After a tumultuous few weeks, T1 and Kim “Canna” Chang-dong have gone their separate ways, ending a short-lived contract dispute between the League of Legends team and the player.
The top laner, who occupied a starting role throughout the better part of the year, had signed a two-year contract with T1 in 2020 and was due to re-negotiate his salary leading into the next season.
A verbal agreement between Canna and the former COO of T1, John Kim, who died on July 16, had promised that if both parties failed to come to an agreement regarding salary, the player would be released from the team as a free agent.
Canna had hoped to stay with the team for 2022, but T1 reportedly claimed the player had requested a transfer “at least three times” during the year, hindering his chances of remaining with the squad.
This was a “communication error,” according to Canna’s agent, which ultimately led to the player being dismissed from the roster.
T1’s general manager Choi “Polt” Seong-hun commented on the claims in a press conference on Nov. 22.
“According to the agency, they said that we would release Canna as a free agent if we didn’t come to a settlement regarding his salary, but the original term was a mutual agreement,” Polt said. “If we weren’t to have a mutual agreement, the organization has the authority to decide and execute.”
“While I haven’t heard the full details, I want to let everyone know that one of the teams that we’re in talks about Canna’s transfer has offered the best options for him,” Polt added.
What’s next for Canna remains to be seen, but according to a statement from T1, he’ll “continue his pro-gamer career on a different team.”
Update Nov. 25 5:30am CT: Canna joined Nongshim RedForce. “Though it was a bumpy road, we thank him for happily deciding to join us for 2022,” the org said in a post on social media.
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