10 biggest officially announced League of Legends offseason moves thus far

League of Legends free agency began on Nov. 15 and teams are already announcing changes for their 2022 campaign. Heavy hitters like Søren “Bjergsen” Bjerg and Heo “ShowMaker” Su haven’t officially signed anywhere, but a few big names are off the board and next year’s rosters are taking shape. Here are 10 of the biggest signings made by competitive teams across the world thus far.

All photos are courtesy of Riot Games.

Jason “WildTurtle” Tran - Immortals

WildTurtle had a tough year alongside the rest of Counter Logic Gaming, but as one of the longest-tenured professionals in the League of Legends scene, there are bound to be a few bumps in the road. As a four-time League of Legends World Championship attendee and one of the most consistent AD carries in North American history, WildTurtle brings a stable force to Immortals for the 2022 season. Former AD carry Quin “Raes” Korebrits wasn’t a problem for Immortals, but WildTurtle’s signing is a welcome upgrade for the new year.

Tristan “PowerofEvil” Schrage - Immortals

PowerOfEvil narrowly missed Worlds on TSM this season, but he was in the conversation for “best mid laner in North America” all season long. PowerOfEvil reunites with WildTurtle after the 2019 Worlds-qualifying Flyquest roster was broken up, forming an experienced carry foundation for Immortals. Immortals fell short this season, but 2022 is looking promising with PowerOfEvil’s Azir and Orianna ready to hit the rift.

Kasper “Kobbe” Kobberup - Astralis

Much like WildTurtle in North America, Kobbe has been one of the most stable carry presences in Europe. Kobbe’s campaign with Misfits this year ended in the playoffs, but he was always a reliable point of pressure for a team on the edge of competing with the best. Since Astralis has focused on building more developmental rosters since joining the League of Legends European Championship (LEC), Kobbe will become the lynchpin of a team looking to find itself. Considering the organization’s Danish origin, signing Kobbe to be the Danish face of the franchise is a nice extra touch.

Martin “Rekkles” Larsson - Karmine Corp

Rekkles is arguably the most legendary player in all of European League of Legends, collecting numerous domestic titles and even reaching the Worlds final with Fnatic in 2018. After failing to make Worlds with G2 Esports this year, fans speculated which roster could possibly sign him for 2022. In a huge surprise, Rekkles will be joining Karmine Corp in France’s European Regional League (LFL) to bolster an already powerhouse lineup with an enormous fanbase. Rekkles might not have the opportunity to participate at Worlds next year with an LEC team, but he will continue to grow his brand as Europe’s most famous player.

Zaqueri “Aphromoo” Black - FlyQuest

Aphromoo was one of the top North American free agents going into this offseason, and perhaps no team needed his help more than FlyQuest. FlyQuest experienced a late-season surge after the team decided to field its academy roster, but it was clear that raw talent could only take the team so far. With Aphromoo joining the roster, the team immediately gains one of the league’s best in-game leaders in a position as crucial as support.

Vincent “Biofrost” Wang - Dignitas

Biofrost missed the entirety of the 2021 season after being dropped alongside most of the TSM roster in 2020, but he’s ready to prove that he is still one of the league’s best domestic support talents. Biofrost doesn’t necessarily offer the same intangibles as veteran support Aphromoo, but he brings a level of mechanical playmaking that Dignitas loved to embrace last season. With Toàn “Neo” Trần rising to the occasion last year as one of the league’s best AD carries, Biofrost is in a strong position to take Dignitas a few notches up in 2022.

Philippe “Vulcan” Laflamme - Evil Geniuses

There was a lot of competition at support this year with Hu “SwordArt” Shuo-Jie joining TSM, but Vulcan still proved to have the highest mechanical ceiling among support players. On his best days, he was the best support in the LCS, and it meant that Cloud9 was nigh unstoppable. As Evil Geniuses look to build around young stars Joseph “Jojopyun” Pyun and Kyle “Danny” Sakamaki, Vulcan provides not only a successful veteran voice but also the mechanics to follow up on their stylish plays.

Lawrence “Lost” Sze Yuy Hui - Golden Guardians

Lost spent the last two years with TSM in both Academy and LCS, racking up strong performances without garnering the same fanfare as his peers. As Golden Guardians continue to look for their identity, Lost provides a flexible and competent carry who is always ready to take a step back for his teammates. This signing isn’t the most exciting, but for anyone looking to believe in the Golden Guardians, it’s a crucial one.

Moon “Cuzz” Woo-chan - KT Rolster

As one of the few South Korean free agents to sign to a new team at this point in the offseason, Cuzz immediately strengthens a KT Rolster roster that finished in seventh place this year. Cuzz’s reputation as an aggressive jungler precedes him, but he was sidelined for the more-consistent Moon “Oner” Hyeon-joon on 2021 Worlds semifinalist T1. For KT Rolster though, they don’t need a jungler who is more consistent; they need a jungler who is always ready to get on the board, and Cuzz more than fits the bill.

Kim “Olleh” Joo-sung - Golden Guardians

Out of all the offseason signings thus far, Olleh’s return to competitive play is a complete wildcard. At his peak in 2018, Olleh was the best support in the LCS, playing a major role in Team Liquid’s domestic dominance. Olleh hasn’t played competitively since 2020, though, and not in the LCS since 2019. After being the bottom-feeders of the LCS in 2021, Golden Guardians are clearly looking for some magic, and Olleh might just be the conjurer.