Because the LPL is currently in the offseason, many LPL viewers are focusing on the K Cup held by the adjacent LCK region. While the K Cup resembles the Demacia Cup in the LPL, the majority of LCK teams compete with their starting lineups, including HLE, DK, KT, and T1. Therefore, many fans want to use this K Cup to gauge the strength rankings of LCK teams this season. So far, only HLE remains undefeated in the tournament.

Although HLE has defeated strong teams like NS, DK, and T1 in the K Cup, many viewers believe HLE cannot win the championship because their jungler Kanavi’s performance has been erratic. In almost every match, Kanavi becomes the team's weak link. Many LoL fans joke that after joining HLE, Kanavi’s true skill level has finally been exposed. Back when he was with TES, Kanavi still had fans defending him, but now watching HLE’s games, Kanavi is clearly the weakest player on the team.

Kanavi’s crybaby comments stir up controversy

Although Kanavi often makes mistakes, he remains HLE’s player with the most MVP awards, so many fans are confused about why his performance fluctuates so wildly. Some even say HLE’s chances of winning depend entirely on Kanavi’s mood; when he’s in a good mood, HLE steamrolls opponents, but if he’s not, the team suffers greatly. For example, in HLE’s series against DK, Kanavi was counter-jungled in game four and then “went berserk” throughout the rest of the match.

Recently, in HLE’s team voice chat, a conversation between top laner Zeus and Kanavi was publicly revealed, explaining the reason behind Kanavi’s meltdown. Zeus asked Kanavi if being counter-jungled caused him to lose his composure, to which Kanavi admitted that the enemy’s counter-jungling indeed made him mentally explode. Kanavi’s almost “crybaby” response upset many LCK fans, who feel he lacks competitive spirit and any ability to handle pressure.

Zeus comments on BLG’s new roster

However, some viewers believe this exchange between Kanavi and Zeus is a form of mutual testing. Kanavi might be signaling to Zeus that he can’t handle the pressure alone and needs help whenever the enemy jungler counteracts him, or else he’ll lose his mind. In an interview, Zeus also addressed Kanavi’s playstyle, admitting their approaches differ and that he is working hard to adapt to Kanavi’s style. (Many fans are eager to see HLE transformed by Kanavi’s “berserk” state, while others hope Kanavi can better fit with his teammates, as his inconsistency is a concern.)

Besides discussing Kanavi’s playstyle, Zeus also evaluated BLG’s new season lineup in the interview. He believes BLG will definitely qualify for the World Championship, citing a simple reason: BLG’s bottom lane AD carry, Viper, is very strong. As long as Viper adapts well to BLG, they will become a major threat to HLE at Worlds. (Do you think Zeus’s opinion makes sense? If Viper settles in with BLG, could they have a chance to win the World Championship?)

Conclusion

Although Kanavi’s current performance feels out of sync with his HLE teammates, he has mentioned that the team has played very few scrims together, and their current results rely heavily on individual skill. Personally, I’m looking forward to seeing how HLE’s team synergy develops. Do you think once all five players fully gel, HLE can achieve great results at the World Championship?