Presents, music, song and dance. How the clubs prepared for New Year

With the clock counting down to 2018, the member clubs of the Kontinental Hockey League continued the popular tradition of releasing video clips congratulating their fans and extending warm, New Year wishes to all, and the clebrations were as diverse as one would expect from a League which spans two continents.

Dinamo Minsk

The men from the Belarusian capital marked the New Year in song! Passionate voices, hypnotic beats, a festive atmosphere, Zubrik the club bison, and... the dreaded reindeer-sweaters – Dinamo had the lot!

Spartak

The Red-and-Whites created a musical clip with a mash-up of favorite melodies, all in that unique Spartak style.

SKA

In this clip by the club from the Northern Capital, the Petersburg Army Men mingled with Russia's Santa Claus, Ded Moroz (Grandfather Frost), who is practically a local boy. Will Oleg Znarok's New Year wishes come true?

Vityaz

The men from Moscow Region decorate the tree, surround it with presents, and share memories of the end-of-year festivities from their childhoods.

Severstal

The players and coaches of Severstal paid a New Year's Eve visit to their most important fans – the smiths and steelworkers of the Cherepovets metalworks (Non-Russophones may be interested that the name, Severstal, is a compound of North+Steel).

HC Sochi

From Northern Steel to Southern Seafarers - The men from the Black Sea released a combination clip featuring New Year wishes from each player. Our example, below, features goalie Dmity Shikin's message, accompanied by Auld Land Syne.

Torpedo

What kind of present would a hockey player dream of finding under the tree? The guys from Nizhny Novgorod had a wizard making their dreams come true.

Dynamo Moscow

The Muscovite Blue-and-Whites congratulated their fans with messages from some famous faces, including star of stage and screen Sergei Gorobchenko.

CSKA

Moscow's Army Men voiced their New Year wishes to the fans before the final game of the claendar year, and the clip features a valiant attempt by Swedish goalie Lars Johansson to congratulate the fans in Russian.

Ak Bars

And the prize for the most original New Year movie go to the men from Kazan with this South Park-style composition. The legendary Danis Zaripov and others sing with all their hearts while boss Bilyaletdinov adds the finishing touches to the tree.

Avtomobilist

Tinsel and baubles on the opponet's net, a New Year tree in the stadium foyer – the Yekaterinburg players went to town on their decoraions and even stopped to send best wishes to the fans.

Lada

Grandfather Frost must be pleased with his visit to Togliatti. His western counterpart gets a glass of wine and some pie, but the Russian version was rewarded by a meeting with not just the Lada players, but the cheerleaders as well.

Metallurg

Magnitogorsk's Chris Lee, Matt Ellison, coach Mike Pelino and others sent best wishes to all for 2018, and as a nod to the Chinese Year of the Dog, were supported by an adorable hound.

Neftekhimik

The “Wolves” of Nizhnekansk softened their image for the end-of-year festivities, taking turns to hold a puppy with a pink bow as they recited a New Year poem.

Ugra

The men from Khanty-Mansiysk released a clip which begins with the team suffering an attack by the Grinch who Stole the Hockey Sticks, but as this is the season of goodwill, there is a happy ending.

Admiral

The Mariners from Vladivostok also created several congratulatory clips for the big holiday. In this example, forward Viktor Alexandrov extends good wishes to all the team's opponents.

Avangard

There was another appearance by Grandfather Frost in this video, in which Russia's Santa is wrapping the presents for all the clubs of the KHL. What will the Omsk Men get?

Amur

The Khabarovsk club devoted its New Year celebrations to its traditional “PRO hockey,” program, and it was the usual roaring success.

Sibir

In the Winter Wonderland of Novosibirsk they pulled out all the stops, and produced a full-length feature full of festive surprises.

KHL.ru would like to echo the seasonal greetings from the member clubs, and wishes all hockey fans a very happy New Year!