NXL News

NXL Europe Event One Recap, German Invitational Brings some Normalcy Back to Paintball in the EU.

6/13/2022

Photo by Jack Sparrow Productions.

For the past two years, competitive paintball in Europe has faced a lot of adversity and uncertainty; like many sports leagues across the globe, paintball was not immune to COVID. However, for the first time since 2019, NXL Europe is hosting multiple events in a season, and that season had its opening event just two weeks ago. Flanked by towering pine trees on a secluded property just south of Solms Germany, the NXL German Invitational welcomed a return to some normalcy for European professional paintball.

The event, although admittedly smaller than the legacy Millenium events in the past, still shows that the competitive fire of paintball is still burning bright across Europe. Professional teams from all over the continent made the trip, and the premiere teams of Europe were in attendance; Joy Division, Breakout Spa, the Tontons, and Ronholt Blast among many others. American pros have even begun to make the long journey back across the Atlantic Ocean to compete in the series, albeit in more limited numbers since the unilateral decision to limit how many US Pros could appear on a European roster.

Photo by Jack Sparrow Productions.

The Grounds At Solms.

The field is pristine, draped in netting on all sides and the top, creating a sort of arena in the quiet German woods. A perfectly flat turf playing surface sits at the center stage, surrounded by the player pits and grandstands all under the watchful eyes of players across the World on the live steam. A classic ladder snake blends in with a defensive fortress in the center of the field, and the Dorito side plays in a progressive way, but not without some risk of making it down that side of the field.

On the event and the atmosphere around the field, the event MVP Marcello Margott commented; "Solms is a great field and is heavily ingrained in the community. It has an organic stadium setting that wraps around the premiere field for spectators. The spectator turnout was actually quite a surprise. The town the field is in is gorgeous as well; we had dinner at a different location on the water every night and it was amazing."

Photo by Jack Sparrow Productions.

StandOut Teams from Event One.

Axel Gaudin is playing in his 14th season and he is no stranger to professional paintball in Europe. Arguably one of the best players to ever come from abroad, Axel is one of the leagues premiere offensive players, a title he also claims in the US NXL circuit as well. From his captain's seat of the legendary French franchise, the Toulouse TonTons, he aggressively attacks down the field all weekend long as his team posts a perfect 4-0 record in the prelims.

Photo by Jack Sparrow Productions.

The only Italian based professional team in the NXL Europe field, Gladiatori Unicusano is also one of the pro divisions newest franchises. After a promising 7th place last year at the European Championships during the only pro event of the season, they continued the momentum into the season opener. Their versatile and balanced roster is led by US Pro and one of the NXLs up and coming stars, Kyle Barry. After going 3-1 in the prelims, they lost an incredibly close semi-finals match to PPArena Pilsen to place 4th overall in the event.

Joy Division, one of the most widely known international teams in the sport, found their way into Sunday and a top five placing behind a roster mixed with new and promising talent, as well as some of their franchises best players, such as EU vet Karl Samuelsson. Samuelsson has been with the program for more than 15 years and has seen every high and low point of the storied teams existence. Now, leading a new pack of hungry and aggressive players, they are looking to turn a solid third place showing in event one into a season championship.

The Factory Team of one of the best paintball facilities in all of Europe, PPArena Pilsen, is coming off a 2019 year in which they performed quite poorly, placing in the bottom of the Pro division every event of that year. However, they seemed to have used the two season break during COVID shutdowns to continue training and after going 3-1 in the prelims, they went on a deep run through Sunday all the way to the finals.

Photo by Jack Sparrow Productions.

A Finals Match with an Epic Comeback.

The finals matchup between PPArena Pilsen and the Camp Pendleton Raiders gave NXL EU fans an incredible finale to the season opener event. The CP Raiders, a California based professional team led by one of the best paintball players in the World, Marcello Margott, is flanked by a deep roster of talented amateur Southern California players. After a 3-1 prelims in which the TonTons grinded them down in a slow 1-2 loss, the Raiders went into Sunday with one objective, win. They played a patient and methodical style of paintball in which they got revenge on the Tontons in the opening round of playoffs and went all the way into the finals after a semi-finals victory over a surging Joy Division team.

The finals match started in a way that surprised nearly every player and fan watching, PPArena Pilsen was able to pull out to an early 3-0 lead over the CP Raiders. They were able to consistently shoot bodies off the break and rapidly progress down the field against a Raiders team that had no answers. As the points went on you could truly see the importance of the veteran leadership provided by Bobby Aviles and Marcello Margott. Most teams at this point would have simply folded under the vast pressure of a 0-3 deficit, but the Raiders came out the next two points and won both in less than three minutes of game time. Archie Barnes was a critical offensive piece throughout this comeback and provided a needed spark off the break.

Photo by Jack Sparrow Productions.

Behind the heroics of Margott, and Stephen Mazurek in which they eliminated four Pilsen players, the Raiders tied the game at 3-3 with just 2:39 left. Pilsen then blew the horn in the eighth point and conceded the point after a bad breakout and there was just too little time left to mount a comeback. The first place trophy was stolen away by the CP Raiders after one of the best comebacks in recent memory, with Margott as the event MVP.

A continued Path Towards Normalcy.

Photo by Jack Sparrow Productions.

In what was the season opener to a three event year planned for NXL Europe, we can only hope that EU paintball continues to see growth in participation behind the organized and steady guidance of the NXL. However, amateur players began to reach out to us after our coverage of event one and were outspoken about the professional division being the only offering at the German Open, as well as the upcoming British Invitational. This should be taken as a positive sign that the demand for a strong amateur league is present in Europe.

For true growth to continue in Europe as the league returns to full operation, rebuilding the amateur division will be a key element in growth across the EU. Although, the NXL does seem fully committed to bringing the NXL in Europe back to full strength after the incredibly long two year COVID break. They have clearly shown a strong ability to host some of the largest and most successful events in the World, and NXL Europe will continue to be the premiere paintball league in the EU. At this time, it appears the NXL Europe has the roadmap laid out to offer an expanded amateur division at the European Championships in September, with seven different amateur divisions open for registration.

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NXL Mid Atlantic Major NXL Power Rankings, Shaking Up The Rankings After a Wild Few Weeks, Is Dynasty Still on Top?

6/6/2022

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The Mid Atlantic Major event is here, and the third stop of the NXL season brings a new power rankings update. These opinion based rankings are all about the "what have you done for me lately" and ranks each team in the NXL based on this point in the season. This season has been the largest shuffle in the ranks so far, with teams like the NO Hurricanes making a huge jump in the ranks.

1) Edmonton Impact (Previous Rank: 5)
Player to watch: Nick Levial

Impact comes into the event with one of their best rosters since the last dynastic run they had in the late 2010s. Justin Rabackoff and Alex Goldman will immediately return to their starting roles, and with the talented Axel Gaudin playing some of the best paintball of his career, this team is scary. Nick Levial should feast in this center, favoring towards the dorito side middle.

2) San Diego Dynasty (Previous Rank: 1)
Player to watch: Blake Yarber

Dynasty has something to prove for the first time in a while after not making Sunday in nearly half a decade at the last event. This is the most talented and cohesive roster in the NXL and with a balanced, slightly defensive layout, are maybe the best equipped team to win this event. Yarber is going to absolutely bully opponents and I expect to see the biggest moves of the event go through Blake’s gun.

3) Houston Heat (Previous Rank: 2)
Player to watch: Tyler Harmon

Heat has played consistently elite for the last few seasons, but have seemed to always come up just short outside of this event one year ago. I believe they will return to the grounds at Royersford ready to take home another event win. Todd Martinez may be the best coach in the league, and with more weapons at his disposal than ever and a surging Tyler Harmon, Heat is dangerous. Tyler should be dominant from the very strong backline positions and prove once again, he is the best gunfighter in the NXL.

4) Tampa Bay Damage (Previous Rank: 8)
Player to watch: Jacob Edwards

Damage gained their first win in nearly a decade at the Lone Star Open and surprised many fans by going the distance. This roster is really deep, and they utilize it fully each event. No other team makes switches more frequently, and this hard-to-scout style may rapidly become the new meta of the league if Damage continues their success. Jacob Edwards is a near superstar level player in this league and ready to join the conversation as a top ten player in the World.

5) San Diego Aftermath (Previous Rank: 9)
Player to watch: Mike Mesa

Aftermath plays a incredibly balanced style of paintball and their dorito side attack should shine on a layout where many teams have been winning on that side of the field during practice the last two weekends. Thomas Kim is the most underrated player in the current NXL landscape and he is a viciously precise dorito side attacker with great athleticism and decision making. Mike Mesa will bring a much needed veteran presence to a snake side that looks like it may be tough to crack throughout the weekend.

6) Los Angeles Infamous (Previous Rank: 3)
Player to watch: Thomas Taylor

Infamous has been consistently at the top of the league for a few seasons now, coming within a single match of a season title in 2012. They revamped their roster a bit in 2022 and have been effective thus far. With one of the best defensive back lines in the sport, and the ultra aggressive attack of Thomas Taylor and Harrison Frye, this layout may very well be the one that earns Infamous a win. Taylor is in his 20th season in professional paintball and he looks as lean and athletic as ever. This field can be attacked at many levels and I expect Thomas will be utilized in a variety of roles in this event.

7) Columbus LVL (Previous Rank: 11)
Player to watch: Sam Silberg

LVL quickly has become the darling of the NXL, and one of the league's youngest franchises is on a hot streak dating back to NXL Chicago in September of last season. Dany Schonauer has been a huge reason behind that surge, but Sam Silberg’s versatility and poise is the foundation of this team's success. They arguably are the hardest to read team going into this event, as the layout may not suit their aggressive style, but Head Coach Robbie Goldsmith has shown his creativity with his play-calling and should be key for LVL to find any success in Philly.

8) New Orleans Hurricanes (Previous Rank: 18)
Player to watch: Andrew Bell

No team has made a bigger impact upon entering the pro division in their rookie season more than the NO Hurricanes. Over their first two events they are sitting higher in the rankings than teams like Revo, Xfactor, and NYX, and have shown a strong style of play throughout. Their coaching from Mike Bianca has been a revelation for the young franchise and the level of chemistry they display on the field is vastly impressive for their first season in pro.

9) MLKings (Previous Rank: 17)
Player to watch: Connor Kelley

The MLKings have been slugging their way up the pro division ranks for a few seasons now, and the dedication by owner Charlie Givens to this roster has paid huge dividends. The team is led by the talented Kyle Barry and up and coming star Connor Kelley has provided a steady offensive presence for the MLKings. This roster may be on their way to a Top 8 finish in the season standings and may continue to surprise throughout the rest of 2022 after multiple seasons towards the bottom of the rankings.

10) NRG Elite (Previous Rank: 14)
Player to watch: Caleb Abuhl

For what NRG Elite lacks in superstar players, they make up for with a high level of team synergy and solid game planning. Their style, although a bit chaotic at times, has been producing consistent results for them over the last two years. They have firmly cemented themselves in the top half of the league and Caleb Abuhl has played strong so far this season. With the addition of the very athletic Kristian Woodmansee to bolster the snake side attack, NRG should continue to move up the rankings.

11) San Antonio XFactor (Previous Rank: 4)
Player to watch: Raney Stanczak

The biggest surprise of the season so far, XFactor has had their worst start to a season in franchise history, dating back nearly 20 years. However, the roster had some shake ups over the offseason and it takes time in paintball to develop the chemistry and trust needed to find success. LJ Parrish and Billy Bernacchia seem to be gelling on the snake side of the field, albeit slowly, but the player to watch is Raney Stanczak. On this layout, Raney will be potentially be one of the best players of the event in the center of the field with his elite closing ability.

12) Baltimore Revo (Previous Rank: 6)
Player to watch: Stephen Omara

Revo had a tough offseason where they lost a large part of their core roster just as they were looking like a top five team. The bad news continued after the newly acquired Zach Hoeg departed the team to join Aftermath after just one event. The big three of this roster, Chris Schehr, Stephen Omara, and Henry Sentz will still help pull this team up the rankings, and if Rob Velez continues to play the way he has, Revo may yet salvage their season. Look for Omara to make a huge impact in the center of the field.

13) New York Xtreme (Previous Rank: 13)
Player to watch: Harris Hussain

NYX has been a team that is loaded with talent every year, but has been challenged to find consistent placing in the ranks. Coach Rich Telford has been working hard to instill the poise needed for a team to succeed in the NXL and if they can steal a win from Aftermath or Impact in the prelims, they just might finally break the 2-2 prelims curse and make Sunday this event. The versatile and aggressive Harris Hussain will be fun to watch on this layout, and should be all over the field making huge moves.

14) ac Diesel (Previous Rank: 12)
Player to watch: Clint Johnson

Diesel comes into the Mid Atlantic Major with maybe their best roster in two seasons, and the return of Clint Johnson should help this team greatly. They have all the tools needed to be a Sunday team and if they are able to make the cut, it will help continue to develop this young team. This roster is athletically talented and the leadership of Mark Johnson will be key if this team wants to move into the top half of the league.

15) Seattle Thunder (Previous Rank: 10)
Player to watch: Corey Field

Thunder has been searching for their identity as a team since the conclusion of the Mid Atlantic Major event one year ago, but that may change coming into the 2022 event. This layout screams zone control, and Thunder still has very good lane discipline in the pro division. Corey Fields' gun off the break will be huge for Thunder if they want to make any headway, and if Field and the rest of Thunder are getting eliminations early, we may see a repeat of last year's great performance at this event.

16) Portland Uprising (Previous Rank: 16)
Player to watch: Graham Arnold

Uprising still have the bulk of their original core players but inconsistency has been their bane; for every great game they have an equally difficult game occur. However, the long history of this roster and their familiarity will be helpful on a layout that will require discipline and control. If they can muster up some level of offense down the dorito side with Graham Arnold, they may be able to find success, but the road is long.

17) Los Angeles Ironmen (Previous Rank: 19)
Player to watch: Trent Nitta

The Ironmen are facing new challenges in 2022; the roster was picked apart at the end of the 2021 season and there has been a bit of a churn throughout the offseason and early part of the year to find the combo of players they think can win. The recent addition of former NE Hurricane players Keith Devit, Trent Nitta, and Kyle Nicholaou are probably the best moves they have made in recent memory. Keith is a pro veteran who will bring much needed leadership, and Trent Nitta’s offensive versatility and competitive fire will be huge. Look for Trent to make an impact in a slower playing snake behind his gun skills and lightning fast snapshot.

18) Sacramento DMG (Previous Rank: 15)
Player to watch: Zack Hill

DMG needs to prove quickly that they still belong in the pro league if they want to avoid the dreaded relegation. Their bracket is arguably the most ideal one they could have ended up in, with a legitimate chance to go 2-2 or better in this event. Zack Hill joins the team from Edmonton Impact after their roster shuffle and will bring a high level of offense to a roster that desperately needs it, will that be enough?

19) Latin Saints (Previous Rank: 7)
Player to watch: Kraig Martin

After one of the best opening events in any pro franchises history, the Latin Saints roster dissolved and they are coming into the Mid Atlantic Major with an entirely new roster of talented South American and Central American players. Like many fans, we are excited to see what these players can do, and with the guidance of long-time player and industry veteran Russell Jackson as their new coach, they have the leadership needed to make some progress in 2022. They benefit greatly from the all-but-guarantee they avoid relegation this year after the franchise scored a second place finish in event one. That will provide critical time for development of this roster without the stress of relegation looming.

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1) Will Goldman and RaBackoff Put Impact Back on Top?

Coming off the exodus of the Latin Saints core roster of American players after just one event, two of the leagues brightest stars, utility player Justin Rabackoff and snake player Alex Goldman, are returning back to Edmonton Impact where they spent the previous 7 seasons. Impact is a team that rebuilt a deep and talented roster after multiple players left for the Saints in the 2022 preseason. Now with the return of the elite duo, this may be the best Impact roster we have seen since their dominant run from 2015-2019.

Goldman will immediately bring the best snake player in NXL history back to Impact, and in his absence French superstar Axel Gaudin has played lights out for Edmonton. The pairing of Gaudin and Goldman will instantly become the leagues premiere snake duo, and the potential of the more patient and calculated Goldman playing a slower style behind the ultra-aggressive Gaudin will be difficult to stop. Gaudin is hard enough on his own to get off the field, and teams that manage to do so will still need to dig out Goldman, a task that has eluded the entirety of the league for nearly a decade.

Rabackoff also adds a much needed commanding presence to the back line of Edmonton; he is one of the leagues highest IQ players, and the precision in which he controls the field from the back line is elite. This roster provides arguably the most weapons that Rabackoff has ever had, and his familiarity with Impacts core players and offensive/defensive schemes will be critical.

This is a team that should be an instant threat to win the event, and we may once again see a season dominated by Impact if they can rapidly regain the synergy we have seen in the past from this core.

2) Is Jacob Edwards a Superstar Caliber Player?

After a few seasons of erratic play, fans finally saw Tampa Bay Damage win the NXL Lonestar Open in Dallas last month and the depth the roster showed was impressive. Every single player on the roster made significant contributions on the field the entire weekend, and maybe none made a bigger impact than Jacob Edwards. The younger brother of one of the leagues longest tenured players, Jason Edwards, Jacob has refined his game over the last two seasons to become a versatile offensive threat known for his elite gun-skills.

At the Lonestar Open, Jacob was a critical piece for the team, with his one versus one win in the overtime final clinching Tampa Bay’s first event win in nearly a decade. His offensive adaptability has been a revelation for a team that has struggled to find a reliable attack outside of Keith Brown, and he is beginning to show the signs of a bona fide superstar.

It’s uncanny in how similar Jacob currently plays in comparison to his brother Jason during the early portion of his career. His gun off the break is elite and his tendency to bully opponents from an offensive position, although sometimes a bit over zealously, is something that few players can do in the current NXL.

Jacob will certainly be a top player to watch at the Mid Atlantic Major, and if Tampa Bay can have another strong showing the case for stardom becomes that much clearer.

3) Will Dynasty Recover from Outlier Event in Dallas?

After one of the most dominant stretches in recent memory where they won four of the last six major events, Dynasty had a bit of an outlier performance at the NXL Lonestar Open, going 2-2 in the prelims and missing their first Sunday playoffs since 2017. Rumors circulated with fans on why the stumble occurred, but in this case the answer seems simple; it’s very hard to win pro paintball events, and a blind layout added to that complexity.

After the addition of former Dynasty star Kyle Spicka last weekend, Dynasty enters the third event of the NXL season with arguably the best roster in the league. I mean, where does one even start when trying to dissect and defeat this franchise?

Reigning Icon and Defensive Player of the Year Marcello Margott, 2021 Offensive Player of the Year Blake Yarber, Ryan Greenspan, and Archie Montemayor all can make a case for being one of the leagues top 5 players. Dalton Vanderbyl is playing some of the best paintball of his career as one of the leagues top dorito attackers, and he is backed up by Yosh Rau, an undisputed top 10 player of all-time. The counterpunch veracity of Alex Fraige mixed into this lineup adds further complexity to defeating the dragon and the snake side for this team is quickly developing.

Mike Urena tends to be the smash and crash option and he does this job with incredible tenacity; adding in the ultra-poised and analytical Kyle Spicka creates an interesting dichotomy of styles that should keep teams guessing on how Dynasty will play the snake on this layout.

I fully expect another finals visit from this roster.

4) Is LVL a Contender or PretEnder?

Consistency is a fickle thing in professional paintball, and for a still green roster like LVL, it can even more chaotic to find a channel and groove in it. Over the last season LVL has went from one of the leagues lowest ranked programs, to a team that has made multiple Sunday playoffs and has looked generally competitive at every event.

This is a team has lived and died through Dany Schonauer over the last season, and his play in the snake has been a revelation for Columbus. He is a relentless attacker with high discipline and the rest of the roster seems to be adopting that style as well.

A large amount of credit needs to be given to Head Coach Robbie Goldsmith, he has gotten this team to buy in to his game plans, and he creates simple and effective strategies that the team has become adept at running. We cannot ignore their level of inconsistency over the last year though; although we have seen success from LVL at the 2021 Windy City Major and the 2022 Sunshine State Major, they have also had a few events where they struggled to find their footing.

Will we see LVL able to continue to mature into an effective franchise, or will they find consistency eluding them? A solid showing at the Mid Atlantic Major will continue to help instill a winning mindset, and the addition of veteran Carl Markowski, whether on the field or off the field, will provide a much needed guide to winning an event for this young team.

5) Is It Now AfterMaths Time To Win?

I will be the first to admit I was wrong about Aftermath in 2022; it seemed they were on track for another Top 8-10 year in the standings, but this team is legit and on pace to win a season title.

In hindsight, the signing of Frank Antetemaso may be the best decision of the season. Antetemaso and Thomas Kim have become a superstar pairing on the Dorito side, and veteran snake side attacker Mike Mesa has helped bring a much needed guiding presence and aggression on that side of the field.

Joe Barrett’s maturation as a defensive star has helped ground the new found attack for SDA, and with an emerging center attack from Barrett, this team is very balanced at all positions.

It has been more than a decade since Aftermath has hoisted a first place trophy in the professional division, and now could truly be the time they are ready to win an event again. They are complete at all levels of the field, and Head Coach Mike Hinman is undoubtedly one of the leagues best minds. Is it time for SDA to once again reign supreme?

All Questions Answered Soon Enough.

In just 11 days, fans and players will be able to watch all these major storylines unfold, and see the live tale of new stories being written. Don’t miss any of the action and watch the event live all weekend long on GoSports.com

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NYX Gains Veteran Dorito Player Corey Hall for Remainder of 2022 Season.

5/26/2022

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As of late, NYX has really been building a potent attack centered around talented team Captain Harris Hussain and young star Patrick Kraft Jr. They have bolstered the attack even more after getting a piece of the Saints roster exodus after signing Corey Hall for the rest of 2022.

There was much speculation where Hall would end up signing after rumors of the Ironmen and Damage swirled, but NYX was the winning bid and improves their dorito side attack greatly with the signing of Hall.

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Talented Offensive player Ceelos Cortes Leaves Saints, Joins Tampa Bay Damage.

5/26/2022

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As the Saints roster continues to turn over, Ceelos Cortez has officially left the team to join Tampa Bay Damage for the remainder of the 2022 season. Tampa Bay is coming off an event win in the NXL Lonestar Open, and Ceelos will add even more offensive firepower to an already loaded roster.

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Justin Rabackoff and Alex Goldman Rejoin Impact.

5/25/2022

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After a tumultuous start to the season that saw their team place second at the NXL Sunshine State Major, Alex Goldman and Justin Rabackoff have left the Saints to rejoin Edmonton Impact. They both return to a dynamic roster who has been surging forward during their absence. Both players should immediately return to the starting lineup of an already potent team.

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2022 NXL Preseason Power Rankings and Offseason Grades.

3/8/2022

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Finally! After the craziest offseason in pro paintball history, the NXL season opener is here! We fully breakdown all the offseason grades for every team, as well as give our full preseason rankings heading into the first event, the NXL Sunshine State Major in Kissimmee, Florida.

1. San Diego Dynasty (Previous Season Rank: 1) Offseason Grade: A+
Player to watch: Ryan Greenspan

It comes as no surprise to anyone that Dynasty tops the preseason rankings. After their wins last year at Chicago and World Cup, Dynasty spent the offseason adding one of the best players in the games history, Archie Montemayor. They also went out and signed one of the best young attackers in the semi-pro division, Damien Vazquez, from the Noobies. The depth of this team is unmatched in the NXL and their roster has incredible versatility at all levels of the field with the 2021 Offensive Player of the Year, Blake Yarber, and Defensive Player of the Year, Marcello Margott. This is the team to beat in 2022, and with Ryan Greenspan 100% healthy, we should see him in an interesting role this year. In past seasons the team has looked to Greenspan to be the glue of the team, but with so much talent around him, he has the freedom to play anywhere on the field he wants to.

2. Houston Heat (Previous Season Rank: 4) Offseason Grade: B
Player to watch: Tyler Harmon

Heat was characteristically quiet this offseason as always, making minimal moves or roster changes. However, keeping together a superteam is never easy, and the fact that they continue to field a roster with some of the best chemistry in the pro division is impressive in itself. A full offseason with the team now for Tyler Harmon means we may finally see him unleashed at all levels of the field, with many fans hoping to see him on the dorito side once again. In terms of pure talent, Tyler is maybe the most talented player in the World, and with a roster of superstars like Konstantin Fedorov, Chad George, and Mishka Kniazev led by Todd Martinez, this year feels like it may be Heating up a bit.

3. Los Angeles Infamous (Previous Season Rank: 2) Offseason Grade: C+
Player to watch: Harrison Frye

After missing the NXL Pro Season Title last year by just a single point in the semi-finals, Los Angeles went into the offseason looking to replace retiring star dorito player, Greg Siewers, and continue to develop rising star, Harrison Frye. They signed Tim Brusselback, a versatile 2, but were rumored to have missed on a few of their free agents targets. However, this is still a top-flight NXL franchise and the near unbreakable backline pairing of Kali Rudolph and Cody Mickowski will be critical for one of the best offensive teams in the league. Having the anchored pair to thrive off the chaos created by Frye, Zach Patient, and Thomas Taylor will be key this season.

4. San Antonio XFactor (Previous Season Rank: 5) Offseason Grade: B
Player to watch: LJ Parrish

XFactor was a team of consistency last season, but the weight of two second place finishes has to be looming over the Texas powerhouse franchise coming into 2022. This is a team that is built to win championships and season titles, and after watching long-time star player Archie Montemayor depart for Dynasty, XFactor was quick to fill the void he left. They signed one of the most coveted players in free agency in LJ Parrish, and his signing could be pointing to a team planning to build the best offense in paintball this season. 2021 Insert Player of the Year, Meter Ninios, has emerged as one of the league's best young stars, and with the experience this roster brings, they should be a threat to win events this season. The question still needs to be answered though, what does this team look like with Archie Montemayor on the roster? Can Jesse Stephens fill the void he has left?

5. Edmonton Impact (Previous Season Rank: 3) Offseason Grade: C-
Player to watch: Axel Gaudin

Over the offseason, Impact weathered one of the worst storms in recent memory in the pro division. Impact saw nearly their entire starting lineup depart the team for the Latin Saints, including Alex Goldman, Justin Rabackoff, Alex Rodriguez, and Kyle Spicka. Most programs would have folded, but Impact has some of the best leadership in paintball in Bart Yachimec and Dave Bains. They quickly went to work to retool the roster around star dorito players Justin Cornell and Brandon Cornell, as well as Nick Levial. They signed Matt Darula and Mike Zuppa from Revo, and landed one of the best players in all of Europe, Axel Gaudin. I may be in the minority, but I think this team will still be one of the top programs in the World. Bains has proved he is a master in chemistry and he can build proven game plans around his talent. Will Impact still have a chance this season?

6. Baltimore Revo (Previous Season Rank: 9) Offseason Grade: B-
Player to watch: Rob Velez

Baltimore Revo has always been a team built around determination and that classic East Coast grit. That grit was tested after two of their best players, Matt Darula and Mike Zuppa, decided to leave the program just weeks before the season kick-off. That being said, Revo was able to make one of the most underrated moves of the offseason in the signing of Rob Velez. Rob is incredibly talented in the 2 position, and is finally in a situation where he can shine. Combined with a healthy Stephen Omara returning to the team, and Dorito Player of the Year Chris Schehr, this is a team that may surprise this season. They have shown a consistent ability to win matches behind their strong chemistry, but can they overcome the loss of their entire snake side this season?

7. Latin Saints (Previous Season Rank: –) Offseason Grade: A+
Player to watch: Justin Rabackoff

The NXL is debuting a new franchise in the 2022 season, the Latin Saints. This was a program built for the singular purpose of winning championships immediately. They had one of the most active offseasons in professional paintball history, adding nine top level pros, and one of the most sought after young coaches in the league, Brandon Short. However, building a team is about more than acquiring talent and they will need the chemistry and connection on the field to win. The history of this roster's top players like Alex Goldman, Kyle Spicka, and Justin Rabackoff will certainly help with their years together on the field. Diego Santos has rapidly proven that he will do whatever it takes to build a winning franchise, will the NXL’s newest team put the NXL on notice this year, or will they run into the same chemistry woes that many new teams do?

8. Tampa Bay Damage (Previous Season Rank:7 ) Offseason Grade: D
Player to watch: Keith Brown

Damage has been underperforming over the last few seasons, and the 2022 season will be critical for this aging franchise. However, that doesn’t mean this isn’t a talented roster; Keith Brown, Jason Edwards, and Bryan Smith are some of the most experienced and talented players in all the world, but they have seemed to lack the synergy we have known this roster to have over the last year or two. Signing Mike Waring back to the program after his stint with the Red Legion ended is huge. He is an incredibly methodical and smart dorito player, and pairing him with Jacob Edwards will create much needed space on the field and take some of the pressure off Keith Brown in the snake. Will one of the longest tenured rosters in the league be able to pull together enough to make a finals this season?

9. San Diego Aftermath (Previous Season Rank: 8) Offseason Grade: C-
Player to watch: Thomas Kim

Aftermath had quite the interesting offseason; they kicked it off by signing the highly-talented and creative LJ Woodley, and then added dorito side attacker Frank Antetemaso from Baltimore Revo. But, after spending the offseason practicing and developing this new core, they saw Tim Brusselback leave the team just a month before the season to join Infamous, and then made the mutual decision to part ways with LJ Woodley. Thomas Kim and Cody Chong are great offensive talents, but this roster is lacking firepower on the offensive end, and as we have seen, the recent trends in layouts create tough situations for defensive minded programs. But, Mike Hinman has always endured in the pro division, and the talented coach is the best developer of players in the paintball world. Will he be able to continue to refine this roster and surprise the league this season?

10. Seattle Thunder (Previous Season Rank: 11) Offseason Grade: B
Player to watch: Corey Field

2021 was an up and down season for Seattle Thunder that ultimately led to the team merging with the Brooklyn Bears semi-pro team during the offseason. They played a disciplined and defensive style of paintball last season and had some of the best breakshooting success in the division through the first two events. But, they regressed over the final two events of the season and struggled to find the consistent laning and zone control they had earlier in the year. The merger with the Bears brings Seattle something they needed desperately, talented athletes at the 1 position. Combined with the stoic and poise defensive master, Corey Field, this will mean a more balanced Thunder roster, but can they put together a complete event?

11. Columbus LVL (Previous Season Rank: 15) Offseason Grade: D
Player to watch: Dany Schonauer

A Cinderella team during the back half of the season in 2021, LVL rapidly simplified their style and played a fast and aggressive offensive style in Chicago and World Cup. They impressed, putting up solid wins against top level programs and making Sunday. Behind Dany Schonauer, this team should continue to find success in 2022; he is an incredibly talented snake player and with their first taste of real success last season, LVL should be on everyone's radar for 2022. Signing a veteran leader in the offseason would have been a great move for this program, but they decided to move forward with their core roster for 2022.

12. ac Diesel (Previous Season Rank: 10) Offseason Grade: B
Player to watch: Ben Challenger

Diesel has been a victim of roster inconsistency over the last season. Behind star player and team captain Mark Johnson, and young attackers Ben Challenger and Clint Johnson, ac has had flashes of great potential in the pro division. However, they have struggled to field the same roster event to event, and it has affected their chemistry a bit. They signed Grayson Gladstone prior to World Cup to bolster their attack and also added veteran player, Andy Horvath and Logan Dyer to round out the roster this offseason. This year we should finally see Diesel at full strength, but they still need to prove they can hang with the best. Losing Zack Hill to Impact just weeks before the opener certainly hurt this teams depth. But, Mark Johnson is a talented leader, and any success this team sees goes through Johnson and Challenger this year.

13. New York Xtreme (Previous Season Rank: 14) Offseason Grade: C
Player to watch: Tim Stelzl

NYX has been erratic throughout their last few seasons in the pro division. In terms of pure talent, they have a ton of it, but they have notably seemed to struggle with the mental aspects of the game. The return of a fully healthy Tim Stelzl will be big for this roster. They desperately need more talented attackers, and Tim brings a ton of athleticism and speed back to the New York offense. If Jerry Caro can stay healthy as well, they could have quite a potent snake side attack, and Pat Kraft should continue to shine on the dorito side of the field. Will the tough leadership of coach Rich Telford be able to enough to finally help this roster see a deep Sunday run?

14. NRG Elite (Previous Season Rank: 13) Offseason Grade: D
Player to watch: Zak Giger

There were a lot of rumors swirling around the NRG Elite camp this offseason about a potential signing spree of top level talent, however NRG remained quiet in the offseason and actually saw some of their players step away. First Jared Lackey departed the team to join Tampa Bay Damage, then they took a hit to their depth with the release of Eddie Daws and Zak Freese. With that being said, the core of this roster has been finding what it takes to succeed, and had a relatively successful campaign in 2021 considering their start to the year. Zak Giger has been a big gun for this program and if he can bring consistent laning and breakshooting throughout the year, this team may be able to continue their bowling ball style of play. NRG is the league's true test on if a pro team can still be built from the ground up with homegrown talent, can they make a splash this year?

15. Sacramento DMG (Previous Season Rank: 18) Offseason Grade: D
Player to watch: Shane Howe

DMG seems to be a team in limbo as of late; they put in all the time and work needed at the pro level, but the results just haven’t shown on the field yet. The Boyum brothers are talented players, and the gradual development of Ivan Gonzalez has been promising. You just have to wonder what this season holds for DMG though. Neglecting to add any additional talent in the offseason could prove to be a mistake, but the chemistry this roster is building is undeniable. Shane Howe continues to defy the aging process, and looks faster and more athletic than ever as one of the oldest pro players in the league's history at age 49. DMG needs to take the next step, and 2022 will be a battle to the finish to avoid relegation and elevate this roster.

16. Seattle Uprising (Previous Season Rank: 16) Offseason Grade: D
Player to watch: Alex Gray

Seattle Uprising is a team that has a stable of talented players on the roster, but they have always seemed to come up just short of being in the conversation as a top pro team. They pass the eye test on the field, but have consistently been outplayed and outcoached against top level programs over the last few seasons. They made no moves over the offseason, but seem to be potentially getting Alex Gray back full time, which would be huge. Gray is a very skilled and poise offensive threat in the middle of the field, and his ability to take pressure off the team would be a critical step in finding success this year. This team needs to make a move for a top-level coach, with the right coach, this team could be dangerous.

17. MLKings (Previous Season Rank: 17) Offseason Grade: D
Player to watch: Luis Betancourt

The MLKings seem to finally be pulling together as a roster in the pro division. They looked surprisingly well at the World Cup, making their first Sunday in franchise history. They had a very quiet offseason, making no real changes to the core roster; some veteran star talent would have been big. Luis Betancourt has to be the player to watch early in the season. Playing division four just a few years ago, Betancourt has rapidly become one of the best young snake prospects in the pro division. If he continues to grow his game, this could be big for the MLKings. We should see some inspired play from team leader, Greg Montalvo as well, after he announced that he will be retiring at the end of the season.

18. New Orleans Hurricanes (Previous Season Rank: –) Offseason Grade: --
Player to watch: Andrew Bell

The New Orleans Hurricanes played their way into a pro spot last season, and are debuting a roster of rookie players for 2022. This is an intriguing team, with a core of players that has been together for quite some time. They tend to play a more aggressive style, which has benefited young programs in the past, and they have a surprising amount of experience in the game. Andrew Bell is one of New Orleans key players this year, and is a threat in the center of the field. He has great poise and should potentially provide some big plays through the center of this congested Sunshine State layout. Can they tally a few wins in their first event as a pro team, or will it be an uphill battle?

19. Los Angeles Ironmen (Previous Season Rank: 12) Offseason Grade: F
Player to watch: Nick Slowiak

The Los Angeles Ironmen are the longest running team in professional paintball history, with roots dating all the way back to the late 1980s. However, for the first time, the Ironmen have their backs against the wall with the real threat of relegation from the pro division looming. Nearly their entire roster departed from Los Angeles at the end of 2021, with just Nick Slowiak and Al Fernandez staying on board. They spent the offseason and had tryouts to fill the roster out, but this team lacks the pro experience really needed to find success. Maybe Nick Slowiak will be able to inspire and rally this young roster together in 2022, as his paintball IQ and talent on the field is undeniably high, but will the task be too much?

Catch all this weekends action at the NXL Sunshine State Major on GoSports.com, the number one source of live professional paintball in the World!

This is an opinion based power rankings and offseason grade chart. No statements or written word should be taken as fact.

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NXL Europe Event One Recap, German Invitational Brings some Normalcy Back to Paintball in the EU.

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StandOut Teams from Event One.

A Finals Match with an Epic Comeback.

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NXL Mid Atlantic Major NXL Power Rankings, Shaking Up The Rankings After a Wild Few Weeks, Is Dynasty Still on Top?

1) Edmonton Impact (Previous Rank: 5) Player to watch: Nick Levial

2) San Diego Dynasty (Previous Rank: 1) ​Player to watch: Blake Yarber

3) Houston Heat (Previous Rank: 2)​Player to watch: Tyler Harmon

4) Tampa Bay Damage (Previous Rank: 8) Player to watch: Jacob Edwards

5) San Diego Aftermath (Previous Rank: 9) Player to watch: Mike Mesa

6) Los Angeles Infamous (Previous Rank: 3) Player to watch: Thomas Taylor

7) Columbus LVL (Previous Rank: 11) Player to watch: Sam Silberg

8) New Orleans Hurricanes (Previous Rank: 18) Player to watch: Andrew Bell

9) MLKings (Previous Rank: 17) Player to watch: Connor Kelley

10) NRG Elite (Previous Rank: 14) Player to watch: Caleb Abuhl

11) San Antonio XFactor (Previous Rank: 4) Player to watch: Raney Stanczak

12) Baltimore Revo (Previous Rank: 6) Player to watch: Stephen Omara

13) New York Xtreme (Previous Rank: 13) Player to watch: Harris Hussain

14) ac Diesel (Previous Rank: 12) Player to watch: Clint Johnson

15) Seattle Thunder (Previous Rank: 10) Player to watch: Corey Field

16) Portland Uprising (Previous Rank: 16) Player to watch: Graham Arnold

17) Los Angeles Ironmen (Previous Rank: 19) Player to watch: Trent Nitta

18) Sacramento DMG (Previous Rank: 15) Player to watch: Zack Hill

19) Latin Saints (Previous Rank: 7) Player to watch: Kraig Martin

Top 5 Stories Heading into the 2022 NXL Mid Atlantic Major

1) Will Goldman and RaBackoff Put Impact Back on Top?

2) Is Jacob Edwards a Superstar Caliber Player?

3) Will Dynasty Recover from Outlier Event in Dallas?

4) Is LVL a Contender or PretEnder?

5) Is It Now AfterMaths Time To Win?

All Questions Answered Soon Enough.

NYX Gains Veteran Dorito Player Corey Hall for Remainder of 2022 Season.

Talented Offensive player Ceelos Cortes Leaves Saints, Joins Tampa Bay Damage.

Justin Rabackoff and Alex Goldman Rejoin Impact.

2022 NXL Preseason Power Rankings and Offseason Grades.

1) Edmonton Impact (Previous Rank: 5)
Player to watch: Nick Levial

2) San Diego Dynasty (Previous Rank: 1)
Player to watch: Blake Yarber

3) Houston Heat (Previous Rank: 2)
Player to watch: Tyler Harmon

4) Tampa Bay Damage (Previous Rank: 8)
Player to watch: Jacob Edwards

5) San Diego Aftermath (Previous Rank: 9)
Player to watch: Mike Mesa

6) Los Angeles Infamous (Previous Rank: 3)
Player to watch: Thomas Taylor

7) Columbus LVL (Previous Rank: 11)
Player to watch: Sam Silberg

8) New Orleans Hurricanes (Previous Rank: 18)
Player to watch: Andrew Bell

9) MLKings (Previous Rank: 17)
Player to watch: Connor Kelley

10) NRG Elite (Previous Rank: 14)
Player to watch: Caleb Abuhl

11) San Antonio XFactor (Previous Rank: 4)
Player to watch: Raney Stanczak

12) Baltimore Revo (Previous Rank: 6)
Player to watch: Stephen Omara

13) New York Xtreme (Previous Rank: 13)
Player to watch: Harris Hussain

14) ac Diesel (Previous Rank: 12)
Player to watch: Clint Johnson

15) Seattle Thunder (Previous Rank: 10)
Player to watch: Corey Field

16) Portland Uprising (Previous Rank: 16)
Player to watch: Graham Arnold

17) Los Angeles Ironmen (Previous Rank: 19)
Player to watch: Trent Nitta

18) Sacramento DMG (Previous Rank: 15)
Player to watch: Zack Hill

19) Latin Saints (Previous Rank: 7)
Player to watch: Kraig Martin