MOUZ announced one of the most aggressive roster moves of 2026 on Friday, April 18: Ludvig "Brollan" Brolin and Jimi "Jimpphat" Salo have both been benched. In their place, MOUZ have promoted 17-year-old Adrian "xelex" Vincze from their academy roster MOUZ NXT, and signed Justinas "jL" Lekavicius on a short-term loan from NAVI. The move comes after MOUZ failed to make playoffs at three consecutive tier-1 events in early 2026, including a last-place finish at BLAST Open Rotterdam.
Why MOUZ Pulled the Trigger
MOUZ's 2026 had been disappointing by their own standards. The roster — assembled in 2023 around Brollan, Jimpphat, torzsi, xertioN, and Sycrone — won the Intel Grand Slam in early 2024 and was a consistent top-3 fixture through 2024-2025. But entering 2026, the team's form collapsed:
- StarLadder Budapest Major 2025: 9-12th finish
- IEM Krakow 2026: Quarterfinal exit
- PGL Cluj-Napoca 2026: Group stage exit (3-0 down)
- BLAST Open Rotterdam 2026: Last place (0-3)
- IEM Rio 2026: Quarterfinal exit (lost to Spirit 0-2)
Three consecutive missed top-4 finishes after a Grand Slam roster is the kind of decline that forces ownership action. MOUZ's general manager, Dennis "sycrone" Nielsen, framed the move on Twitter as "a hard reset, not a gentle adjustment."
Brollan's Departure
The Swedish rifler had been MOUZ's emotional core since joining in 2023. His Major-winning past with NIP and his work-rate in MOUZ practices made him a fan favorite. But his statistical output had been below his career averages for the entire 2026 season. Brollan posted a 1.06 rating in 2026 events vs his 1.13 career average, with star moments increasingly absent. The move ends his MOUZ run after 32 months.
The complication: Major roster lock rules prevent MOUZ from registering jL for the IEM Cologne Major. Valve's Supplemental Rulebook only allows one substitution from the lineup registered on April 6 (the IEM Cologne eligibility cutoff). MOUZ have used that substitute slot to bring Brollan back as a temporary returnee for Cologne only. After the Major ends in late June, Brollan officially departs.
Jimpphat's Bench
The Finnish rifler joined MOUZ in 2023 and was one of the team's most consistent performers in 2024. Like Brollan, his 2026 has been below career averages. Jimpphat will not return for any further events. His status is "free agent," with multiple tier-2 European organizations reportedly already inquiring.
jL on Loan
Justinas "jL" Lekavicius, the Lithuanian star rifler, was MOUZ's primary target. Currently signed to NAVI but underutilized in their 2026 roster (NAVI has Aleksib, Iceberg, w0nderful as starting riflers), jL has been on the bench since IEM Krakow. The loan structure means MOUZ pays NAVI a per-event fee but does not own jL's contract — he can return to NAVI after the agreed term.
jL will play with MOUZ at PGL Astana 2026 (May 7-17) and CS Asia Championships 2026 (May 19-24). He is then ineligible for the IEM Cologne Major due to roster lock. After Cologne, the loan terms will be re-evaluated based on team performance and NAVI's roster needs.
xelex Promoted
17-year-old Adrian "xelex" Vincze is the unknown variable. Promoted from MOUZ NXT (the academy team), xelex has been on a steep development curve through 2025-2026 with strong showings at tier-2 events. MOUZ are betting that he can match the level required for tier-1 within weeks.
Historical precedent: MOUZ have a strong track record promoting from NXT — notably torzsi (now starting AWPer) came up through the same pipeline in 2022. If xelex's transition mirrors torzsi's, MOUZ are looking at another long-term tier-1 talent. If it doesn't, they're three tournaments deep with a developmental player at the most important event of the year.
What This Means for Cologne
MOUZ's IEM Cologne lineup will be:
- torzsi — AWPer (anchor)
- xertioN — rifler
- siuhy — IGL
- xelex — rifler (debut at tier-1)
- Brollan — temporary returnee, last MOUZ event
This is an extremely unusual lineup — a developmental player and a returning veteran who's already been told he's leaving. Team chemistry questions are real. MOUZ's Major odds at +900 (down from +600 before the announcement) reflect bookmaker uncertainty about how this lineup gels.
Bottom Line
This is the most desperate roster move at tier-1 level in 2026. MOUZ are gambling that a hard reset with a fresh face and a returning veteran will reset team chemistry. The alternative — riding out a slumping roster through the Major — would have produced a near-guaranteed Cologne exit. They've chosen instability over stagnation. We'll see in 7 weeks if it pays off.