Jessica S. October 18, 2018
The Los Angeles Valiant have announced three releases prior to the Overwatch League’s second season.
The team announced that the three individuals were transferring to new teams. Terence “SoOn” Tarlier and assistant coach Julien “Daemon” Ducros are being traded to a franchise to be announced later, and assistant coach Jordan “Gunba” Graham will be joining the Boston Uprising.
Coach Daemon and Gunba were integral parts to the Valiant's success in their inaugural season, landing them the number two spot overall in the league standings. In stage four the Valiant beat the top-seeded New York Excelsior to win the finals.
As for SoOn, it’s not been announced which team he’ll be transferring to, but it is guaranteed that he has a new team. Speculation is swirling around whether the French DPS will join the team in Paris, which was announced as an expansion city shortly after the end of the season.
SoOn was a regular starter and one of the Valiant’s star players. With 120 matches played in the season, his DPS skills helped his team improve as the season went on until they lost to the London Spitfire, who went on to win the inaugural playoff finals. His Widowmaker duels almost always ended with a kill in SoOn’s favor, and his advantageous duels with Lane “Surefour” Roberts in the first round of the playoffs were integral to the Valiant’s win there.
Assistant coach Daemon is going to the same team that SoOn will be joining. It is unclear what, if anything, the Valiant will receive in return for these transfers.