2014 NA LCS Summer Split Preview
Now that the international stage has temporarily closed its curtains until the 2014 World Championships, teams are readying themselves for the impending summer split and the road to the playoffs. Let's take a look at all of the teams competing in the North American LCS and see what the future has in store for them.
If It Ain't Broke, Don't Fix It: Cloud 9
Cloud 9 successfully defended their title of Regional Champions during the spring split, securing the No. 1 spot with a record of 24-4 and a win streak of 18 games. Though they were unable to break their record from the previous season, C9's performance as a team throughout the split has been nothing short of stellar thanks to individual prowess and solid teamwork. At the 2014 All-Star, C9 further proved themselves a threat among international teams in the All-Star Invitational when they went 3-1 in the group stage, advancing to the semifinals.
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What sets apart C9 from other teams in the region is their ability to analyze and adjust well to change, whether it be a patch, new champions, or a shift in the meta. Amidst the whirlwind of roster changes wreaking havoc in North America during the offseason, C9 has made zero adjustments to their main lineup, remaining resolute and confident in their team, ready to take on whatever comes in the way of defending the throne. As two-time Regional Champs, C9 are the favorites coming into the summer split. However, with new, foreign talent joining the mix, C9 might finally get a challenge.
The End of an Era: Team SoloMid
Discontent with a second place finish in the spring split, TSM underwent major roster changes in the offseason, which is mildly surprising for a team with a win record of 22-6 and a lineup of innately talented players. Yes, TSM did an admirable job in the spring split with the addition of mid laner Soren "Bjergsen" Bjerg, who proved himself one of the strongest mid laners in the league, but even the Bjerger King wasn't enough for them to take down their adversaries C9 in the finals of the spring playoffs. TSM's heavy reliance on winning lane phase and their struggle to adjust to change left them vulnerable, and it was clear in their weak showing at the playoffs.
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What ensued in the offseason was unforeseen: jungler Brian "TheOddOne" Wyllie retired from professional gaming, and support player Alex "Xpecial" Chu was removed from the main roster. To replace these veterans, TSM picked up jungler Maurice "Amazing" Stuckenschneider, formerly of Copenhagen Wolves, and up-and-coming support Nicolas "Gleebglarbu" Haddad, formerly of Cloud 9 Tempest. TSM has gotten very far with individual talent, but talent alone can't do it all. With these two new players, TSM looks to finally cultivate the teamwork and communication necessary to rise to the top and sit upon the throne once again. However, there is a chance that Gleebglarbu's lack of experience and potential nerves may hinder TSM's efforts.
Seraph's Embrace: Counter Logic Gaming
Despite a chaotic start in the spring split caused by visa issues, CLG made the best of their circumstances and eventually emerged as a top threat in the North American LCS. They became known for strong laning, particularly with their duo of Yiliang "Doublelift" Peng and Zaqueri "Aphromoo" Black, and even stronger team fighting in the mid to late game. Dexter shone in his role as the jungler with impeccable Lee Sin plays, always appearing when needed, controlling objectives and the map with ease. CLG finished the spring split with a record of 18-10, going on to place third in the playoffs.
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CLG met a predicament in the offseason: Zach "Nien" Malhas stepped down from his starting position in the top lane. Immediately, management went on the hunt for a replacement with their eyes focused on international players. CLG eventually decided upon Shin "Seraph" Woo Yeong, former substitute player for NaJin White Shield. An air of mystery surrounds Seraph -- not much is known about him, his playstyle, or his synergy with CLG. Whether or not he will be instrumental in CLG's success and live up to the hype surrounding his acquisition will come to light this coming summer split.
Teamwork makes the dream work: Team Dignitas
The spring split was a tornado of inconsistency and instability for Team Dignitas. Though they were the first team to upset C9 in the split, Dignitas went on to win and lose erratically over the course of the season and struggled to keep up with the middle of the LCS pack. Despite early leads in several matches, Dignitas would falter due to late game mistakes, often throwing seemingly won games. Dignitas finished the season with a 12-16 win record, placing fifth in the playoffs, barely escaping relegation. [[{"fid":"8944","view_mode":"article_image","fields":{"format":"article_image","field_file_image_alt_text[und][0][value]":"","field_file_image_title_text[und][0][value]":""},"type":"media","attributes":{"height":"315","width":"700","class":"media-element file-article-image"}}]]
Big changes took place in the offseason: William "Scarra" Li stepped back into a coaching position, and Cruz "Cruzerthebruzer" Ogden stepped down from his starting top lane position. Their replacements? Danny "Shiphtur" Le and Darshan "ZionSpartan" Upadhyaha of Team Coast. While picking up two highflying solo laners doesn't necessarily equate instant success, the acquisition of new blood may be a positive change for Dignitas. Shiphtur and ZionSpartan have proven they are capable of singlehandedly carrying teams, and they may be able to facilitate better playmaking and decision-making in Dignitas's late game.
Another One Bites the Dust: Team Curse
For a long time now, Team Curse has struggled to maintain a steady roster. During the 2014 spring split alone, ADC David "Cop" Roberson played with three different support players in the bottom lane. Inconsistency was also evident in individual performances as Curse's players would sometimes excel in their positions, and on other days fall apart. Curse finished the spring split with a win record of 11-17, going on to place fourth at the playoffs by defeating Team Dignitas (2-1) in the quarterfinals.
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Though it appeared as if Curse was finally finding its stride with Challenger player Michael "Bunny FuFuu" Kurylo as the main support player, the offseason opened up a new door to the team. Curse decided to pick up Xpecial of TSM and Bunny FuFuu subsequently moved to a substitute position. On paper, the acquisition of Xpecial looks entirely promising as he is one of the most experienced support players in the league. However, as with Dignitas, the acquisition of a superstar does not necessarily render success as Curse learned in the previous season when they produced middling results with European support player Edward "Edward" Abgaryan. But it is important to note that Curse is now a different team from last year, and with Xpecial, they may have finally found the winning roster they have sought after for so long.
A Future of Uncertainty: Evil Geniuses
Evil Geniuses struggled immensely in the spring split, winning only eight games over the course of eleven weeks of competitive play due to inconsistent play and a lack of cohesive teamwork. At the Summer Promotion Tournament, with the threat of relegation haunting them, EG stepped up to the plate and defeated Cloud 9 Tempest (3-1) to rejoin the North American LCS. But with the LCS competition looking tougher than ever, EG sought change during the offseason.
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Though nothing is set in stone, EG manager Brian "Guitar" Cordry admitted, "we're using this all-too-short off-season to try out a handful of players at a few key roles during our scrims. This does not necessarily mean we'll be making changes to the roster for next split, though it doesn't preclude that possibility." While EG's future is unclear, it is obvious that significant changes must be made if EG wants to remain relevant and keep up with the top teams in the league.
New Kids on the Block: LMQ
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As expected, Chinese imports LMQ completely dominated the competition in the NA Challenger Series and earned their spot in the NA LCS with a commanding 3-0 victory over XDG Gaming in the Summer Promotion Tournament. All eyes will be on this former Royal Club training team as they make their LCS debut in the summer split. Widely hyped and highly regarded as a formidable threat, LMQ is looking to decimate the North American competition and shake things up, and they have the talent and teamwork to do so.
A Story of Redemption: compLexity
After a blowout defeat to EG (0-3) in the Spring Promotion Tournament, compLexity (then known as Determined Gaming) sought redemption, participating in the Challenger Series to get their second chance during the Summer Promotion Tournament. In a close series, compLexity defeated Team Coast (3-1) to join the North American LCS. If compLexity wants to keep up with the big dogs, they will need the experienced veterans like Jonathan "Westrice" Nguyen or Neil "PR0LLY" Hammad to step up in a leadership role and Ram "Brokenshard" Djemal to continue being the backbone of the team, controlling the map and objectives as the jungler.
Stories to Watch
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Offseason Roster Changes
Quiet moments were a rarity between the spring and summer splits, with explosions of team changes, retirements, and player trades. Nearly every team in the NA LCS experienced a significant change and the fans are all excited to see who will come out on top following such a tumultuous offseason.
The Foreigners Are Coming
More and more foreigners are seeping into the region, subsequently upping the skill level of the LCS competition and urging hometown heroes to step up their game. The summer split will welcome Amazing of Copenhagen Wolves, Seraph of NaJin White Shield, and an entire team of Chinese talent (LMQ), including Yu "XiaoWeiXiao" Xian and Li "Vasilii" Wei-Jun. Will these foreigners live up to the hype surrounding their names, or will they ultimately falter against North America's established players?
Rivalries Flare Again
We will get to see how the old rivalry between C9 and TSM pans out this summer split now that TSM has picked up two new players. The current record between C9 and TSM is vastly in favor of C9, but there is a chance Amazing and Gleebglarbu will help even the playing field. Another matchup to keep an eye on is that between TSM and their former support player Xpecial. Trading Xpecial to Team Curse stirred enormous controversy in the community, and many fans decried team owner Andy "Reginald" Dinh's decision. Will TSM regret giving up Xpecial, or will they find more success with Gleebglarbu?
Be There!
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Be sure to grab your tickets for the NA LCS 2014 summer split now! The games will begin on Friday, May 23 at 12:00PM PST, starting with Cloud 9 vs. Team SoloMid as the opening match.
Comment below to let us know who you think will win the 2014 NA LCS summer split. Will C9 defend their title once again, or will someone else rise to the challenge? For more information on the summer split, check out lolesports.com.
