NRG have announced a forced roster change ahead of the StarLadder Budapest Major 2025: Nick “nitr0” Cannella will miss the event due to the birth of his child, and head coach Damian “daps” Steele will temporarily step in as the team’s official substitute. The announcement appeared on social media on Friday evening and immediately sparked a wave of reactions — from warm congratulations to concerns, as the Major begins on November 24.
A crucial change right before the Major
🚨 MAJOR UPDATE: @nitr0 is unable to make the @StarLadder_CS Budapest Major and @daps will be standing in for the NRG CS2 roster.
Captain America is expecting the birth of his child in the coming days and we thank the #NRGFAM for your understanding. pic.twitter.com/nxGniky8HS
— NRG CS2 (@nrgcs2) November 21, 2025
NRG confirmed that nitr0 will be unable to travel to Budapest due to family circumstances. The organization thanked fans for their understanding, noting that the decision was important and necessary.
As a result, the only possible replacement was daps, who had been registered as the team’s official stand-in. Though he has long served as a coach rather than an active player, NRG had no alternative options available. This is a significant shift for a lineup that recently secured their second consecutive Fragadelphia title and arrived at the Major in their best form in nearly two years.
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daps returns to competition
daps has extensive experience as an in-game leader, but his recent competitive practice is minimal — in 2025 he played just one official map, ending it with a 0.55 rating. Despite that, his deep understanding of the roster and its system may help NRG avoid the chaos that often follows when a team loses its IGL. NRG’s roster for the Major will be:
- Jeorge “Jeorge” Endicott
- Alexander “br0” Bro
- Zack “XotiC” Elshani
- Aran “Sonic” Groesbeek
- Damian “daps” Steele (stand-in)
Opening match: immediately against NiP
NRG will play their first Stage 1 match on November 24 at 16:00 CET against Ninjas in Pyjamas. It’s a tough opponent to open the event against in a Bo1 format, especially considering the unexpected roster change right before the start of the tournament.
The team qualified for the Major as the eighth-ranked representative of the Americas and hoped to improve on their 27th-place finish at the Austin Major. Now the task becomes more difficult — and much will depend on Sonic’s form, br0’s consistency, and XotiC’s adaptation in key rounds.
Community reaction: support, humor, and concern
NRG’s announcement led to hundreds of comments:
Support:
- “Mad respect for fatherhood.”
- “Congrats nitr0! Family first.”
Optimism:
- “LFG DOUGLAS IS GONNA COOK!”
- “Cool to see daps playing a Major again.”
Irony and doubts:
- “Daps better have been grinding or it’s over.”
- “Should’ve replaced him 9 months ago.”
StarLadder also reacted with a playful line:
When life gives you a final boss IRL, you call daps for the side quest.
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What This Roster Change Means for NRG
Losing nitr0 is a serious blow for NRG, who had just built momentum and were showing stable form. However, with an experienced figure like daps stepping in, the team may preserve its structure and seize the chance to prove that even in a difficult situation, they are capable of competing.
The Budapest Major 2025 will be a real test of both skill and character for the NRG squad.
