In the current LCK Spring 2022, DWG KIA is one of the most watched teams. The reigning LCK champion from 2021 has nearly overhauled its entire roster, retaining only the core duo of Canyon and ShowMaker. Whether they can defend their achievements from the 2021 season while aiming for new titles, especially the 2022 World Championship, remains a major question that all League of Legends fans are eagerly concerned about.
In addition to changes in the player lineup, DK has also seen shifts on the coaching staff. “Mother Bear” kkOma has left his position as head coach, and his replacement is none other than Coach Daeny. When mentioning this coach, League of Legends fans, especially T1 supporters and Faker fans, will surely remember vividly. He is considered a key factor in the turmoil at T1 during the 2021 season as he repeatedly implied that the “Demon King” was the reason for the team’s decline in performance, while also implementing a constant rotation policy that left the T1 lineup unstable. Moreover, Coach Daeny was the first coach in T1’s history to be fired while the season was still ongoing.
DK’s performance in the LCK Spring 2022 hasn’t been particularly good either. They currently have 3 wins and 3 losses, placing them third in the standings. In their final match before the Lunar New Year break, DK lost to T1 with a score of 1-2. This was DK’s second loss against teams in the top 4. Broadly speaking, when facing current top 4 teams, DK has only managed to defeat Nongshim RedForce but did so with great difficulty.
The only bright spot in DK’s performance so far is Canyon’s position. This jungler is perhaps the only name who has consistently maintained good form throughout this period. He plays creatively and remains aware of the entire game for his teammates. Canyon also often makes pivotal plays that help DK regain advantages. A prime example is in the match against T1, where Canyon’s gameplay surprised Oner, the entire T1 team, as well as the audience and commentators.
However, recently, Coach Daeny asserted: “It is thanks to my guidance on the details that Canyon has become such an outstanding player.” In fact, Coach Daeny has been away from DK for almost the entire 2021 season. At the same time, during the period when DK became champions, it was Coach Zefa who was the head coach of DK. Furthermore, when Coach Daeny left DK, Canyon was still regarded as the best player on DK and even won the FMVP in the 2021 Summer LCK finals against T1.
Coach Daeny’s remarks have sparked debate among fans. Many pointed out that during his absence, Canyon played increasingly well and became the standout player in the DK lineup. Meanwhile, Coach Daeny has “sunk” at T1, leaving behind only the impression of blaming Faker for the team’s poor performance. After he left, T1 immediately flourished and became a formidable contender for the 2021 World Championship—a prospect that no one, not even the most loyal fans of Faker and his teammates, dared to imagine before Coach Daeny’s departure.