Dallas Fuel Announce Roster Moves Ahead of 2022 Overwatch League Season
The Dallas Fuel, which enjoyed their most successful season to-date finishing third overall in global Overwatch League competition, announced a series of roster moves today in anticipation of the 2022 season. The 2022 Overwatch League season will introduce a new title, Overwatch 2, from Activision Blizzard and see team competition shift from six-on-six competition to five-on-five competition.
Dallas Fuel head coach and 2021 Overwatch League Coach of the Year Heewon “RUSH” Yun will return to lead the organization. The team picked up contract option years for the following players, who will return in 2022:
- Dong-ha “Doha” Kim
- Euiseok “Fearless” Lee
- Hanbeen “Hanbin” Choi
- Jun “Fielder” Kwon
- Yeonghan “SP9RK1E” Kim
The team did not exercise contract options for the following players, and each will become an unrestricted free agent:
- Seungsoo “Jecse” Lee
- Gi-hyo “Xzi” Jung
- Dohyeon “Pine” Kim
In addition, Jun-keun “Rapel” Kim will be retiring from competitive Overwatch following three years in the Overwatch League. Rapel played on Element Mystic in Overwatch Contenders, the development division for aspiring Overwatch League professionals, before joining the Vancouver Titans in 2019 where he finished second in the league with the team. In 2020, he competed with the Houston Outlaws before joining the Dallas Fuel for the 2021 season.
“We fell short of our ultimate goal of winning a championship and are making decisions designed to improve incrementally for the future seasons,” said RUSH. “With a new game and new playstyles coming, we will be looking to get stronger in key areas by adding additional players to the Dallas Fuel this offseason.”
The Dallas Fuel intend to hold tryouts for multiple roster positions in the near future. All Overwatch League teams are required to have a minimum of six players signed to season-long contracts by March 1, 2022.
“This season was challenging but also very special,” said Mat “Tazmo” Taylor, general manager of the Dallas Fuel. “We worked through the unimaginable playing in a global league with a mix of online and offline events and want to truly thank Pine, Jesce, and Rapel for their contributions to our team and the culture we have built at the Dallas Fuel. We wish them, and Xzi who departed just before the start of the season, success and happiness in their next endeavors.”
