Mikka

Around two and a half weeks of competition have passed. Now it has come time for us to take a look at the teams exceeding expectations, and on the other hand the ones who have been underperforming. This time for the Pro mid-season report I have decided to mainly highlight teams that have either played better or worse than they were expected to prior to the season. To see how even the as-expected teams have done, along with a few milder surprises like Geekz Energy eSports, please take a look at the standings. On the league page behind that link you can also find out all the individual statistics you would possibly want to. Now without any further delay, let’s take a look at who has been flaming hot and who, in turn, icy cold during this ongoing regular season. NOTE: This article was written based on the standings and statistics after the games played on Monday 17 January, and further updated after Tuesday 18 January with honorable mentions and up to date info. Any further results are not reflected. Group 1 HOT Hokurit This is a team that definitely took their time to reach the Pro division, having played in Lite for five seasons prior to finally gaining the promotion through the qualifier. Even though their lineup has obviously changed over the years, all that chemistry building seems to have led to an instant adjustment to the higher level. Based on points per game Hokurit currently sit tied at first place with Dynastia, JYP Jyväskylä, Tohtorit and HanaaHC. Elite-experienced @MCH_98 in his second Hokurit-season is having an otherworldly one for a defenseman, 7+24=31 points in 16 games and leading his team in scoring by a clear margin. We will see if the team can keep up on a similar pace during the second half, as thus far they have not really faced any of the fellow top-table teams. They even lost one game against each of the teams currently in the bottom three. Sinister With a 1.44 ppg (points per game), just below that of the top5's 1.5, Sinister is another team that were expected to be in the playoff battle but perhaps not by such a margin, the next highest ppgs being 1.14 by AfroDunk and 1.13 by Björklöven. ECL rookie @JerePaloranta (Harlowi-) (14 GP, 16+8=22) has been firing goals at around a 1.14 per game pace and is leading the team in scoring, meanwhile our season preview’s player to watch @PuukAesi (rransu) has been backstopping the team with decent enough stats as well: 14 GP, 79.34 SV%, 1.79 GAA, 5 SO. Whether or not Sinister will cool off during the remainder of the regular season remains to be seen, though it seems likely with most of their opponents being below the playoff line, similarly to Hokurit. A cooling of some sorts has already started happening with them losing their last four games. To change that trajectory they will have to try to feed off of the strong start, as well as the upset of narrowly missing the playoffs last season. It should also be noted that two of their wins were walkovers from SPARTIATES X MCES. Tohtorit Tohtorit sit firmly at a playoff spot amongst the five-way tie for first place, which in itself is a surprise. Although they only got one point against JYP Jyväskylä, they have not dropped more than two to anyone else while taking down some strong names. Granted, both VISU Gaming and Deadly Phantoms have had rough starts, but getting full points against projected top teams is not a small feat for an inexperienced team that only has one Core season under their belt. After making the team miss the first week of play due to his beach vacation, @Wpaanane (14 GP, 17+15=32) has more than made up for it with his scoring. The break of a couple weeks does not seem to have done any harm to Tohtorit, and it will be exciting to see how their second half will fare. Dynastia Top of the table, Dynastia went on a solid nine game winning streak soon after the season started. Most of their opponents have been around the mid-table, but they also showed up against top competition by stomping JYP Jyväskylä with a convincing 6-2 result, even if they lost the first game 1-4. In their last two matchups they lost one game against both RCTIC and PENTA, which is a trend they need to stop on its tracks immediately if they want to stay in the tight battle for the top seed. @Pikkardz (Pikkarii) (16 GP, 17+21=38) has been truly on fire, scoring 1.46 times the points his fellow forwards @xHatsi and @Majuri20 (Diktaattori62) have. Honorable mention: AfroDunk took another three points on Tuesday and have thus clawed their way to seventh place in points per game. Initially predicted to only have an outside shot at the playoffs, it will be interesting to find out if they can keep this up. COLD VISU Gaming Widely seen as a title contender prior to the season, the Finns have performed nowhere near to the expected level. After losing their season opener against Deadly Phantoms they went on to win the next four, losing the next five before snapping the streak with an overtime win against Hokurit on Monday. With their routine and amount of time logged practicing, it seems only a matter of time when they will return to what they can be. On the other hand, Rookie Mistakes showed last season how those title dreams can evaporate in no time unless they start executing on a proper level. They lost their last game 7-1 against RCTIC on the NHLGamer broadcast on Tuesday night. Deadly Phantoms Another team that was expected to be surefire playoff caliber, this former Elite side has not had a dream start either. Even though there have been way too many losses, some of their wins have been quite convincing. There is another beacon of hope for the Germans though: their current record after 14 games is 6-6-2, meanwhile last season they went all the way to the finals after only having managed 4-7-3 at the same point. Repeating that feat may be quite a task to ask, but they have only lost one player from their starting six since then. PENTA PENTA is currently sitting at third last, which is not an ideal position to be at near the midway point for a team that was predicted to be battling for the playoffs. They have some extremely experienced names on their roster, so perhaps that is the way they will have to look at to help turn the ship around. They only have two wins if the walk overs against SPARTIATES X MCES are left out of the equation, though those came against top table teams Hokurit and Dynastia. Maybe there is something to be implemented from those wins, or otherwise the Germans will be looking at another trip to the qualifier for the second consecutive season. SPARTIATES X MCES The third Central European side on our list of underperformers, the French outfit has been in big trouble thus far. Having to give out four walk over losses is not doing them any favors either. The ten game losing streak (including the WOs) needs to be snapped as soon as possible if they want to even avoid immediate relegation, meanwhile a playoff spot is looking practically impossible at this point. Even if they were not expected to repeat their playoff berth from last season, this kind of start has been a sizable letdown. Trailing the second-to-last place Company of Geeks by only 0.07 points per game, they both need to do something if they want to keep on playing in Pro next season. Honorable mention: Company of Geeks. While somewhat expected, with a 3-10-1 record and 15th place there is not much that needs to be said here. Group 2 HOT Hawaii Hockey For a team that did not even have a forward trio locked up just days before the season begun, Hawaii Hockey has been doing extremely well. They have played a bit more games than most of the others, so their position in the standings drops from third to seventh when sorting by points per game. That is still above the playoff line though, and if they can continue at a pace around their 1.25 ppg they will make the playoffs quite comfortably. Fiasko is the only team Hawaii Hockey managed to win in both games, but they have still been able to get at least one win against everyone except GHETTO FIREBIRDS. Not many full point nights are needed if they can keep on getting 2-3 points steadily from every team they face. Herlev Eagles After finishing 3rd in their group in ECL 11 Pro, the Eagles missed the playoffs last season. That led to some changes, and now with a revamped roster led by the whole division's top two scorers, @Mr Steffmeister (Suth98_) (16 GP, 21+22=43) and @keranee (16 GP, 13+29=42), they are second in their group by ppg. Backed up with @TeikDaun's unreal 12 GP, 90.65%, 0.83 GAA, 6 SO statline, a playoff spot seems inevitable at this point. That should lead to their focus being shifted towards making it past the first round this time, something they failed to do in ECL 11. GHETTO FIREBIRDS We predicted GHETTO to be a contender, though with the uncertainty regarding their roster this kind of a start has been a slight surprise. Their first try for a new RW in @Chevikov (Hikoilija__) did not work out, but bringing in @Jerax13 just before the transfer deadline will be a tremendous addition, if he can play often enough. Aside from Reality Check they have not really faced any top table opponents, so it remains to be seen if they cool down as the challenge ramps up. @Jeresti (12 GP, 85.71%, 1.42 GAA, 5 SO) has been great as usual, sitting in second place among starting goalies' SV% in the league. Reality Check The Finns' return to Pro level after a few seasons' absence has been quite successful thus far, with them sitting firmly at the top of the table. @kim_johan (18 GP, 3+21=24) and @vvlampela (cTunkeilija) (18 GP, 17+20=37) have been able to fit in to the ECL 12 Lite Champion right away, along with netminder @FINSeRe (18 GP, 85.35%, 1.28 GAA, 2 SO). Reality Check has been able to rack up wins left and right no matter who they have played against, even going on a nine game winning streak. The playoff spot is practically clinched at this point with only a few more wins needed, so there is only one question: can they become back to back champions? Honorable mention: GIFU Hockey fought their way through the qualifier and are currently in the last playoff spot with an 8-6-2 record. COLD noRex Gaming With one more Central European team entering the cold category, one has to start thinking how much of an effect the current matchmaking system has on these teams' seasons. Last season we saw most of the Central teams starting to heat up towards the end, so maybe noRex is another team that just needs some high level games to get used to the competition again. Sitting near the bottom in both points and points per game at the midway mark is definitely not what they wanted, nor what was expected. There is still time to turn the course though, with the German organization still having 16 games left to play. Getting RD @Paddyy1903 back from an absence and immediately beating top team Renascor twice in regulation could corral them on that path. Pata Hellalla Pata's lack of practice seems to finally have an effect on them now that the game changed so much compared to the last version. This friend group is near the bottom of the table, so a quick u-turn is needed to keep the race on. They have been scoring at a decent enough rate, but a GA/GP of 3.5, the worst in Group 2, is dragging them down. After only winning two of their first six, they were on a better path with three wins out of the last four games before losing twice to top table Stargazing. Avoiding relegation should be the priority at this point. Hotbox Another ECL 12 Pro playoff team, Hotbox was not predicted to repeat that feat either. Currently tied with Fiasko for last in their group by points per game, they better start getting some wins on the board to avoid instant relegation and hopefully the qualifier as well. Defense should be their main focus for improvement with them having the group's second highest goals allowed per game (3.31), though a 1.69 GF/GP, worst in the group, is not looking great either. A huge step up all over the ice is needed right away. Fiasko A team with an unfortunate name, Fiasko has already played almost all of their games without much success. Avoiding instant relegation is not going to be easy, with all of their remaining opponents being near or clearly above the playoff line. Many of their players were part of ECL 12 Core Champion Resurrection, and the huge difference in competition level between the divisions has been thrown to their face quite hard. Honorable mention: WannaCry. After the addition of @Crisu_rottis they seemed to have picked up the pace a little, but they fell further under the playoff line again after having to throw in defenseman @Nikiiz_89 as an emergency backup LW against Reality Check, resulting in two losses on our Tuesday broadcast. There are still a lot of points left up for grabs as the ECL ‘22: Winter Pro season is set to end on 3 February, so good luck and have fun as you look to clinch that coveted playoff berth. We will be right back at you come playoff time with the Round 1 preview, see you then! And as always, feel free to comment with any interesting tidbits you might have PS: We would love for you to follow our social channels, as they are an integral part of the ECL season. Discord Instagram Facebook Twitch Twitter

The new year has come, and with that a new season as competitive as ever is once again set to begin. Among the improvements there will even be a weekly Pro division broadcast on our Twitch channel, so join us in taking a look at how the contest stacks up this time around! Season information To find out about everything that's new with ECL '22, check out our earlier season information article. Notable dates for the ECL '22: Winter Pro season: Regular season: 3.1.-3.2. Transfer deadline: 16.1. 23:59 CET Playoffs (BO7) 7.2.-1.3. Default gamedays for the ECL '22: Winter Pro division will be on Monday, Tuesday and Thursday, with a weekly broadcast on the SportsGamer Twitch at 19:45 CET primarily on Tuesdays. You can access the rulebook, schedule, standings, statistics and full rosters from the ECL ‘22: Winter Pro league page. The exact prize pool for the Pro Winter season will be confirmed in the upcoming days, but it is expected to be around 5600 EUR and will be split as visualized in the below image (see the leftmost box for Pro). Social media Here's an update to the social media instructions. Our sponsors this season are Kouvolan Lakritsi, Wilhelm & Xbil. Twitter: When posting tweets of your lineups, matchups, recaps, clips, articles - or any other content you might want to create - please make sure to tag the following accounts and hashtag: @SportsGamerGG #ECL22Winter #NHL22 #esports #kouvolanlakritsi #MukanaWilhelm Instagram: When posting on Instagram, please make sure to tag the following accounts and hashtag: @SportsGamerGG #ECL22Winter #NHL22 #esports #kouvolanlakritsi #MukanaWilhelm Note: It is very helpful and critical for us to succeed in getting our partners tagged, so they get the necessary mentions and interaction to validate their participation in the future. That being said, it is understandable that there may be circumstances due to your other partners where you are unable to tag competition etc. Your support is appreciated. As there are quite a few hashtags by now, especially from a Twitter perspective with limited characters, we recommend using at least #ECL22Winter in the text part of the tweet and leave the sponsor tags for the end. If you need to cut out tags, remove #esports and #NHL22. For Instagram this shouldn't be an issue. Season preview We are once again on the brink of an exciting season, with ECL ‘22: Winter bringing on a new era of virtual hockey. The addition of a new qualifier system prior to ECL 12 already brought the Pro teams some added pressure to raise the bar, but now with the introduction of prize money the competition is sure to become even fiercer, hopefully elevating the hunger further up a notch and on to another level. The long and hard fought qualifiers have concluded, and with that comes a fresh set of teams joining the ones whose Pro status were already secured based on last season’s merit. Along with new squads WannaCry and Fiasko, we also find some familiar returnees from seasons past in Reality Check, Nemesis, noRex Gaming and Vaxjo Lakers. After gaining qualifier eligibility from the lower divisions last season, AfroDunk, GIFU Hockey, Hokurit and Tohtorit were also able to successfully match the challenge. In the Pro qualifier preceding last season, not a single earlier Pro team wounding up there got through. This time, two of the participating ECL 12 Pro outfits, PENTA and RCTIC, were able to fight through the battle and regain their spots. At the same time Golden Nights, Sjukstugan and EHC TATNEFT AK BARS (previously METALLURG MAGNITOGORSK) were not as fortunate and now find themselves down in Lite for the Winter season. An extra Elite qualifier had to take place over the holidays as well, after the last second disbandment of SAWO ESPORTS left a spot open among the continent’s best. Last season’s Pro quarterfinal teams and Elite relegate JYP Jyvaskyla took part, with Pro semifinalist BoxinElite (now Roots Gaming) emerging at the top. They may not have Elite in their name anymore, but in the end they proved to be just that by gaining the promotion to join Europe’s top 16. Their departure decreases the total number of teams returning from last season down to 20, while increasing the amount of new ones up to twelve. Not only is there a good amount of possibly unfamiliar teams, a lot of the returning ones have seen big changes too. It has also been quite a long time since we have seen any ECL Pro action, so taking a brief look into every team taking part could be relatively nice. If anything, just to help refresh memories, right? Keep on reading to get familiar with the teams just in time before the new campaign gets going! Björklöven Esport, Group 1 Björklöven barely squeezed through to the playoffs last season and were instantly eliminated by GHETTO FIREBIRDS (then known as Conquer Gaming) in five games. Other than losing defenseman @vVoDee to newly Elite bound Roots Gaming, they seem to have retained largely the same group and can keep building on that foundation. Player to Watch: @rakkauspakkaus- @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs BOOMERS (previously Sack Brothers), Group 1 None of the original Sack Brothers remain, thus the name change. On the offensive side they have lost two important forwards in @snippystatue and @Tukexi (MATILAISKA_), but have strengthened a bit in net with the addition of @jubex0r. Despite the decent outing in FCL during the fall, the Boomers haven’t found the same touch yet in NHL 22. If they can start off good and build on the momentum, there’s a chance they can barely sneak into the postseason. Player to Watch: @kemppainen39 @Mikka's prediction: Outside shot @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot Company of Geeks, Group 1 The Geeks got quite close to the playoffs with good under the radar signings last season, and it looks like they are trying to do the same thing for the second season in a row. Losing top scorer @xLeikku and defenseman @ripKeisari to HanaaHC only a few weeks ago could hurt, so they need to hit on the unknowns again to make it happen. Captain @Jesus (JezuzKristuz) will be making the switch to defense to make some room in the offense for ECL 9 Neo Champion @Hagerstrom_99, meanwhile @Chevikov (Hikoilija__) is hoping to have as good of a debut ECL season as xLeikku did. We will see where they end up but at the moment playoffs are not looking likely. Player to Watch: @Chevikov (Hikoilija__) @Mikka's prediction: Outside shot @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot Dynastia, Group 1 The roster of Dynastia keeps on changing seemingly after every competition and even in between them, but they have a good foundation in place. The two young and hungry offensive guns @xHatsi and @Pikkardz (Pikkarii) should be good additions along with new starting goalie @Vamoux. They should not have too much trouble reaching the postseason if they can play on their own level. Player to Watch: @Pikkardz (Pikkarii) @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs GHETTO FIREBIRDS (previously Conquer Gaming), Group 2 Even though they fell short of the playoffs in the Elite qualifier, the Firebirds still got two points in a way or another against every opponent they faced. They proved to be able to win against anyone in Pro, just need to find a way to consistently reach that level. It will be interesting to see how they will be affected after parting ways with forward @Iltapeli (apetttaja) mere days ago, as it remains to be seen what kind of value they can find by foraying into the transfer market this late. @Santtu (santtu3333) gets a good chance to step back a bit and focus on the lessons learned after a hard last season in Elite with Rusty Blades, jumping there straight from Lite and then getting instantly relegated. Player to Watch: @Jertsicc @Mikka's prediction: Contender @Keuschemisch's prediction: Contender Hotbox, Group 2 After winning bronze (and promotion to Pro) with Hotbox in ECL 11 Lite, assistant captain @ItzPoro stayed back there with Reality Check for one more season, adding a championship to his trophy case. Now he is back in Hotbox, though in turn they have lost @James (Jamechkin) to Stargazing. An important piece, Jamechkin joined a 1-7-1 Hotbox from Reality Check last season and helped them turn that into an eight game win streak on their way to a playoff berth. Hotbox has also signed the former Elite goalie @s_w1ld_rus (someth1ng_w1ld) and a high scorer from Core in @Macentoitunu. Reaching the postseason would not be some huge shock, but there are too many teams looking better right now. Player to Watch: @ItzPoro @Mikka's prediction: Outside shot @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs Luleå Hockey, Group 2 In the footsteps of Hotbox, Luleå Hockey will try to follow up their ECL 12 Lite bronze with a trip to the playoffs in their Pro debut. @Buffy (Duh-ha) brings in a ton of high-level experience to complete a fairly promising looking forward trio with @Tkautto98 (Kautto_) and @Jarvinder. Their defensive end and goaltending remains to be tested though, with only the fresh signing of @Toobbiiee (Vesterberg89) having experience higher than Lite. Luleå’s focus should mostly be on trying to learn and gain experience during the season, with the hope of avoiding the qualifier. They only managed a win and an overtime loss in ECL Warmup. Player to Watch: @Tkautto98 (Kautto_) @Mikka's prediction: Outside shot @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot Nemesis, Group 1 Having made the last appearance with this name in ECL 5 Pro during a season that resulted in relegation, Nemesis is finally back! In fairness, most of their roster did play on the Pro level in ECL 9, 10 and 11 under the We Kings banner. Even though they should be able to cause some trouble to unsuspecting opponents, in the end they are not going to get into postseason play without a rather sizable hot streak. Player to Watch: @Viltzup @Mikka's prediction: Outside shot @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot noRex Gaming, Group 2 An ECL 11 Pro team, noRex failed to gain back their spot in last season’s Pro qualifier, but then went all the way on to a finals game 7 against Reality Check in Lite. They are now back stronger after having had a season to grow and reflect on what went wrong the last time. Bringing in @DiMatteo70 adds years of experience between the pipes, and @Tiltsson should be hungry to push the team far after already getting a good taste of Pro playoffs last season with Blackdawgs. @Melguss, while inexperienced, adds on another hungry Swede to the roster. Making the postseason should be a realistic goal for the German organization. Player to Watch: @Tiltsson @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Keuschemisch plays for noRex Gaming Pata Hellalla, Group 2 Pata had a bad showing in the Warmup, wounding up at the bottom of the table. Though as it has previously been stated over and over again, never count out Pata Hellalla. On a good day they play like a good Pro team should, meanwhile on others… Not quite. Finding consistency is key for them, and having good goaltending plays a massive part in that. It remains to be seen what the inexperienced @XAPPN is capable of doing inside the crease with a winning team in front. Player to Watch: @kungenkurwa @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs RCTIC, Group 1 Despite having had a tough stretch during ECL 12, RCTIC managed to claw their way back to Pro through the qualifier. They have added two former VISU players in goalie @Jjmakkeli (JussinSisko) and LW @Limbe65, who should be a nice upgrade after @meicci retired. They have also managed to upgrade at the LD spot with the tremendously experienced @Aze (AzeStiNe), so they are looking a lot better on paper. Player to Watch: @Aze (AzeStiNE) @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot Reality Check, Group 2 The ECL 12 Lite Champion managed to lure some big fish, adding first time Pro players @vvlampela (cTunkeilija) and @kim_johan from Elite team Northern Ascendancy, although the latter acted only as a backup last season. They have also strengthened in net with the addition of @FINSeRe, who was a part of the inaugural Reality Check in ECL 8. Winning back to back championships will be tough, but they will have a chance if they can keep on getting better throughout the whole season. Player to Watch: @vvlampela (cTunkeilija) @Mikka's prediction: Contender @Keuschemisch's prediction: Contender Sinister, Group 1 Having lost their former captain @Jimisebastian to WannaCry, Sinister went on to add quite a few new names to their roster. Former HAVU backup @topikeranen has been playing in Lite for the past few seasons, but he has a lot of experience, including the title of ECL 5 Pro Champion from the last time he played in the division. They have also added ECL 2 Champion @Hoosii (Hoo-Sii), who was the ECL 6 Pro runner up with FILADELPHIA. The final new addition is the inexperienced yet promising forward @JerePaloranta (Harlowi-), making his ECL debut. Player to Watch: @PuukAesi (rransu) @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot Tohtorit, Group 1 A team that took the scene by storm in the FCL this past fall, Tohtorit made Pro through the qualifier, having clinched eligibility by finishing 4th in ECL 12 Core. Jumping from Core straight to Pro is a big challenge, but they are going to be just fine if they can play at the level they showed at their best in FCL. They have not done much to tinker with their roster after that, other than adding @Wpaanane who already made a successful run through the Pro qualifier last season with Dynastia. After the qualifier he decided to step back to Lite for one more season though, so he will be finally taking his first strides in this division alongside the other Tohtorit players. Bringing in the only Pro experience in their squad, @Kkarkass also joins them from the now-disbanded Patience. Player to Watch: @Wpaanane @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs Växjö Lakers, Group 2 Making a return after a season’s absence is Växjö Lakers, who paved their way all the way from a Pro Wildcard Battle to make it back. They have retained almost half of their old roster, so there is some chemistry already built. The positions have been changed a bit though, with former defensemen @EDHOLMEN3 and @Hockeyjohannes seemingly stepping up to forward positions alongside @Kattenj. Their defensemen are a bit inexperienced, though they will be receiving a good amount of help from their goaltenders, especially after managing to snag ex-SAWO goalie @Mehukatti10. The Lakers need to keep their heads cool and execute on a steady level to fulfill their talent and make the postseason. Player to Watch: @Kattenj @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs WannaCry, Group 2 Built on the ashes of a decent FCL run by Reign, WannaCry is another Wildcard team that made their way to Pro. All of their three defensemen played together in the ECL 11 Lite BoxinElite, so there is already some common chemistry within the backline. They played the qualifier with @zMikkeez, who has already departed onwards to Roots, knowing that they would have to replace him due to his conscription service beginning right at season start. Finding the replacement took some time, so it remains to be seen how well the late addition @Jimisebastian can gel together with the team, and how it may affect their game. Player to Watch: @kkostiiii @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot The rest of the team previews were written by @Keuschemisch AfroDunk, Group 1 Another team that managed to pave their way through the qualifier into ECL Pro. AfroDunk squeezed themselves into Europe's second highest division by a small margin in the second stage of the qualification tournament. After being eliminated by Project X in the second round of ECL 12 Lite, the Finnish outfit added goalie@Empuuz_24 who played a decisive role in Otukset’s FCL run, as well as announcing a huge move right before the start of the season: @apettaja will reinforce AfroDunks offensive power. The team needs their perfect game in every matchup to make a postseason appearance possible. Player to Watch: @apettaja @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot @Mikka's prediction: Outside shot Deadly Phantoms (previously Team LEISURE), Group 1 Under their old and new name the famous German powerhouse Deadly Phantoms are back! After falling short in last season’s ECL Pro finals against Djurgarden Hockey and losing the relegation series against KOVA Esports, the team around captain @Franky__2768 is keen on bouncing back. After the return of their lost son @Timasy from YMCA Esports, the Germans added @Pathen-21- to their roster. Taking a look at their lineups during the warmup tournament as well as the Elite Qualification Tournament it seems like Timasy and center veteran @PlaymakerSJ are going to take the spots as backup players in the coming season. It will be crucial if Pathen-21- will be able to follow in PlaymakerSJ's footsteps. Player to Watch: @Pathen-21- @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs Fiasko, Group 2 The freshly built squad around @tkantola fought their way throughout the Pro Wildcard Battle and both Qualification stages into Europe’s top 48. Finishing on a strong third place behind WannaCry and RCTIC, Fiasko has to prove consistency in the regular season to prevail in ECL Pro. @Xkeineri and @Tzon93 have been their top scorers in all competitions so far and they will need their scoring touch to fight their way through ECL Winter. Player to Watch: @Tzon93 @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot @Mikka's prediction: Outside shot Geekz Energy eSports (previously Inter Iceland), Group 2 The former side of Inter Iceland has been part of ECL Pro for the 5th consecutive season now. Only adding @rene hackberger (NoFun4U_96) in the offseason we are seeing familiar faces in the German-speaking outfit. After falling short to, later on promoted HV71 in the first round of last season's playoffs, the squad around @PLA77NER (Hasek-39—) is always a bit of a surprise box. Winger veteran @Stefan_397 (VISIONZ97_) will be once again their key player. If he maintains his scoring abilities Geekz Energy Esports will surely find themselves in the playoffs. But will they have the ability to persist in a best-of-seven series? Player to Watch: @Stefan_397 (VISIONZ97_) @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Mikka's prediction: Outside shot GIFU Hockey, Group 2 Seed #3 of last ECL 12 Lite. GIFU Hockey found a quite early exit in round 2 with a heartbreaking game 7 loss against Hokurit. Participating in the offseason transfer carousel, the Finnish side managed to gain their Pro spot throughout the Qualifier. ECL Season 1 veteran @Sluibaaja_88 will be a key player to GIFU's success as well as captain @seegasormi who has been on a long ride with the team since FCL 2020 and ECL 11. Player to Watch: @Sluibaaja_88 @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot @Mikka's prediction: Outside shot HanaaHC (previously Kiekko-Espoo Esports), Group 1 The former Kiekko-Espoo Esports made a big comeback under their old and new name. The Finns who started back in ECL 9 Lite played a big role in the Elite Qualification tournament, right before the start of the season. After finishing on rank 1 HanaaHC found an early exit against later on promoted Roots Gaming, though they were forced to play goalie @jg697000 (Gresu__) at the LW spot with @xLeikku absent during the playoffs. Adding xLeikku from Company of Geeks to their roster gives the experienced squad a big offensive boost. Player to Watch: @xLeikku @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Mikka plays for HanaaHC Hawaii Hockey, Group 2 Paving their way through last season’s Wildcard battle and qualification tournaments, Hawaii Hockey finished on rank 11 of last ECL Pro. With the departure of their two strong forwards @Kumbik and @theMaddias, Hawaii Hockey had a rough time in the Warmup Tournament. It will be crucial for captain @MaciPapi to find adequate replacements to get their game going in the regular season. Will Hawaii Hockey turn things around and find their level in time? Player to Watch: @MaciPapi @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot @Mikka's prediction: Outside shot Herlev Eagles, Group 2 Herlev Eagles will be one of the biggest contenders in the upcoming season. Reinforcing the whole team around their core of @oSandello, @Dreamickie and Danish dynamite @vibholm10, the Eagles added huge offensive power to their side. Norwegian center @Mr Steffmeister (Suth98_) and Finnish veteran @keranee will give them the edge in tight matchups and are well known for creative plays all over the ice. If Herlev maintain their consistency they will have a long season ahead of them. Player to Watch: @vibholm10 @Keuschemisch's prediction: Contender @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs Hokurit, Group 1 After being among the top teams in the last ECL Lite seasons Hokurit have finally found their way to ECL Pro! Reaching the Lite quarterfinals gave them the crucial spot in the Pro Qualifier where they made nearly no mistakes. Adding @Oliverigood gives them the needed depth in their roster. It will be interesting to see if Hokurit can prevail in a very tight league. Player to Watch: @Jondeezz @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs JYP Jyväskylä, Group 1 Yet another big contender for ECL ‘22: Winter Pro. JYP Jyväskylä got relegated after spending 6 consecutive seasons among Europe’s best teams in competitive virtual hockey and surprisingly fell short in the Elite Qualification. This will surely incite JYP even more to fight their way back into ECL Elite. Former HAVU winger @Buantso (Puantso) joined the SM Liiga side in the offseason and is one of the most exciting forwards to watch in the upcoming season. If JYP finds their consistency the Finnish outfit is the top contender on this season's ECL Pro title. Player to Watch: @Buantso (Puantso) @Keuschemisch's prediction: Contender @Mikka's prediction: Contender PENTA, Group 1 The third German Esports organization in the upcoming season. After winning their first title in the GCL 7 Cup, PENTA added two experienced players to their roster. Former Elite players @Krinke and @gzell60 found themselves in the starting six, after joining from the German Lite participant Central Hockey Canucks. By a very small margin the German outfit defended their Pro spot in the Qualifier and seem to be in search of more consistency. After rotating @Domi_PENTA back to the right Defense it will be very interesting to see how their offensive game will develop throughout the season. Player to Watch: @Krinke @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs Renascor (previously Blackdawgs), Group 2 The RCL powerhouse Renascor, formerly known as Blackdawgs, will be a very exciting squad to watch. The squad around Ukrainian winger @Valluxet smashed their opponents in RCL 2 Cup during last summer but could not find their way into the Elite Qualification playoffs, even though beating many strong teams. Renascor had a strong preseason and is keen on continuing their offensive striking power in ECL Pro as well. The key to success will be consistency and improving on defense. Player to Watch: @Valluxet @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs SPARTIATES X MCES, Group 1 For the first time in NHLGamer history we will see five teams from the central server in ECL Pro. SPARTIATES X MCES will play their second consecutive season among Europe’s top 48 but are expected to have a rather tough time next season. After losing their top forward @Winci (Winci16) to Toceny Salamy in ECL Core, and the eNLA 1v1 champion, Defenseman @Tron1x90 (Komir_90) to HC Lausanne Esports, the French side is in desperate need of adequate replacements. Captain @Tromi13 rotated from center to left defense after adding Finnish Center @vizka13 (Vizka-) to their squad. The Spartiates will be underdogs in most matchups in upcoming ECL Winter Pro. Player to Watch: @Tromi13 @Keuschemisch's prediction: Outside shot @Mikka's prediction: Outside shot Stargazing (previously Rookie Mistakes), Group 2 Stargazing, taking the spot of Rookie Mistakes, is a new team on the horizon of ECL Pro. After combining players from ECL Core semifinalist Stargazing and Pro veterans Rookie Mistakes, the Finnish side decided to attack under a new name. With an exciting combination of talented and experienced forwards and an important allrounder like @James (Jamechkin), the new club on the block will be one of the favorites to qualify for the postseason in ECL '22: Winter Pro. When might their journey end next season? Player to Watch: @Flopper71 @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Mikka's prediction: Contender Sulkavan Sudet, Group 2 The experienced roster around @Oxdoggi is set for their 4th season on Pro level. Last season the Wolves finished in an astonishing second place but fell victim to Team LEISURE (now Deadly Phantoms) who just found their excellent form which led them to the finals of ECL 12 Pro. After a few changes in their lineup and a solid FCL performance during autumn, Sulkavan Sudet is once again another team which should be on everyone's playoffs participant list. How far their journey will go will depend massively on their chemistry within the team. Player to Watch: @Koppipelaaja (jamoyy) @Keuschemisch's prediction: Battling for playoffs @Mikka's prediction: Battling for playoffs VISU Gaming, Group 1 After falling short in the finals of ECL 11 Lite as Exerceo, the squad around captain @Saviinainen has arrived among the top teams in ECL Pro and is one of the few big contenders on the Pro Title – or at least promotion to ECL Elite. Being beaten by Roots Gaming in the finals of the Elite Qualification the Finns will be keen on taking the next step this year. Drawing the right consequences from the preseason will strengthen the mentality and consistency of VISUs game and might lead them to Europe’s Elite. Player to Watch: @hpkfani (MuKiMaisteri) @Keuschemisch's prediction: Contender @Mikka's prediction: Contender And with that it is time to wrap up our Pro season preview. Predictions are never perfect and the more the merrier, so if you think you know better or have some interesting nuggets of info, please let us know in the comments down below We will be back with the midseason report in a couple of weeks, good luck everyone & see you then! PS: We would love for you to follow our social channels, as they are an integral part of the ECL season. Discord Instagram Facebook Twitch Twitter

Teams from Group 1 were quite dominant in the first round of the ECL 12 Pro Playoffs, with the number one seed Conquer Gaming being the only team from Group 2 to advance. It is now time to get ready for the quarterfinals though, so without further ado let’s get into the preview: (1) Conquer Gaming – Team LEISURE (12) Conquer Gaming have been impressive throughout the whole season and are not thinking about easing up before the mission is complete. Their first round series against Bjorkloven Esport ended convincingly 4-1, with every game being close and getting decided by only one goal except for their single loss (0-5). Team LEISURE on the contrary did not have an easy time with Conquer’s Group 2 runner ups Sulkavan Sudet, only getting the job done in the deciding game seven. In the other series that included cross-server gameplay, the home team ended up on top in 12 out of 13 games, meanwhile in Team LEISURE’s series it was the away team that won every single game. This could be interpreted as a sign of the teams’ ability to adapt to the higher ping, or just as a random occurrence. We will see how it shapes out in this series. Both teams have similar public images as squads that value strong team play and defence. Both of them are also former Elite teams looking to get back to where they once were. The prior statements are starting to get pretty repetitive after being copied and pasted into quite literally every Pro article this season, but do not worry, you will not have to bear it much longer: one of these two teams is finally going to be able to start their summer vacations next week. For now, it seems more likely that it will be Team LEISURE as they are the ones that have had the tougher time thus far. Could they possibly use their recently gained momentum to gain the edge over Conquer? It is not completely off the cards, so definitely check in on this battle to find out. Team LEISURE may also be able to benefit from playing a tighter first series, meanwhile Conquer Gaming has been steadily plowing through the competition for the whole season without many mishaps. Prediction: Conquer Gaming 4-3 (2) HV71 – Blackdawgs (10) Despite a few big margin losses, Blackdawgs were able to win the game seven against Patience to advance to the quarterfinals. The stat line did not seem to flatter them, with their opponents often having the lion’s share of time on attack and for example the deciding game ending with Blackdawgs scoring four goals on four shots. They found the four wins anyway though, which speaks volumes about their resilience and perhaps even skill on defending against the most dangerous of chances. HV71 was on the other side of this equation in their own series, having a lot more puck possession than their opponents Inter Iceland. The Swedes ended up on top with a 4-2 series score, and are now looking to repeat it against a team that they have already won twice this season: Blackdawgs lost (1-3, 2-4) in both games between them during group play. HV71 had a strong regular season and are not looking to take their feet off the gas pedal just yet. They already have the experience of beating the current Blackdawgs roster, along with the added confidence boost of winning against a team with a somewhat similar playing style in the first round. To hope to extend the series and eventually triumph, the underdogs on the other hand need to have learned their lessons in the weeks that have passed since the regular season matchup, in addition to coming up with some fresh elements to their game after the last playoff round. Unless the ‘dawgs find those new tricks up their sleeves, this one should go quite clearly in HV71’s favor as they march on towards the top four. Prediction: HV71 4-1 (4) BoxinElite – VISU Gaming (7) BoxinElite did not have as convincing of an appearance in the first round as anticipated, with the French SPARTIATES X MCES taking the series all the way to, yes, once again, a game seven. Was it just a case of not being used to playing on the Central servers, or was it a warning sign that they could be taken down with some solid, patient defending? They won every home game, but also lost every away match. Fellow Group 1 team VISU Gaming performed about on par with the expectations, stopping short the season of Pata Hellalla 4-2. They showed their strength of character in game six by evening up the score just 14 seconds before the final horn and then wrapping up the hard fought series in overtime. @Pettersson12 and @Jjmakkeli (JussinSisko) split the playing time, with the former going undefeated, so it is going to be interesting to see whether this arrangement continues or if one of them is going to claim the starting spot for good. VISU was the only team going through from the first round that did not stick with the same starting six for the whole series. Similarly to the HV71 - Blackdawgs matchup, these teams have already played against each other this season, though more recently. Barely a week and a half has passed since the regular season finale, where BoxinElite bounced back in the second game with a 3-2 score after losing to VISU with a hefty 2-6 in the first one. BoxinElite will surely be looking to get revenge as the loss prevented them from winning the group, but their opponents seem to have been getting their early season groove back on. VISU also ended up on top (with a clean 4-0 sweep) when the two faced each other last season in the Lite quarterfinals. Both teams have changed around half of their respective rosters since then, so that result should not be read into too strongly except for the mental side of things. BoxinElite need to step up and find the same spark that made them blossom in the regular season, or otherwise this could result in a rather unpleasant flashback to last season on their part. A bit like the Sulkavan Sudet - Team LEISURE matchup in the first round, this is a series where an apparent underachiever meets a strong regular season team in a clash that many think favors the playing style of the former. Prediction: 2-4 VISU Gaming (5) Djurgarden Hockey – Kiekko-Espoo Esports (6) Written by @viivimaria Kiekko-Espoo Esports faced Dynastia in the first round of the playoffs. The match series was very eventful, as it included very great goals and one marathon match, in which the decisive goal wasn't found until in the sixth overtime period. The most important characters of Kiekko-Espoo were the team captain @Hazard-laser and perhaps @sMiika, who stepped up when called upon a bit surprisingly. Both players strapped the team to their backs in tight situations. Swedish team Djurgården meanwhile, won against Hotbox by a pure 4-0 sweep in the first round of the playoffs. A much tougher struggle is expected from the upcoming quarterfinals, rather than another overpowering by the Swedes. One of the absolute top characters of the Swedish team was also goalkeeper @Sorsa103. After the first round of the playoffs, both goalkeepers of this match pair can be found in the top positions in the statistics and are relatively superior in comparison to the competition. Although sMiikaG did very well in the opening round of the playoffs, it is still to be expected that @jg697000(Gresu__), who played as the team’s top goalie, will return to the playing lineup in the next matches for Kiekko-Espoo. What is certain, is that the blueshirts have two great goalkeepers, either of which can be put on the ice as the playoffs progress. A very steady fight is expected from the upcoming semi-final series, and a great team will advance regardless of the outcome. Special teams and the conversion of scoring chances are also further emphasized Prediction: 4-3 Djurgarden Hockey That wraps up the preview! As always, do not be afraid to post your own predictions to the comment section below. Enjoy the games, we will be back with another preview when we have our top four sealed in a week’s time.

Almost three and a half months have passed since Enigma was crowned the ECL 11 Pro Champion, but it’s getting close to showtime again! The upcoming season has seen the new qualifier system being implemented and has resulted in a big team turnover, which is sure to stir the pot we’ve come to know. While the Pro division only saw six new squads last season compared to the previous one, this time is different: compared to ECL 11, there are a total of 16 teams that either played in a lower division or simply didn’t exist at the time. The ECL 12 Pro Qualifier didn’t see a single prior Pro outfit being able to retain their spot at the second highest tier of competition in Europe, with multiple mainstays such as Södertälje SK and TIKI TALK facing relegation to Lite. With the exception of the newly assembled Hawaii Hockey, all of the teams finding their way through the qualifiers played in Lite last season, meanwhile Ducktales BK and noRex Gaming end up back there following only a season of Pro competition. With star-studded powerhouses like Enigma getting promoted after last season, some may say that Pro lacks in true top team talent that is already close to or even at the Elite level of play. That might be what it seems like on paper, though it leaves the path open for new contenders to emerge from the shadows. We’ll see by the end of the season how the teams that finish at the top perform against Elite competition in the battle of promotion to - or relegation from - Elite. It’s harder than ever to accurately predict the standings due to the sheer amount of new teams that are still unproven at this level, but we’ll take a look at the groups overall and highlight a couple of teams from both ends of the table: ones expected to put up a challenge for the title and the ones that could be facing relegation unless they manage to right their course. Without further ado, here are the groups along with some analysis: Written by @Keuschemisch As stated before, we find many new teams in Group 1, who now have the chance to prove themselves on the Pro level for the first time. ECL 11 Lite Champion Bjorkloven Esport will be keen to establish themselves in Pro after beating VISU Gaming (former Exerceo) in a thrilling 7 game series to cap off their most recent campaign. With the likes of the Russian squad Nearbird Fighters as well as Rogle BK and the freshly founded Hawaii Hockey we find three teams that made it all the way through the Pro Qualifier and even the Wildcard Battle to secure their place in the second highest tier. Will players like @Kumbik or @Hair be able to perform up to the standards they've set at the Lite level? How big will the influence of experienced players like @cHIIMEERa and @Lamsa be for Rogle BK? For those teams it will be even more important to perform as a good unit to avoid relegation or even pave the way for a possible playoff appearance and it can't be stressed enough how important it is for freshly promoted teams like BoxinElite or Sinister to play good defensive hockey to lay a good foundation for their future. Teams like Herlev Eagles with their top scorer @vibholm10 or HV71 with their well established unit surely want to take advantage of that situation and have the quality in their roster to secure one of the top spots of their group. Experienced teams such as Djurgarden Hockey, Finnish Roosters, RCTIC and Kiekko-Espoo Esports are favorites for yet another postseason appearance. DIF winger duo @Birkedal96 and @amadee21 can be the difference makers for the 16-time Swedish National League champions from Stockholm. Kiekko-Espoo’s defenseman @Raikkoneeh as well as Blackdawgs’ fresh forward acquisition @Valluxet have shown their quality and value in the past seasons and will play important roles in ECL 12 to lead their teams. Without a doubt it will be a hard battle - whether to secure home ice advantage in the playoffs or to avoid relegation back to ECL Lite. Especially at the Pro level nearly any mistake will be punished right away and in Group 1 of ECL 12 Pro there is no leeway - no stone will be left unturned in the look for success. Championship contenders: HV71 The Swedish ensemble captained and built by @Demski13 has grown stronger by the season and is now looking at peak form after making arguably one of the biggest additions of the offseason by signing @Rubituss from Farjestad BK and adding @Putteekiing on top of that. The two will definitely boost the offense of the blue and yellow, while hopefully maintaining the defensive strength that the team has built their reputation on. Herlev Eagles After being one of the success stories in the regular season of ECL 11 Pro, Herlev Eagles faltered at the hands of Rookie Mistakes in the first round of the playoffs. Now, a largely unchanged roster of Eagles look to return to action with that experience in mind and nothing but an even better result in sight! Team LEISURE What goes up, must eventually fall down - that has been the story of German powerhouse Team LEISURE, who proudly carried the German flag with the very best of them in European virtual hockey for four entire seasons. Furthermore it will be interesting to see how @Flo_goes_grazy(flgr93) or @xDurchf4ll_- will be able to replace @Krinke on the left wing. @PlaymakerSJ remains a big piece of their puzzle and he needs to connect the defense with offense and set up his teammates for open looks, as they are used to. With the experience and individual class within Team LEISURE’s squad they might have the recipe for success at the tip of their fingers. Under relegation threat: Nearbird Fighters The Russian squad has pushed their way through a long and bumpy road ever since ECL 5 Lite in the steady charge of captain @Hair. After a successful run in the ECL 12 Pro Qualifiers, they will now see Pro contention for the first time and look to solidify their place at the second highest level. They are very inexperienced at this level, so a tough season is to expect. Sinister Sinister is a new team at the Pro level, consisting of several experienced gamers that now combine for an ensemble that like a fast paced game and know how to score when given the chance, but lack experience of success at higher levels of competition. They will need to mature their game if they want to see another season at the Pro level. BoxinElite BoxinElite is a team of young players with tremendous potential that like spending time with the game and know the ins and outs of the mechanics related to it. As a young squad, their season can be a hit or a total miss, widely depending on how they are able to combine and gel together as a team. We know they have offensive firepower - but the pro level requires strong team defence, which we hope they can develop! Written by @Mikka This group only has 15 teams after Supernatural (previously RPEAT ESPORTS) ceased to exist just prior to the season start, though there’s still as many (eight) newly promoted teams as in Group 1. After the ECL 11 Elite season, Conquer Gaming got relegated following three seasons at the highest level, and are now joined in the same group by two other teams with prior Elite experience in Pata Hellalla and Sjukstugan. Sjukstugan and Conquer Gaming have forayed into the transfer market in search of a stronger squad to boost them back to the top sooner than later, meanwhile Pata Hellalla have seemingly only shuffled around the positions without making any new signings after left winger @vizka13 departed to play in the Core division. They’re always an interesting team to follow in their search for consistency, sometimes beating top teams with ease but other times struggling to get points from weaker opponents. Some of the other teams promoted from Lite alongside Sjukstugan include the teams that finished 3rd and 4th in Hotbox and SPARTIATES X MCES, the regular season 2nd seed PENTA and the Russian outfit METALLURG MAGNITOGORSK. The two Central European squads PENTA and SPARTIATES X MCES trust their respective processes and have only had minimal new signings, meanwhile the Russians and the Finnish Hotbox have had a bigger roster turnover. PENTA’s wingers @Wowa_1995 (Wowa_PENTA) and @DaMan (Akin_PENTA) will have a tough time replicating the kind of scoring they had in Lite with the stabilizing force @domii_ecn (Domi_PENTA) in the middle, but the prior Pro experience from within their squad especially with Akin’s success will help with the jump in level of play. Even if it remains to be seen how much they play, METALLURG MAGNITOGORSK’s new signings @ilikkaa, @CMB-wf- and @mons3223 all have high level experience as well. Company of Geeks, Sack Brothers and Rookie Mistakes have all been in Pro for some seasons now, and will be looking to continue their journeys on that path. Company of Geeks will most likely have a hard time after changing big parts of their roster, meanwhile Sack Brothers and Rookie Mistakes seem to only have gotten stronger in the offseason with bolstered defense and goaltending departments. We’ll see if a familiar lineup or some bigger name acquisitions at the cost of chemistry end up being more effective in the end, but last minute roster changes have rarely been a sign of anything good. Although Lekstugan HC did actually find their way through the ECL 12 Pro Qualifier with only two players remaining from their ECL 11 roster playing a part, similarly to Patience who, along with their name, changed everything except the captain @N44TTI_16 ahead of this season. Both outfits consist of largely unproven players, so they have a lot of work ahead to establish themselves in Pro. Patience will get a ton of help from the former Elite goaltender and ECL 10 Pro champion @PCJP (Pelkoneen), who can surely steal them some tight games between the pipes and keep them out of the bottom places. Time will tell who will rise and who will fall, so be sure to catch up on the games and see for yourself! The only newly promoted team still left unmentioned is Dynastia, who are a tough one to predict after facing the last minute departures of @Wpaanane (wpaananen) & @valta15. They were convincing in the qualifier, but we’ll see if the team will be able to rebound quickly enough with the lead of captain @Majuri20 (Diktaattori62) and veteran @FakiiR1 (TheFakiiR1) to avoid relegation or even aim for the playoffs. Another team that has its level of play up in the air is Inter Iceland, who have struggled in the domestic GCL and the ECL Warmup after losing to lower ranked RCTIC in the ECL 11 Playoffs as the 2nd seed following a promising regular season. The Germans haven’t made much changes to their roster despite losing assistant captain @x Holtbeast (Reutsch_PENTA) to PENTA, so it will be up to the long time goalie @PLA77NER (Hasek-39--) and forward @Stefan_397 to try to carry their team back and beyond where they finished earlier on in the year. Sulkavan Sudet lost their best scorers in @Stiffenhoand @Janski (jansku23) to Dynastia and Elite team POGGERS, respectively, but still got decent results in the Warmup and so seem to be right on track for another fight around the final playoff spots. Championship contenders: Rookie Mistakes Coming into their 3rd ECL Pro season, Rookie Mistakes have always been an offensive minded team, but have now gotten significantly stronger on the other side of the puck with the signings of defensemen @bot_dole and @tominointi, who played against each other in the Pro finals just a few seasons ago. They will also be adding the skilled allrounder @James (Jamechkin) to their defense from Lite after his roster lock in Reality Check HC ends on May 27th, which gives them three good options there. The playing time in net will be shared 50-50 by @Ilezki_ and newly added, Elite-experienced @Jonitski, meanwhile the forward core sees an original player at the LW position in @Flopper71 being replaced by @Jondeezz and leaving for Conquer Gaming. As previously stated, Rookie Mistakes have only gotten stronger and the path to the top appears to be open for them, they’re most likely the strongest team in Group 2. Sack Brothers Similar to Rookie Mistakes, the strength of Sack Brothers has always been offense. Also similarly, their forward core stays the same meanwhile they acquire two new goalie options in @Randomjanne and @Tuhmakalastaja91 in addition to some newly signed experienced defensemen. @IKarkkiI comes back to Pro after a season of Elite competition with Dark Horse, meanwhile @Katunarski looks to achieve what he couldn’t in his previous team Nordic Stars: turn regular season prowess into playoff success and eventually advance to Elite. If Sack Brothers manage to gel together well enough, they’ll be one of the stronger challengers to Rookie Mistakes in Group 2. Conquer Gaming Although they didn’t perform up to expectations in the ECL 12 Warmup, there’s still hope for a bounceback. Their best players @Jeresti and @Jertsicc are still in the squad and the longtime captain @KepakkoFIN has managed to sign experienced @jahajaha93 to be his defensive partner, in addition to @Flopper71 coming over from Rookie Mistakes to provide offense in the traditionally defensive minded roster. Losing @Sakkem and @Valluxet prior to ECL 11 was a tough blow and resulted in Conquer Gaming being relegated to Pro, but could jahajaha93 and Flopper71_ be their new Sakke & Vallu? It remains to be seen, but what we know is that KepakkoFIN already led this team to Elite once after getting first relegated from Pro to Lite, so never count on them giving up after a lackluster season. Their track record still indicates them being one of the top teams this season, five out of six players in their starting lineup have Elite experience as well. Sjukstugan An original ECL 1 team, Sjukstugan played four consecutive Elite seasons before going on a hiatus and restarting from the bottom in ECL 10. After two Lite seasons they’re now back in Pro, adding goaltender @poliskontroll, defenseman @Sluibaaja_88 and forward @Tzon93 in the offseason. Poliskontroll is a great goalie who keeps the games close and is able to steal some, meanwhile tzon93 is one of the most effective counter attacking goal scorers in Pro history. They’re an annoying team to play against with their stellar net front turtle defence, and while they may not dominate in time on attack, they will punish on breakaways and odd-man rushes with a high percentage. There’s plenty of examples of similar teams thriving in Pro, especially during the regular season, but we’ll see how far they get in the playoffs. Under relegation threat: Company of Geeks They got into the playoffs pretty comfortably last season, but the high roster turnover and rumours about their level of off-season preparations cast a suspecting light on the longstanding team’s future. Higher prestige recruits could have given a different impression, but the new signings aren’t ones to rock the media sphere: @pinppikeisari and @Eric Perdjaks (Taskig) come from Lite and @Okke40 (hifk_FANI) from Neo, although he does have Pro experience. The last piece of their renewed roster, @xLeikku, only got his first taste of ECL hockey this season in the new Core division. Maybe they’re hidden gems that will instantly produce, but captain @Jesus (eJezuz) along with his long-serving assistant @Varabajare (eCeleste31) will have to put their knowledge to the table to ensure the relatively unknown signings end up adjusting to the Pro level quick enough, otherwise they’ll find themselves in the relegation spots. Hotbox Hotbox hasn’t been that impressive during the offseason and is facing sudden roster changes just before the season. They went on an amazing run in ECL 11 Lite playoffs after a mid table finish to end the regular season, but a lot has changed since then and they will have to prove themselves again at the higher level. @Jann3_67_’s prior Pro experience will be handy, but what will their roster come puck drop look like? Lekstugan HC Another team with a largely different roster compared to last season, the only returnees when looking at the Pro Qualifier were @Daniel Asplund (Dasplund_) and @Philip Deemus (PHDeemus). The now-captain and assistant captain suited up as winger partners instead of a d-pairing like they did last season in Lite. They also appear to have lost their top scorer and probably best player in @Pappen to Lite team Unwanted after the qualifiers, so it remains to be seen how they plug that hole on their quest to establish themselves in Pro. All in all, even with the addition of @denkaan_from HV71, Lekstugan HC seems to be a prime candidate to go straight back down if they don’t quickly find a replacement center and get a hold of the Pro game from the get go. A bad start could spiral into something worse for an inexperienced and unproven squad. SPARTIATES X MCES The French outfit switched organizations during the offseason, but what they didn’t switch was their roster. The only new signings are presumed backup player @julien-meudon (Julien-peltier) who played in Neo last season, and goalie @Darcam (Darsivo) who played last season with PENTA’s squad. Their starting lineup is still intact, but it remains to be seen if the already built up chemistry and stellar team play is enough to retain their long chased Pro spot. It’s refreshing to see a French squad in ECL Pro once again three and a half years since Hawks Hockey Club disbanded, but that sighting may only last for this season unless the ex-Hawks HC goalie @Trollstivegen (Trollstivegen28) can reach the level he was at a few years ago and steal some serious points. Left winger @Adri1_SCP (AdriF_23) seems to be their best bet on scoring, which they will need. With that, we wish all participating ECL 12 Pro teams good luck in their respective campaigns! Remember to post about your games on various social media platforms using the tags #NHLGamer, #NHL21 and #ECL12 in order to get noticed and for other community members to find your posts.