with eager throughout their debut campaign.

HC SOKOL MOSCOW

The team made their first appearance in the RCL CUP, and after that there was a long and tough road ahead. With each season, though, Sokol was shaping up to be a solid and confident contender. Of course, many will agree with me, they became even stronger, more dangerous, and it was obvious how much the club was eager to prove themselves in the Pro qualification. They came just a little bit short of getting a place in the first round, but managed to go through as the first team from the 2nd qualifier round.

 Ice melody

Again we are looking at a good team, able to put up a fight against pretty much anyone. They have a lot of players with experience in the HUT mode, which gives a huge advantage in control of the puck, and understanding of the mechanics of the game, which is obviously important. But when it comes to team chemistry and understanding of the 6v6 game, it comes down to how much these guys are willing to work and practice together. The team also secured a ticket to the Pro and have something to prove.

Russian Lightning

One of the longest standing clubs in the RCL Pro Division has almost always been in the top 8, but there have also been dark times for the team. In RCL 8 they put up good resistance against Blackdawgs, the current Renascor, in the first round of the playoffs. In the first match of the series they won 2-1 in regulation, but eventually it was too difficult to resist such a strong opponent. As I've written many times before, meetings like these give tremendous experience to the teams and strengthen their mentality. And of course, Lightning absorb that experience and, above all, build their team and try to develop in every way possible. They have a very good goalkeeping department and a very cheeky offense, but there are some weaknesses to work on and add to. Pay attention to Nikita @Flamelb1 Mazur, who is a very good attacker and does a lot of work in front of the goal.

Seventy Sixers

Last season wasn't exactly easy for the team, with the 76ers falling outside the top 8. They met HC Armata in the postseason, took the series 4-1, and managed to stay in the RCL Pro. In the off-season, the team significantly strengthened by acquiring such players like Vadim@vadyanPonomarev and Viktor@Viktorperm_17Mitrakov. In RCL 8 these players played for Blackdawgs / Renascor, and there they were leaders in their positions. Players of this class always raise the level of the club, and with the right formation the 76ers can have a very good season.

 HC LEGION -> Sibir Cyber Team

In RCL Lite, HC LEGION, became champions, securing a place in the top division. In the off-season the team expected rebranding and signing a contract with a CHL team. And here the Siberian spirit appeared in front of us in the form of Sibir Cyber Team.

In the KHL ESPORTS RIVALS tournament, unfortunately, not everything went smoothly for the team. Last place in the group stage and only three wins out of ten possible matches. Siberia had difficulties in defense, many mistakes were made, but do not forget the team is just forming and gaining finding legs, so to speak. Now we are seeing an influx of reinforcements in the team, and how they will change the game of the club, we will see as the season progresses. We wish the Siberians good luck and more wins in RCL 9 Pro.

 Moscow Capitals

The last day of qualification decided the fate of this club, there was no margin for error, and the Capitals crushed Virtuoso as much as possible in an attacking fashion, managing to pick up the wins required. This is the last club to hop on the "RCL Pro" train. The team has potential, and you can see that it will not be easy to face this club on the virtual ice. We wish the Capitals good luck in the tournament, and most importantly a fun season to come!

Well, dear friends and virtual hockey fans, our preview is coming to an end, and we have a great start of the RCL 9 season ahead of us. We can discuss and speculate long and hard about who will be the new RCL 9 champion, for some the overconfidence may play a cruel joke, and for some the victory may be a cocktail of hard work and crazy luck. No one knows what will happen, but we know for sure that the new season will give you a lot of emotions and food for discussion. Watch our broadcasts, read our articles by all means and follow the RCL! Love virtual hockey, play virtual hockey! Let's go!

(Данная статья на русском языке)

NHLGamers,

Already eight seasons have passed in the Russian Championship League, each year is special for fans of the EA Sports NHL series and this season was no exception. We watched truly emotional virtual hockey, not lacking in entertainment at any point, there was everything, pain of disappointment from defeats, loud victories, and new records. 

A lot of controversy and conflicts were in the air before the start of the RCL 8 season. Each team wanted to declare themselves with the loudest victories. Many were prepared for this moment, the moment of glory, and maybe recording their club into the history of NHLGamer. And believe me, history was truly made, but more on that later.

This season there was a record number of organizations from the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL), our esports men reached a new level for themselves and many became representatives of these high-profile teams. I am sure that only progress in this direction awaits us in the future, and the new season will add even more representatives of new organizations.

KHL clubs of the RCL 8 Pro season:

1.  METALLURG MAGNITOGORSK (Former Nova)
2.  EHC Traktor Chelyabinsk
3.  EHC TATNEFT AK BARS
4.  Barys eSports (FormerRusty Bulls)

KHL clubs of the RCL 8 Lite season:

1.  EHC Avtomobilist
2.  EHC ZAURALYE KURGAN (of the Supreme Hockey League)
3.  BARYS CYBER TEAM (Associate of Barys eSports)
4.  HC TRAKTOR 2 (Associate of EHC Traktor Chelyabinsk)

Regular season

The regular season showed excellent quality of matches, many teams clashed in very tight bouts. Each club tried to replenish its piggy bank of points, and better their position in the championship, eventually successfully making it into the top 8. There were some surprises, some teams had to leave the top division for now, and others will be in for a struggle in qualifying to be able to stay in RCL Pro at the end of the season.

At the start of the season there was a lot of talk in the community about the favorites and rather quickly they singled out the four clubs Blackdawgs, Barys eSports, METALLURG MAGNITOGORSK, and Nearbird Fighters. A state of intrigue was created, and until the semifinals it was definitely not clear who would take the cup. The teams EHC Traktor Chelyabinsk and EHC TATNEFT AK BARS also fought bravely and posed a serious challenge. These teams had players who could single-handedly change the outcome of the matches, but virtual hockey is primarily a team sport. This, however will not take away the merits of these players, and I can assure you many can be seen among our top players of the season and this is absolutely deserved.

Here's the eventual final standings of the regular season and as you can see, it is evident that the fight was intense for every point available.
 

 
At the end of the regular season, HC Yaroslavl BEARS got relegated to RCL Lite. The club played their first season at the Pro level and unfortunately did not match the skill needed yet - with one victory throughout the season they've managed to make questionable history in the RCL divisions era. Despite the tough season, we're sure this team will be back stronger than before and hopefully we'll see a more successful return to the Pro division in the future.

Clubs Virtuoso, Seventy Sixers, and VHC NEVA will fight to retain their divisional spots in the RCL 8 relegation battles.

Playoffs

The most interesting stage of the tournament gave us a lot of excitement because the top 8 were in for a test in their quarterfinals series. No one wanted to give up easily. Even the favorites of the season had to sweat and dig deep in order not to falter. You can give out a tirade of beautiful speech turns how the process of these confrontations went, but why complicate everything when you can show the results of matches, and give your brain food for imagination, unless of course you personally watched these battles. So look, and if you have something to say on this occasion, the comments are open, we are happy to read it.

Lainaa

Quarterfinals

(8) HC KOROBKA (0-4) METALLURG MAGNITOGORSK (1)

Series results:

1. Game 1 HCK 3:4 MGN
2. Game 2 MGN 3:0 HCK
3. Game 3 HCK 3:4 MGN
4. Game 4 MGN 3:2 OT HCK

(2) Blackdawgs  (4-1) Russian Lightning (7)

Series results:

1. Game 1 BD 1:2 RL
2. Game 2 RL 2:5 BD
3. Game 3 BD 3:1 RL
4. Game 4 RL 1:6 BD
5. Game 5 BD 6:1 RL

(3) Barys eSports  (4-1) EHC Traktor Chelyabinsk (6)

Series results:

1. Game 1 TRK 3:2 BRS
2. Game 2 BRS 2:1 OT TRK
3. Game 3 TRK 1:4 BRS
4. Game 4 BRS 3:2 TRK
5. Game 5 TRK 1:3 BRS

(4) Nearbird Fighters  (4-1) EHC TATNEFT AK BARS (5)

Series results:

1. Game 1 AKB 1:2 NBF
2. Game 2 NBF 3:2 AKB
3. Game 3 AKB 2:3 NBF
4. Game 4 NBF 2:3 AKB
5. Game 5 AKB 2:3 OT NBF

Semifinals

(1) METALLURG MAGNITOGORSK (4-3) Nearbird Fighters (4)

Series results:

1. Game 1 MGN 0:4 NBF
2. Game 2 NBF 0:1 MGN
3. Game 3 MGN 3:0 NBF
4. Game 4 NBF 1:0 OT MGN
5. Game 5 MGN 1:0 NBF
6. Game 6 NBF 3:1 MGN
7. Game 7 MGN 2:1 NBF

(2) Blackdawgs  (1-4) Barys eSports (3)

Series results:

1. Game 1 BD 2:3 OT BRS
2. Game 2 BRS 4:3 OT BD
3. Game 3 BD 4:1 BRS
4. Game 4 BRS 4:3 OT BD
5. Game 5 BD 0:1 BRS

Finals

(1) METALLURG MAGNITOGORSK  (4-0) Barys eSports (3)

Series results:

1. Game 1 MGN 2:1 BRS
2. Game 2 BRS 0:1 MRG
3. Game 3 MRG 2:0 BRS
4. Game 4 BRS 0:1 OT MGN

RCL 8 Pro Champions of the Season

METALLURG MAGNITOGORSK, has done the unthinkable and reached the milestone of a three-time RCL championship. Returning to the record talk, METALLURG is the only club to have won three championships in a row, and history unfolds before our very eyes. What is hidden behind this story, you ask, and I will answer you. Since the formation of the Nova club, under the leadership of Maxim @Haiissey Trukhanov, a course was taken of clear understanding of the team game, and the selection of players took place exclusively and strictly based on skills. The captain was able to compose an impressive selection of players, and ran his club as a massive battleship on an undeniable course to championship. Yes, over the course of three seasons the roster had changes, but every year the METALLURG club demonstrated an exceptional balance of attacking hockey and flawless defense, and also their impressive ability to squeeze by opponents in the finishing moments of the game - demonstrated throughout the RCL playoffs. Each player of this club just clicked and the end product was a team that worked like clockwork. This is not just a team, but a real hockey family, because it is impossible to achieve such success without next level mutual understanding and support for each other. Congratulations to METALLURG MAGNITOGORSK and every player of this club, with such a resounding victory, the season was not an easy walk, it was a war on every inch of the ice!

List of players who have contributed to the championship:

Goalkeepers:
#90 Artur  "Thai4ik" Boos 
#99 Aleksey "zZzvezZzda" Zvezdin 
#46 Nikita "Poistin" Penttinen / 

Defenders:
#22 Alex "SPB_AlexZver_22" Zverev 
#23 Evgeniy "mons3223" Mons 
#39 Ilya "Cefurturinen" Elchaninov 
#7 Aleksandr "AleksZava" Zavgorodniy 

Forwards:
#19 Ilkka "ilikkaa" Rekila 
#38 Maxim "Haiissey" Trukhanov 
#43 Artem "VSO_Nester_43" Nesterov 
#77 Daniels "CMB-wf-" Magonis 

RCL 8 Lite Champions of the Season

HC LEGION crushed its rival in the final without giving a chance and hope of success. At the end, they punched their ticket to RCL 9 Pro by quite a margin. We sincerely congratulate the team on such a success. There is a very serious challenge ahead, RCL Pro does not forgive mistakes.

List of players who contributed to the championship:

Goalkeepers:
#21 Slava "Sinoo126" Sigal 
#5 Jere "Jerexu" Aho 

Defenders:
#77 Taras "XxProAavexX" Nosulko 
#11 Daniel "Dasplund_" Asplund 
#7 Alexey "AlexeyK78" Kudryavtsev 
#73 Felix "Kotofell" Paznikov 
#89 Juris "ROCKY-X89-LV" Cvetkovs 

Forwards:
#10 Ivan "XxIGizmolxX" Golubyatnikov 
#17 Yuri "PEROV76RUS" Perov 
#48 Maxim "MadMax-48ru" TUTOB 
#69 Mikhail "ForgotwoW" Kupriyanov 
#81 Vladimir "Bear201081" Burkin 

RCL Pro Players of the Season

It's time to list the best players of the season. My applause to all the players in the league for your hard work and dedication in this challenging and skilful game, you have all come a long way and have shown an impressive will to win, as your statistics show.

Top players of the season. 🏆

Forwards points leaders (Points):

Forwards goals leaders:

Forwards assists leaders:

Forwards hits leader:

Defenders points leaders:

Defender goals leaders:

Defender assists leaders:

Defender hits leaders:

Goalie goals against average leaders (GAA):

Goalie leaders in the save percentage (SV%):

Goalie leaders in shutouts (Shutout):

Thanks to everyone who follows the Russian Championship League, we are happy to give all we have on ice and are ready to showcase new content, because your attention and feedback motivates us. Follow the league news on NHLGamer, live hockey, love hockey, play hockey! 

NHLGamers,

The RCL 7 season ended not so far ago, which pleased us not only with a prize pool of 100,000 rubles, but also an excellent finals battle where the reigning champions Nova battled the newcomer Show Time, who unexpectedly were able to get to the finals in their first ever season. The series turned out to be quite predictable, Nova showed who the champions are and for the second time in a row took the title and the heftiest chunk of prize money. Although it is worth noting that throughout the entire season Show Time showed promising results and gave hope to their fans. 

Naturally the league is developing, in small steps. First of all, the progress in teams is encouraging. The level over the past two seasons has become increasingly competitive, both within the RCL Pro division, where the players' skills have grown in understanding of team play, and on the European ice, where many Russian teams have shown a good battle, and most importantly, beautiful and spectacular hockey with many dangerous combinations and cunning attacks. However, we know there is still room to grow even more.

RCL 8 Schedule
Regular season
29.03-1.5
Playoffs
10.5-6.6

The RCL 8 season starts with qualifiers for four open spots in the Pro division already played out. Besides serving as qualifiers, these games also were opportunities for many teams to show what they are truly capable of, and many of them surprised us. Here is the list of qualifier participants, the four strongest teams got a promotion.

Lainaa

  RCL 8 Pro Qualifiers

Group A

1.  Blackdawgs

2.  EHC Avtomobilist

3.  Progress

Group B

1.  Golden Sticks

2.  HC Smolensk Lynx

3.  Seventy Sixers

Group C

1.  HC SOKOL MOSCOW

2.  Barys eSports

3.  Soviet Wings

Group D

1.  HC KOROBKA

2.  HC Armata

3.  HC Inter Warriors

The qualifiers showed some really tough games and teams battled to get into the RCL Pro division and will now try themselves in the strongest Russian Championship League division - of course also trying to win that prize pool money. The teams that did qualify for the RCL Pro division are:

•  Blackdawgs
•  Seventy Sixers
•  Barys eSports
•  HC KOROBKA

Lainaa

  RCL 8 Pro team list

1.  Blackdawgs
2.  Barys eSports
3. EHC TATNEFT AK BARS
4.  EHC Traktor Chelyabinsk
5.  HC Yaroslavl BEARS
6.  METALLURG MAGNITOGORSK
7.  Nearbird Fighters
8.  Russian Lightning
9.  VHC NEVA
10.  Virtuoso
11.  HC KOROBKA
12.  Seventy Sixers

Teams to watch

 NOVA ->   METALLURG MAGNITOGORSK

RCL 6 and RCL 7 Champions! Despite their new lineup, there is no doubting this squads skill. Under the leadership of Captain Maksim @Haiissey Trukhanov, Nova will reach an even higher level. Adding to their motivation is also their freshly inked deal with KHL club Metallurg Magnitogorsk.

In the off-season, the team underwent minor changes, and with great confidence the team will continue preforming up to their impressive standards. The core of the team has been preserved, and the captain knows how to motivate his guys to achieve the best result. In my opinion, METALLURG MAGNITOGORSK has few weaknesses on the ice starting with the goalie between the pipes and ending with the offense, they are very strong players with excellent vision of the ice and great experience on the thumbsticks.

Their main challenger this season is Blackdawgs, as several players moved from METALLURG to Blackdawgs in the offseason. That certainly adds another layer to watching the battle between these two teams.

Placement after regular season: 1st-2nd

Player to watch: Evgeniy @mons3223 Mons is a former Alliance HT player and has some valuable ECL Pro experience, with the first Russian club to compete at that level. Definitely a player of this calibre strengthens the team a lot and he will definitely demonstrate his class during the upcoming season.
 

Rusty Bulls -> Barys eSports

Barys eSports - the former Rusty Bulls squad, finished 8th in RCL 7, which was painful for the club. In the playoffs in the first round, suffered a defeat to the eventual champs Nova. Over the past couple of years, the team found themselves in a difficult position, it is obviously hard to draw conclusions from the outside and we can only see the result of this struggle. However, every year the league is getting stronger, and the competition is getting tougher. The ambitions of the two-time RCL champions do not allow the bar to be lowered and require new changes.

What did the new captain @-Tarr- do, then? To begin with, a new path was chosen. One you can say to be in the trend of events - this is the signing of a contract with the KHL club Barys Nur-Sultan. Where it will lead only time will tell, but this is definitely a positive for Russian virtual hockey and for NHLGamer as a whole.

The team has successfully qualified and is ready to take the ice. Let the performances speak for themselves.

Placement after regular season: 4th-7th

Player to watch: Kristers @PSchibra Bauers, the former ECL Pro player for Finnish Roosters. He was one of the best playmakers in his club and will definitely be the leading player in Barys eSport, expecting a lot of big assists and game winning goals.
 

 Virtuoso

With the arrival of the "musicians" in the ranks of RCL, many people fussed and began to worry. What kind of club is this, champions from the Xbox platform? A dark horse or perhaps a Trojan horse even?

Well, yes - Virtuoso have become a problem for many clubs in the tournament. The skilled ensemble did not let anyone off the hook easy and is now feared as one of the most dangerous and unpredictable opponents. Last RCL season was not the most successful for the club but we must pay tribute to the team captain Alexander @DeLuRe_09 Mytnik, he never rested on his laurels and was not going to hang up the skates. Every season he assembles a line-up that is ready to make sparks on the ice like only Virtuoso can do and this season is no exception.

Placement after regular season: 5th-8th

Player to watch: @The Great Dany returned to the team. Being a dangerous and cunning player, he will always find surprising solutions in the attacking zone and no goalkeeper will rest easy facing this guy. So be sure to follow him in the statistics and of course watch the Virtuoso matches.

Lainaa

 RCL 8 Lite team list

Group A

1.  Barys Cyber Team
2.  Golden Sticks
3.  EHC ZAURALYE KURGAN
4.  HC Legion
5.  HC SOKOL MOSCOW
6.  HC Armata
7.  Hockey Ghosts
8.  HC Kotlin
9.  Moscow Capitals
10.  Progress
11.  Soviet Wings
12.  EASHL Russia
13.  VAARA
14.  Latvian Warriors

Group B

1.  EHC AVTOMOBILIST
2.  HC CORSAIR
3.  HC INTER WARRIORS
4.  LATVIAN ESPORTS
5.  ELECTRON
6.  HC Smolensk Lynx
7. HC TRAKTOR 2
8.  MEGA
9.  RED ICE PEPPERS
10.  RUSSIAN BOYS.
11.  RUSSIAN ROCKETS DTM
12.  EHC NEMAN GRODNO
13.  USSR21

HC CORSAIR

The team that lost their spot in RCL Pro after finishing last in the RCL 7 regular season will now try to reclaim their pride in the Lite division. Through restructuring and strengthening, the oldest club in the league is ready to go to battle with any of the teams of the Lite division, hopefully achieving their end goal of promotion.

 Mega

The new unusual club for RCL Lite, consists entirely of Russian players living in Germany, earning the right to play in the GCL championship in the 3rd division simultaneously. The team is very successful in their GCL division, which bodes well for Mega going forward. I think this preseason training will give a lot of advantages over other RCL Lite teams. 

The new season will be even more competitive and more interesting than before, a lot of intrigue, a lot of emotions are involved as we go into the toughest season yet. Share your thoughts and predictions on who will be the new champion and who your favourite RCL Pro or Lite team is in the comments. Love hockey, live hockey! See you on the virtual ice and on the website. Thank you for staying with us throughout the years and for following the development of the league!

This is a translation of the RCL 8 Season Preview, to read in Russian, click here.
Translated with the help of @CMB-wf-.

NHLGamers,

Tonight we'll be in for a great treat in the form of virtual hockey action from the Russian scene, as the RCL 7 Pro finals will be played in full and broadcasted at www.twitch.tv/nhlgamer. Our Russian leagues have taken some massive development steps in recent seasons and with that the 7th iteration is also featuring a prize pool of 100 000 RUB. 

The RCL 7 Pro division included a total of 12 teams at the start and at this point of the season - as customary - only two remain. Seed #1 and defending champion NOVA are in the position to become the second ever team to secure back to back championships after Rusty Bulls managed to do so back in season 2 and 3. Opposing them will be #3 seed Show Time, who managed to overpower ECH Traktor Chelyabinsk in the semifinals. 

An outcome of the series is next to impossible to predict, as these two squads are extremely tightly matched. Their regular season clashes resulted in split points, as NOVA won the first game 3-2, whereafter Show Time secured points of their own with a 2-0 victory. 

(1)  NOVA vs Show Time  (3)

PLAYOFF RECORD
4-0 (Rusty Bulls), 4-2 (Alliance HT) vs 4-2 (Nearbird Fighters), 4-2 (EHC Traktor Chelyabinsk)

TOP SCORER
Evgeny @Virusactive Popov (10+12=22) vs Joonas @Patzlaf Paatiala (19+16=35)

GOALTENDER
Aleksey @Алексей Zvezdin (6 W, 80,56 SV%, 1.75 GAA, 1 SO) vs Andrey @Hrenoslon Savchenko (8W, 81,93 SV%, 2.6 GAA, 0 SO)

See you in the chat tonight! Who do you think will win?

NHLGamers,

Tonight is the night of the RCL 6 finals!

On Sunday, the big online finals of NOVA vs Blackdawgs and the Russia's first full broadcast in EASHL will take a place. As the 6th iteration of the country's virtual hockey league is coming to a conclusion, it can be stated that the league is well established and has a place in the hearts of Russian gamers.

The finalists of RCL 6 prepare for the games, and the organizers frantically adjust the latest settings before the broadcast. Today we will see the whole series live commentated by the golden voice of Ufa (Hc Salavat Ulaev) - Azamat Muratov. Update: Unfortunately Mr Muratov had to cancel last minute due to personal reasons.

Path to the Finals

Of the 12 teams in division 1, only two remains. The teams have passed a long road full of difficulties on their way to the finals, but they look like the very armored train that blows away everything in it's path. Both had an uneven regular season and who would have thought that the fifth seed team would reach the final and on top of that go into the finals as a favorite. 

NOVA 

NOVA slightly stalled at the beginning of the season, but the guys quickly got a taste of victory and have strung together 17 wins in a row now. They played their series with Virtuoso ending in a score of 4: 0, we'd love to tell you how they disassembled the Rusty Bulls, but rather we show.

To your attention the highlights of the NOVA vs Rusty Bulls series:

In every single match, NOVA was faster than their rivals, their ideas on attack looked fresher than that of the Bulls and the defensive game was more reliable, which led to this result.

Blackdawgs 

The very lazy regular season threw Blackdawgs in fifth place to end the regular season, but in the playoffs this team is hard to recognize, the defending champions have won every match and done it in beautiful fashion. 

Here are the highlights from their semifinal matchups against Exen esports:

Even the most daring predictions couldn't have expected a victory for the Blackdawgs in the semi's, but it was they who caused Exen's first defeats in  RCL playoff history. BD demonstrate incredible understanding on attack and draw their combinations to the joy not only of themselves, but also of the audience. The sum of all these combinations and numbers gives us the most attacking and unpredictable finishing in history. It might sound corny, but the one who scores more goals will win, because the shootout will be serious - it's going to be one exciting series.

Key players:

In all statistical aspects, NOVA looks a little better, but this is an echo of the fact that BD opponents were stronger in general.

Captains: 
@xMotzz vs SPB_AlexZver_22

Both left defenders are captains of their teams, in the semifinals it was their goals and their salvation in difficult moments of the match that decided the fate of the series. This is a matchup between the best defenders of the league.

Attackers:
@lapa98 vs @Virusactive

@lapa98 has consistently been one of the best in the league for several seasons in a row and this is no exception, and @Virusactive is the leader of the attack in these playoffs.

Goalies:
@sumskoy26 vs Alex_rus17 

Almost all skaters in the league dislike these guys, but is there a better compliment for a goalkeeper? When you put all your strength into your attack, beat a few people and now go out 1v1 with the goalkeeper, then know that if these guys are in front of you, you are going to have a tough time.

Clutchers:
@Ollizhki vs @Valluxet

In the playoffs, every player brings their maximum effort to the table, and at those moments beating several opponents with individual skill is considered a luxury. Here are the players who are able to decide the fate of matches alone.

Where to watch? 

The complete finals will be streamed on Twitch, the games will start at 19:30 CEST (20:30 EEST) 

Twitch: www.twitch.tv/nhlgamerrus