Nobody's Talking About Vulcan's 'Engagement Buff' and That's the Real Story Behind His MVP!

Alright, Emerald City, listen up! You might be thinking about the M's or the Hawks, but there's a different kind of hero making waves, and his story is wild. Cloud9 support Philippe “Vulcan” Laflamme just snagged the LCS Most Valuable Player award, and you won't believe what he and his teammates are saying is the secret sauce! Forget your pre-game rituals, Laflamme is crediting an "engagement buff" for his stellar play, and honestly, we're here for it! This dude literally prepped for his wedding during the break and then came back to dominate the league.

From Wedding Bells to MVP Glory: The Stats Don't Lie!

Cloud9 Kia definitely had a rough patch earlier this year, dropping back-to-back series in the LCS Lock-In Finals and a second-place finish in the Americas Cup. But for Vulcan, that break wasn't just about rest, it was about getting hitched! His bottom lane partner, Jesper “Zven” Svenningsen, even joked, "They say there is a wife buff. Maybe, he got some of that." And guess what? Vulcan totally agrees! He said, "I think I got an engagement buff. I am happier and at peace overall, and I always sleep like a baby when my fiancée is with me." Can you even imagine? He started the split with only 12 deaths over 12 games, including an INSANE stretch of five consecutive games without a single death! Plus, he racked up 138 assists and 16 kills in that same span. He even pointed to a key kill and assist in Game 3 against LYON in Week 1 as his MVP moments. Despite feeling like he "didn’t play super good during the last two weeks" and worrying he "had thrown away my shot at MVP," the numbers speak for themselves.

Vulcan's Historic Win and the Cloud9 Power Duo

The voting wasn't even close when you look at the final tally. Vulcan pulled in 46 points with a massive 12 first-place votes, leaving Team Liquid Alienware jungler Brandon “Josedeodo” Villegas (36 points, 6 first-place votes) and his own teammate Park “Thanatos” Seung-gyu (34 points, 6 first-place votes) in his dust. This isn't just a win, it's a statement! Out of 24 total LCS MVP awards, Vulcan is only the third support player EVER to win it, joining legends Jo “CoreJJ” Yong-in and Zaqueri “aphromoo” Black. That makes it extra special, he said himself! And let's be real, while Vulcan was crushing it, his teammate Park “Thanatos” Seung-gyu was also a total beast, the other "pillar at the top side of the map." Cloud9 mid-laner Eain “APA” Stearns summed it up best: "It’s just nice to play with good players... 80 percent of the time, ‘Thanatos’ is always winning the top lane... The same thing for Phil. They’re normally always winning lane bot lane." So, there you have it, Seattle! Vulcan's MVP season is proof that sometimes, happiness off the field, or in this case, off the rift, can translate into pure gold. This "engagement buff" has the league buzzing, and it means Cloud9 is rolling with an MVP at the helm! What's next? Cloud9 is clearly a force to be reckoned with, and with Vulcan playing on cloud nine, literally, this season just got a whole lot more exciting.

This article was created with AI assistance and reviewed by Seattle On Tap editorial staff. Always verify information with official team sources.