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SportsGamers, Get ready for an electrifying matchup as two NHL esports powerhouses collide once again in the highly anticipated ECL '24 Winter Elite Finals. The stage is set for an epic showdown between Tunnel Vision and hREDS, reigniting the intense rivalry that captivated fans during ECL '22 Spring Finals series at Narinkkatori a few years back. Brace yourself for a rollercoaster of emotions, jaw-dropping plays, and nail-biting moments as these Elite teams battle it out for supremacy.   (1)  Tunnel Vision vs (4)  hREDS TOP SCORER (Playoffs) Arttu @laitineen64 Laitinen 10 GP, 7+20=27 vs Perttu @Beniittto Kemppainen 9 GP, 7+14=21 GOALTENDER (Playoffs) Benjamin @benuh_ Rinnet 6 GP, 5 W, 88,57 SV%, 1.33 GAA, 2 SO vs Sebastian @FINSeRe Remes 9 GP, 8 W, 87,8 SV%, 1.11 GAA, 2 SO REGULAR SEASON RECORD 21-3-2-3 vs 18-5-1-6 Tonight's Finals will feature two teams who, as stated, lack no familiarity with each other. Through countless battles between the two contenders, both have been able to claim a respectable amount of titles to their name and solidify themselves as true giants of the virtual ice. A notable mention from this season is that both regular season bouts went Tunnel Vision's way, as they've been in dominant form, really ever since claiming the throne back in the ECL '23 Spring Elite Finals. Now in an attempt to defend their title, they'll have to make sure to bring their best once again, as hREDS will look to take back what's theirs in reclaiming the throne. Having followed both of these teams over the years, their development has been tremendous, and this will surely be a fight for supremacy you won't want to miss. Tune in tonight at 19:00 CET over at www.twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG. Be sure to tune in from the start, as our favorite segments, such as THE RE-WIND and another epic series opening film will be presented before puck drop!

SportsGamers, The new competitive season has been a long time coming and we're definitely excited to get things going across the board. With all five divisions kicking off either tonight or tomorrow evening, this is set to be a season for the record books. We're extremely proud to be the longest running NHL esports league around with an implemented divisional framework, which is why this season's kick-off story will focus on the storylines across the entire league. We're hoping to see several interesting stories unfold as the season progresses, and hopefully many newcomers will get to experience their first taste of competitive NHL esports and perhaps even see some success and development along the way! An influx of new talent across the board, and the return of some familiar faces As we've seen happen on a regular basis each season, the divisional framework allows for teams to take leaps in development through promotions and relegations. With this, we'll have several interesting names entering their first seasons at a higher level also in the ECL '24 Winter season. In the Top 16, the turnover is naturally lower than in our other divisions, but we're going to keep an eye on the ECL '23 Spring Champions Polski Boys, who will enter their rookie season in Elite. The Polski Boys have been talking a hard game on their social media channels ever since the foundation of the team, and while they were able to back up their talk in the Pro division, we'll see if the same goes for their campaign among Elite company. This squad has been on a real villain arc throughout their short history and continued establishing themselves as true heels in the ECL scene by poaching Golden Nights winger Joona @jm98II Muona mere weeks before the start of the season, leading to the demise of their rival club.  In regards to the Pro division, there's been quite heavy criticism of the Qualifier process watering down the skill level of the division by allowing too many new squads into the 32-team division. While there's a point to be made there, the new teams are always an exciting watch and a step up in competition allows them an opportunity to develop their game at a fast pace. Among these new teams, Gotham Knights have an extremely strong roster and will be sure to compete with the top teams in the division right away, whereas the likes of Athletic Bulls and PunaKala will be forced to elevate their level in order to survive in this tough division. PunaKala is an interesting team in the sense that they've been grinding away in the Lite division since ECL 11, without any bigger success until last season where they barely missed out on a promotion by losing in a seven game Bronze series against Boost HC - one could thus make a case for them having paid their dues at the level below.  While several new teams have been stepping up to the next level of competition, there's especially one returning player we can't ignore, and that's ECL legend Risto @Dominointi Järvi, who is seemingly gearing up for a comeback among good friends in Straikers, formerly FILADELPHIA. It's been over a year since the exceptional centerman took his last strides with HAVU Gaming, and while the man hinted a comeback when attending the ECL '23 Spring Finals in support of his friends, it'll remain to be seen how much ice time the naturally gifted player will see this upcoming season. Dominointi has been spotted on the ice for practice and is surely an excellent option to fill out the depth in the Straikers roster. Welcome back! At the Lite level, we'll be seeing the return of Almost Famous, a team seen on the Elite ice back in the day and one of the first squads to rise through the ranks of the divisional ladder together with GHETTO FIREBIRDS and Butterfly Effect. Led by former Nordic Stars forward Aaro @Ikavalko Ikävalko, who is returning to command the club in navy blue, the roster comprised of an eclectic mixture of players already participated in the ECL Pro Qualifier, without success. While the roster holds several experienced players such as Jere @Jerax13 Hällström, Jean-Patrick @Patsberg_ Kotonen and Lucas @lycki10 Lindqvist, a large portion of their team only started playing EASHL at the end of NHL 23. Here's captain Ikavalko with a few notions about the roster: "We're a mix of experience and totally new players, a large part of the team are players I've played with over the course of my career, while the new faces will be friends joining me from work. I doubt many other ECL squads will have five guys from the same workplace in their roster! Our one and only goal is winning the Lite division and while we realize it's no easy task, we feel like our strength is the great atmosphere we've built within the team. We're trying to get games for our newcomers and I'm doing my best to mentor them and helping them develop." Next generation of Swedish superstars emerging in Pro Community member @ripKeisari highlighted two highly talented Swedish youngsters on the verge of breakout seasons in the Pro division. We're talking about Purification centerman Elvis @bystrom_37 Byström and Björklöven winger Anton @antonlule Lund, who are in their fifth and third ECL seasons respectively. While Byström already has a Pro season under his belt and 49 points to his name during that campaign, good performances in the preseason tournament and Elite Qualifiers give promise of a career season incoming. Antonlxnd, on the other hand, scored two thirds of all Björklöven goals in the preseason tournament and has showcased an excellent understanding of game mechanics leading up to the start of the season. The upcoming season should be a true breakout year for both of these talents and perhaps they'll be the next ones to take the step up to Elite, following in the footsteps of other Swedish superstars like Henrik @Eken45jr Eklund or the ECL '23 Spring sensation Robban @Robban kaudern Kaudern. Both Björklöven and Purification are placed into Group 2 of the Pro division and are scheduled to clash in week 2 of the regular season, so keep an eye out for that matchup! Preseason sensations eager to keep form going We'll be following closely if preseason form is any indication of team success early on in the season. Especially on the Lite & Core side, we ended up seeing an interesting Finals matchup, where Lite team Pasilan SKA ended up besting Core squad NAM3L3SS. While Pasilan is certain to be a contender in the Lite division, a strong preseason showing will surely give confidence to the NAM3L3SS roster entering a Core campaign.  The Pro & Elite preseason featured lots of talent but also lacked a large portion of top teams, who prioritized rest ahead of the long season to come. ECL '23 Spring Lite Champions Mustaa Kultaa surprised everyone with an excellent regular season and a #1 seed into the Playoffs, while eventual Finalists GOONS and The Black Jacks were consistent and showed glimpses of why they're Elite teams.  Another shot at success For some, success takes a lot more work than for others. A testament of this is Eemil @Sokkelo__ Soikkeli, winger for Roots Gaming. While his #41 might be a nod to hardnosed Playoff extraordinaire Jari Sailio, unlike this legendary grinder, Sokkelo has in fact never seen a second of Playoff action in the Elite division. Having spent nine seasons among the European Top 16 already, this great all-round player has established himself as one of the nicest guys around, but might not be out to make friends on the ice this season in the hunt for his first ever Playoff appearance. I reached out to the man for some comments on his lack of postseason success, and on his objectives for the Winter season: "I think it's pretty funny at this point, at the moment I have 228 regular season games in Elite and 0 in the Playoffs, so there's a stat. It's not a thing I spend that much thought on and it's been a joke that I like to pull out of the bag from time to time, but this season is another chance to put that to rest. As for my goals this season, we'll just try to stay consistent on a nightly basis and trust the process. For the past eight seasons I've always said we'll be making the Playoffs, so maybe now it's time for the reverse jinx and I'll say we'll finish 9th!" I guess we'll know in a few months' time, whether the upcoming season will be Roots Gaming suffering from the "Sokkelo Effect", or if this is finally "Sokkelo Season". While there are more storylines across the league for one man to keep an eye out for, here are some of the intriguing journeys I'll personally be on the lookout for early this season! Make sure to let us know your favorite picks for the season in the comments, and for all participating teams and players, we wish you a successful Winter season!

Hailing from the picturesque landscapes of Czechia, Adam @dzouvi Menšík has etched his name into the competitive esports scene as a formidable force in the world of NHL gaming. With a career spanning back to 2018, this skilled gamer embarked on his journey with the Blackdawgs, marking the commencement of what has thus far been a remarkable competitive career. Dzouvi's rise in the ranks among fellow top centermen can be attributed to his excellent technical understanding of the game's intricacies. As a centerman, he has consistently been able to prove himself as not only a prolific scorer, but also as a player with an excellent 200-foot game. The pinnacle of Adam's career thus far unfolded during the ECL '23: Spring - Elite season with Färjestad BK. This season proved to be a defining moment for the Czech sensation, as he notched a career-high 45 points, steering his team through a captivating playoff journey. Although the dream of championship glory was halted in the semifinals by Frölunda HC, Dzouvi's resilience and skill on the virtual ice left promises for an even greater ECL '24 Winter Campaign. In addition to the success he saw on the 6v6 ice, he was also one of four gamers present at the ECL '23: Spring 1v1 Finals at the SportsGamer offices in Espoo and put up a valiant fight against the eventual Champion Väinö @Pikkardz Pikkarainen. Now, making history as the first player from outside of Finland or Sweden to be honored as the Cover Gamer for the upcoming ECL '24 Winter season, @dzouvi takes center stage together with Vesa Pompa HC, in an attempt to recreate another successful season. List of previous ECL cover gamers: ECL 8: Erik @Eki Tammenpää ECL 9: Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen ECL 10: Casper @ICappeI Lundgren ECL 11: Tuukka @FlyerKungen Kuha ECL 12: Niklas @NikkeDangles Tukiainen ECL '22 Winter: Johan @Lehmannens Lehmann & Hampus @l-Furyan-l Duvefelt ECL '23 Spring: Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen ECL '23 Winter: Erik @Eki Tammenpää ECL '23 Spring: Tomi @tombo_02 Laitinen You're joining some top tier company is a list of previous Cover Gamers. What does it mean to you to be the poster boy for the top NHL Esports league in the world? I really appreciate it and it's a big pleasure for me. Never thought that I would end up being the Cover Gamer. I think it's the first time having somebody outside of Finland or Sweden right? I'm looking forward to another ECL Elite season. What are the factors that contribute to your success, and what tips could you give to players who want to develop their game? I was always learning from the best ones. Spent a lot of time watching streams of the top players in the scene. Then it was just about grinding. Also I need to mention my former teammate Tony @Mistertyppo95 Laine here. Thanks to him I started playing ECL and also became decent in 1v1. NHL 21 was the best year for me, where I reached the Top 8 in the GWC. I don’t have any special tips, it is always the same in my opinion - just play the game, success will come one day. Who would you name as your toughest competition over the course of your career, both on the 1v1 and 6v6 ice? For sure I need to say Erik @Eki Tammenpää. And I think it's the same in both 1v1 and 6v6. What's your greatest memory in competitive NHL gaming, why is that? NHL 21 GWC, where I was with another Czech guy Josef @pepcastachurcik Stachura in the Top 8. In 6v6 side it was winning SCL title with Granit. In terms of the upcoming ECL '24 Winter Elite season, what teams do you think viewers should keep an eye on especially? You should keep an eye on the same teams as always. Straikers (formerly FILADELPHIA), hREDS, Tunnel Vision, and of course on us! What is your personal goal of the NHL 24 competitive year? I will try my best to qualify for the GWC and also to have the best results in all other 1v1 tournaments. Same for 6v6, top 4 in ECL Elite is the goal again. We are wishing all teams an enjoyable ECL '24: Winter season full of tight games and hard competition! Make sure to tune in for our broadcasts at Twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG!

SportsGamers, With the most exciting time of the year (yes, Santa is coming) ahead of us, it's time to kick off the competitive season by releasing the groups and schedules for our respective ECL '24: Winter divisions. Here's a short recap of information for each division, but please note that all you need to know can be found in the ECL '24: Winter Official Rules. ECL '24 Winter Neo Groups Schedule Regular season starts 19.11.2023 Transfer deadline 5.12.2023 Regular season ends 21.12.2023 Playoffs - RO32 4.-7.1.2024 Playoffs - RO16 11.-14.1.2024 Playoffs - Quarterfinals 18.-21.1.2024 Playoffs - Semifinals 25.-28.1.2024 Playoffs - Finals 1.-4.2.2024 ECL '24 Winter Core Groups Schedule Regular season starts 19.11.2023 Transfer deadline 5.12.2023 Regular season ends 21.12.2023 Playoffs - RO32 2.-7.1.2024 Playoffs - RO16 9.-14.1.2024 Playoffs - Quarterfinals 16.-21.1.2024 Playoffs - Semifinals 23.-28.1.2024 Playoffs - Finals 31.1.-1.2.2024 ECL '24 Winter Lite Groups Schedule Regular season starts 19.11.2023 Transfer deadline 5.12.2023 Regular season ends 21.12.2023 Playoffs - RO32 2.-7.1.2024 Playoffs - RO16 9.-14.1.2024 Playoffs - Quarterfinals 16.-21.1.2024 Playoffs - Semifinals 23.-28.1.2024 Playoffs - Finals 4.-5.2.2024 ECL '24 Winter Pro Groups Schedule Regular season starts 20.11.2023 Transfer deadline 5.12.2023 Regular season ends 21.12.2023 Playoffs - RO16 4.-9.1.2024 Playoffs - Quarterfinals 11.-16.1.2024 Playoffs - Semifinals 18.-23.1.2024 Playoffs - Finals 25.-29.1.2024 ECL '24 Winter Elite Groups Schedule Regular season starts 20.11.2023 Transfer deadline 5.12.2023 Regular season ends 21.12.2023 Playoffs - Quarterfinals 3.- 11.1.2024 Playoffs - Semifinals 17.-21.1.2024 Playoffs - Finals TBC Finally, a reminder: Please do not play before your license has been successfully purchased. If you have any questions, please contact support. Without further ado, we wish you a successful and fun season!

SportsGamers, Plenty of speculation has been rumbling around about which teams will be filling open spots left by disbanded teams in the European Top 16, and we're here to shed some light on the Qualifier process! UPDATE ON THE ELITE QUALIFIERS At the moment, two spots were left open by the disbanded Tohtorit and Reality Check teams. We have invited a total of six teams from ECL '23: Spring - Pro to participate in the Qualifiers, based on their success the previous season. As many of you have seen, Golden Nights decided to decline their invitation and Purification will be taking their place as the next best team up.  Here is a list of the participating teams: Purification RCTIC Renascor Unwanted Deadly Phantoms POGGERS Schedule Group stage: 8.11-15.11. Playoffs (BO5): 16.11. The group stage consists of double-headers against each opponent. The four best teams advance to the Playoffs, out of which the winners of each BO5 series will advance to ECL '24: Winter - Elite. UPDATES ON THE FORMATS OF THE PRO AND LITE QUALIFIERS ECL '24: Winter - Pro holds a total of 17 open spots, meaning that the Qualifier Stage 2 will not be played. The four best teams out of the Qualifier groups will advance to ECL '24: Winter - Pro, whereas the rest will play in the playoffs for the last remaining spot. The winner of the playoffs will clinch the last available Pro spot, whereas the remaining teams will play in ECL '24: Winter - Lite. ECL '24: Winter - Lite will allow for all Qualifier teams to enter the division, as long as said Qualifier teams have proven a willingness and ability to compete in the Qualifiers.

SportsGamers, The ECL '24 Winter Lite & Pro Qualifiers kick off today and we're in for a bunch of exciting gamedays leading up to the regular season, as the Qualifier teams will need to fight tooth and nail for open spots in both divisions. In a situation where all previous season teams sign up ECL Pro has seven open spots, while the Lite division has nine open spots. The amount may increase if teams eligible to sign up for the respective divisions drop out. The final numbers will be announced after November 6th, when the Elite, Pro & Lite signups have closed and the final number of spots open has been determined. ECL '24 Winter Lite Qualifiers Schedule Group stage: Round 1: Wednesday 1.11. Round 2: Thursday 2.11. Round 3: Sunday 5.11. Round 4: Wednesday 8.11. Round 5: Thursday 9.11. Round 6: Sunday 12.11. Round 7: Monday 13.11. Playoffs (if needed): BO3 Series: Tuesday 14.11. BO3 Series: Wednesday 15.11. BO3 Series: Thursday 16.11. The following teams will be taking part in the Lite division Qualifiers: Lite Qualifiers 1 A Laget 2 ACEsquad 3 BK Skinnarna 4 Black Sharks 5 Bone Breakers 6 Bustdown Rollie Avalanche 7 Carpe Diem 8 Company of Geeks 9 EHC Olten eSports 10 EPIC BLADEZ HC 11 Finnish Roosters 12 German Ice Gladiators 13 Ghost 14 HEXA eSports 15 Invasion 16 KPC Hockey 17 MoDo Hockey 18 Nelos kentta 19 Niitti Pohjassa 20 Nordic Nosebleed 21 Pata Hellalla 22 Rocking Bears 23 Saunatakit 24 Swedish Stars 25 Taisto 26 Toxic City 27 Trojans 28 Wasp The Lite Qualifiers will consist of four groups out of which at least the top two teams in each group will be securing a spot in the Lite division. The Playoff format will be announced after November 6th, when the Lite division signups have closed and the final number of Lite spots open has been determined. See the groups and schedule on the league page here. ECL '24 Winter Pro Qualifiers Schedule Group stage 1: Round 1: Wednesday 1.11. Round 2: Thursday 2.11. Round 3: Sunday 5.11. Round 4: Wednesday 8.11. Round 5: Thursday 9.11. Group stage 2 (if needed): Round 1: Sunday 12.11. Round 2: Monday 13.11. Round 3: Wednesday 15.11. Playoffs (if needed): BO5 series: Thursday 16.11. The following teams will be taking part in the ECL Pro Qualifiers: Pro Qualifiers 1 Pro 24 Herlev Eagles 2 Pro 25 GIFU Hockey 3 Pro 26 Vizio 4 Pro 27 Gotham Knights 5 Lite 4 PunaKala 6 Lite 5 Cheeky Grinders 7 Lite 7 HC Lugano eSports 8 Lite 8 Ultimatum 9 Lite 9 Nurnberg IceTigers eSport 10 Lite 10 Sawolanche 11 Lite 11 Athletic Bulls 12 Lite 12 Sunne IK Esport 13 Lite 13 Nappula 14 Wildcard Hokurit 15 Wildcard Almost Famous 16 Pro 29 ▼ Djurgården Hockey 17 Pro 31 ▼ Eisbaeren Lauf Gaming 18 Pro 32 ▼ Red Bull Munich eSports 19 Lite 16 Vityaz 20 Lite 21 xBOTS   The Pro Qualifiers will also hold four groups, out of which the top three teams in each group will be advancing to stage 2 (two groups - six teams) of the Qualifiers. The top three teams of each group in stage 2 will secure a spot in ECL '24 Winter Pro. The Playoff format will be announced after November 6th, when the Pro division signups have closed and the final number of Pro spots open has been determined. See the groups and schedule on the league page here.

SportsGamers, With the new iteration of EA Sports NHL having dropped a couple weeks back, the time is right for us to launch registrations for the biggest and best league around. Another massive competitive season will kick off with the ECL '24 Winter season, starting officially on November 1st with the Lite & Pro Qualifiers. Whether you are an experienced gamer looking to take the next step, or are just starting out your career, one of our five divisions will be sure to offer you a challenge suitable for your skill level. After the intense fights we saw go down at the finish lines of all five divisions last season, the ECL '24 Winter season will have lots to live up to, but with the skill level constantly increasing and the superstar talent across the league intent on bringing their top game on a nightly basis, we're confident that this will be an even better year! The total prize pool of the ECL '24 Winter season will be 23 420 EUR. If you're itching to get things started already, remember to sign up for the ECL '24 Pre-season tournament here! Signups will close at 12:00 CEST, on October 19th, 2023. <- TOMORROW! ⚠️ The ECL is the pinnacle of European NHL esports. The abbreviation stands for the European Championship League and it features NHL 6v6 esports in five divisions aimed at various skill levels. Every player, including the goalies, is controlled by a human. League games are played in the EASHL mode and the platform is PlayStation and Xbox. ECL has been played since 2015, so the upcoming season is already the 17th. The latest addition to the ECL product family is a 1v1 tournament, where Europe's best solo players fight for the championship. ECL 1v1 has been played since the ECL '23 Winter season. Basic information/requirements of ECL: Regional restrictions: ECL is a European tournament format, however, we do not necessarily exclude players located in North America or Asia. A European server will always be used. We reserve the right to exclude teams or players in case of severe connection issues. Platform: PlayStation 5 and Xbox Series X/S Individual requirements: Each player needs to have an account at SportsGamer.GG and create their personal player card. ECL licenses: Teams in ECL Elite & ECL Pro, ECL Lite, and ECL Core will require their respective ECL ‘24 Winter team licenses in order to play. In addition, every player in the above-mentioned divisions needs to have a valid ECL ‘24 Winter Player License before taking the ice. Purchase your license in the Store. Rules: The ECL '24 rulebook will be published closer to the season, but you can check out last season's rules here. For a more extensive overview of the ECL as a whole, check out our “What is the ECL?” news story released a few weeks back. For a thorough look at the entire competitive year and event calendar, please refer to our ECL '24 Season Presentation. Wildcard teams: 18.-30.10.2023 ECL Lite Qualifier: 18.-30.10.2023 ECL Pro Qualifier: 18.-30.10.2023 ECL Neo: 18.10.-15.11.2023 ⚠️ ECL Core: 18.10.-15.11.2023 ⚠️ ECL Lite: 18.10.-6.11.2023 ECL Pro: 18.10.-6.11.2023 ECL Elite: 18.10.-6.11.2023 *Signups will close at 23:59 CET on the last day mentioned unless otherwise specified. Schedule Pre-season tournament: 23.10.-6.11.2023 Qualifiers: 1.11-> (Pro, Lite) 7.11-> (Elite) Regular Season duration: 19.11.-21.12.2023 (Neo, Core, Lite) 20.11.-21.12.2023 (Pro, Elite) PLEASE NOTE: ECL '24 WINTER 1V1 SIGNUPS WILL LAUNCH LATER THIS YEAR Rule Changes & Community Opinion Reminder: We would like to raise two items up for a community vote and open up the floor for discussion. So far the topics have not attracted a lot of conversation, but there's still time to make your voices heard. The 3-point system vs 2-point system For the longest time, the ECL has used the 2-point system, where the winner gets 2 points, whether in regular time or overtime, and 1 point for a loss in overtime. We’ve heard some wishes for a change and the time has come to re-evaluate whether we should instead opt for the 3-point system instead. In the past, the polls have been pretty close to 50/50 on this topic, but it’s time to discuss this topic properly and if the discussion suggests a need for a poll, that can be implemented. You can already discuss the point-system here. Zone & Superstar Abilities - Yay or nay? For the ECL ‘23: Spring season we made the decision to ban a selection of Zone & Superstar Abilities. As NHL 24 is a new release, our initial instinct is to start with a clean slate and not ban any abilities until the community gets to know the new game and has a chance to make up its mind about whether the abilities are working or not. While we have preliminarily set our minds on not banning any abilities for the first season, we welcome the discussion and would love to hear your opinion. You can discuss player abilities here. Are there some rule-related changes we’ve missed? Now is your chance to discuss and suggest what type of changes you would like to see in the rulebook. Don't have a team yet? Team looking for additions to your roster? If you are a free agent looking to be picked up, please head over here. If you are representing a team looking for players, please head over here.

SportsGamers, The official NHL 24 launch will be tomorrow, and we'll kick off the new game in style with a launch party by Gigantti at Draft Sports Bar at the Tripla shopping mall in Helsinki. The event will start at 12 EEST with plenty of action throughout the day. We'll have plenty of gaming stations set up, where you are free to test out the game fresh out of the box. In addition, several community members and top players will be joining us for challenges throughout the evening. So join us at Draft Sports Bar together with Erik @Eki Tammenpää, Rasmus @Rapsu Virtanen, Väinö @Pikkardz Pikkarainen, Teemu @temppanen Karvonen and Sisu @sisu33_ Nurminen for an epic launch event tomorrow! The event is organized in cooperation with Gigantti, DNA, Pelaajat.com and PlayStation. You'll be able to get a feature discount at the event for a PS5 + NHL 24 at a great price of 469 EUR, or just the game for 39,95 EUR. See the full event details (in Finnish) at Gigantti's site.

NHL 24 has its release date set for October 6th, around a week earlier than what the latest titles have gotten gamers used to, and there’s lots to talk about with this years iteration! With the new cover athlete Cale Makar being revealed earlier this week, fans of the franchise were expecting a game highlighting speed, skill and creativity - much alike what we saw last year with Trevor Zegras and Sarah Nurse being on the cover and really setting the tone for how the game would play. While there’s speed, skill and creativity in abundance in this years iteration too, NHL 24 brings a multitude of other new features to the table. NHL 24 really aims to bring the nuances of hockey right into your living room with an all new Exhaust Engine powered by Frostbite. The Exhaust Engine includes a Sustained Pressure and Goalie Fatigue system rewarding hits in the offensive zone, cycling the puck and peppering the goalie with shots. Simultaneously, this brings a new element to being on the receiving end of such an offensive onslaught, as making simple plays to relieve pressure becomes a more viable and rewarding option. Overhauled physics and animations will bring over 75 new ways for goaltenders to react to plays, whereas the new Physics-Based Contact will revolutionize physical play in all areas of the rink. In NHL 24, physical contact will be more realistic than ever before and while a massive body check will be more rewarding than ever, the risk will also be great. Players will now also be able to break the glass with thundering checks or send their opponents for a change over the boards. Goaltenders will also be pleased to know that the new game introduces an Instinct System, allowing a human goalie to guess shot placement for a bonus on the save attempt. Mike Inglehart, Creative Director at EA Vancouver states that NHL 24 is a game made by hockey fans, for hockey fans. “With the new Exhaust Engine system and gameplay features that really capture the physical nature of hockey, NHL 24 delivers realistic body checks and a deeper defensive toolbox full of more choice and tactics that bring a whole new level of immersion to the franchise.” Now delivering on their promise to make NHL 24 the most connected hockey experience thus far, this years iteration brings true cross-play to HUT and World of Chel game modes, meaning that same-generation Microsoft and Sony consoles can now seamlessly play together with or against each other. A big addition in terms of gameplay will also be new Total Control Skill Moves, making dekes and skill moves more accessible and allowing players to perform these moves out of any position. Combined with the Vision Passing System that assigns buttons for passing to certain teammates and the addition of a new one-touch pass mechanic, creativity and quick wits will be prevalent when generating highlight reel plays in NHL 24. Preorder your copy of NHL 24 now - Deluxe edition preorders get double entitlement and a number of preorder perks the get their HUT and WoC careers started!

The NHL is featuring an increasing amount of speed and dazzling skill each season. Colorado Avalanche star defenseman Cale Makar on the cover might be an indicator that NHL 24 is moving in the same direction.  A Hobey Baker award, a Calder Trophy, a Conn Smythe Trophy, a Norris Trophy and a Stanley Cup. Those are just some of the accomplishments that defenseman Cale Makar has in his rearview at only 24 years old. The speedy defenseman is a true franchise player that is able to make everyone sharing the ice with him so much better. He is the true definition of a next generation superstar in the NHL. The ability to read and execute plays in split seconds while skating like the wind and making everything look effortless is the hallmark of Cale Makar’s play. That is also the type of players that seem to thrive in today’s NHL - take a look at the likes of Connor McDavid, Adam Fox, or Miro Heiskanen to name a few. Having a player like Cale Makar on the cover leads us to believe that could be the type of gameplay that the development team wants to emphasize in the upcoming NHL 24 title. The full NHL 24 reveal is going to be on August 16th at 17:00 CEST, so make sure to tune in for the premiere at the EA Sports NHL YouTube channel!

SportsGamers, This is your reminder to sign up for our Casual NHL and FIFA leagues starting in just over a week! Now is a great time to pick up the controller and get ready for the new game by meeting new players and having some fun to cap off the '23 season.  While both the eHockey and eSoccer leagues will be running simultaneously, the emphasis is on having fun at a relaxed pace. These leagues are skill capped in order to allow for casual players to enter and have an enjoyable gaming experience. Now is the time to sign up for either the Casual eHockey League, Casual eSoccer League, or perhaps both! Participation is free for ECL '23 Player License holders! Here are the dates for the Casual Leagues: Start/Week 1 -  20.8 Week 2 - 27.8 Week 3 - 3.9 Week 4 - 10.9 Final day  - 17.9   Visit the landing pages here to read more and sign up: Casual eHockey League Casual eSoccer League   Details Casual eHockey League - NHL 23: Played in two divisions: New Gen: PlayStation 5 & Xbox Series X/S Old Gen: PlayStation 4 & Xbox One World of Chel 3v3 (Teams of 2-4 players) Entry fee 10€/player (free entry for ECL ‘23 Player License holders) Skill cap - participants must not have: - Matches played at ECL Pro or Elite league levels in the current or last four seasons (ECL '23 Winter, ECL '22 Spring, ECL '22 Winter or ECL 12) - Matches played in the TOP 8 ranked team in SportsGamer's national 6v6 tournaments in the last two years. - TOP 16 positions in national or international 1v1 tournaments.   Casual eSoccer League - FIFA 23: Played in two divisions: New Gen: PlayStation 5, Xbox Series X/S, PC Old Gen: PlayStation 4, Xbox One FUT (1v1) Entry fee 10 €/player (free entry for ECL ‘23 Player License holders) Skill cap - participants must not have: - Earned FGS points - Played Elite division in FIFA 23 Prizes Both the eHockey and eSoccer league will feature cash prizes for top performers.  The total prize pool for both leagues is going to be 2 500€ each. This prize pool will be split as follows between the top 4 teams/players: #1 40% #2 20 % #3 10% #4 10% The exact prize pool split between the Old Gen (PS4/XB1) and New Gen (PS5/XSX) divisions will be determined based on the number of participating players in each division.  With weekly matches, a friendly community of players, and a range of skill levels, there's no better way to jump into the world of esports. So what are you waiting for? Sign up for our Casual eHockey or eSoccer League today and start playing!

SportsGamers, We know all of you are as eager as us to hop on the thumbsticks and get a piece of the new NHL 24, and today we're one step closer to that being a reality. EA Sports have announced playtesting for NHL 24 and now is your chance to get in on the action. First off, make sure to sign up your EA account for playtesting eligibility, secondly, you'll need to complete a short introductory survey. The playtest will follow similar guidelines as to previous years, where no footage of the game shall be captured and the test will be fully confidential. Players will be required to sign a pre-release feedback agreement. The Playtest is available on PlayStation 4 & 5, Xbox One and Xbox Series X|S. Signing up does not guarantee participation. Find out more and sign up here.

SportsGamers, A long season and hard fought Finals series saw us crown an ECL '23 Spring Core Champion a while ago, and we are happily announcing that the ones to hoist the cup were the French Eagles! Their experienced squad were able to best Ismon Valinta in a thrilling seven game series where all players had their opportunity to shine and showcase themselves for further opportunities in their respective careers. French Eagles' road to the Championship: #1 seed from Group 1 with the record 25-3-0 Round 1: vs WarHeads (16) 4-0 Quarterfinals: vs EV Duisburg (10) 4-0 Semifinals: vs North Sawo Lions (9) 4-1 Finals: vs Ismon Valinta (6) 4-3 The championship roster: GOALIES #76 @Trollstivegen (A) DEFENSEMEN #87 @André WerSonst87 (M-_-E_87) #89 @matt05000gap (Chris05Gap) FORWARDS #23 @Aigeu #85 @Caboli30 #96 @Edgard Goechon (xl-9-Bobby-6-lx) (C) #97 @Coco (x--CoCo76--x) (A) On behalf of the whole community we want to thank all participants and congratulate our Champions!

SportsGamers, A dominant showing throughout the season by a rather unexperienced squad with several rookies in their roster has awarded Mustaa Kultaa the ECL '23 Spring Lite Championship, and with that direct promotion to the Pro division. The team were in several tight positions throughout their Playoff run especially in the Semifinals and Finals, but as a well-oiled machine, they were able to work together to find their way to victory each time. Mustaa Kultaa's road to the championship: #2 seed from Group 3 with the record 25-5-0 Round 1: vs RoKi Esports (31) 4-0 Round 2: vs Golden Sticks (25) 4-1 Quarterfinals: vs HC Lugano eSports (29) 4-2 Semifinals: vs Boost HC (9) 4-3 Finals: vs Supernatural (5) 4-3 The winning roster: GOALTENDERS #69 @ANIMALpak82 #82 @Simbanho #88 @PerfectGorilla DEFENSEMEN #3 @Velttola #97 @xray65x FORWARDS #12 @jaageri_ (A) #13 @Launonexx (C) #61 @Allupekkaz (A) #89 @Tumuttaja (xxHise) On behalf of the entire SportsGamer community, we congratulate the Champions and extend a warm thank you to all participants!

SportsGamers, Tonight we'll be treated to the first three games in a highly anticipated Lite division Finals between Mustaa Kultaa and Supernatural. Both of these teams could take the Cup, so strap in, and expect a long series! (2) Mustaa Kultaa vs (5) Supernatural TOP SCORER (Playoffs) @Launonexx 22 GP, 24+24=48 vs @selänne8 (BiggestEight) 22 GP, 25+20=45 GOALTENDER (Playoffs) @Simbanho 17 GP, 12 W, 82,11 SV%, 2 GAA, 0 SO vs @Jugi9 22 GP, 16 W, 86,21 SV%, 1.45 GAA, 4 SO REGULAR SEASON RECORD 25-5-0 vs 22-3-5 REGULAR SEASON MATCHUP 5-4 OT, 3-2 We're in for an interesting battle in the ECL '23 Spring Lite Finals, which will be starting tonight at 19:45 CEST with the first three games of the series. As you'd have it, both Finalists have paved their way to this stage from Group 3 in the regular season, and they clashed for some very hard fought battles back in the group stage. Back then, Mustaa Kultaa managed to come away with both wins and @Launonexx lead the way for his team with 7 points to his name in the two games. Since then, both squads have solidified their starting goaltenders in the Playoffs and that'll be one to keep an eye on. Supernatural's @Jugi9 is experienced in these situations as he's now reached the Lite Finals for a third consecutive time with different teams - with a win still avoiding him. Both teams at this point are highly deserving Finalists and without a doubt the most skilled in the division at the moment. We could end up seeing a bit of a battle between styles, where Mustaa Kultaa could benefit from keeping the tempo up more, while Supernatural and their more experienced core would want to control the game more. I'd give the benefit to Supernatural due to their extensive experience. Prediction: Supernatural in 7.

After a hard fought competitive season with a renewed format for the NHL 23 World Championships a Champion has been crowned at the Finals event in Nashville, Tennessee. From the NHL All-Star Open and the European Chel Showdown to the Finals of the NHL 23 World Championships in Nashville, Tennessee, it's been a season like never before in the NHL esports scene and players have had lots of action throughout the lifecycle of the game. It was a toasty weekend in Music City, where the top four NHL 23 gamers in the world had gathered to battle for the World Championship for the first time since the pandemic put the world in restriction mode. Samuel @Canadiens 27 Landry (Cadcooks) from Sainte-Julie, Quebec and Joseph @Jos x 10 Olmstead from Troy, Michigan made their way to the Finals as the North American Champion and Runner-up respectively, whereas Erik @Eki Tammenpää from Helsinki, Finland and Teemu @temppanen Karvonen from Oulu, Finland caught a flight over to Nashville with corresponding titles on the European side of things. This season, the format of the Grand Finals was also improved based on player feedback and the event kicked off with a round robin, where all four players went up against each other. From the round robin, the #1 seeded player would clinch a direct spot in the Final and the #2 and #3 would go up against each others in a Semifinals matchup, with both of the latter being best-of-threes. After the initial round robin, Eki had managed to go 3-0 and thus clinch his spot in the Finals, whereas Jos and Temppanen were set to clash in the Semifinals. Cadcooks did not get his game going in the round robin and ended up being the odd man out. The Semifinals series between Jos and Temppanen was a wild show, where it was evident that the youngster, who made the trip by car from Michigan with his brother and good friend, started warming up. Jos really got in the groove and started converting on some of the plays he had been looking for earlier, and it seemed like Temppanen couldn't stop him - with that came a 2-0 Semifinals win and a spot to face Eki in the Finals. The Finals were seemingly more of the Jos show, where he caught fire early and grabbed a commanding lead of the first game, only to have Eki claw his way right back. While game 1 was fireworks all along between the young new talent and the one-time World Champion, game 2 was more of a defensive battle, where both gamers had their chances, but neither could find a way to convert quite like before. Eventually the Finals ended in a 2-0 sweep for Jos and with that - a new Champion was crowned. Fresh after his Championship clinching win, Jos also provided a legendary quote showcasing just how confident he was going into the Finals: "To be honest, when I came here, I expected this. I'm happy to get it done and happy to have all my buddies around. Hats off to Eki, one of the best players in the world for a reason" SportsGamer would like to congratulate Joseph @Jos x 10 Olmstead on this incredible feat!

SportsGamers, At the end of an impressive Playoffs run and a hard fought Finals series against big brother Golden Nights, we are able to crown Polski Boys the ECL '23 Spring Pro Champions! Polski Boys took the community by storm earlier in the year and were self-proclaimed Champions before the season had even started - rarely do we see teams actually deliver on their promises like that! With their Championship, not only does Polski Boys secure the largest share of the 5500€ prize pool, but also manage to gain promotion to the European Top 16 for their ECL '24 Winter campaign. Polski Boys' road to the championship: #3 seed from Group 2 with the record 22-7-1 Round 1: vs Prestige (6) 4-2 Quarterfinals: vs Renascor (6) 4-0 Semifinals: vs Luleå Hockey (1) 4-3 Finals: vs Golden Nights (4) 4-1 The winning roster: GOALTENDERS #35 @Miettinen14 #62 @Kирилл (W1nchester_62) DEFENSEMEN #13 @kungenkurwa #44 @vote_10 (A) FORWARDS #4 @punt1la98 #22 @Brockela22 (C) #97 @h3rmu__ #98 @xSaski_ (A) On behalf of the entire SportsGamer community, we congratulate the Champions and extend a warm thank you to all participants!

SportsGamers, Early into the new week, we'll be bringing you the ECL '23 Spring Pro Finals with broadcasted matchups today and tomorrow. The two finalists are Golden Nights and Polski Boys, who will be going at it in a heated rivalry battle, which was already extensively previewed by Polski's social media admin in a highly biased Twitter thread. Tune in for all the action on the SportsGamer Twitch channel!   Golden Nights  (4) vs Polski Boys  (5) A highly anticipated rivalry. These two already clashed in the last matchup of the regular season in what can now be seen as a prelude to this Finals series. Back then, the wins were split, but Golden Nights walked away with a point more, eventually awarding them the higher seed and the home advantage in this Finals series. It's been about a month since those clashed, but we are still expecting to see very similar games - a hard fought battle where both teams should have the opportunity to employ their respective gameplans.  On Golden Nights' side, we know they'll rely heavily on defenseman @Mikka to kickstart their offense. Together with @jm98II, he forms the link on the left flank that will be key for the success of their team in the Finals. Both players are in great form and are among the leagues top scorers on their positions, Mikka in fact leads all defensemen. Golden Nights have been outstanding on the powerplay in the Playoffs thus far and are miles ahead of Polski Boys in terms of special teams, so that's one factor to definitely keep an eye on. In terms of playing style, Polski Boys have employed one of the more simple playbooks all season long, but the way they manage to do it in an incredibly effective manner. In the Semifinals, they took down #1 seed Luleå Hockey in a testament of their strength and once again, the opponents weren't able to stop @punt1la98 from forcing a few pucks to the netfront for some easy tap-ins. Polski Boys would benefit more than their opposition from a fast-paced game and could try to take advantage of that. In net, they have the choice to make between two great options. Prediction: Golden Nights in 7.

SportsGamers, Another ECL Elite season was wrapped up at the SportsGamer offices in Espoo over the weekend and at the end of a hard fought Finals series, Tunnel Vision emerged as the winners, claiming their second consecutive Championship in their third consecutive Finals appearance. The team is in unstoppable form and finished the clean sweep for the ECL '23 season. Tunnel Vision's road to the championship: #2 seed from with the record 24-3-3 Quarterfinals: vs JYP Jyväskylä (7) 4-3 Semifinals: vs hREDS (3) 4-3 Finals: vs Frölunda HC (1) 4-1 The winning roster: GOALTENDERS #7 Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen #86 Oskari @SibeIius Grönroos DEFENSEMEN #24 Veeti @Wenger Paloneva #65 Tomi @tombo_02 Laitinen FORWARDS #9 Arttu @laitineen64 Laitinen #37 Valtteri @Vattuyy Virtanen #67 Aleksi @MozjaTG Kähkönen

SportsGamers, An exhausting ECL '23 Spring 1v1 season has come to it's close last night and with that, it's time for several players to start their summer holidays. We had an incredible Finals event at the SportsGamer offices, where the top four European players battled it out for ultimate glory. Eventually one managed to rise above the others, and this time it was Väinö @Pikkardz Pikkarainen, who caught fire and was in a class of his own throughout the Finals evening. Pikkarii's road to the Championship: Group stage: 11-0-0 (#2 seed into the Playoffs) Round 1: vs @Danyyy452 2-0 Round 2: vs @J-_-Jamaltheman 2-0 Top 16 Group stage: 2-1-0 (#5 seed into the Playoffs) Quarterfinals: vs @sisu33_ 2-1 Semifinals: vs @Artuzio 2-0 Finals: vs @dzouvi 2-0 SportsGamer congratulates the new Champion and extends a warm thank you to all participants!

SportsGamers, Get ready for an electrifying showdown as two NHL esports powerhouses collide once again in the highly anticipated ECL '23 Spring Elite Finals. The stage is set for an epic rematch between Tunnel Vision and Frölunda HC, reigniting the intense rivalry that captivated fans during their thrilling Winter season Finals series. Brace yourself for a rollercoaster of emotions, jaw-dropping plays, and nail-biting moments as these elite teams battle it out for supremacy. Follow the ECL '23 Spring Elite Finals live at Twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG on Saturday, June 17th starting 18:00 CEST!   (1)  Frölunda HC vs (2)  Tunnel Vision TOP SCORER (Playoffs) Erik @Eki Tammenpää 12 GP, 8+15=23 vs Arttu @laitineen64 Laitinen 14 GP, 14+5=19 GOALTENDER (Playoffs) Hannes @Hansulinho Kettunen 12 GP, 8 W, 79,12 SV%, 1.58 GAA, 1 SO vs Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen 14 GP, 8 W, 86,21 SV%, 1.71 GAA, 3 SO REGULAR SEASON RECORD 24-3-3 vs 24-4-2   This Weekend, we'll get to witness a rematch from the latest ECL Elite Finals at Assembly Winter, back then Tunnel Vision drew the longer straw and came away with a 4-3 series win to go to the World Finals against Entourage. Earlier this season, the two split wins in two very hard fought battles in which Frölunda HC controlled the pace and centerman Joonas @Patzlaf Paatiala was one of the most dominant players on the ice. In an interesting turn of events, Frölunda will be entering the Finals without their number #1 centerman, though. Their true and tested Finals stand-in Aleksi @loimmu Loimuvirta wil be subbing in on defense and we're expecting to see Tuukka @FlyerKungen Kuha taking over at center. They should've had plenty of time before the Finals to work things over within the team and the rearrangement shouldn't matter all too much in a team of their caliber, but margins are small at the top, and Tunnel Vision will strike at any sign of weakness they can spot.  While Tunnel Vision were far from their best in their Semifinals clash against rivals hREDS, they've now had lots of time to digest the takeaways they've made from that thriller of a series. Their experience from big events pales at the side of Frölunda HC, but Tunnel Vision has a "prove it"-factor after managing to clinch their first ever ECL title in the Winter season but losing out on a World title in a rather disappointing World Finals series. Arttu @laitineen64 Laitinen has managed to continue being their main man on offense, clinching the regular season scoring title for the second time in a row. Tunnel Vision's undeniable strength in this series will be the puck carrying ability of Veeti @Wenger Paloneva and his skill to jump in on the rush to assist his forwards. Coupled with excellent play throughout the season by goaltender Niklas @uhNikke Nieminen, this looks like a tough team to beat at the moment.  Statistically, a glaring difference between these two teams is the amount of shots they are allowing. Naturally the styles of their opponents will matter greatly, but thus far in the Playoffs, Frölunda HC have limited their opponents to less than half of the chances that Tunnel Vision have allowed. Frölunda is also statistically more prone to take shots than their opponents, do with that information what you will but to us these factors suggest that we're going to see a series where Tunnel Vision might be more conservative with their shots, whereas Frölunda HC could end up being the ones to throw more pucks on net, partially forced as a result of their roster rotation ahead of the big games.  Prediction: Tunnel Vision in 6. 

SportsGamers, It is finally time for the highly anticipated ECL '23 Spring Finals Weekend! Get ready for an extraordinary display of skill, strategy, and fierce competition as the top NHL esports players in Europe come together to battle it out for ultimate glory. This two-day extravaganza promises to be an unforgettable experience for all hockey and esports enthusiasts - everything live right at Twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG! Schedule Friday, June 16th ECL '23 Spring 1v1 TOP 4 Finals - Start time 19:00 CEST #1 Teemu @temppanen Karvonen vs #7 Adam @dzouvi Mensik #5 Väinö @Pikkardz Pikkarainen vs #6 Arttu @Artuzio Mustila Saturday, June 17th ECL '23 Spring Elite Finals - Start time 18:00 CEST (1) Frölunda HC vs (2) Tunnel Vision From the jaw-dropping individual skills on Friday to the awe-inspiring team plays on Saturday, you won't miss a single moment of the action from the comfort of your own screen. Join the passionate NHL esports community as we witness the pinnacle of European competition. The stakes are high, and the excitement is palpable as these skilled competitors vie for their share of the combined prize pool of 10500€. So make sure to gather your friends, and prepare for an epic weekend of NHL esports excellence. Join us for the live stream on both days at Twitch.tv/SportsGamerGG!