The International 7: HellRaisers’ Journey to Seattle
Just before The International 7 qualifiers, ProDota disbanded their roster due to internal issues. The players formed a new team called Planet Dog and surprised everyone by fighting their way through the qualifiers to secure a spot at the tournament.
The HellRaisers roster, previously known as Planet Dog, may not have accomplished much before their successful qualifier run, but they have some noteworthy players. Captain Alexei “j4” Lipai gained experience competing with underdog team Power Rangers, who were known for their ability to upset established teams in the European Dota 2 circuit.
Midlaner Greg “Keyser” Kallianiotis also had a chance to establish himself in the European Dota 2 scene while playing for mousesports from 2015 to 2016. In the TI7 European qualifier, he got revenge against his former teammates and helped HellRaisers secure their spot at the main event.
Even the lesser-known players on the HellRaisers roster showed their individual skill and depth during the qualifiers. Offlaner Neta “33” Shapira, in particular, impressed with his performances on Tidehunter throughout the qualifier.
A Challenging Road Ahead
Despite their impressive qualifier performance, HellRaisers faces tough competition at The International 7. They are grouped with top teams like OG, Newbee, Cloud9, and Virtus Pro, making it an uphill battle for the relatively inexperienced squad.
Even if their time at the tournament is short-lived, the players have the opportunity to gain valuable experience at the biggest Dota 2 event in history.
Player to Watch: 33
One player that stood out during the European qualifiers is 33. He exceeded expectations and consistently made plays for the team in the later stages of the competition.
The Biggest Challenge: Inexperience
Being a fairly new team with only a month of preparation, HellRaisers faces a daunting task going up against established Dota 2 powerhouses. Their lack of experience against elite competition may prove to be a major hurdle for them.
Team Grade: D-
Despite their impressive performance in the European qualifier, HellRaisers receives a rating of D- from us. With limited games played and no experience against top-tier teams, they are one of the underdogs at The International 7.