Monte has officially announced the exit of 21-year-old Polish player Szymon “kRaSnaL” Mrozek, who will become a free agent as of January 1. This marks a pivotal change for the organization and the rifler, who is actively seeking his next opportunity.

This move follows a series of off-season roster adjustments for Monte, including the benching of Kamil “KEi” Pietkun and the departure of coach Piotr “nawrot” Nawrocki earlier this month. With these changes, Monte is left with three active players heading into the new year.

Over his two-year stint with Monte, kRaSnaL contributed significantly to the team’s success. Highlights of his tenure include a surprise quarterfinals appearance at the BLAST.tv Paris Major and clinching Monte’s first international LAN title at ESL Challenger Jönköping 2023. However, while 2023 brought notable achievements, 2024 proved challenging for the Ukrainian organization.

Monte’s failure to secure a spot at the PGL Major Copenhagen was a significant setback, compounded by the illness of Viktor “sdy” Orudzhev, a crucial team member. Following Orudzhev’s departure, the roster struggled to regain its competitive edge, relying on academy players to fill the void, often with inconsistent results.

After the summer break, the team transitioned to a Polish-majority lineup, achieving a semi-final finish at ESL Challenger Katowice. Despite this effort, Monte’s end to the year was lackluster. They missed qualification for the Perfect World Shanghai Major, falling short in the Europe RMR closed qualifier with a 2-3 record, and failed to impact any significant LAN events, leaving them to focus on online competitions.

During his time with Monte, kRaSnaL primarily took on anchor roles on the CT side and played in the pack during T-side rounds, maintaining an average rating of 1.05 (1.00 on LAN). His final match with the team was a narrow 1-2 defeat to ECLOT in the 500 Casino Christmas Cup semi-finals.

As he prepares for the next chapter of his career, kRaSnaL expressed optimism about his future. “My contract expires on January 1st, so I’m free to seek new opportunities without any buyout,” he shared on X. “My motivation never left, and I’m ready to join a team and start the grind right away.”

Once kRaSnaL departs, Monte’s roster will consist of:

  • Poland Paweł “dycha” Dycha
  • Poland Olek “hades” Miskiewicz
  • Ukraine Sergiy “DemQQ” Demchenko

 

Meanwhile, Kamil “KEi” Pietkun remains on the bench as Monte continues evaluating its options.