Roster change during DreamLeague Season 28

David “Parker” Nicho Flores has been removed from paiN Gaming’s active roster during DreamLeague Season 28. Before the change, he played in two matches for the team. Aliaksei “Smiling Knight” Svirydau has been announced as his replacement and is expected to take over playing duties for the ongoing event.

What this change means

Being removed from the active roster during an event means the player is no longer fielded for official matches at that time. The team must adjust its lineup and coordination around the new player for the remaining games. Substitutions like this can happen for many reasons, including performance, fit, or availability, though no specific reason was provided here.

• The team will play the rest of its matches without Parker.
• Smiling Knight steps into the lineup for the active stage of the tournament.
• Draft preferences, in-game roles, and communication may shift to suit the new player.

Matches played before the switch

Parker competed in two matches for paiN Gaming at the event prior to the roster move. No additional match details were included with the information provided here. The change occurred while the tournament was still in progress, which means the team had to adapt on short notice.

Replacement announcement

Aliaksei “Smiling Knight” Svirydau has been named as Parker’s replacement. With the tournament ongoing, the focus for the team shifts to integrating the replacement quickly so that strategies, lane assignments, and team calls remain clear. There was no official explanation provided alongside this note about why the swap happened, only that it has been made and that Smiling Knight will fill the role for the remaining games.

Tournament context: DreamLeague Season 28 Group Stage 1

paiN Gaming is competing in DreamLeague Season 28, specifically in Group Stage 1. According to available event details, this stage runs from February 16 to February 20 and uses two single round-robin groups of eight teams each. All series are played as Best of 2, which means each match consists of two games and can end in a draw.

Search results available at the time only confirmed that paiN Gaming was playing in Group Stage 1 and had a match against Aurora. No additional official match summaries or roster notes were present in those results beyond that listing. The format places weight on every map because each win or draw affects standings. With a mid-stage substitution, teams often have to balance immediate performance needs with maintaining stable drafts across the remaining fixtures.

Limits of the available source

Details from the specific Strafe article about Parker’s removal were not accessible in the search results used for this note. Because of that, there were no direct quotes or extended commentary from that article to reference here. The only confirmed items are that Parker was removed during the event after playing two matches, that Smiling Knight was named as the replacement, and that paiN Gaming is participating in Group Stage 1 with a scheduled match against Aurora.

How to find more details

If you want deeper coverage, match-by-match context, or official statements, consider the following options:

• Access the original Strafe article directly to read any statements or reasoning included there.
• Share or look for additional search results that report on the roster change with primary sources.
• Check recent updates from established Dota 2 esports news sources that cover DreamLeague Season 28 roster moves.

Notes on mid-event roster rules and preparation

Event organizers set the rules for substitutions, registration, and stand-ins. Teams usually must follow guidelines on eligibility and timing when making changes after an event starts. Online events often allow a replacement with proper notice, but teams still face the challenge of aligning strategies and communication quickly. After a substitution like this, coaches and players may simplify drafts, choose familiar comfort picks, and review key scenarios to get on the same page fast. The goal is to reduce mistakes from miscommunication while maintaining a stable approach for the rest of Group Stage 1.