RCL 9: Season Preview

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. 

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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.

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 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:

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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!