Top 10 most-hyped LEC roster/position changes of 2019
With EU franchising well and truly underway, the rosters for the new LEC have been locked in. Players from all over have traveled to Europe for their cut of the new money and sponsorships, and several notable stars have returned to their native region.
January 18. We finally have a start date for the LEC, and it’s less than two weeks out. After the months of silence and formless anticipation, we finally have a date. On January 18 our teams will mount the stage for the first time since EU franchising took effect, and we’ll finally get to see all the wacky new roster changes, the god-tier imports, and of course, some great games.
The fact is, if NA franchising is any metric to go by, this year could be pretty wild for the newly-coined LEC. The funding and sponsorships the region traditionally lacked have finally come through, alongside a Korean exodus which rivals that of 2015. What has resulted is a league – as always – rife with rookie talent, but also with a significant import presence for the first time ever.
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But enough of the background; let’s talk players. Here are a few of the most-hyped players changing teams or positions for the 2019 Spring Split.
10. Jorge “Werlyb” Casanovas Moreno-Torres
After some time off from the league, Werlyb is back. The former Giants top laner is now signed on with SK Gaming – themselves back after a hiatus – and is looking to make waves in the league once more.
Werlyb defined himself as an aggressive laner with insane outplay potential, consistently requiring a ban on his trademark Jax pick. It’s rare you see a player on a traditionally-underperforming team draw so much respect and fear from his enemies, and perhaps Werlyb’s new squad will be able to find a home for his aggression.
9. Lee “Mowgli” Jae-ha
Following a disappointing Worlds that saw Mowgli and the rest of Afreeka Freecs out in the quarterfinals against Cloud9, the young jungler from Korea set his eyes on greener pastures with Team Vitality. Though the European squad barely missed the quarterfinals themselves, the team showed a ton of promise in a group no one predicted them escaping.
Mowgli will be a fascinating trial run for the new Korean presence in EU import slots. We’ve seen language and cultural barriers take a toll on Korean imports in NA: will the same be true for the LEC, or will European team dynamics prove more conducive to Korean players? The answer will lie in the performances of players like Mowgli and GorillA.
8/7. Alfonso “Mithy” Aguirre Rodríguez/Patrik “Patrik” Jírů
Mithy is back. For a support with a proven track record of fostering underutilized EU talent, the veteran certainly has his work cut out for him. He’s joining the bot lane of the newly-returned Origen squad alongside Patrik.
Patrik – formerly Sheriff – is coming off one of the most miserable seasons of any team in the history of esport. H2K went a combined 2-16 before having their slot dropped during franchising. Mithy himself struggled in NA, contributing to TSM’s lackluster season and first-ever missed Worlds. Whether Mithy can regain his old mojo back in the LEC is not clear, but it will certainly be interesting watching him and Patrik lane together.