As we edge closer to the new season, here’s a look at how the best teams from the West might fare. In this article we take a look at Seattle Surge,
The start of the CDL 2023 season is just around the corner. A bundle of roster and personnel changes highlight yet another dramatic Call of Duty League off-season. Here, we break down four of the 12 professional teams, starting over on the west coast of the United States.
Seattle Surge sticking with what works
Roster: Mack, Sib, Accuracy, Pred
2022: Seattle’s 2022 season did not have an ideal start. Through the first two Major qualifiers, the Surge weren’t able to get much of anything going. Major I saw them bounce out of the tournament after just one match. They followed that up with a better effort, but ran into a red-hot LA Guerillas and were knocked out in elimination round 3. Major 3 was a completely different story. On no one’s radar whatsoever, Seattle went 4-1 in qualifiers which set them up quite well for the tournament.
A game 5, round 11 win against the New York Subliners would catapult them on an unforgettable run the rest of the way. They eventually took down the powerhouse Atlanta FaZe in 8 games to win the Major. Seattle were able to cap off a solid back half of the season with an impressive third place finish at Champs.
2023: It is no surprise that Seattle elected to stick with their core four for this season. Pred will be looking to build on one of the best rookie seasons in professional COD history. Fellow SMG player, Sib, will be eyeing the same things as he enters his sophomore season. Mack was able to find a solid role with the team and will continue to serve as a solid flex player for this year. All of the team’s success will rely on veteran Accuracy. The slower-paced, AR-heavy game will greatly benefit the latter two of the group.
Key to Success: Finding a way to keep the SMG players involved in a slower game, while making sure the ARs can keep up.
Reigning champions LA Thieves hoping to repeat glory in CDL 2023
Roster: Drazah, Octane, Envoy, Kenny
2022: The Thieves have had a very frustrating tenure in the CDL and 2022 appeared to be no different. In the beginning, that is. After their first match in Major 3, Octane had acknowledged the calls from fans for roster changes, but the squad was determined to stick together. That was obviously the correct call. A season-high fourth-place finish carried them through the rest of the year. A shocking Major IV victory had many thinking that they peaked too early prior to Champs. However, all it took was four straight wins to secure the Call of Duty World Championship.
2023: LAT will also be going with the same roster as last season. They proved to be the undisputed #1 team in the league. This game may turn out to be even better for the likes of Octane, who didn’t have his usual all-star season like normal last year. Envoy and Kenny have seemed to find their chemistry too. Of course, there’s no forgetting public enemy number one, Drazah. These four are hoping to avoid the “championship hangover” this season.
Key to Success: A fast start. The first two tournaments of the season will potentially dictate how the CDL 2023 season will go for them. All LAT needs to do is find consistency early on.
LA Guerillas go with a new look for 2023
Roster: Huke, Arcitys, Neptune, Spart
2022: Bizarre is the best way to describe last season for LAG. Historically, this organization has had little to no success in the league. Major II marked maybe the biggest upset wins in CDL history. The Guerillas were knocked down to the loser’s bracket right away, but made an immaculate run, winning six straight matches en route to winning the Major. It was a victory that shocked the league and its fans. The rest of the year was not as glorious. LAG puttered out and failed to qualify for Champs.
2023: A roster change was due for the struggling team. Huke is the only remaining player from the 2022 roster. They brought in young gunners Spart and Neptune, both of which will need to prove themselves. The biggest haul was former FaZe player Arcitys. His two World Championships elite resume will be the most critical part of this team. They have a chance to do some damage against better opponents, but it will take a lot of “prove it” matches before top-level consideration.
Key to Success: Arcitys. He did not leave Atlanta on the best of terms. Although, his impact should still be noted over the last several seasons. He needs to be at the top of his game and leave the past behind him. Arcitys needs to be “the guy”.
Vegas Legion leaving the Paris woes behind for CDL 2023
Roster: Temp
2022: It really seems like we keep beating the same drum year after year with the Paris (now Vegas) Legion. The struggling organization has been a bottom-four team since the CDL began. 2022 was yet another disappointing season. The Legion concluded the year with a 2-23 record and missed qualification for Champs. They were able to play a few teams close in the series which was their one bright side to the season.
2023: Perhaps the Legion taking the “Las” out of Las Vegas is the first step into turning the franchise around. Temp had the best season of his career despite the results, so he is a good player to build around. Right now, it is just hard to judge this team without having a set roster at this point in the off-season.
Key to Success: Thinking past 2023. A successful professional organization needs to consider the longevity of its players. There has been far too much turnover with this team. Even if Vegas doesn’t have success in 2023, they need to ensure they have players signed past this season and in their future plans.
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