Though there are three regions represented in the NHL Gaming World Championship, the Final is really a story of three countries: the United States, Canada, and Finland. North America might capture most of the attention, but it was the Finns who celebrated after Erik "Eki" Tammenpaa's win in 2018. The native of Espoo, Finland, went undefeated en route to the crown and has an unblemished record through the regionals this year.
"Eki," the top seed, awaits the winner of the second-place playoff, which includes European chel pioneer Hannes "Hansulino" Kettunen, one of the most respected competitors in Finland. After a disappointing 2018 tournament, "Hansulino" finally has a chance to showcase his veteran presence on the world stage (as well as his Brent Burns-inspired chin sweater).
Karl Caslib, aka "MgxNuclear" is a newcomer who made an immediate impact by taking the top spot in the Canadian regional. The Vancouver native is proud to be able to represent Western Canada, and though he's a New Jersey Devils fan, he proudly reps his hometown Vancouver Canucks in the tournament.
Joining him from Canada is Matthew Grenier, aka "Yung Gren," who once again qualified for the Final with a second-place finish in the regional. With multiple victories at the NHL club level, the 17-year-old is the most decorated competitor in chel history, though a victory at the Gaming World Championship has eluded him. He enters this year's event a more mature, motivated player who wants nothing more than to call himself a world champion before he turns 18 in a week.
The storybook journey continues for Matthew Gutkoski, aka "Top-Shelf-Cookie." After failing to make it out of regionals last year, a series of setbacks at the NHL club level culminated with his first major victory in his hometown of Columbus. Since that win, he has been seemingly unstoppable, a trend that has continued with a U.S. regional win.
John Casagranda, aka "JohnWaynee90" is the third two-time world finalist in the tournament. One of the few "champ champs" this year, he took home the Red Wings and Tampa Bay Lightning trophies. Don't let his perpetual pleasant mood and easygoing demeanor fool you; the "Alaskan Assassin" has a clutch gene that keeps him competitive in every game and has earned him the nickname "Big Game John."