Counter-Strike: Global Offensive majors have a history of spurring serious roster overhauls. The moves following the results of ESL Katowice continue to reinforce tradition.
Penta Sports proved many doubters wrong by following up its first top-eight finish at a major at DreamHack Winter late last year with another top-eight finish at ESL Katowice. While the German squad did fall in the quarterfinal round to eventual champion Fnatic, the team proved without a doubt to be the best in Germany and among the best in Europe.
So it was a surprise to most when the team announced Tuesday that it would be parting ways with one of its most talented players, Tobias “Troubley” Tabbert, who had only recently been recruited from Mousesports. Tabbert took to his Facebook page to explain the decision, saying that “in a long term, we couldn’t work together.”
“We had different opinions about the game, their aggressive play style didn’t suit (me) too well on a long-term basis,” Tabbert said.
To replace the departing Tabbert, Penta Sports has turned to fellow domestic talent Niclas “enkay J” Krumhorn, formerly of such teams as Wild Fire and Alternate.
Meanwhile, Hell Raisers has sought to recover from its own loss of Egor “Flamie” Vasilyev to Natus Vincere. The team has chosen Rustem “Mou” Telepov as his replacement after a brief trial period.
While the name may seem unfamiliar to some fans, Telepov’s pedigree dates back to time spent playing with top Kazakhstan team K23. He also has a history with Hell Raisers’ current squad, having played with Dauren “Adren” Kystaubayev on that K23 side.
In an official statement released by the team, Telepov confirmed that he would be filling the role of sniper moving forward with his new squad, referring to himself as “a one hundred percent sniper.” He also spoke optimistically about his future and the opportunity he now has to make his mark on the international scene.
“It is a great boost in my esport career and personal life. Now I have an excellent chance to prove myself,” Telepov said.
