TL;DR
- SK Gaming makes emergency roster changes with Treatz moving to jungle and coach Jesiz returning to support
- TynX departs after underwhelming rookie split despite high expectations from LFL success
- The unconventional moves stem from timing constraints and contractual issues blocking traditional replacements
- Treatz maintains shot-calling duties but emphasizes the jungle role is temporary
- Team faces uphill battle for Worlds qualification with new lineup debuting June 11
SK Gaming faces dramatic last-minute roster reconstruction just before the LEC summer split commences, creating significant uncertainty for the organization.
The esports community received shocking news when SK Gaming revealed Kristian “TynX” Hansen would no longer serve as starting jungler. In a surprising pivot, support specialist Erik “Treatz” Wessén transitions to jungle temporarily throughout the 2021 LEC Summer Split. This unexpected move creates a vacancy in the support position, filled by head coach and former pro player Jesse “Jesiz” Le.
Today we are announcing a few changes to our
#LEC
Roster for the 2021 Summer Split.????
https://t.co/GOjiYRtNIb#SKWIN
#RUNSKG
pic.twitter.com/xNFwqRJWYN— SK Gaming (@SKGaming)
May 29, 2021
While these roster adjustments may appear suboptimal to external observers, SK Gaming emphasizes the decisions emerged from collective team discussions with unanimous member support. The transformations mean an entirely reformed SK Gaming squad enters Summoner’s Rift when the LEC season begins on June 11, leaving numerous strategic questions unresolved.
“We initially pursued conventional jungle replacements,” explained SK Gaming general manager Joseph El Ouassi. “However, timing complications and contractual limitations prevented us from securing suitable agreements before the deadline.”
TynX leaves SK Gaming after poor performance in LEC
TynX’s abrupt departure follows his inaugural LEC competitive split. The Danish jungler entered the league heralded as one of Europe’s most promising new talents, following an impressive season with LDLC OL in France’s competitive LFL league. Despite demonstrating strong mechanical jungle abilities, TynX failed to meet performance expectations throughout the competitive period. This development leaves the young Danish player teamless, potentially requiring a temporary return to European Regional Leagues.
Common rookie mistakes in LEC transitions include underestimating the strategic depth required at the professional level and struggling with consistent performance under pressure. For players moving from regional leagues to LEC, focusing on mental resilience training and adapting to faster-paced decision-making can significantly improve adjustment periods.
TynX’s surprising replacement will be Treatz, previously known for his tenure with TSM, though never in a jungle capacity. Treatz has established a reputation as a versatile player with deep understanding across multiple positions, likely contributing to his experimental jungle assignment. Since joining SK Gaming for the 2021 LEC season, he has served as the team’s primary shot-caller and will continue these leadership responsibilities from the jungle role.
“This represents a temporary role adjustment rather than a long-term positional commitment,” Treatz clarified. “As a support player, you frequently focus on enabling your teammates both during matches and in broader team development contexts.”
#LEC
2021 summer as a jungler
pic.twitter.com/LZ1gUvxPDo— Erik Wessén (@Treatz)
May 29, 2021
Role swapping presents unique challenges, particularly when moving between positions with different macro responsibilities. Jungle requires extensive map awareness and objective control expertise that differs significantly from support’s lane-focused priorities.
Filling Treatz’s support vacancy will be Jesiz, who brings extensive experience as a professional support player. His most recent competitive appearance was as a substitute for SK Gaming Prime in Germany’s Prime League last season. Jesiz has functioned as the team’s head coach throughout the past year but must now reactivate his competitive skills.
Performance expectations for Jesiz rejoining as support remain modest, though his veteran experience should benefit bot laner Jean “Jezu” Massol’s development. SK Gaming maintains ambitions to qualify for the 2021 World Championship, despite the significantly increased difficulty following these roster changes.
Coaches returning to active playface significant adaptation hurdles, including mechanical rust and meta knowledge gaps. For optimal performance, returning players should prioritize extensive scrimmage participation and current patch research to bridge experience deficiencies.
SK Gaming will play its first game of the summer split on June 11.
The reformed roster faces immediate competitive pressure when the summer split commences. Teams undergoing mid-season role swaps typically require 3-4 weeks to establish basic synergy, making early split matches particularly challenging. For comprehensive team strategy insights, explore our Complete Guide to understanding roster dynamics.
World Championship qualification now represents an exceptionally ambitious target given the experimental nature of these changes. Organizations facing similar roster crises should consider maintaining flexible contract structures and developing internal talent pipelines to avoid last-minute scrambling.
Action Checklist
- Analyze SK Gaming’s first 3 summer split matches to assess role swap effectiveness
- Monitor TynX’s competitive status and potential ERL team acquisition
- Evaluate Treatz’s jungle pathing and objective control compared to specialized junglers
- Track Jesiz’s support performance metrics, particularly vision control and lane partnership
- Compare SK’s performance against teams with stable rosters to measure adaptation costs
No reproduction without permission：Games Guides Website » Treatz swaps to jungle for SK Gaming as TynX steps down SK Gaming's surprising roster shakeup: Treatz role-swaps to jungle as TynX departs after disappointing LEC debut