League of Legends

Sources: BT Excel complete their roster by signing Kryze and Zamulek, Kikis verbally agreed

In a surprising development, Kikis will roleswap to support for the team in 2022

12/07/2021

Provided by Riot Games Top laner Kryze played for Excel's LEC team last summer

BT Excel have completed their Northern League of Legends Championship First Division roster for 2022, after Upcomer reported their three initial signings last month. BT Excel’s completed roster will consist of:

Top: Felix “Kryze” Hellström
Jungle: Daniel “Dan” Hockley
Mid: Jang “EMENES” Min-soo
Bot: Dominik “Zamulek” Biela
Support: Mateusz “Kikis” Szkudlarek
Head coach: James “Torok” Thomsen

Performance Manager: Ewen Bufton

It is understood that the whole roster is signed, aside from Kikis, who has only verbally agreed at this stage, sources tell Upcomer.

Top laner Kryze played for Excel Esports’ main LEC team since summer 2020, and while he mentioned on Twitter he won’t be playing in the LEC for 2022, he has signed on to play for their academy team next year. 17-year old Zamulek joins BT Excel from Illuminar Gaming in the Ultraliga, where he helped them achieve second in the Ultraliga Season 6 and qualify for the European Masters 2021 Summer Split.

The most surprising news is former top laner/jungler Kikis deciding to roleswap to support for 2022. Kikis advertised his LFT post on Twitter as a jungler, after taking a break from the competitive scene, but agreed to roleswap to complete BT Excel’s team. It is not known at this point if the roleswap is permanent. Kikis is a veteran name in the European scene, playing on teams like G2 Esports, where he helped them win the EU LCS in spring 2016.

I want to announce that I'm LFT (as a jungler).
I haven't played competitively for a while because I got burnt out and needed a break, but I'm ready to come back and I have been around 1k LP for 2nd half of the season.
I'm looking for any ERL offers, contact via PM. pic.twitter.com/eQobddFYzL

— Mateusz Szkudlarek (@Kikis1205) December 1, 2021

BT Excel will be joined by Astralis Talent, whose roster was also reported by Upcomer as one of the two academy sides in the NLC next year. Fnatic Rising are confirmed to be leaving the NLC and moving to the LVP SuperLiga, in a partnership with Team Queso.

The British academy team had an up-and-down 2021. They made history in spring by winning their first-ever NLC title as well as making it to the finals of the EU Masters 2021 Spring Split, where they fell to Karmine Corp 3-1. In summer, they finished sixth in the NLC, losing to Riddle Esports 2-1 in playoffs, and failed to qualify for the EU Masters.