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NHLGamers, It's been almost a month since we announced the NACL, and finally we have arrived at the doorstep of the inaugural season of what we hope will be as successful of a ride we've had with the ECL in Europe. The signup phase is over and after a short break in order to get everything set up the time has come to play. For NACL Pro on Xbox, we have a total of 14 teams participating. Due to all of the teams being new on our site and a majority of NHLGamer staff being EU based, we have very limited knowledge about participating teams so far. For that reason, we reached out to the players and asked each team to submit a prediction of the final standings for NACL Pro. Based on all of these predictions, we've generated a prediction ranking: 1. Epicenter 2. Problematic eSports 3. Code of Conduct 4. Quality Control 5. Heroes 6. Complex 7. GT R 8. Kangaroo Court 9. True North 10. PREDATOR 11. Chaos Esports 12. Chicago Mafia 13. NACL 2nd Battalion HC 14. Fox Squad As we've seen over and over. Predictions don't always mean much when it's all said and done, but we hope that this ranking will give you guys a snapshot into what we can expect from these teams. We're very excited to have so many teams participating in the Pro division and look forward to delivering the high quality league experience NHLGamer is associated with. As it is now, our knowledge of these teams is limited, but as the action takes off and we get to see some games, we'll be able to provide better and more detailed reports and previews about the ups and downs this upcoming season. Let's get the hockey underway! Your NHLGamer Editor, @jahajaha93

Hello NHLGamers! Welcome to our season preview for the ECL 8 Lite Division! We are back with short notice but that didn't seem to slow anyone down as we are very happy to announce that we have 81 (!) teams that will battle for the ultimate goal of Lite championship this season! For ECL 8, we are also happy to announce our new ECL Lite Writing team consisting of @Tonimo92, @Willander97 and @CzE Toni! As you guys surely are aware of the Lite division is a bit tricky to anticipate when new teams that we don't know much about enter the ECL stage. However, we in the ECL Lite Writing Team are very excited to give you guys our opinions and expectations about the teams going into ECL 8 Lite. Without further ado, let us present to you our ECL 8 Lite Season Preview: We have evaluated the expected top 2 teams of each group, additionally we highlight players to watch from each group with the following forma: 2 forwards, 1 defenseman, 1 goaltender. Enjoy! Group 1: Players to watch: FORWARDS Klassikko_, Perttilan Kommandot, ECL 7 Lite stats: 26+22=48 Markogirl87, Elämäm Kiekko, ECL 7 Lite stats: 23+25=48 DEFENSEMAN MrNipsuli-, FarmiNaattori, ECL 7 Elite stats: 2+11=13 GOALTENDER lordjami, FarmiNaattori, ECL 7 Lite SV%: 86.95 Club Savage Club Savage is a team full of ECL veterans lead by @Slash Lander (Teemu_Underdawg). Many of their players possess pro level experience, but most of them seem to have been on a downward trend lately. Forward @Jusa had 29 points last season in Pro division and is expected to be a dominant force in Lite. Ig Club Savage can get back to their old form, they will surely strive in Lite. Elämäm Kiekko Elämäm Kiekko lost some major core players such as @Ankkalasvegas, @Valmuri, @Samzoni and @Tonezki-_-89, who all moved over to a club that makes it's comeback - Old Farts. Despite all that, Elämäm Kiekko is a good virtual hockey team since they have acquired players that will help them - one of them being @AzByCxx who scored 38 points in ECL 6 pro for OG Royals, so there is some evident skill in his game. If championships were won by the team that has the best social media , Elämäm Kiekko would dominate the field. Group 2: Players to watch: FORWARDS Ankkalasvegas, Old Farts, ECL 7 Lite stats: 22+29=51 apetttaja, Old Farts, ECL 7 Lite stats: 23+25=48 DEFENSEMAN Nonnipojke, Suomen Sonnit, ECL 7 Lite stats: 2+18=20 GOALTENDER kuglach, Atomic Hamsters HC, ECL 7 Lite SV%: 80,00 Old Farts Old Farts is making a comeback. @Ankkalasvegas is leading the team to fight for a spot in the Pro division, where they played in ECL 6. The duo of captain Ankka and winger @apettaja is expected to be one of the highest scoring pars in Lite this season. Several Old Farts players represented Elämäm Kiekko last season, and it is interesting to see what happens if they face each other in the playoffs. Suomen Sonnit Suomen Sonnit won their group in ECL 6 and finished third in their group in ECL 7, it should be almost a certainty that they will be at the top of their group again. Two times in a row the team that beat them in the playoffs has advanced to pro. Suomen Sonnit has a core that has played together a for a long time. Group 3: Players to watch: FORWARDS JaromirSniper68, Dynamic, ECL 6 Elite stats: 11+15=26 (Played only two games in ECL 7) rrr41rrr, Blackdawgs, ECL 7 Lite stats: 24+20=44 DEFENSEMAN Tonimo92, Kaukosen Luistin, ECL 7 Lite stats: 2+14=16 GOALTENDER Randomjanne, Dynamic, ECL 7 Lite SV%: 80,95 Dynamic A team with this many individual skilled players will go far in Lite. Take @Basstian23(JaromirSniper68) for example. A player of his caliber should nothing less than dominate this league in points and Dynamic should be at the top of the table by the end of the season. Vesa Pompa HC Vesa Pompa HC should be considered Lehmannen Badboyz 2.0. The roster is the very same as for ECL 7 for the most part. Last season they lost to the eventual champions The Black Jacks in the second round but it was in overtime of game seven. The team had a decent regular season but if they can play at the same level in the next playoffs, they will surprise many. The biggest question mark is their new untested goaltender @peppeztvshow. Group 4: Players to watch: FORWARDS Jerax13, Dystopia, ECL 7 Lite stats: 27+30=57 Willander97, Western Express, ECL 7 Pro stats: 15+25=40 DEFENSEMAN BasiBurminen, Cheers Hockey, ECL 7 Pro stats: 2+9=11 GOALTENDER timpelo303, Dystopia, ECL 7 Lite SV%: 85,33 Finnish Hockey Legends FHL ended the ECL 7 season with a top 4 spot in group 6. With almost the same roster as last season, these guys will keep their chemistry going into this season too. The only change is @suomenstamkos moving away from the goaltender spot. If new goalies @suitsukemestari and @vvesa93 can do their job they are a team to look out for. Me Carvoset A team that has some serious potential to play in the PRO division come ECL 9. @Juanzaar who is the team captain recently left the Xbox family to join our PS Community and he and his linemates have the chemistry to knock big teams out. With solid goaltending from @Roman (McCormick_Kenny) they will be hard to beat. Group 5: Players to watch: FORWARDS Terrorsenkoi91i, N0 Name, ECL 7 Pro stats: 2+5=7 Rullathor1991, Prowlers, ECL 7 Lite stats: 18+42=60 DEFENSEMAN jiipee_40, Poston Fruits, ECL 7 Lite stats: 10+23=33 GOALTENDER Trollstivegen, Mighty French Roosters, ECL 7 Lite SV%: 86,80 N0 Name This recently founded team has a lot of Pro level experience and if they find the chemistry, they could be a cup contender for Lite. Team captain @Isidor1891 (TerrorsenkoI91I) has been a scoring force in the past, but can he find the same touch after not so good last season in Le Coq Sportif? Prowlers Prowlers showed that they are a good team last season when they finished first in group 4 but they didn’t quite have what it takes in the Playoffs losing 4-0 to Infinity in the second round. Now when they have added offensive fire power in @Toobbiiee (Vesterberg89) who scored 10+20 in 15 games for Stayhard Stallions last season I think that they have a good chance in the Playoffs. Group 6: Players to watch: FORWARDS Johtava, The Everblades, ECL 7 Pro stats: 19+12=31 Hbnzo, We Kings, ECL 7 Lite stats: 25+34=59 DEFENSEMAN pelimies80, We Kings, ECL 7 Lite stats: 5+19=24 GOALTENDER D3NK4N95, Korpens Finest, ECL 6 Lite SV%: 89,74 EV Füssen eSports Former Inter Iceland has experienced some major departures since last season most notable being former captain @Gregson91. However they have replaced most departures with other pro level players alike @Daniel huggler (lx_RKO_xl), the winger from Silver Sword Griffins. EV Füssen eSports should be one of the strongest Lite teams in ECL 8. The Everblades The majority of The Everblades players spent last season in Pohjoista Voimaa at the pro level. POH nearly made the playoffs in Pro but now their core players have formed a new team and are going for a fresh start in Lite. Their defensive style is tough for every team but their offensive production is not guaranteed. If @Johtava can keep the scoring touch he had last season in Pro, they can be a cup contender. It'll certainly be yet another exciting season with more participants than ever! We answered your call of getting more games to ECL Lite and hopefully this time around we're bringing you the best season yet. As we now also have a designated ECL Lite Writing Team, you will receive better Lite articles and more content regarding the division in general. See you on the ice! ECL Lite Writing Team, @Tonimo92, @Willander97 and @CzE Toni

Hello and welcome everyone! Let's start off by saying that we are both really happy to see so many new teams and it's also great to see a bunch of older teams sticking together! Not too many seasons ago we used to have one big league with teams from all skill ranges. This resulted in some games ending 20-0 and it was not fun for the less skilled or new teams. Divisions were created to give you some good matches with even teams, as well as building sustainability to the whole league and it has been a great success as we now have over 60 teams participating in the Lite division and over 100 teams in the whole league. It's great to have you all here, potentially fighting for that Pro promotion and eventually trying to reach the Elite division and win the grand prize. For other teams, the goal might be to do well in Lite and whatever your goals are, we hope you have a good and fun season with us this season. We will have best coverage of any season so far with streams, hot/cold mid-season reports and many other news stories coming up. There's also a dedicated staff members this season for each division and for the ECL Lite it's @miisolegend, @Mannheimer1938, @ramseyy2 and @Snapster. The official ways to contact your League Administration and get your cases solved as easily as possible are: - For all cases that needs to be solved you can open a ticket in the league administration section here. - If you make a mistake in the match report you must report it at the match report section. Failure to report match report mistakes might lead to disciplinary actions. Please refrain from sending private messages as a way to reach the staff whenever you can use the above mentioned Helpdesk, as we are putting our efforts into handling your messages as a team effort. Moving on to the Lite preview. There are so many new teams that there's bound to be lots of surprises along the way so if you are not mentioned in the preview, please surprise us and put your teams name on the map during the season and prove us wrong! Here are @miisolegend's top predicted teams in every Group: Group 1: Ghetto Firebirds Former ECL Pro team Ghetto firebirds are back in Lite but are hungry to get back to Pro and prove they are worthy of the spot. Last season didn't really go as planned but I think this firebird will rise from the ashes and show that they still have the fire in them. Section K is a good runner up in this division but I still think that GF will rise on top with their good roster package and gained experience in the previous seasons. Player to watch: Vilze92 Group 2: Freddie Mercury Institute This team beats Pro teams consistently and has won pretty much every Lite team they have faced in recent games. When we (Korpens Finest) have played against FMI it has always been tight games because of their solid defense and skilled forwards. Definitely a team to watch out for! Player to Watch: Kickingapollo Group 3: Style Two time OEHL champion (5vs5 scene) Swedish team Style plays aggressive hockey along with a good tight trap and they have that skill to make those 2 on 1 situations count. In my opinion Style will be one of the top contenders for a Pro promotion. Player to watch: Panarinz Group 4: Bare Knuckles Hockey This group was very hard to predict in terms of which team is going to go to the playoffs but there's one that stands out on top. I'd put my money on Bare Knuckles Hockey. Solid team with many seasons of experience in the ECL. If they can keep their game together they will definitely stand on top of this group Player to watch: GoDe45- Group 5: Cowabunga Hockey This group seems to be the toughest on paper, having teams such as Saucer Hockey Ab and Soldiers of Odins in addition to Cowabunga Hockey. Cowabunga Hockey has been crushing some of the Lite teams like cockroaches and has beaten Pro teams and Elite teams alike during the off-season. Cowabunga is probably the number one contender for Pro. Offensively this is a really skilled team and they have one of the best, if not the best goalie in Lite. Player to watch: sokkelo__ Group 6: Suomen Sonnit This was also a hard group to predict with several skilled teams like HokiDogit and Finnish Hockey Legends, but I'm gonna predict Suomen Sonnit coming out on top here. We (Korpens Finest) have faced this team many times and they are good at playing high pressure hockey, leaving little to no room for your defenders to clear the puck. Easy plays by defenders and great goaltending on top of that and we can expect a good result. Pro team in ECL 7? Remains to be seen. Player to watch: tseikei Underdogs/Teams to watch 1. Saucer Hockey Ab (Group 5) 2. The Black Jacks (Group 3) 3. EaLogic (Group 5) 4. Korpens Finest (Group 3) 5. Roistot (Group 2) 6. Club de Caballeros (Group 3) Feel free to comment and give your own opinion on the the subject in the comments section. Thanks for reading and good luck to everyone in the following season. Let the games begin! Best Regards! @miisolegend

Hello Gamers! It's that time of the year again that we are proud to present you the preview of the upcoming Elite season and more importantly it's time to start playing ECL again! We are going to have the best coverage of any season so far with not yet published additional content on the way to make the season even more exciting. A slightly slower pace this season will ensure that the pinnacle of ECL will be the ECL Elite finals that will be played 25.4-3.5. The off-season has probably been busier than ever with some teams breaking apart, high profile players such as @Erkki, @Joonas Paatiala and @mikaasi forming a new team Filadelphia, that will be playing in the Pro division for next season and there has been lots of trades and struggles in the other Elite teams as well. Silver Sword Griffins having some degree of overhaul in their team and so on. There's also quite a bunch of teams being promoted from Pro: Evolution, Unlucky boys HC, Pata Hellalla, Falun Coal Miners and in addition to these four, also Nordic Stars and Gotham Knights are being promoted due to Aapon Taikasauva and Mukimiehet falling apart. ECL Elite will work, as usual, with 16 teams and all battling for the top 8 playoffs spots, #9-12 being safe, #13-14 will face the Pro semifinal losers and positions #15-16 will be relegated straight away. As a reminder, the rules have had some modifications, so be sure to check those out as well. "I did not know" is not going to get you off the hook. Rather than doing a preview of just a few top teams, we decided to go trough each and every one of the Elite teams. There's no "players to watch" this time, as I think this extensive preview gives you most of the answers. With the bigger staff we have been able to do more and @chavelski has done small interviews with all of the captains for our reading pleasure. @nylanderi,@ICappeI, @SepiDN, @Crisu_rottis, @The_Alpha_Furyan and @pnordetun have made us previews of all of the Elite teams. So without further ado, here are the captains' thoughts and previews. Let's start with our prediction of the standings after the regular season: Carlsberg HC Without a doubt the best team at the moment. After they got rid of their captain @Joonas Paatiala and star winger @Joukki, they acquired one of the best centers in the game, two time ECL champion @Penatski. Is this the season they can hoist the cup? For sure they have all the right players to do it. After reigning champion Aapon Taikasauva disbanded, they only have a couple capable contenders in their way. Taking a closer look at their team, no team should be able to match their offense. The best playmaker in the game (when he wants to) @Penatski, one of the most dangerous snipers in the game @Vilupoika, and the two-way workhorse @Tuukka.R. Also, the best players in their positions, defensive duo @Janzuh and @vatalisti who can provide depth in the goal-scoring if the other teams defense can stop their forwards. If we take a look at Carlsberg's potential weaknesses, could it be a problem that both of their defenseman are so offensive-minded? What about their goalie duo? @Zande95 and @FinKonna are known for not shining the brightest in tight situations. Can the older players of the team calm down the younger players if the things get tough? vatalisti What are your expectations going into ECL 6? To have a tight season and my personal expectation is to make it into playoffs with Car. What is the difference in your team this season compared to ECL 5? We got lucky to add a 2x champion Penatski to our roster, who brings a lot of skill and hunger. which hopefully helps us go far in ECL 6. Top 3 teams this season? Written In The Stars, Northern Ascendancy Dynasty Guess who's back? Well, @Buantso is. Because of that, we're pretty sure Dynasty is as well. In ECL 4, Puantso and TehhAhola formed a deadly duo causing all sorts of problems for everyone. If Dynasty wants to make it back to the finals and possibly even lift the cup, what do they need to do? They somehow need to get Puantso motivated, because he truly is the best left winger in the game. If they cant do it, they can't make it too far. Dynasty also added @DieCutterMC, who is a solid addition to their defense. He and @Snapster might not be the flashiest partnership in the back, but they surely can handle their own in the defensive zone. DieCutterMC does not contribute with offense, but we all know that Snapu48 does have some tricks in his sleeve, mainly Kyle Turris dekes. They also don't need to worry about the goalie situation, since @Sandr0hh is one of the better goalies in the game. Snapster What are your expectations going into ECL 6? Championship What is the difference in your team this season compared to ECL 5? We had a couple players leaving but also a couple players who returned from ECL 4. So to answer your question, we have pretty much the same team as we had in ECL 4 and we did pretty good that season. Top 3 teams this season? I'm assuming you don't want us to name our own teams so here's my top3: Carlsberg HC, Written In The Stars, SJK eSports Evolution This team was labeled as the black horse in ECL Pro last season and that's what they were. They ended up winning Pro in ECL 5 and their offense includes @Jageksi and @topikeranen just like last season, however they lost @Erkki which is a huge loss for Evolution. He was one of the main reasons why they won Pro in the tight final games. With the addition of @SadaPoika to the roster, Evolution is going to be really interesting to watch. SadaPoika knows how to produce points. In addition to him, @Pair4You and @Juizki joined the team as well to keep their roster at a healthy size. This team can surprise many this season and if they get everything together it would not surprise us to see them in the playoffs. Crisu_rottis What are your expectations going into ECL 6? We are gonna push hard for playoff spot, and of course you can always dream about winning the title, but we're taking it one step at a time. Holding the Elite spot is an okay season while getting a playoff spot being a great one. We need to be awake in every single game from the start to the end if we want to succeed. What is the difference in your team this season compared to ECL 5? Eki leaving and SadaPoika coming in, this kid has got some talent I tell you. He's the best bet for the player that is going to be the most important for us. Top 3 teams this season? SJK eSports, Carlsberg HC and Dynasty Falun Coal Miners Promoted to Elite following a great campaign in ECL 5, Falun Coal Miners are no strangers to getting their hands dirty at work. It’s in the Coal Miners DNA to dig deep and go where not many a man wants to go in order to get the job done, surely one of traits they are going to take advantage of this season. On the ice FCM is showing off their grit and hard work mixed with the soft hands you only get after years of cold, dark weekends digging deep in the mines. Falun can put the perfect defense on display with all 6 guys working as a unit covering up for each other to shut down their opponents. On the other end of the rink they can hurt any team if their creative offense is clicking. Now in Elite they need to prove themselves against the best of the best. Led by the Band of Brothers they are as lethal as Easy Company with @The_Alpha_Furyan setting up and pacing the plays and our favourite rockstar idol @LastMandalorian uses his Mike Richards-like center abilities reading the game and creating something beautiful. This first Elite experience for Falun is amazing considering they have had almost the same roster since the very first ECL. These guys really prove consistency and hard work can in fact pay off. Entering ECL 6 they have added a few new faces to strengthen the team, chief among them @IsakTuvesson in net from Lavetten, but also free agent Berger-I88I. @minokin is now in his second season with Falun and has been building some amazing chemistry with @The_Alpha_Furyan at defense. The new season will be really interesting to see if Falun can dig deep enough in order to find that extra boost that will push them to a fight for the playoffs. Either way, they are looking forward to this season to prove that they really belong at the Elite level. The_Alpha_Furyan What are your expectations going into ECL 6? Our expectations with the Falun Coal Miners are primarily that our team quickly adapts to the level of play in Elite. As a newcomer, you don't want to set the bar too high, but at the same time - its not like we're just tourists who are happy to be here. We might not contend for the title, at least not this season, but we do expect to be able to establish ourselves in Elite. If so, we might finally find ourselves on the super secret list of "Elite-level players" that some of the big stars in the community seem to have collected. What is the difference in your team this season compared to ECL 5? There really isn't a difference. We believe in continuity, chemistry and developing our players to enhance their skills. You'll never find us in contention for the big names in Free Agency, but thats fine with us. In the Mines of Falun, we like that homegrown feel to our game. We've added Berger88 for depth and also a terrific goaltender in IFKPEKING2k15 who'll be a nice complement to our long-time G @Onecorner95. Otherwise, its all the same. Four forwards (@PatzyDrake @pentsaa, @iscojr94 & Mando), three defenders (@Meeertz, me & Mino) and the two goalies. Top 3 teams this season? With the amount of transfers this season, this becomes a hard question to answer. If I had to guess, I'd say Written In The Stars, SJK eSports and Northern Stars. All three look really, really strong. Kattiautomaati Experienced Kattiautomaatti will be looking to deliver this time after being left out of the playoffs last season. Their roster is almost unchanged with only @sumppi90 returning to Kattiautomaatti, and @eyebiz leaving to Northern Ascendancy. These guys will have a word to say when talking about real games, don't underestimate these guys, they hold a lot of experience & skill in their hands and definitely are not afraid to use it in ECL. Their tight roster with a long history will help them thrive towards the playoff spot, but will it be enough this season? The battle for a playoff spot is going to be so tight that only time will tell, but the worst thing you can do is think that these guys are on the way to the Pro division, because these guys are hungry for glory and happy to prove you wrong. Slaivone What are your expectations going into ECL 6? In ECL 4 Kattiautomaatti got promoted to the Elite division. In ECL 5 we finished 10th in Elite. In ECL 6 our goal is to get into the Elite playoffs. We improved our game a lot during the last season. I believe we have good chances to reach our goal and hopefully get as far in the playoffs as possible. What is the difference in your team this season compared to ECL 5? We have just one player-change in our roster compared to ECL 5. eyebiz wanted to join NOR for next season and we got Isumppi90I back from Sjukstugan. Both defenders are really good so not a big change in the roster. We believe that we can improve our game by playing with the same guys as long as possible and minimizing roster changes. Most of the guys have played together for years. janbonator is our 'new guy' entering his second season with us and I think we are still improving chemistry with janbo all the time. I feel like we are well prepared for next season. Top 3 teams this season? Car, SKY and DYN. Northern Ascendancy: It's gonna be really interesting to see how NOR plays this season, since they've acquired two really good players in Haldeem and MukiMaisteri. Northern Ascendancy is known for their offense, especially their deadly counter-attacks. What was their biggest weakness? Defense for sure, so thats why @Haldeem is such a great player to have. You can rely on him in the defensive zone and he's really good at breakout passes as well. MukiMaisteri on the other hand is a great add to any offense. His playing style might not be perfect match NOR's style of quick passes in the offensive zone, but he can score. Also if NOR wants to make it far, their goalie @poliskontroll needs to step up his game. For sure these guys can score, but the big question mark is whether or not their defense and goalie hold in the tight games? MartindalexC What are your expectations going into ECL 6? Semi finals appearance What is the difference in your team this season compared to ECL 5? A better LW and D core Top 3 teams this season? SJK eSports, Carlsberg, NOS Northern Stars: Last season Northern Stars suprised almost everyone, after eliminating Carlsberg HC and going to game 7 with Aapon Taikasauva. NOS lead the series 3-1 against Aapon, and even had a one-timer hit the post in game 5 OT. So when Aapo came back and won the series, im sure @cHIIMEERa and his squad felt like the season ended in disappointment. But now it is time for a new season and new chance to hoist the cup for one of the more legendary teams in this league. One of the biggest question marks is how much @plee999 can play since we've heard that he has less time for NHL these days. He has formed one of the deadliest duos for many tournaments with @tbnantti, and it worked perfect last season, since rest of NOS is more defensive minded. tbnantti is really important to this team since he is one of the best to break down the opponent's neutral zone trap, and also setup PleeMaker for a deadly one-timer in the offensive zone. They have an experienced duo on the blue line with @Rullstolskalas and @ma0niii. They don't contribute much in the offense, but especially Maonii is one of the best defensive defenders. They also have a great replacement for Plee in @Floor17, who is a beast in every zone of the ice. Watch out for NOS this season, as they are capable of going far and doing great things! cHIIMEERa What are your expectations going into ECL 6? It will be tough of course, but we're well prepared and have the tools we need to go far. You need to have luck on your side in the playoffs and we're hoping to reach further than last tournament of course, but expect to reach the semis at least. What is the difference in your team this season compared to ECL 5? No difference at all really, same lineup. Top 3 teams this season? Written In The Stars, Carlsberg HC, Northern Ascendancy, SJK eSports Pata Hellalla I think everyone agrees, when we say this team 'blew the bank' last season. Who would have thought that a team that is unknown to many and has imago like a newly started Lite team would have made it into Elite? Eliminating teams like Lavetten and Gotham Knights and finally losing to Pro winner Evolution. In order to secure their Elite spot, Pata Hellalla managed to beat TIKI TALK in an incredibly even relegation series that was decided in the second overtime period of game 7. We saw how good their defense was in the playoffs but can their offense get to a next level and keep scoring like they did in Pro? The opponents just get tougher so @kungenkurwa needs to get his team to produce 110% in every game if they want to survive in Elite. kungenkurwa What are your expectations going into ECL 6? I expect a tough season, there are so many good teams and our pre-season was "farssi saatana" (=a farce) cause one guy disappeared after Christmas and came back online maybe 50 days later. Some other guys spent every night in Lonely Lodge and the rest spent a well deserved holiday. But we are confident we can manage to come back and fight for spots where we don't have to play relegation games with Pro teams. Pata is ready like always and fight for the win every game! What is the difference in your team this season compared to ECL 5? This is an easy one. One name: Sebusakari. We're so happy that there is some team which wants him. We're so lucky! Of course this is joke and whole Pata wishes him good luck in this season! Second difference is that we know who is our goalie number one, last season it took almost the whole regular season and three goalies which all failed until we found our number one goalie closer than we thought. It is unbelievable how first timer goalie is better than Sebusakari who had played maybe 500 games in goalie! The third difference is that at the very beginning of last season we knew we are going to get promoted, but now I am sure that almost everybody "knows" we are not going to be champions. Fourth and maybe the funniest thing is that our left defender Carlos "Laraque" Havanna, who never made any mistakes, is now lost all of his limitless confidence even then he is so good in his defensive plays and calm with the puck in every zone on the ice, maybe sometimes too calm. Player to watch out for in Elite: I would not like to name just one guy, there is so many good players in Elite. But if i have to name one I would say an easy one so it's @Dominointi. Top 3 teams this season? Car, SJK, PTH Rusty Blades A team that always seems pretty harmless but still gets those wins one after another. @Supreex is one of the best, if not the best goalie in the whole scene. This guy has been keeping the goal horn from buzzing more than one could wish for. Rusty has always been about simple hockey, has never had the guys with the most elastic hands and this season is no exception to that. Running with pretty much the same roster as last season but with even tighter team play, we will likely see them rise above the playoff line again. @Tanski87 leading the defense with his hard hits and RB's offense doing the hard and tireless work to score those goals. Don't forget @koojiikoojii who's one of the main reasons why their defense works as well as it does. Great defense needs a great center and that is what Koojii is. Rusty is a true representation of the fact that you don’t need the best hands to rise to the top - you just need good teamwork and training! Tanski87 What are your expectations going into ECL 6? Our goal is to be even better as a team than in ECL 5. Position does not matter as long as we are able to give the best possible from us. Championship would be a nice bonus. I do expect a tight battle for playoff spots. There's been a lot of changes in Elite for this season. Many new teams, hungry teams. And some losses in form of well seasoned and highly rated teams. No more last years champion Aapon Taikasauva. No more Mukimiehet, no more Nordic Nightmare. These are saddening losses for ECL. I do expect us to keep our spirit and teamplay as high level as it has been for over two years now. We might not be the most skilled danglers out there, but damn we enjoy being on the ice, playing together, doing our all and chatting while doing it. This is what EASHL is supposed to be. Oh yeah, you guys will see us in the playoffs again. No getting rid of us. What is the difference in your team this season compared to ECL 5? We have not had lot of changes, Epelis being only new recruit. I'd have to say that I believe us to be even harder to score against. And our offensive tools are sharpened. Top 3 teams this season? This is a hard question. I have strong faith in Dynasty this season. Last season was a dissappointment for them, but they will come hard for ECL 6. Carlsberg has been in beast-mode lately, and probably will continue to be. SKY offense is as good as we are used to, but their team defense has seen an improvement. Even thought Dynasty got a special mention I would have to say top three to be Carlsberg HC, Written in the Stars and SJK eSports SJK eSports Last season's runner-up has made bunch of interesting signings in the offseason. They acquired @indi969, @ICappeIand @Ilmari_30from last seasons winner Aapon Taikasauva. Indi969 and Ilmari30 will add needed skill and passing ability to SJK's game. Compared to last season, SJK has bunch of new weapons to break opponents down. Their neutral-zone trap is also one of the best, and they are really good at defending in their zone aswell. Addition of Ilmari30 is huge for SJK since breakout passes are one of his strengths. In the previous seasons, SJKs defenders have a hard time sometimes breaking the puck out, so it will be easier for Dominointi to play as well when he does not have to take care of breakouts himself that much. Indi969 is also a great two-way forward who has a high hockey IQ and he finds open space in the ice. Goaltending was in no way SJK's problem last season, but now there's even less reason to worry since they have ICappeI between the pipes. SJK is a team who is really good in every zone of the ice, so expect them to be Carlsberg's number one challenger this season. If their offense can create good chemistry, they will be really good, as they can't just rely on low shots from the point and throwing passes in front of the net. Against these top-level teams they need to create good quality chances and quickly adapt their game if their normal game plan is not working. Dominointi What are your expectations going into ECL 6? Playoff spot as always What is the difference in your team this season compared to ECL 5? It is the same team with different type of players. OUT: @hooneli& @esajorma IN: @Lauri, @ICappeI, @Ilmari_30 and @indi969 Top 3 teams this season? Dynasty, Written In The Stars, Carlsberg HC Silver Sword Griffins Remember Nordic Lighting last season? The team that had many players from different teams and it barely had a team assembled before the start of the season? Well that seems similar to SSG this season. They have some veteran players but it feels like a mix of everything. They will struggle at the start of the season but if @xLVxRitchey can keep his guys motivated and if they keep training and building that synergy they might be able to keep the team in Elite but it definitely won't be an easy season for SSG, as they have lost a chunk of their players in the off-season. xLVxRitchey What are your expectations going into ECL 6? Plan is try to stay in Elite but if we get spot in playoffs it will be good bonus main thing is to have fun What is the difference in your team this season compared to ECL 5? Lot of new players maybe thats good or maybe bad will see. Top 3 teams this season? Written In The Stars, SJK eSports, Dynasty Sjukstugan As per usual, 112 Sjukstugan has experienced a bit of a roster turnover in between ECL seasons. The foundation of @pnordetun, @Bjono and @Gustafsson7 remains though and as long as that core trio remains intact - you can be sure Sjukstugan will remain competitive. Key additions to the roster feature highly skilled, former Synergy leading scorer @Norpee and up-and-coming goaltender @Hullued, who looks poised to evolve into a premiere Elite goaltender. What makes Sjukstugan stand out is their unreal chemistry. The "112 Bros" Pato and Bjono know each other on the ice so well, it is almost like they know what the other one is thinking. One of the more skilled Swedish teams at cycling the puck around the offensive zone, they can strike at the net from anywhere, at any time. Long known for their motto of "grind and score", this classic Swedish franchise will be sure to fight tooth and nail for every single point! Bjono What are your expectations going into ECL 6? We want to play in the playoff and during the road towards that get our game to the level we want, because we know it has been struggling lately. What is the difference in your team this season compared to ECL 5? Well, we have made some big changes both after ECL 5 and before ECL 6. We are only 3 guys on the team from last season: @Pippo, Patovic & Bjono. Top 3 teams this season? 1) Written In The Stars 2) SJK eSports 3) Carlsberg HC Unlucky Boys HC They are skilled young guys with a hunger for more. They finished 2nd in Pro last season and they lost only by inches to Evolution. I would label them as the black horse of Elite - not for the win, but for a playoff spot. @Anhel is the heart of this team and this guy needs to keep the strings in his hands. They lost @sweatyfathoe99 but they still got their core roster pretty much the same as last season. @Jugeh_ is their LD who is a very skilled offensive-minded defender that nets some points and has the potential to surprise in the offensive zone, and that's what they need if they want to advance to the top 8. @Danielcadabra is a great addition to their goaltending and he should be, as they lost @eissi83 to Written In The Stars. Anhel_Kuru What are your expectations going into ECL 6? I think we are a an underdog team. Our goal is to fight for the last playoff spots. Also we want to grow as a team. I think that we are capable of making our goals. I do anticipate that the season will contain ups and downs. Either way, I have faith in our team. What is the difference in your team this season compared to ECL 5? We got Danielcadabra and @RamboViking88 to fill the void made by Eissi and @Petihino1 in the goalie department and we lost @Ilmari_30 and Sweatyfathoe99 as well. We gained @Frilander in return. Top 3 teams this season? Written In The Stars, Carlsberg HC, Northern Ascendancy Written In The Stars A team that is in the top 3 in almost every team's prediction. They have one of the best defenders in Elite with @jtorro1233 on the blue line. You can pair him up with either @Totalii or @JOHTAJAVIRTANEN. One of the question marks with SKY is their other defensemen. Totalii can sometimes have a hard time dealing with high pressure, which can occasionally lead to dangerous turnovers. We will see if they let Johtajavirtanen have a go at proving his place amongst the Elite defenders. Their offense is good with @Joukki, @ADETIKKI and @FlyerKungen but it can be a little too predictable at times. Their biggest question mark is their goaltending situation. Can Januri98 and @eissi83 step up when it matters the most? Jtorro1233 can take their game to another level, but we will see how he handles the pressure. We know that the entire SKY team is really hungry, and they are for sure one of the top challengers for the title. FlyerKungen What are your expectations going into ECL 6? Good question, maybe I'm expecting the toughest battle ever between the last playoff spots in Elite. The season is going to be as tight as usually, so many teams with solid rosters and it's really hard to say who's gonna make it and who's not. Our goal is to reach the finals and win the last game. What is the difference in your team this season compared to ECL 5? Less Ulla, less penalties, haha. We were forced to make changes after "retirements" and other stuff. Two new goalies, eissi83 & JANURI98, new D-man, jtorro1234 and also LW joukki13 came to SKY. In my opinion, we have the chance to be even better as a team than last season. We have top guys in every position, now we just need to have some fun and play hockey! Top 3 teams this season? This is also hard one. I can't say SKY, it would be too boring. I need to bet here a little bit. Top 3 "toughest opponents": Carlsberg HC is one, very strong team, nuff said. Other two teams are not so easy though, but I need to say SJK eSports - it's never easy to win them. Third one is Dynasty, using runner-up lineup from ECL 4. Their rock solid defence is not a joke... Not sure about Ulla though... Gotham Knights After last seasons disappointing loss in the quarterfinals in the hands of Pata Hellalla, Gotham will be looking to establish themselves as an Elite team after gaining a promotion due to disbanding teams. They have a new goaltender @Serg1vratar for this season, who played in Nordic Lightning last season in Elite. He is pairing up with @Kefleri between the pipes. Gotham lost @Frilander to Unlucky boys, but acquired @Janikka, oh boy that's a good signing to your blue line. They also acquired @sweatyfathoe99from UB - that's two good players from UB for Gotham - so they do have offensive firepower with the power trio of @Nakkertoni, @ReDMisTi and @Hanssonni staying in the offense. While holding on to @jyrkkisand @MKivinen95 they managed to keep the core of the team intact whilst acquiring some new players. Expect these guys to give their all and fight for a playoff spot in the tight midtable in Elite. ReDMisTi What are your expectations going into ECL 6? We don't have much expectations, we just try our best and play a balanced season. Of course the playoff spot would be really nice and it's our goal for season 6 What is the difference in your team this season compared to ECL 5? We are stronger, we play same kind of hockey as last ECL, but after our "main" guys stayed and we got couple really good players more, I'd say we are better for sure Top 3 teams this season? CAR, SKY, NOS Nordic Stars Being up 3-0 thinking you are in the semifinals in pro, but getting defeated 3-4 in the hands of Falun Coal Miners can be disappointing. Not because of the opposing team being Falun, but getting so close must be heartbreaking. Either way, these guys are up and at it again - this time in the Elite division after disbanding teams making way for Nordic Stars. They lost key players such as @FakiiR1, @Devilfish14, @TackleControl, @vilperi90 and Finbarkov after the season, but acquired @Jauho, @entii112, @taemtaem, @Kookasi and @Amigo. Seems like they're on the way to Pro? While there is basicly no bottom teams this season, this team belongs in the lower part in our prediction. The big question here is, can these guys find the synergy that they need to fight in Elite? Expect them to get better round after round, and give their all to keep their spot in the division. Lead by experienced defender @Seahyena they will hold their own in the defensive zone, but can they produce enough in the offense? Excellent goalie @RaNtA will give them a fighting chance game after game to take the points. Seahyena What are your expectations going into ECL 6? We try to make it to the playoffs and i think after re-signing our top goalie Ranta83 we now have all the tools for that. What is the difference in your team this season compared to ECL 5? Big difference. I knew we have a chance to head into Elite and we prepared this team for that. Almost the whole crew have changed and we try now to play more "Elite type" skill hockey than in the Pro div. Much work to find the perfect chemistry with an almost new crew, but i think we're gonna grow closer and closer to that during the season. Top 3 teams this season? Written, SJK and CAR Personally, I have to say that this is the most exciting ECL season yet. The Elite playoff fight will be so intense and there is so many amazing things happening in our community, such as getting new long waited features thanks to @Lurkins, @Hennisch and @Kenu. Best of luck to all of you and see you out on the ice! Let the games begin! ECL Elite lead, @SepiDN

NHLGamers, ECL 6 is already on the roll and lots of changes have happened during the off-season, the buzz has been ramping up in the last few weeks. It’s all part of the game and that’s what keeps us coming back for more. We’re all looking forward to yet another competitive season of virtual hockey, only this time, it will be the most competitive, most well-covered season yet. Mark my words. As teams have scrambled together their squads for the upcoming season, one question still remains: who will falter to the ground, and who will prevail as the victor? The Pro preview for this season will follow the same formula as for ECL 5. I will be highlighting a top 3-list of contenders for each group (teams will be in alphabetical order) as well as three players to watch from each group. This ECL is the first one we are operating with the extended staff and in Pro we will have @Crisu_rottis as the lead, assisted by @Mannheimer1938, @Snapster and Yours Truly. Without further ado, lets get on with the preview: Top 3 contenders in group 1 Baltic Sea Eagles BSE was one of the highest seeding teams going into the playoffs in ECL 5, but fell short in the first round against Evolution. They will surely look to redeem themselves this season. The roster underwent some minor changes during the offseason with G @Mehiiss and defenseman @Prom99leaving for White Trash. They countered by adding established pro players @FakiiR1, @vilperi90 and @otto aaltonen from Nordic Stars. The biggest question mark right now is their goaltending, can new addition pablojardinero step up to the challenge? Click here to see team page Shameful Knights The Knights roster remains close to the same as last season, with the only mentionable loss of goalie @Hullued leaving for Sjukstugan. Much like Baltic Sea Eagles, Shameful Knights have an inexperienced goaltender in @Stilando. This is a stellar chance to show what he is capable of in the crease. The very consistent offensive trio of @Tapparafan - @Migo_boo - @Ollizhki looks to keep on producing and pushing the Knights far into the playoffs, maybe this is the season they make a run for an Elite spot? Click here to see team page White Trash The roster of White Trash experienced something of a cleanse during the off-season as the roster size was reduced greatly. None of the core players left and it seems like White Trash aims to complete the season with a minimal squad rotation. The most notable addition in the off-season was promising goaltender @Mehiiss. It remains to be seen if this established Pro team can take the next step in ECL 6. Click here to see team page Players to watch in group 1 @selänne8, Arctic Playoff round 2 this time? BiggestEight is back, now as the captain of newly established team Arctic. He is surely hoping to click with his teammates and being able to elevate his game to the next level. Is this the season he will develop into an Elite-level scoring player? Click here to see player profile @vilperi90, Baltic Sea Eagles This experienced, high-scoring forward was added to BSE during the off-season after completing a successful push for elite with Nordic Stars in ECL 5. He has been a very consistent point producer during the last three seasons, all with different teams so I would expect Vilperi to elevate the game of BSE to the next level. Click here to see player profile @Stefan_397, Inter Iceland Scoring power for days in this prolific German winger. Can he repeat his Pro scoring title from last season? Click here to see player profile Underdog Monarchs I've heard that the Monarchs have been practicing hard during the off-season. Taking Lavetten's spot they certainly have their work cut out for them in living up to that name. The team is rather inexperienced, but by adding @pajenc before the season start they certainly make up for that a bit. Expect these guys to clinch a playoff spot. Click here to see team page Top 3 contenders in group 2 Alliance HT Alliance dominated the first season of RCL and played a decent ECL 5. In the off-season they lost @MAYZIIX but added @JaikenK, who is definitely one of the most exciting transfers regarding defensemen in Pro. The Russian team is now looking to be a serious contender and push far into the playoffs. Click here to see team page FILADELPHIA FILADELPHIA is yet another super-team, alike Carlsberg from ECL 4. They are a fusion of players from the disbanded Elite teams Aapon Taikasauva and MUKIMIEHET, accompanied by captain @Joonas Paatiala, who is no stranger to pushing one of these super-teams into Elite. Anything but a promotion will be a disappointment. Click here to see team page Synergy Hockey These guys have been playing this game for a long time and after a disaster season which led Synergy to be relegated from Elite last season, they look to make a push back in ECL 6. During the off-season, Synergy merged with DEAD END KINGS. Are they truly stronger in union? To be continued... Click here to see team page Players to watch in group 2 @Chafak, Red Machine Heart and soul of Red Machine. Known for his skills on the versus-side, he had a tough time last year. However, in ECL the season ended in a Lite title with a dominant scoring performance only matched by a few individuals, now also competing at the Pro level. We follow with excitement as he hopes to continue producing in ECL 6. Click here to see player profile @Erkki, FILADELPHIA Come on, is it even fair? This guy was one of the biggest factors in winning the Pro title for Evolution in ECL 5. Eki will look to keep taking face-offs, sniping biscuits and being what he is - an Elite level player, come ECL 6. Click here to see player profile @JaikenK, Alliance HT One of the most reliable two-way defenders in the game. After a difficult season with Sjukstugan in ECL 5, he is hoping to improve this season with the ultimate goal of earning Alliance HT a promotion. Click here to see player profile Underdog Red Machine Last season Lite champions made some minor adjustments to their roster with the most notable addition being @RutonMosse right before the season start. The youngster spent last season on a hiatus, but man does he have natural skill. However, the team lost goaltender and ECL 5 playoff MVP James_Bontage to OG Royals. Click here to see team page Personally, I have to say that this is the most exciting ECL season yet. There is so many amazing things happening in our community right now that this is a time to be grateful, stay hungry and wait with excitement for things to come. I left many good teams out of this preview and I hope those teams will prove me wrong during ECL 6. Best of luck to all of you and see you out on the ice!

NHLGamers, We are proud to introduce our ECL 5 Lite where we will have 49 participating teams. These 49 teams consists of well known franchises from previous ECL season, teams which played 6vs6 games as early as NHL12 and newcomers - so this ECL 5 Lite season holds an interesting mix of teams. This will be our Lite preview and it is based on what I know of these teams so feel free to hit 'Comment' on the article if you agreed or disagreed. Prediction for the Regular Season Top-5 1. Almost Famous In pre-season games this team have shown a tremendous amount of success. They have managed to beat Elite teams left and right. Their heart and soul player is se_ve420 and I believe he will decide if this team goes far or not. Almost Famous is real contender to win Lite, but can they find consistency in their performance in the big games? 2. Face Wash Hockey This might be one of the oldest teams I know of. FWH have true depth in their roster so they can call up anyone on main roster for ECL play. At this point I have got to bring up a few players which are, in my opinion, true legends of the 6v6 scene. Taemtaem, ARSI_69, NorppaAsd, Korkkiruuvi_82 - I bow to your history. It brings back memories of one of the older 6v6 finals between Woodhands vs. Face Wash Hockey. Good times! Question mark here is; can these skilled players shake the rust off their hands and find that group chemistry they were known for back in the day? 3. Deadly Phantoms HC This is another "old-time" team who has regrouped and added more skill to their previous player core of willywonkaa, The_Rayman80, doksdel. On paper, DPC has some really impressive players and when you a player like XxTHENEXTONE87xX its an easy prediction to make that this team will be one of the major contenders for this season. 4. Try Another Hole TAH is a fast-paced team that will tear you apart if you don’t defend against them as a 5-man unit. This team features on of ECL Lites best offensive duos in hegyttaja and ankkalasvegas. Recent addition juntunen88 makes them even stronger, not to mention he is an ex-Infinity player so, what more do I need to say? This team will improve their overall game over the course of the ECL season so be afraid, be very afraid. Furthermore, in my book this team would have been a Pro team, but they decided to stick to Lite which tells you how down to earth these guys are. 5. Breakers Of The Bone I am going to quote one of the best Javelin throwers from Finland here: When the interviewing reporter asked Seppo Räty after the javelin qualifiers in the 1996 Atlanta Olympics: “How could your throw be so successfull when you'd only had one big competition to prepare before these games”? Seppo answered, “... and 20 years.” This quote fits perfectly with this team. They have so much experience from big games and from playing together in older NHL versions. One of the big "inside" questions here is does the Nevala brothers still play or not? Oh and Seppo Räty? He won an Olympic bronze medal in Atlanta. Players to watch 1. CalciChew69, LW – Penalty Box One of the best offensive LW’ers in early years of the 6v6 scene. ‘Calci’ has tons of creativity, tremendous individual skills and is overall very dangerous in the offensive zone. His trademark is to create a scoring change out of nothing. He might lack some physicality, but he can definitely beat you 1-on-1. This is his comeback year in EASHL. 2. Yoloberg, C - Face Wash Hockey Yoloberg is known as a good Versus and HUT player. ‘Yolo’ is a mobile, transitional two-way playmaker who looks poised and reads the game well most of the time. Strong skater who likes to carry the puck on his own and if you give him just glimps of free space and time he’ll punish you. All-in all, a very competitive playmaker who can be relied upon in all situations to make a difference. 3. JaKurrii, C - Red Machine An extremely talented two-way center, JaKurrii has a large dose of hockey sense and soft hands. His technical skills are very good and his trademark is smooth puck handling and ability to find his linemates in tight spots. People might also know him as a successful HUT player. 4. |tokFan|, C - The Beagle Boys Complete two-way center who first and foremost is a true competitor. TokFan always plays like there is 10 seconds left on the clock, he never takes a shift off and works hard to never have a bad game. He plays to win, not for himself, but for the team he captains. He’s also exceptional in the faceoff circle. 5. Lidaas_79, RW – Nordic Nosebleed Dynamic offensive forward who backchecks very hard and understands playing smart and puck-possession hockey. Lida will battle hard on all three zones and shows willingness to do whatever it to takes to get puck to the back in the net. You could call him weak version of ‘Lämsä’. 6. willywonkaa, G – Deadly Phamtom HC This goaltenders track record goes back all the way to NHL12. He might be one of the oldest goaltender in the game but he plays his angles conservatively, moves very well and doesn’t move or play too aggressive. willywonkaa tracks the puck well and doesn’t allow many rebounds. Cornerstone to his team success. 7. Jahajaha93, RD – Almost Famous Having a breakout year in NHL 18 for sure if you look at his pre-season games. Has improved his overall game by a large margin compared to last year. His name doesn’t always flash on the scoreboard, but he does everything well in the defensive zone and can carry the puck if needed. Next JaikenK maybe? 8. Britn1, LD/RD – Elämäm Kiekko Defenseman who has good overall skills. He's a little better defensively than offensively, but has yet to flourish as a two-way defender. The tool box is there but we haven’t seen it transition to the ice fully. Overall a patient player who positions himself well. Doesn’t like to hit, but plays the body enough to consistently steal the puck. Could be his breakout year too! 9. ankkalasvegas, C – Try Another Hole, A true two-way center who will be a Top-10 faceoff guy. Really special guy to have for the penalty killing. Has the complete set: strong physical presence, strong defense, solid skill and his trademark goal, slapshot on the breakaway. Weak side could be that his physical play sometimes leads to him taking too many penalties. Has a real chance to win "Best Player"-trophy for ECL 5 Lite. 10. RutonMosse, RW – Soldiers Of Odens, Still a young prospect who has all the tools to be "the real deal superstar", but have yet to find consistency in his game. He’s very strong with the puck and possesses some creative, quick hands - allowing him to get fancy with the puck on the rush. Could easily be the overall goal scoring winner in this seasons Lite division. Underdogs: Teams to watch 1. Soldiers OF Odens They have a monster offensive upside, but will their skaters work out how to play as a 5-man unit? This team can go to the end if they remember to defend properly. 2. Elämäm Kiekko EMK have kept their original roster and they have clearly improved their game. Nowadays you can’t find many holes in their game. With this squad, consistency will be the biggest issue but I believe these boys are a playoff team for sure. 3. Finnish Hockey Legends FHL has a good grasp of the game and knows how to play the game right way. Really impressive possession game, but lack of experience in tight games could be an issue. Very interesting team! Phew, the more I dig in to teams, the more questions pops up. This has the potential to be a really special season for ECL Lite. We're seeing so many old teams return to the ice who are facing off with all our exciting newcomers. This season will decide if the ‘old timers’ have what it takes for this tight ECL league or if NHL 18 is the game of the "new generation". As I mentioned many times in this preview, consistency will be the key word for many teams this season. Lets enjoy this and keep the game clean, I wish everyone good luck and see you on the ice. Please note: Company of Geeks has sadly decided to withdraw their participation last night at the doorstep of the season. Best regards, @Ranksu for NHLGamer.com Editing: @The_Alpha_Furyan

Greetings, gamers! After a well-deserved breather following last season’s Game 7 thriller, it’s time to rust off your blades, as ECL 5 Elite is set to start with a bang. Twelve teams from ECL 4 Elite, four teams from ECL 4 Pro and only 8 playoff spots to compete for – we are looking at another season of action-packed excitement. The offseason was very busy with major roster shuffle in several teams. However, the balance of power has not seemed to shift that much. As an introduction to the new season, here’s a prediction of how the teams stand, mostly based on personal observations and EASHL performance during the pre-season. The teams are listed alphabetically within their respective categories. The Contenders The reigning champions Laser HT are now known as SJK eSports. Team captain Dominointi, who represents the eSports organization personally as well, is expected to be on full form early on, having continued his successful season with a victorious Summer Cup. SJK goes into the season with no major changes in the lineup – and with a champion status, nothing points out they would not be contenders for the new season. Written In The Stars has been one of the strongest teams in the pre-season. DieCutterMC from Dynasty is a great fit to the team. They will look to repeat their start from last year and only a few have doubts they will succeed at that. A blend of slick moves and unorthodox plays; at times, juggling on the fine line between effective and entertaining. Carlsberg HC is back in the Elite division, to which it undoubtedly belongs. There were two very interesting additions to Carlsberg HC in the form of Vilupoika and KingofApes. With one of the best offensive rosters in the league, this team intends to win the last game of the season and light the lamp on the way through. MUKIMIEHET introduced Pair4You back into the lineup. The core of the team has stuck around together for a while already, and with a well-balanced offensive and defensive style of play, the cup is within the reach of these guys. The Challengers Aapon Taikasauva saw a lot of changes over the summer. In came Nylanderi, Penatski, Puantso, Cappe and ShaneC27. They have all the tools to make it a championship team, but the tournament is short and with so many changes, time is not on their side. With arguably the highest potential of improving their game throughout the season, they probably don’t top the Challenger list only alphabetically. Dynasty was as close as it gets to winning last year, but a lot of roster changes happened over the summer and it will probably take a while to get back the routine level to where it was. To highlight the changes made, the starting roster is expected to feature only 2 skaters who finished the season with the team in ECL 4. Nevertheless, Dynasty is still one of the best defensive teams out there – come playoffs, anything is possible. Northern Ascendancy drained the swamp, being no more known as Unknown. Instead, the team is known for their fast, creative and lethal counter-attacks. One of the best teams in neutral zone transitions, and often catch opponents out of formation. Very strong when given the chance to play with their strengths. Nordic Lightning is one of the teams with most roster changes during the offseason. From the brink of folding the club, Terrorsenko|91| managed to get a squad together. The hard work has only just begun though; most teams in the Elite division have a solid head-start in preparation and Nordic Lightning faces a tough task should they try to clinch a playoff spot. Likely to rely on defensive play and quick rushes up the ice. Nordic Nightmare come into the tournament as a bit of a mystery. The team has been a rare sight during the pre-season, but reports say they’ve been building chemistry over the summer in a whole different genre of games. However, the changes to the lineup weren’t big during the offseason, and they should be on form quickly. Northern Stars was another team to make a big double-signing, when PleeMaker and tbnantti inked their names on a contract. Last season they were a very productive duo, and will be interesting to see how they adapt to the new environment. If they can get everything clicking, Northern Stars has the potential to win the tournament; but as I see it, they are not there yet. Synergy, another long-standing franchise from Sweden, finds themselves in a rather similar spot to past tournaments; ready to challenge any team on the ice, and beat them on a good day. Known for strong cycle plays and utilizing all 5 skaters in all phases of the game, the experience level emanates from the blue-and-yellow uniforms. Missing out on the playoffs would be a disappointment. TIKI TALK starts another season with an under-dog status. Patient defense and success with their stingy counter-attacks, and TIKI TALK is right on their game. Team captain itspardytime has been around for a long time and knows how to rob the points from bigger teams. Nevertheless, a playoff spot is probably out of reach. The Arrivals Kattiautomaatti N/A, author's team. How will Katti do in Elite? Share your thoughts in the comments section! Rusty Blades was eventually rewarded for their strong season in Pro with a last-minute Elite spot for ECL 5. These Finns start the season with a virtually unchanged lineup. They are a strong defensive team with good goaltending, often able to catch out match favorites. Silver Sword Griffins is one of the four new teams in Elite this season, and they’ll be looking to cement their place at the highest tier. SSG has a very balanced lineup, including three winners from the previous Summer Cup. The structure and organization of their game is more developed and rigid than with most other teams. Contending for a playoff spot. Sjukstugan makes their entry into the Elite tier in an uncomfortable position after losing their n. 1 goalie right on the doorstep of the new season. With some additional roster shuffling in the offseason, Sjukstugan could be facing a rocky start with their new campaign. Stories to Follow In a big picture, there are always interesting finer details. There are several new teams ready to leave their mark in Elite, Carlsberg HC even looking at setting a standard on what can be achieved straight after promotion. On an individual player level, there is so much to follow. Here are a few stories that I will be following with interest: 3+2=?: Can tbnantti and PleeMaker continue to be the offensive powerhouse we saw in the past, will the new roster start clicking, and will it make NOS great again? Rusty on both ends: Can Lamsa keep up his goal scoring numbers for the Rusty Blades, now at the highest tier? Can Supreex do the same goaltending-wise in the other end of the ice? The League Sheriff: SadaPoika was an interesting addition by Sjukstugan; not least because he is the only forward in the Elite league to regularly play with an enforcer build. What are looking forward to this season? Do you have a team or a player you will keep an eye on? Who wins, who relegates? Tell us your thoughts! Keep those streams running, and as always, good luck & have fun!

NHLGamers, The time has come for ECL 5 to get started and here is the Preview for the ECL 5 Pro division. This is the second season under the ECL divisional umbrella and Pro this season looks to be even tighter than last season. While there are some very high-skill teams participating this season as well, there aren't any clear-cut favorites the same way a team like Carlsberg HC was for ECL 4 Pro. On the other hand, that should make this regular season a sight to behold. This is taken directly from @gzell60s excellent ECL 5 launch summary: Group 1 AK 47 Alliance HT Bare Knuckles Hockey Black Panther Party Evolution Falun Coal Miners God Tier Gotham Knights Hawks Hockey Club Inter Iceland Lavetten Murohoki Nemesis SIKA Squirt Hockey White Trash Lets begin by taking a look at the teams added to Pro Group 1 by application (marked in bold). 4 out of the 9 teams promoted through application ended up in Group 1. Out of those, Black Panther Party had the strongest original claim due to their Quarterfinal berth in the ECL 4 Lite playoffs. The remaining "application teams" - God Ties, Squirt Hockey & Falun Coal Miners - will have their work cut out for them to qualify for the playoffs among established teams like SIKA, Gotham Knights and White Trash. Speaking of which, both SIKA and Gotham Knights (under the name "Refuse To Lose") both participated in ECL 4 Elite and will be hungry to prove themselves after getting demoted. On the other side of the spectrum, Group 1 also features two teams that made their way up from Lite last season by going far in the playoffs: Lavetten and Hawks Hockey Club. Look for both these teams to finish high in this group as they have continued to develop their team play since that promotion. Finally, you got to keep your eyes open for a team like White Trash who came close to getting promoted to Elite last season. Projected Top 3 from Group 1: 1. SIKA - Never underestimate the Hogs. If anyone is going to turn their trend around and work them back to being an Elite-level team, it is captain and leader vSilenttio. 2. White Trash - Did well in the playoffs in ECL 4 Pro and hasn't lost a step since. With some of the biggest dogs (Carlsberg, Sjukstugan, Kattiautomaatti, Silver Sword Griffins) out of the way, it wouldn't be a surprise to see White Trash evolve into one of the new big dogs of Pro. 3. Gotham Knights - It is time for a bounce-back season from dynamic duo Hanssoni and RedMisTi. After being at the very top of the ladder for many seasons in the predecessor to ECL (the EHL), they haven't quite found their groove in the ECL yet. This season presents an excellent opportunity to do so! Players to watch from Group 1: 1. ZipPlayer & Kaneyh, White Trash - Dynamic duo that has led White Trash in scoring the last two seasons (one each). With White Trash expected to be one of the highest scoring teams in ECL Pro Group 1, the board is set for these two to put up 100+ points each if they play enough games during the season. 2. KattenJansson97, Lavetten - Highly skilled center who handles the puck with ease and supplies highlight reel goals more often than not. Likely to be the leading scorer for up-and-coming Swedish team Lavetten, Katten will have to make sure to stay grounded in his two-way game to handle the rigors of a Pro season. 3. SpiderRoyal, SIKA - One of the most experienced goaltenders in the Group, Spider is a calming presence between the pipes for SIKA. Will be expected to shoulder the majority of the teams games in net and there is no doubt in my mind that this veteran keeper can do it. Underdog - Team to watch from Group 1: 1. Evolution (previously Nocturnal Hunters) - With the late additions of TackleControl and topikeranen to a team that already featured Jageksi as the anchor of the offense, Evolution just jumped to the top of the list as one of the overall most dangerous offensive teams. It would not be a surprise to see this team pull of some crazy performances under captain Crisu_Rottis and end up as one of the top seeds in the playoffs. Look out! Group 2 Baltic Sea Eagles Banterfield Battalion Bellizzi Clowns on Ice DEAD END KINGS EN HUND Free From Rodents GHETTO FIREBIRDS J P T J Nordic Stars Pata Hellalla Shameful Knights Speedy Bros Hockey Sypperstaars THE UNITED KNIGHTS Unlucky Boys HC The teams promoted by application in this group were Banterfield Battalion, Clowns on Ice, EN HUND, Ghetto Firebirds and THE UNITED KNIGHTS. If you see one team name there that stands out, it is most likely THE UNITED KNIGHTS. Besides having their name featured in ALL CAPS, this team has a long and storied history as a top team, dating back even to the PS3 tournaments. Outsides of these five, returning Pro franchises Unlucky Boys HC and Shameful Knight have their eyes fixed on achieving what they barely fell short of last season, making the Elite division. Teams J P T J and DEAD END KINGS will feel instantly comfortable in the Pro division with the increased competition seeing as they flew high through Lite last season. Finally, never count long-time franchise Baltic Sea Eagles out of the fight. Projected Top 3 from Group 2: 1. Unlucky Boys HC - Fell short last season but will be one of the top teams from Group 2, anything else will surely be dissapointing for captain Anhel_Kuru and his established, high-skill team. 2. Shameful Knights - Anyone who has played Shameful Knights in regular EASHL competition know that they are a frustrating team to play against. Content with turning the puck back to their defenders, the patient play style of this team has gotten many teams in trouble before. With their opponents lulled into a false sense of security, the Shameful Knights have the ability to strike suddendly and dart through the opposing teams defense. 3. THE UNITED KNIGHTS - Big-time franchise that is returning to ECL competition after a long layoff but hasn't looked rusty at all when doing it. TUK has given EASHL opponents fits so far in NHL 18 and while the season hasn't gotten going yet, it is safe to say that the name THE UNITED KNIGHTS will be feared once more before too long. Players to watch from Group 2: 1. Johataja699, Speedy Bros Hockey - Ahead of ECL 5, the captain, heart and soul of Finnish Roosters saw his once great team on the verge of collapsing. To keep this from happening, he teamed up with hard-hitting defender Ampuhaukka78 to create a hybrid team between Finnish Roosters and the newly formed Speedy Bros Hockey. Brings ton of skill and experience to the lineup and will be an important component for the success of Speedy Bros Hockey. 2. Nephenzy, DEAD END KINGS - The "players to watch"-list for Group 2 becomes a list of captains as Nephenzy of DEK takes the second spot here. Not pleased with being put in Lite last season, this point producer went out and carried his team all the way to a Pro promotion. Remains to be seen if he can do the same from Pro to Elite (and re-kindle the rivalry with Synergy Hockey) but if he brings the same determination as last season, anything is possible. 3. Seahyena, Nordic Stars - We complete the captaincy trio by adding Nordic Stars' long-time captain Seahyena. A solid two-way defender who can score point and light opponents up with big hits, Seahyena will be crucial to NS' success this season in ECL Pro Group 2. Underdog - Team to watch from Group 2: 1. J P T J - The team that dominated every statistical category imaginable in ECL 4 Lite jumps up a step and faces Pro competition. Will their journey continue on its meteoric path or will the challenge of facing teams that are stronger defensively put a lid on this offensive powerhouse? Only time will tell but something tells me that J P T J might find themselves at the top half of the standings once it is time for the playoffs. That was our ECL 5 Pro prediction here at NHLGamer. Be sure to stay tuned for more previews and quality content as the European Championship League progresses. @The_Alpha_Furyan for NHLGamer.com