After spending two years in the LEC, one of the best support players in the European League of Legends scene might be forced to watch the league as a fan or analyst for next year.
SK Gaming’s support Erik “Treatz” Wessén released a lengthy statement today around his current free agency status, confirming that he will not be competing on an LEC team at the beginning of 2023. The veteran joins a growing list of EU stars who failed to find a new home for the upcoming Spring Split as the league shifts once more through this upcoming offseason.
“As League keeps developing, the more it becomes about fitting the correct puzzle pieces together rather than a single piece being very powerful,” Treatz said. “I value myself highly as someone who can be very moldeable and can add a lot to any team. League esports and offseasons can be very ruthless, and this time it didn’t work out for me.”
Prior to his time with SK, Treatz remained on TSM as a starter for the organization’s Academy roster. For two years, the Swedish support tried to break into the LCS but didn’t find long-lasting success in his trial run alongside the team’s then-starting AD carry and superstar marksman Doublelift. As a result, he made a return to Europe and joined SK as one of the more underrated pick-ups.
During his first Spring Split in Europe in 2021, the underrated 26-year-old had what he considers to be “the best individual performance [he’s] ever had,” leading the league in kill participation percentage with the fourth-most assists of any player in the LEC, according to League stats aggregate Oracle’s Elixir. He was a rising support star in his class and even helped SK sneak into the playoffs with an 8-10 record.
Since then, however, the team has looked questionable at best. During the 2021 Summer Split, for example, Treatz was forced to role swap to jungle after SK’s plans to acquire specific players during the mid-season break fell through. They fell to ninth place during that season and have remained a bottom-three team since.
While away from the stage, however, Treatz found success in a different place than he probably expected: the LEC broadcast team. He was tapped by the league to join the analyst desk during a variety of different matches throughout the last couple of years and has been widely supported by the fan base.
Looking ahead, Treatz is reportedly being replaced by LDLC OL support Mads “Doss” Schwartz for the 2023 Spring Split, along with a revamp of the rest of SK’s roster. The team is supposedly fielding a plethora of former ERL talent who are trying to make a name for themselves in the new year. It’s a perfect time to try out a new lineup too since most organizations have wiped the slate clean with new rosters as well.
Published: Nov 15, 2022 12:22 pm