The Washington Capitals and New York Islanders are the only NHL organizations that have respectively signed on a professional 6s team. This article will cover five teams that any organization looking to ice a competitive 6s teams should look into.
In addition to bringing on the current brand ambassador and a Guinness World Record Holder, Carlo, a.k.a. 'CarPig,' SJSharks Gaming announced that they will be looking to sign an entire professional NHL eSports team during the 2023-2024 season.
This article will highlight five competitive 6s teams that have yet to be signed. However, before that, setting the context regarding rostermania is crucial.
Rostermania is a period in which teams make significant changes to their roster. Changes typically include removing players and adding others. As such, rostermania routinely changes the landscape of competitive 6s. Some teams benefit from rostermania, bolstering their positional needs, but with a gamble. The gamble is that the most successful 6s teams have stuck with the same players for a decent period of time. So, while the rest of this article covers five 6s teams presently in a position of high potential, it is important to remember that things can and will change. Some of these teams may continue to flourish, while others do not.
Entourage
Currently, team Entourage is the consensus best team that is not signed and arguably the best team in the world. Led by "Hxndry," the club has amassed several championships during the NHL 23 calendar year. They are the first-ever World Champions and, most recently, Sharks Pacific Cup Champs. This club has a long history of producing results; any organization would be remiss not to sign them.
Scary Hours
Scary Hours came in 4th in LeagueGaming's most recent Esports Hockey League rankings. The club has consistently placed within the top 5 to 10 range in almost every tournament. The former CapsGaming Showcase Champions placed 3rd in this year's tournament and within the top 10 of the last 2 Sharks Pacific Cups since the previous year. The club includes prolific players, including the 2021 North American Gaming Champion, Gren, and a former National Regional Qualifier in Sitful. Going with Scary Hours is a good choice for a team built on highly accomplished players.
Composure
Team composure is a legacy team with multiple titles dating back several years. The first-ever Sharks Pacific Champs club is owned by "Tendy." His former duo, Odie, is no longer part of the team, but the club still has a strong roster of experienced veterans. McLovin and Rickchel are a couple. Although the group is less dominant, given the increasing competition in the space, the club continues to maintain a firm top 5 position. If their history is an indication, Composure will continue to refine their roster and further develop their team game as needed with the goal of returning to being the best team.
Voltage
Voltage is a newly formed team that looks incredibly good on paper. The team's lack of history is a cause for concern, but the players that came together show promise.
For comparison, one only has to look back at how Caps Gaming was originally formed. Caps Gaming was originally team Prodigy, a competitive 6s team put together by the multiple 1v1 and 6s champion, Polgz, the 2023 World Gaming North American Champion, CadCooks, and Geimer, similarly, with extensive titles in 1s and 6s.
As team Prodigy, Caps Gaming took the competitive space by storm in NHL 22, winning several titles, including season 2 of the Sharks Pacific Cup, IGT Circuit, and the Columbus Blue Jackets Spring Classic.
Team Voltage is built similarly, with several high-end 1v1 players put together in hopes of developing likewise to Caps Gaming. Team Voltage includes the 2023 World Gaming Champion, Jos x 10, a former top 8 finalist of the Gaming World Championship in Uninsta1l, and the player touted by many to have the most potential presently, OwnTheBlue. Voltage is thus the right team for an organization looking to gamble on a freshly built roster with incredible potential for success.
One Unit
This pick will likely surprise many, but One Unit's performance in the most recent Kroger Columbus Blue Jackets 6v6 Finale presented by LeagueGaming is enough for optimism. The 11th-seed team split their regular season games with virtually every high-end team they went up against. In the playoffs, they eliminated Scary Hours, the consensus 4th-ranked club, and the Underdogs, another top-10 club, with many believing they, too, have a bright future. One Unit also took Entourage to a decisive game 5. The team's performance in the tournament made them stand out. One Unit is a team that seems hungry to improve, so organizations should watch for them.