TSM hopes to rebound with Broken Blade and Smoothie

Team SoloMid will look to recapture past glory with new members Sergen “Broken Blade” Çelik and Andy “Smoothie” Ta.

TSM is making big changes heading into 2019 in the LCS. After a mediocre year, the organization is hoping to reclaim their place as the most successful team in North America.

Top laner Broken Blade previously played with Turkish side Royal Bandits. The team was a frequent contender in the TCL, but was never able to surpass regional champion SuperMassive.

This is the first time Broken Blade joins an organization outside of Turkey. The only international event the young player has attended was Rift Rivals 2018 in Vietnam.  He is replacing Kevin “Hauntzer” Yarnell, who has joined Golden Guardians.

Smoothie is a known player in North America. In 2018, Smoothie went from a declining role at Cloud9 to Echo Fox. Known for his play-making style and in-game shot calling, Smoothie could prove a vital piece to the puzzle for TSM.

The support player is replacing Alfonso “Mithy” Aguirre Rodríguez, who joined the team alongside bot laner Jesper “Zven” Svenningsen. The bottom duo failed to meet the team and the fans’ expectations. Mithy is now set to join Origen, a new contender in the LEC.

TSM finished the spring season in fifth place and the summer in third. These results were not enough for the venerable organization as TSM missed the World Championship for the first time since its debut.

An apparent lack of synergy between players was one of the reasons for TSM’s failure in 2018. A young talent like Broken Blade and an experienced veteran like Smoothie could change TSM’s fate in 2019.