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Welcome to the North American Championship League - NACL! The North American Championship league is making its long-awaited return and It's time to find out who's the best 6v6 team in North America. There is plenty of reason to get excited for this season of NACL as the same principles seem to apply with NACL as on our European endeavors - great broadcasts, prize pools and the fiercest of competition! We are also excited about our new playoff format, which was well received by the community. Below you will find all the information you need before the tournament. Game mode: 6v6 Console: Xbox One Rules: Download here NACL License: In order to play, the team must purchase the NACL License at $200. Buy the NACL license here. Prize pool: The NACL prize pool will amount to a minimum of $4000*. 1. $2,400 2. $1,200 3-4. $200 *Prize pool is guaranteed at 10+ registered NACL license owners. With the exception of PayPal fees, all of the NACL license costs will be going towards the prize pool. NHLGamer does not take a cut. Schedule & Gamedays: Our schedule will consist of Tuesday and Sunday evenings with our main times being 9-11 pm, however, the "Featured Games" for casting purposes will be from 8-10 pm. Teams will also have the freedom to reschedule games within reason. Every team will face each other in a two-game series alternating home and away. Weekly Broadcasts: One thing NHLGamer takes pride in is our top-notch broadcasts and we aim to have the same standards in the NACL as we do in our European casts. We are looking forward to working with the players to make this possible. The NACL will have a featured stream each week, cast by @Tougie24 and @Cyn. More information to follow. Meet our staff: @APsychicTaco (Support) @DirtyJerrz (Support) @HowtoChel (Support) @Kenu (Admin) @MartindalexC (Writer) @Oohwayy (Support) @TheCreasePolice (League Lead) @WingelsDGC (Writer, Support) *roles are simplified for convenience and aren't limited to the above title Support: While it's totally ok to ask for help on Discord and you might get a quicker reply from fellow community members to some of the simpler questions, when you actually want to get help with an issue from our staff, please contact support. While sending PM's to staff members may be tempting, using our ticketing system is the best way to go. The tentative schedule for what's coming: The sign-ups for the NACL will kick off now and end on March 3rd. The sign-ups are followed by a media week, where everything is set up and we look forward to learning about your team. The season starts on March 10th. The regular season is estimated at 4-6 weeks, followed by BO7 playoffs. The NACL season will begin on March 10th and registrations kick off effective immediately, so please CLICK HERE TO SIGN UP RIGHT NOW! Discord: Our communication with the teams is done through articles on the website and through our Discord server. You can join the NHLGamer Discord server by clicking here. In the NHLGamer Discord, add the NACL Elite role as well as the role for your team to help with league communication. This can be done in the #role-commands-entry channel (see #role-commands-guide for instructions). Last but not least, a very warm welcome to the community! About NHLGamer NHLGamer.com first saw the light of day over a decade ago, somewhere around 2004. What started as a website platform for friends to arrange NHL leagues against each other has since grown exponentially into what is today the largest community for NHL gamers in Europe. In late 2015, NHLGamer launched a new platform for a larger audience by introducing the first-ever European Championship League (ECL) - a league where all the best European NHL gamers create teams and compete against each other in the game mode EASHL (6vs6) for the title of Best EASHL Team in Europe. We took another big step forward by launching the NACL and welcoming North American teams into a league hosted on our site. This launch was also a monumental step in bringing together all the best NHL gamers on one platform. Our new found venture into the North American NHL gaming scene is looking to follow in the footsteps of what we have done with the ECL. While proud of our achievements and the success we've had in creating and maintaining such a great community of talented gamers, we are not done yet. Our long-term goals include growing the community, hosting larger leagues with larger prize pools and working together with organizations at the cutting edge of gaming and esports. Remember to stay up to speed with all our leagues by following our Twitter, Facebook, and Instagram. You can find our broadcasts on our Twitch channel.

Good day NHLGamers, It is time for NHLGamers second edition of ECL action on the NHL 18 iteration of EA SPORTS hockey games: ECL 6. While I am sure most of you can't wait to get going - I know I am - as usual I'd like to start off the official registration post by taking a quick peek in the rearview mirror to remember what came before this sixth championship on the Playstation 4: ECL 1 Amount of teams registered: 50 Format: Four groups of 12-13 teams, 22-24 regular season games, shared playoffs Winner: Nordic Blizzard ECL 2 Amount of teams registered: 48 Format: Eight groups of 6 teams, 10 regular season games, shared playoffs Winner: MUKIMIEHET ECL 3 Amount of teams registered: 47 Format: Two groups of 23-24 teams, 44-46 regular season games, shared playoffs Winner: X Factor ECL 4 Amount of teams registered: 78 Format: Three separate divisions of 16 (Elite), 32 (Pro) & 32 (Lite) teams, 28-30 regular season games, divisional playoffs Winners: Laser HT (Elite), Carlsberg HC (Pro), J P T J (Lite) ECL 5 Amount of teams registered: 96 Format: Three separate divisions of 16 (Elite), 32 (Pro) & 48 (Lite) teams, 30 regular season games (Elite & Pro) - 16-18 (Lite), divisional playoffs Winners: Aapon Taikasauva (Elite), Evolution (Pro), Red Machine (Lite) Registration - ECL 6 Now that we've taken a trip down memory lane and witnessed the evolution of the European Championship League, it is time to get down to brass tacks in terms of ECL 6. It will be our third straight ECL featuring the divisional system implemented at the start of ECL 4. For ECL 6, the divisions will continue on in the same format as they were for ECL 5. This means all three divisions - Elite, Pro and Lite - are coming back, more competitive than ever. If you are completely new to the ECL and are registering for the first time, I suggest you check out this news story, detailing all the basics of ECL in a sort of "who are we and what to we do around here"-type post. So far we have seen the initiative to introduce divisions pay huge dividends and we are constantly seeing more and more teams around Europe discovering what the ECL is all about and what a fun challenge it can be to join. While it is too soon to make any predictions in terms of team registrations, we hope to match our excellent numbers for ECL 5 and perhaps even surpass the 100-team barrier. Which division to register for For both new and returning players and teams, the matter of registrering for the correct division might become a little confusing. At its core, it is quite simple, but we are of course here to explain what you should do. The following statement is taken from the ECL 5 registrations post but has been slightly edited to match the purposes of ECL 6: Framework Regional restrictions: ECL is a European tournament format, however we do not necessarily exclude North American or Russian players. North American players are not allowed to host matches / be captain in the lineup, which means all games need to take place on European servers. This also applies to Russian players - please evaluate your previous connection experience against some of the teams participating in the ECL, especially if you live in eastern parts of your country (which likely connects you to US West servers). In case of severe connection issues, we reserve the right to exclude teams or players. 6 vs. 6 tournament: ECL is played 6 vs. 6 only, using the EASHL challenge game mode in NHL 18. Individual requirements: Each player needs to create an account at NHLGamer.com and create his personal player card. Roster requirements: Teams need to have at least 8 players to sign up. The roster cap is 14 players. Sign-up period: Teams can register from now until February 15th, 23:59 CEST [2018]. ECL 6 Kick-off: ECL 6 is set to start on Februrary 19th. Date may vary between divisions. To be confirmed. Rules: TBA before season start. See ECL 5 rules for reference. Sign-up procedures There will be different ways of signing up to ECL 6 - the procedures are explained in detail in the section below. Generally speaking: New teams that did not participate in ECL 5 at all or teams that were relegated from ECL 5 Pro: Please read the "ECL Lite" paragraph below. Teams that were able to stay in ECL Pro, were relegated from ECL Elite or were promoted from ECL Lite during ECL 5: Please read the "ECL Pro" paragraph below. Teams that were able to stay in ECL Elite or were promoted from ECL Pro during ECL 5: Please read the "ECL Elite" paragraph below. ECL Lite ECL Lite welcomes any and all teams that did not participate in ECL 5 as well as the teams that were relegated from ECL Pro during ECL 5. As last season, there will be no limit to the amount of registrations! We will flexibly adjust group sizes to accomodate all teams that are looking to participate. To sign up your team for ECL Lite, we ask the main captain (C) only to go to the ECL Lite registration thread: ECL 6 Lite Registration You will find in-depth instructions on the procedure, including all the necessary details you need to provide - such as team name, abbreviation, EA SPORTS team page and possible name changes. Due to the fact that a few teams from ECL Pro could potentially be folding and/or not want to claim their spot - we also offer teams the opportunity to apply for ECL Pro during this sign-up process. However, ECL Lite quarter-finalists from ECL 5 will take first priority when filling up spots in the Pro division, which means only a few or no spots at all might be available for completely new teams should they apply. When looking at Pro applications, we will choose applicants depending on their player strength and other factors such as in-game 6 vs. 6 leaderboard results, history of ECL success and others. Below is the list of prioritized teams from ECL 5 Lite should there be spots available in Pro: ECL Pro ECL Pro is our second-tier division and will consist of all the teams that were able to stay in ECL Pro, were relegated from ECL Elite or were promoted from ECL Lite during ECL 5. ECL Pro has a fixed size of 32 teams, divided into two groups. All the qualified teams are listed below: To sign up your team for ECL Pro, we ask the team's ECL 6 main captain (C) only to go to the ECL Pro registration thread: ECL 6 Pro Registration You will find in-depth instructions on the procedure, including all the necessary details you need to provide - such as team name, abbreviation, EA SPORTS team page and possible name changes. In case ECL Elite teams are folding, we will automatically ask the best ECL Pro qualifiers from ECL 5 to fill these spots, according to their playoffs progress (criteria #1) and regular season PPG average (criteria #2). You are not required to apply for these spots. However, you are required to confirm your attendance for ECL Pro to be considered for selection. ECL Elite ECL Elite is our top division, housing the very best 16 European teams in a single group. It will consist of all the teams that were able to stay in ECL Elite or were promoted from ECL Pro during ECL 5. All the qualified teams are listed below: To sign up your team for ECL Elite, we ask the team's ECL 6 main captain (C) only to go to the ECL Elite registration thread: ECL 6 Elite Registration You will find in-depth instructions on the procedure, including all the necessary details you need to provide - such as team name, abbreviation, EA SPORTS team page and possible name changes. @The_Alpha_Furyan for NHLGamer.com Facebook (NHLGamer) Twitter (NHLGamerCOM) YouTube (NHLGamer Official) Instagram (NHLGamerOfficial) Twitch (NHLGamerTwitch)

Hey NHL Gamers, First of all, congratulations to X Factor on winning ECL Season 3 in an amazing final effort against the Finnish Roosters! Tomorrow we will post a full season recap, so keep an eye on the news section. Many of you have been asking for ECL Season 4 registrations to open already, and today is the day! We are opening the floodgates for our first ECL Season in the new Divisions format. Not only do we think this is the start of the most exciting chapter in NHL gaming history, we also believe it points towards a very bright future for this community. During the last few days we have received many interesting comments from long time community members, suggesting ECL is undoubtedly heading into the right direction. At the same time, ECL is still as newcomer-friendly as ever - which will always be a top priority for us. Don't hesitate and spread the word on your own team channels, so we can mark another significant growth in participation with ECL Season 4. Many thanks for your continued support! ----- 'Divisions? Dude, what are you talking about?' In case you were hibernating during the last few weeks (it's freaking cold outside, we understand!), please read the latest update on ECL Divisions. ----- 'I see! What else do I need to know?' First of all, there are a few general rules that apply to our ECL branded tournaments: Regional restrictions: ECL is a European tournament format, however we do not necessarily exclude North American players. North American players are not allowed to host matches / be captain in the lineup, which means all games need to take place on European servers. The same rule applies for Russian players: Please evaluate your previous connection experience against some of the teams participating in the ECL, especially if you live in eastern parts of your country (which likely connects you to US West servers). In case of severe connection issues, we reserve the right to exclude teams or players. ECL is a 6 vs. 6 tournament building upon the EASHL mode in the latest EA SPORTS NHL iteration, NHL 17. Each player needs to sign up with NHLGamer.com and create his personal Player Card. You can find a tutorial video right here in case you experience issues. Teams need to have at least 8 players to sign up. The roster cap is 14 players. Default game days are Monday, Wednesday and Thursday. Registrations are open until 23:59 CET on February 10th / 00:59 EET on February 11th. The tournament will start approximately one week after registrations are closed. ----- 'What about the other tournament & gameplay rules?' The final ruleset will be released shortly ahead of the tournament start. ----- 'How do I register my team?' (PS4 ONLY, see below for Xbox One) If you qualified for ECL Elite during Season 3, please read the 'Signing up for ECL Elite' paragraph below. If you are a new team or did not qualify for ECL Elite during Season 3, you need to decide whether you would like to join ECL Pro or ECL Lite. ECL Pro will accomodate 2x16 teams, while ECL Lite does not have a limit. In case we exceed ECL Pro capacities, we will look at each individual ECL Pro registration and determine, whether you qualify according to several criteria (Players on the team, team history, stats from previous seasons if available, EASHL 6vs6 ranking and stats) compared to the other teams. By signing up for ECL Pro you accept to be moved to ECL Lite in case it is required according to our decision. You are also allowed to sign up for ECL Lite right away. If you wish to participate in ECL Pro, please read the 'Signing up for ECL Pro' paragraph below. If you wish to participate in ECL Lite, please read the 'Signing up for ECL Lite' paragraph below. ----- Signing up for ECL Elite Applies to the following teams only: Aapon Taikasauva, Dynasty, Fat Cats, Finnish Roosters, Laser HT, MUKIMIEHET, Nordic Lightning, Nordic Nightmare, Northern Ascedancy, Northern Stars, Refuse To Lose (to replace Nordic Blizzard), SIKA, Synergy Hockey, TIKI TALK, Written In The Stars, X FACTOR Go to the ECL Elite registration thread and use the registration template below to confirm your participation or withdrawal! Withdrawal posts are final - you immediately give us the permission to nominate another team from Season 3 to fill your spot. Signing up for ECL Pro Go to the ECL Pro registration thread and use the registration template below to sign up. Signing up for ECL Lite Go to the ECL Lite registration thread and use the registration template below to sign up. ----- Registration template Team name: Team Abbreviation: Team Captains (PSN IDs): Captain 1, Assistant Captain 1, Assistant Captain 2 Team Roster (PSN IDs): Player 1 Player 2 Player 3 Player 4 Player 5 Player 6 Player 7 Player 8 ... (Optional: Add a team logo if this is the first time your team participates in a tournament on NHLGamer.com, or if you simply wish to change it.) ----- 'How do I participate with my Xbox One team?' At this time, there will be no division format on Xbox for ECL Season 4. However, Xbox players are very welcome to start their NHLGamer career in a regular tournament, and you can sign up in this thread. Please use the registration template above and add your Xbox Live IDs instead of PSN IDs. ----- For now, that's all you need to know. Get those sign-ups in, and in case of any questions, please use the comments below! NHLGamer.com

Hey NHL Gamers! Today marks one of those very special days in the short history of the website we have all been waiting for. In the past few weeks - alongside the ECL 4 Playoffs and our coverage of the IS Cup - interesting and highly promising connections have come together. Thanks to our Staff member Hampus (@The_Alpha_Furyan), who acted as the leading negotiator throughout this process, we are finally able to reveal the first official sponsorship for NHLGamer.com: Summer Cup Season 2, Presented by Webhallen! We could not be more proud of this partnership with one of the leading retailers for consumer electronics, hardware and software in Sweden - running a total of 26 stores scattered across the country. We believe this partner is a perfect match for a populated and innovative eSports platform like NHLGamer. Webhallen can be found here: Online Shop Facebook Twitter Instagram Youtube Twitch THE DEAL Webhallen will be accompanying us throughout the duration of Summer Cup Season 2, leading up to the announcement of NHL 18 during E3 in Los Angeles which takes place on June 13-15. While everyone is going to be excited about EA SPORTS NHL 18 feature announcements, trailers and other types of content; Webhallen will act as NHLGamer's recommended retail source for purchasing the game, due to release in September 2017 (estimate). Finally, to honor the best Summer Cup Season 2 teams, Webhallen will be offering the following prizes for Summer Cup Season 2: Summer Cup winners receive one physical copy of NHL 18 (PS4) per player, arriving at launch Members of the 2nd place team receive runner-up prizes, which are to be announced in due time OUTLOOK Last year around 150 players took part in this draft-type league, which was aimed at experienced players as well as community greenhorns. The stated goal of the tournament was to improve networking between our players and to open up ways for prospects to make their way into EASHL's best teams out there. This is the same promise we are going to deliver on with Season 2, only even better. Based on this, there will be a few tweaks to the following aspects of Summer Cup: Team building: No more than 2 players from a single ECL 4 team are allowed to play in the same Summer Cup team. This rule applies to the final rosters, after transfers and free agents. Team names: Due to our new API reporting tool, the Summer Cup will be played in dedicated EASHL teams which will have "NG" as a prefix - for example "NG Golden Knights". Sign-ups: To rule out unfortunate circumstances when it comes to player positioning, holidays and other aspects, the sign-ups will follow a clearer structure, allowing captains to recognize fitting players more easily. Draft procedure: We are working on improving our draft pick tool and simplifying communication towards and between team captains to reduce idling, allowing us to increase the speed in which draft picks are made. LEAGUE DETAILS Summer Cup Season 2 will take place on PS4 - if you are looking for Xbox action, we would love to see your team sign up for Xbox ECL! Last day to sign up is Wednesday, May 24th. Players instead of teams sign up using the registration tool linked at the bottom of the post. All signed up players are aimed to be seeded into teams with a size of 10 players (may vary). Out of all registrations, NHL Gamer Staff will elect an according number of team captains from the players that offered to take on a captaincy rule in their sign-up post - anyone is allowed to apply for it. Team captains will receive a draft sheet on May 26th, containing all signed up players and relevant information in a structured form. Team captains will be taking part in a live draft event on May 28th, picking their roster until all players are seeded. All games are played 6vs6 using dedicated EASHL teams. The leagues are set to start on the week of May 29th and aimed to be finished in July. Full rules will be released after registration is over. HOW TO PARTICIPATE To participate, make sure you are logged in or create an account first, visit the sign-up page and fill in all fields of the registration form like below - make sure the player positions in your Player Card are up-to-date so captains know who they are drafting! You can update your Player Card on the "Edit Player" page. Sign-up page: Click here! That's all you need to do... sounds easy eh? Let's take this opportunity - together with our new partner Webhallen - to finish NHL 17 with a bang: Sending shockwaves through the community and setting up NHLGamer.com's ambitious goals for NHL 18. @gzell60 for NHLGamer.com