North, Heroic confirm niko-mertz exchange

8/8/2018 - 09:59

Nikolaj "⁠niko⁠" Kristensen moves to North from Heroic, who in turn receive Daniel "⁠mertz⁠" Mertz in a loan swap, the teams have announced.

The Danish exchange, reported by vpesports.com last week, means that niko and mertz will represent their new teams at least for the duration of DreamHack Masters Stockholm 2018 and the FACEIT Major.

mertz was benched from North as the team wanted to try out an international roster at DreamHack Open Valencia, where they fielded Oscar "⁠mixwell⁠" Cañellas. The talented 19-year-old didn't make it back to the roster after the Spanish event, with captain Mathias "⁠MSL⁠" Lauridsen commenting that the team needed a more experienced AWPer.

mertz' first showing for Heroic will be DH Masters Stockholm

In a statement regarding the swap, North Director of Esports, Jonas "⁠whimp⁠" Svendsen further noted that mertz needs more in-game experience if he is to make the future roster:

"Daniel is a talented player, and stats shows that he knows how to wield the AWP. He is however still young and needs to grow even more in order to perform against the best teams in the World. Today, in order to be a top player, you need not only excellent mechanical skills but there many other factors and aspects come into play as well."

As mertz moves to Heroic to mature, niko will look to continue his recent good form in North. Currently sporting a team-high 1.08 rating, he has been a part of Heroic for almost two years. In North, the 20-year-old rifler will get a chance to play at his first Major in September:

"Im happy to get to test myself in new surroundings and I simultaneously hope and wish the best for Heroic [...] On the other hand, it's a good thing for me to enter a new group. North is one of the best teams in Denmark and a team with great ambitions. In that sense, it’s not far from what I’m coming from but I’m excited about this new challenge."

With the conclusion of the FACEIT Major, at which North have a spot at the New Challengers stage, the team will "reevaluate the team situation", according to the announcement.

With the swap deal confirmed, the two Danish sides are as follows for the foreseeable future:

North
Mathias "⁠MSL⁠" Lauridsen
Philip "⁠aizy⁠" Aistrup
Valdemar "⁠valde⁠" Bjørn Vangså
Markus "⁠Kjaerbye⁠" Kjærbye
Nikolaj "⁠niko⁠" Kristensen

Heroic
Andreas "⁠MODDII⁠" Fridh
Adam "⁠friberg⁠" Friberg
Patrick "⁠es3tag⁠" Hansen
Asger "⁠AcilioN⁠" Larsen
Daniel "⁠mertz⁠" Mertz

expected

2018-08-08 10:00

22 replies

Damn he left faze for this?..

12 replies

msl 0 iq

2018-08-08 10:01

2 replies

msl 100000000000000000000000000000 iq

2018-08-08 10:17

msLUL

2018-08-08 10:25

Ugh I knew I would see this as soon as I head here.

Damn is that low rated sarcasm?

2018-08-08 10:53

1.3 rated sarcasm

2018-08-08 13:35

1 reply

0k. But how bout 3. 1

2018-08-08 14:20

Guardian to NiP confirmed.

2018-08-08 12:35

"Guardian = superman, now he knows 5 languages, including Russian, Ukrainian, English, Slovakian and Swedish", - HLTV reported.

2018-08-09 08:47

+1 Guardian smartest person in CS scene. Language king !

2018-08-10 21:48

Dumb cunt

2018-08-08 14:59

this is another niko not the faze niko

2018-08-10 09:03

2018-08-08 10:37

how is aizy not cut yet

2018-08-08 11:45

7 replies

He has played great resently but if his form go down he will be kicked after major i think

2018-08-08 12:33

5 replies

mertz > aizy niko better fits aizy's role the maths does not add up

2018-08-08 12:51

4 replies

aizy > mertz whit rifle and mertz is not used to big lans so thats why they want to keep aizy niko > aizy for sure

2018-08-08 15:25

3 replies

No after major -valde cuz obvs msl will think he is the problrn . When u think about this.- kicking magisk,k0nfig,cajunb,mertz and aizy its still on the roster its a shame

2018-08-08 17:00

2018-08-08 22:37

2018-08-08 23:43

You mean aizy aka s1mple biggest opponent?

2018-08-08 17:05

2018-08-08 10:02

What about 7day trade rule

2018-08-08 10:03

Braindead move tbh

True, and who will awp for north?

2018-08-08 11:02

mal obviously

2018-08-08 11:17

God no

2018-08-08 12:12

2018-08-08 12:43

no awper lmao

MSL best awp

2018-08-08 10:51

niko will be with AWP?) lol xD

WP mertz

LUL

I thought mertz was aight?

too inconsistent

2018-08-08 22:38

still tier3

Jesus that's a big downgrade for Faze

0/8

2018-08-08 16:46

faze ??

2018-08-08 22:39

GLHF boiiiis

Who will be north's awper?

Hard to say, they don’t have a dedicated AWPer anymore. aizy can probably play it on the CT side, or they just have MSL pick it up again.

NiP v2 no awp lul

The team needed more experienced awper - Proceeds to have no awper at all.

11 replies

Exactly my thinking. MSL is so braindead.

2018-08-08 10:05

Classic North move. Noone is better at destroying themselves than north

2018-08-08 14:00

In CS:GO, at least since Copenhagen Wolves, MSL has never had a true top-tier AWPer on his team (friis, nico, pimp, cajun). His calling, especially CT sides on this past North team, seem to reflect it. They took their chance on the best available option, contemplated switching languages, and then decided there wasn't any (good?) options available. ... Don't think North can really do anything besides wait for OpTic to implode? Before they move in on another AWPer.

2018-08-08 10:47

8 replies

Why would you think Optic is about to implode?

2018-08-08 12:18

I don't think they are. However, on average most CS teams only last something like 8 months. Besides mertz, the only other Danish AWPer that comes to my mind is dragonfly from Fragsters.

2018-08-08 12:27

Dragonfly wont cut it. He's not good enough. They'll have to work around having a dedicated awp'er which is possible, just look at Liquid.

2018-08-08 12:47

U have natosaphix

2018-08-08 12:58

2018-08-08 16:22

+1 You're right. And I think North will do better now with niko rather than mertz. niko is a somewhat underrated player and actually quite good. I'm sure that North would've loved to get JUGI but this new Optic roster is still very new and they improving albeit slowly so I think it'll be a while before things fall apart.

I.just hope after.major -gade +valde will happen and msl hang himself for always kicking his.best players

2018-08-08 16:58

with mixwell they won easily that dh tournament (cant remember the name) they need a good awper but msl too braindead

2018-08-08 22:40

what a stupid move LUL

2018-08-08 10:04

Why?

I know why, reason: money

2018-08-08 11:50

Wtf

RIP Mertz sticker FeelsBadMan P.S. When mertz was kicked out of Copenhagen Wolves, or SK, I don't remember, wasn't "the lack of experience" the reason as well? Like wtf that was almost 3 years ago

Maybe mertz is stupid as hell and to say "needs more experience" is the polite way to say that

i think he was a little bit inconsistent and maybe toxic

2018-08-08 22:41

GG North, Niko is a great player but not a AWP. Heroic needed a very good awp and they got it.

2018-08-08 10:06

North, Heroic confirm niko, valde, MSL, Kjaerbye, aizy-mertz, AcilioN, es3tag, friberg, MODDII exchange.

2018-08-08 15:08

Can't be real

This is the reason why i dont like North. They are making so many unnecessary and stupid moves suddenly. I kinda believe it hurts the Danish scene somehow.

2018-08-08 10:07

There was a brief period when they were better than Astralis with magisk, konfig, etc. That was a long time ago and MSL has managed to destroy this team from bad to worse with every move. Now theyre the 4th best team in Denmark. I dont understand why they stick with MSL above all else.

2018-08-08 10:35

Before this move they were 2nd best team in Denmark and I don't think they'll lose their place any time soon unless heroic somehow manage to accomplish something with washed up moddii

2018-08-08 11:08

Before this move they were third. Optic>North

2018-08-08 11:14

I don't think it was clear who was better optic or north, you can't just compare the players on the team and say that team is better. You need to think about the results too and North has won some DH tournament not long ago

2018-08-08 11:32

That's true but imo if you look at the amount of times north lost because of braindead MSL that puts them below optic as you can count on them to fail.

2018-08-08 12:25

You're exaggerating. They're top 2/3 danish team. Theyre winning the tournaments they're supposed to win(w one upset exception=imperial), and they lose ones where they werent even in contention of winning (cologne) which is perfectly understandable.

2018-08-08 14:35

They have one good player on their team (valde) and no awper. They have one of the worst pro players on their team (MSL) which is also one of worst IGL's. I don't think there's any hope of a top3 for this lineup.

2018-08-08 14:58

Just think for a bit : msl kicked magisk.k0nfig cajunb and mertz.lol

2018-08-08 16:56

Mertz better stats than niko, good move MSL

2018-08-08 10:08

no awper gj

2018-08-08 10:09

Why would FaZe Clan kick its best player? LUL

2018-08-08 10:10

omg hahaha so funny lulz lmfaaaaao nah you're autistic, mate

2018-08-08 10:12

yes we all know that olof is best faze player

2018-08-08 10:31

Rain, you mean

karrigan*

2018-08-08 14:08

you are right

2018-08-08 10:34

why faze? this is about heroic and north XDXD

2018-08-08 22:43

Jebaited

2018-08-09 08:14

gl niko

Why dont north get rid of MSL lmao, the dude is a total waste of space on any team.

2018-08-08 10:16

6 replies

Best available IGL i Denmark. And he is hugely underrated. Who would you realistically get in his stead?

2018-08-08 12:55

bbbbbbbut MODDII IS BETTER!1!1!1!1!1! REEEEEEEEEEEEEE And then if they do get MODDII "OMG RETARD N♿RTH GETTING SWEDISH BOT LUL"

2018-08-08 14:15

Acillion or torben are much better lulz. Msl trash

2018-08-08 16:54

They don't even come close

2018-08-08 17:42

snappi, torben are far far better than msl,

2018-08-10 10:13

snappi is about as good as msl. torden, however, is not.

2018-08-10 10:51

WHHHYYYYYYYYYYYYYYYY?!?!?!

2018-08-08 10:18

How idiotic are Heroic? Niko for mertz? Worst roster change since MiBR picked up tarik.

2018-08-08 10:19

10 replies

Sk got boltz worst change ever

2018-08-08 10:38

fnatic-godsent swap was worse

Lul fnatic reach semi final major with that roster

2018-08-08 11:34

lmao adding boltz got them out of the slump and they started to win again

2018-08-08 11:12

- 3 titles - worst roster change pick one

2018-08-08 13:15

They kicked him before and kicked him again, they only won because of the "honeymoon" mr biased mibr flair

2018-08-08 14:49

using honeymoon as argument nice try fan of konfig

2018-08-08 15:44

Ofc worst roster change,winning 3 tournaments in 2.months lol

2018-08-08 16:53

es3tag > niko Also Heroic needed main AWPer

2018-08-08 12:07

niko is (was) the best player in Heroic.

2018-08-08 15:23

North still a dead team.

2018-08-08 10:21

Dunno if niko is the best player for North, but at least he is consistent.

Now that North are going predominately five-rifles, maybe we will finally see a second team (TL being the other) in the top-ten that is predominately five-rifle T-sides. Who will AWP for North now? MSL and ?

MSL = FalleN

Maybe aizy will modernize the meta and use an auto-sniper instead of the AWP.

2018-08-08 10:33

Heroic should now be much better off than North.

+1 they were lacking an awper.. now they will be much stronger. Great pick up by them.

2018-08-08 16:40

good move for north

2018-08-08 10:59

yes drop an AWPer for a rifler LUL

2018-08-08 13:16

yea but beast rifler

2018-08-08 14:50

sewed on soap

2018-08-08 11:01

Aizy and msl still on the lineup lul

2018-08-08 11:11

Aizy is their 2nd best player lol so why not

Aizy 2nd best player OMEGALUL

2018-08-08 13:20

hltv.org/news/24457/team-ranking-july-20.. Check his rating here(LAN)

He is averagr now cuz he is in best role.he want. Trash go retire

2018-08-08 16:52

nice joke xd i got rofl hard

2018-08-08 13:32

#115

now -MSL +HUNDEN or FETISH

2018-08-08 11:23

gg noob

2018-08-08 11:27

downgrade for heroic and downgrade for niko career, north sucks

Tbh North is better than FaZe right now. GG Niko

2018-08-08 11:57

gomore stupi pls

2018-08-08 12:31

Baited

Won't work

2018-08-08 11:58

Niko left Faze for this?? Sad

2018-08-08 12:19

why would they take niko over mertz i dont get it. Maybe is upgrade for both sides

2018-08-08 12:21

I'm just wondering what's gonna happen with Es3tag now, because he was hard-carrying Heroic over the past couple months and he was the AWPer. If he's gonna go back to rifling and loses his form because of it, this trade could end up really bad for Heroic, cause Acillion is just average and Moddii and Friberg certainly won't get anything done.

2018-08-08 14:04

Didnt they kicked at some point (bench) es3tag? They he came back after one tournament (cuz he played poorly) after the he came, was best player of Heroic till now. Yeah that would be sad for him, cuz hes more confident with playing AWP and not rifling. Not saying hes bad at rifling, just feels like that

2018-08-08 14:05

Yeah, he used to be sorta average to below-average until he was benched, but when he was brought back he really took his chance. hltv.org/stats/matches/mapstatsid/69382/.. That map is a prime example of just how amazing he can be.

He started being good again cuz snappi left and no longer forced to lplay.shit role

2018-08-08 16:50

No awp for North but still they got the best niko

2018-08-08 12:26

Cuz faze is NiKo

no awp lmfao north tier3

Msl: we need an experienced awper *sings rifler

2018-08-08 12:29

rofl no awper in north, shit trade

mertz is like allu... ;_;

2018-08-08 12:44

Scandinavian? Check Kicked from a prestigious team? Check Inconsistent as fuck? check

2018-08-08 14:18

prestigious team? I arent think thatz Maybe known for stupid moves LUL

2018-08-08 17:33

I mean not really prestigious team, but more prestigious organisation. You get to practice at a stadium, can never go bust because you're owned by a football team, 20 fucking k a month, free adidas shit, etc. North is probably one of the better orgs to be in right now quality wise. Team wise, that's another issue....

2018-08-09 05:07

Thats true

2018-08-09 10:50

Step Down for north

2018-08-08 12:53

no main awp on a very tactical team gl

2018-08-08 13:01

They should replace MSL.

2018-08-08 13:07

Heroic makes the worst roster moves..

2018-08-08 13:09

LOL AXAXAXA

2018-08-08 13:12

#ez4faze

2018-08-08 13:13

how does North let Aizy and MSL run the show OMEGALUL kick them 2 ffs

2018-08-08 13:14

niko has 25 awp kills this year. Do they want him awping? I bet k0nfig could do it better

2018-08-08 13:33

MSL will be AWPing with aizy

2018-08-08 13:36

dead team lul

2018-08-08 13:57

" the team needed a more experienced AWPer." ....... ....... this is genius at it best xd

LOL

2018-08-08 16:41

Good switch for Heroic! niko has been shit for most of this year, while they also needed a good awp’er and mertz is amazing.

2018-08-08 14:07

Niko has had the best stats of any in Heroic. Mertz is far from amazing

2018-08-08 16:21

not during the past months, I agree that he was good before, but not now. niko has been struggling in north as well (from the games I've seen atleast). Mertz will become great in Heroic, perfect fit for him and perfect fit for Heroic.

2018-08-08 19:56

rip 2 teams

They should have gotten es3tag, now North dont have an AWPer

2018-08-08 14:25

Aizy main awp

2018-08-08 14:36

Really? Wont work out well i guess

2018-08-08 16:01

MSL is main AWP and aizy is second

2018-08-08 18:32

even worse lol, they really should have gotten es3tag

2018-08-08 18:49

I think it would be correct to notice that niko > mertz

2018-08-08 14:40

lol xD

2018-08-08 14:42

decent move for Heroic, another fail for MSL the danish retarded fuckface

2018-08-08 14:52

Rip faze

i think that north should have kept mertz. and who's gonna awp now?

2018-08-08 15:01

wtf faze, why would you release your best player

2018-08-08 15:35

2018-08-08 15:46

2 shit teams, no one cares

2018-08-08 16:45

Man, I'm not a fan of a team without at least a decent AWPer. Most of top teams have main OPer and secondary OPer as well. You are not gonna go anywhere far without a good OPer. The game has AWP for a reason. I guess it doesn't matter to North.

2018-08-08 16:51

RIP FAZE LUL

MSL on awp? or who?

2018-08-08 16:59

stats only tell half of the story. maybe mertz was bad at giving info maybe he was not creating a good atmosphere in the team maybe he was not listening to callouts etc

2018-08-08 19:22

but they don't even have awper now. how many players did they kick already? at some point results should matter more over toxicity free environment and if they become worse than optic then I don't even know what to say.

they weren't getting impressive results with mertz, and if some of what i wrote in my previous post holds true, then i think it's a good idea to switch it up.

2018-08-10 12:25