# 2021 New York Excelsior season

The 2021 New York Excelsior season will be the fourth season of New York Excelsior's (NYXL) existence in the Overwatch League and their first under head coach Lee "WhyNot" Ju-hyeop.

## Preceding offseason
### Roster changes

Free agents :
| Position | Handle | Name | 2021 team | Date signed | Notes |
| Support | Anamo | Jung Tae-sung | Seoul Dynasty | November 29 | Option declined |
| Tank | Bianca | Kim Dong-wook | New York Excelsior | December 11 | Option declined |
| Damage | Haksal | Kim Hyo-jong | – | – | Option declined |
| Damage | Libero | Kim Hae-seong | – | – | Option declined |
| Tank | Mano | Kim Dong-gyu | Philadelphia Fusion | November 2 | Option declined |
| Damage | Saebyeolbe | Park Jong-ryeol | Seoul Dynasty | November 29 | Option declined |
| Damage | WhoRU | Lee Seung-jun | – | – | Option declined |
| Legend  Light green background indicates a player was re-signed by the Excelsior.  Light red background indicates a player departed from the Excelsior. ||||||
The NYXL entered free agency with seven free agents, all of which became free agents due to the team not exercising the option to retain the player for another year.

#### Acquisitions

The Excelsior's first offseason acquisition was Jo "Yakpung" Gyeong-mu, a tank player coming off of an Overwatch Contenders Korea championship with O2 Blast who signed on December 11, 2020. Six days later, they signed rookie Lee "Friday" Seung-woo, a "skilled and flexible" support player coming from Contenders team OZ Gaming. On December 22, the team announced the signing of four damage players: Jo "FEATH5R" Min-jae, a rookie coming from OZ Gaming, Lim "Flora" Young-woo, a rookie hitscan player coming from Contenders team Team Diamond, Kim "Gwangboong" Gwang-won, another rookie hitscan player coming from Contenders team Team Cat, and Lee "Ivy" Seung-hyun, a veteran who was "one of the most flexible and deadly" damage players with the Philadelphia Fusion in 2020.

#### Departures

The Excelsior released two of their contracted players on October 22, 2020: damage player Jeong "Nenne" Yeon-gwan and tank player Choi "Hotba" Hong-jun. Six of the NYXL's seven free agents did not return, three of which signed with other teams, beginning with tank player Kim "Mano" Dong-gyu signing with the Philadelphia Fusion on November 2. On November 29, support player Jung "Anamo" Tae-sung and tank player Park "Saebyeolbe" Jong-ryeol signed with the Seoul Dynasty. Damage players Kim "Haksal" Hyo-jong and Lee "WhoRU" Seung-jun both announced their retirements in the offseason. The team's final free agent, damage player Kim "Libero" Hae-seong did not sign with a team in the offseason.

## Final roster
### Transactions

Transactions of/for players on the roster during the 2021 regular season:
* On June 30, the Excelsior signed tank player Shin "Kalios" Woo-yeol.
* On July 16, damage player Lee "Ivy" Seung-hyun retired.

## Standings

| Pos | Teamvte | Pld | W | L | Pts | PCT | MW | ML | MT | MD | Qualification |
| 1 | Shanghai Dragons | 16 | 12 | 4 | 20 | 0.750 | 38 | 19 | 2 | +19 | Advance to season playoffs |
| 2 | Chengdu Hunters | 16 | 11 | 5 | 15 | 0.688 | 38 | 22 | 2 | +16 | Advance to season playoffs |
| 3 | Seoul Dynasty | 16 | 12 | 4 | 12 | 0.750 | 40 | 22 | 0 | +18 | Advance to play-ins |
| 4 | Philadelphia Fusion | 16 | 10 | 6 | 10 | 0.625 | 37 | 24 | 3 | +13 | Advance to play-ins |
| 5 | Hangzhou Spark | 16 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 0.438 | 32 | 31 | 0 | +1 | Advance to play-ins |
| 6 | New York Excelsior | 16 | 7 | 9 | 7 | 0.438 | 29 | 32 | 0 | −3 | |
| 7 | Guangzhou Charge | 16 | 5 | 11 | 5 | 0.313 | 20 | 38 | 4 | −18 | |
| 8 | Los Angeles Valiant | 16 | 0 | 16 | 0 | 0.000 | 2 | 48 | 1 | −46 | |

## Game log
### Regular season

2021 game log :
May Melee
Qualifier match 1
April 24
Chengdu Hunters
3
0
New York Excelsior
Online
5:00 am EDT
   Details
2
Nepal
0
1
Dorado
0
2
Temple of Anubis
0
Qualifier match 2
April 25
Hangzhou Spark
1
3
New York Excelsior
Online
5:00 am EDT
   Details
1
Busan
2
2
Havana
3
2
Volskaya Industries
0
1
King's Row
3
Qualifier match 3
April 30
Seoul Dynasty
3
0
New York Excelsior
Online
6:30 am EDT
   Details
2
Lijiang Tower
0
2
Hanamura
1
3
Eichenwalde
2
Qualifier match 4
May 01
Shanghai Dragons
3
0
New York Excelsior
Online
8:00 am EDT
   Details
2
Ilios
1
2
Temple of Anubis
1
3
Blizzard World
1 :
June Joust
Qualifier match 1
May 22
New York Excelsior
3
1
Philadelphia Fusion
Online
8:00 am EDT
   Details
2
Lijiang Tower
0
3
Numbani
0
2
Rialto
3
2
Volskaya Industries
0
Qualifier match 2
May 23
New York Excelsior
1
3
Guangzhou Charge
Online
6:30 am EDT
   Details
1
Nepal
2
1
Hollywood
3
3
Junkertown
1
0
Hanamura
1
Qualifier match 3
May 29
New York Excelsior
1
3
Seoul Dynasty
Online
6:30 am EDT
   Details
1
Oasis
2
3
Junkertown
2
0
Hanamura
1
3
Hollywood
4
Qualifier match 4
May 30
New York Excelsior
3
0
Los Angeles Valiant
Online
5:00 am EDT
   Details
2
Ilios
0
1
Dorado
0
1
Temple of Anubis
0
Regional finals
June 06
New York Excelsior
3
1
Hangzhou Spark
Online
5:00 am EDT
   Details
Hosted by Hangzhou Spark
0
Oasis
2
2
Temple of Anubis
0
3
Numbani
2
1
Dorado
0
Tournament first round
June 10
New York Excelsior
0
3
Atlanta Reign
Online
9:00 pm EDT
   Details
0
Lijiang Tower
2
2
Temple of Anubis
4
3
Numbani
4
Lower round 1
June 11
New York Excelsior
0
3
Shanghai Dragons
Online
10:45 pm EDT
   Details
0
Busan
2
0
Temple of Anubis
2
2
Numbani
3 :
Summer Showdown
Qualifier match 1
June 26
Guangzhou Charge
3
2
New York Excelsior
Online
8:00 am EDT
   Details
2
Lijiang Tower
0
2
King's Row
3
4
Junkertown
3
3
Volskaya Industries
4
2
Oasis
1
Qualifier match 2
June 27
New York Excelsior
3
0
Los Angeles Valiant
Online
8:00 am EDT
   Details
2
Ilios
0
3
Hollywood
0
3
Watchpoint: Gibraltar
1
Qualifier match 3
July 09
Hangzhou Spark
3
2
New York Excelsior
Online
5:00 am EDT
   Details
Hosted by Shanghai Dragons
1
Oasis
2
3
Volskaya Industries
2
3
King's Row
2
2
Junkertown
3
2
Nepal
0
Qualifier match 4
July 10
New York Excelsior
3
1
Philadelphia Fusion
Online
5:00 am EDT
   Details
2
Busan
1
2
Temple of Anubis
1
2
Eichenwalde
3
2
Route 66
1
Regional finals
July 11
New York Excelsior
0
3
Shanghai Dragons
Online
5:12 am EDT
   Details
0
Ilios
2
2
Volskaya Industries
3
4
King's Row
5 :
Countdown Cup
Qualifier match 1
July 31
New York Excelsior
3
0
Los Angeles Valiant
Online
6:30 am EDT
   Details
2
Oasis
1
3
Blizzard World
2
3
Rialto
1
Qualifier match 2
August 01
Shanghai Dragons
2
3
New York Excelsior
Online
6:30 am EDT
   Details
1
Ilios
2
3
King's Row
2
1
Havana
2
3
Volskaya Industries
2
1
Lijiang Tower
2
Qualifier match 3
August 07
New York Excelsior
1
3
Philadelphia Fusion
Online
5:00 am EDT
   Details
1
Lijiang Tower
2
0
Route 66
3
2
Hanamura
1
2
Numbani
3
Qualifier match 4
August 08
Chengdu Hunters
3
1
New York Excelsior
Online
6:30 am EDT
   Details
0
Nepal
2
3
Rialto
1
2
Volskaya Industries
1
3
King's Row
1
Regional finals
August 15
New York Excelsior
1
3
Chengdu Hunters
Online
5:05 am EDT
   Details
0
Ilios
2
4
Hanamura
3
4
King's Row
5
2
Havana
3 :
2021 season schedule :