There are a lot of new names to get used to in the North American Dota 2 scene in the wake of TI5, be it new players or newly formed teams. But in almost every new squad on the block you’ll find some of NA’s most accomplished players, such as Fluffnstuff and Jeyo of Team Fire, who secured their trip to ESL One at New York Super Week by being triumphant in the wild North American qualifiers.
In a qualifier bracket filled with the new teams including the likes of Demon, Aui_2000, 1437, Wagamama and swindle, Team Fire put in some commanding performances to set themselves apart from the rest of the pack. Directly invited into the quarterfinals, they brushed aside Root Gaming, Digital Chaos and Complexity Gaming in the grand finals, only dropping a single game to DC on the way to the guaranteed slot at the Madison Square Garden Theater, where two of their players will make their second ESL One appearance.
The former Sneaky Nyx Assassins squad, which was rebranded to Team Fire at the end of 2014, only has two players left over from their ESL One New York 2014 run - the support duo of Fluffnstuff and `whitebeard. The former seems to be following in pieliedie’s footsteps of playing as a role six support, ending nearly every game with virtually no farm. However, it’s hard to argue with the strategy when it’s clearly working out in the team’s favor. Another thing that could benefit the feisty Americans is the fact that none of the other seven teams have any experience playing against them, which gives them a certain element of surprise. They may be coming in as an underdog, but it would be foolish to underestimate them.
| Position | Player | Most played heroes (patch 6.84) |
| Carry | Jeyo |
   |
| Mid | 747 |
  |
| Offlane | Moo |
   |
| Support | `whitebeard |
   |
| Support | FLUFFNSTUFF |
   |
How far can the American underdogs go at ESL One at New York Super Week? Make sure you’re at the iconic Madison Square Garden Theater to witness the East Coast’s biggest esports event by securing your ticket today, and don’t forget to follow our official Dota 2 Twitter and Facebook accounts for the latest information and updates!
You can find our other ESL One at New York Super Week team previews below:
- Can Evil Geniuses take over the Big Apple at ESL One at New York Super Week?
- New season, new roster: how will Team Secret fare during their first post-TI appearance?
- Tried and true: Virtus.pro eye success at ESL One at New York Super Week
- High-flying CDEC Gaming look to end their second place streak in New York
- A new team and a new shot at the ESL One trophy for Fnatic
- Consistency over roster shuffling: can Vega Squadron succeed in New York?
