The LCK offseason always feels dramatic, but this one hits differently. Worlds 2025 ended with an all-Korean final, T1’s three-peat, and KT Rolster just one game away from rewriting history. Now, before the 2026 season has even started, the league’s foundations are shifting again.

You’ve got T1 handing the reins to a new ADC, HLE locking in a superteam, Gen.G doubling down on Canyon, and KT trying to stay relevant. It’s the kind of offseason where every move reflects each team’s philosophy.

T1’s New Era: Rebuilding With a Similar Core

T1 goes into 2026 as the team that finally changed something on its own terms. Gumayusi, the Worlds 2025 Finals MVP, is gone, and Peyz steps into the most pressured bot lane job on the planet. Around him, almost everything familiar stays in place.

Oner and Faker remain the spine of the map, Doran re-signs, and Keria keeps his role as the best playmaking support in the world. T1 keeps its core identity but trades one superstar for another with a different history and champion pool.

How this change will affect T1 remains to be seen. While Peyz is one of the most promising talents on the scene, he still has a lot to prove on the biggest stage. On the other hand, Gumayusi has consistently been one of the most clutch ADCs when it really matters.

HLE Superteam

HLE lost two of its stars, Viper and Peanut, but managed to look even stronger, at least on paper. T1’s former ADC, Gumayusi, replaced Viper, and adding the three-time World champion to the roster is hardly a net negative. Also, Viper’s move to the LPL rather than the LCK is great news for HLE, since he won’t be joining a direct competitor.

Their legendary jungler, Peanut, has officially left the team to complete mandatory military service. HLE didn’t wait too long to find the right replacement, as they’ve already acquired Kanavi, one of the best junglers in the world. Over the past couple of years, Kanavi has consistently been a key figure in jungle play.

The addition of Gumayusi and Kanavi might solve one of HLE’s most glaring problems—its inconsistency. Kanavi has always been a flexible jungler who can play both carry and utility champions, unlike Peanut, whose primary job was to facilitate the other lanes in Hanwha Life.

KT Rolster: Moneyball Approach

When discussing the top LCK teams, it’s difficult not to mention the Worlds runners-up. KT Rolster’s 2025 story ended in heartbreak, but they’ve established a foundation they can build on. Unfortunately for them, the offseason has been harsh with Deokdam and Peter leaving right after Worlds.

They were replaced by Aiming (again) and Ghost/Pollu. The Bdd, Cuzz, and PerfecT core remains, so KT can absolutely remain competitive. But from the outside, it feels less like a superstar upgrade and more like a pragmatic budget pivot.

Gen.G Doubling Down

Gen.G’s arc is nearly the opposite of KT’s. They’ve been a steady powerhouse, securing back-to-back MSI titles, a direct Worlds spot, and another strong international run in 2025 before falling in the semifinals.

This LCK offseason, their biggest decision was what to do with Canyon after his contract expired. For a brief moment, it looked like he might actually leave. Then came a twist: Canyon re-signed for 2026, confirming that Gen.G’s core—Chovy, Ruler, Kiin, Canyon, and Duro—is staying together for another season.

Where This Leaves The LCK 2026 Race

If you zoom out, you can almost see four different philosophies colliding:

• T1 is trusting their system and swapping only one piece
• HLE is going full-throttle with the superteam approach, featuring five potential carry players
• KT is trying to squeeze one more year of magic out of Bdd and the youngsters
• Gen.G is betting that their chemistry is enough to finally break the Worlds curse

As a fan, it’s easy to get spoiled, as any given week in 2026 could feature matchups such as Peyz vs Gumayusi, Bdd trying to drag KT over the line again, or Chovy and Canyon methodically dismantling one of the newer teams. The LCK hasn’t felt this top-heavy, yet this unpredictable in years.

FAQs

What are the biggest LCK 2026 offseason changes?

The biggest LCK 2026 offseason changes are T1 signing Peyz and HLE getting Kanavi and Gumayusi.

What is T1’s roster for LCK 2026?

T1’s 2026 roster will include Doran, Oner, Faker, Peyz, and Keria.

Why is Hanwha Life Esports called a superteam?

HLE stacked elite talent in every role with Zeus, Kanavi, Zeka, Gumayusi, and Delight, creating one of the scariest LCK rosters on paper.

What is Gen.G’s approach this offseason?

Gen.G chose stability over shakeups, retaining Kiin, Canyon, Chovy, Ruler, and Duro to refine an already proven, title-contending system.

How does the new LCK calendar look for 2026?

LCK teams kick off 2026 with the LCK Cup in January, then play the main LCK season from early April through the September finals.