Several Call of Duty League teams have adjusted their roster for Stage II. Four teams picked up amateur players for their starting rosters, and some teams benched seasoned veterans. It is unclear if these changes will benefit the teams, but changes needed to happen.
CDL teams are adding new players to their rosters in hopes of improving performance. Image via Minnesota ROKKR.
The Toronto Ultra benched Anthony “Methodz” Zinni on March 10th. The team struggled in the first Major tournament and finished in 7th/8th place. Toronto replaced Methodz with former amateur Jamie “Insight” Craven on the starting roster, but Toronto still couldn’t win a match during its home series.
The London Royal Ravens recently replaced Christopher “Parasite” Duarte with Paul “PaulEhx” Avila. PaulEhx was a member of the WestR Challengers roster and is an excellent addition to the team. London won its first match of the season against the Los Angeles Guerrillas, and PaulEhx might have been the change needed for success.
The Los Angeles Thieves have remained a middle-of-the-pack team this season. LA beat Toronto in its first match of Stage II, but the New York Subliners reversed swept the team. It was clear a change was needed for improvement. The LA Thieves replaced Donovan “Temp” Laroda with Carlos “Venom” Hernandez.
Venom established himself as a talented player in the amateur scene. He competed with teams like the AF Academy and WeSR. The Minnesota ROKKR also removed Call of Duty veteran Michael “MajorManiak” Syzmaniak, replacing him with former amateur Eli “Sandy” Bentz.
There is a clear trend of teams picking up young players from Challengers and giving them a chance in the big leagues. Multiple teams need adjustments to be successful, but some fans are surprised by the drastic removal of seasoned and talented players.
Week two of the Call of Duty League Stage II begins on March 25th.
