Sailors ahead in summer tournament, prolific scorer opens account for Ak Bars

Pre-season is underway in earnest, with the first tournament of the summer taking place in Sochi. Several clubs are playing their first games under new head coaches, while others are getting a first look at their big summer signings. Those trades keep coming, too, with a U.S. international among last week’s arrivals.

Admiral set fair in Sochi

Summer’s first tournament, the Sochi Hockey Open, got underway on Thursday. The five-team event is partway through, with Admiral Vladivostok leading the way. The Sailors have two wins from two games, better off than tournament host HC Sochi which has won two from three. SKA and Avangard, usually expected to dominate here, have just one win apiece, while Russia U23s are currently without a point from two games. The action continues this week, with the concluding games to be played on Tuesday.

Bright start to Sochi Hockey Open

New coaches take first steps

The week’s action saw several clubs take to the ice under new head coaches. Dmitry Kvartalnov’s Dinamo Minsk and Andrei Kozyrev’s Severstal were first to feature. They suffered mixed results, with Kvartalnov celebrating a 3-1 win over Admiral while Kozyrev lost 2-4 against Lokomotiv. Kvartalnov also took charge of Team Belarus for the first time in another exhibition game, edging a 5-4 OT verdict against Metallurg. For Magnitka, Andrei Razin sent out a youthful roster in his first game after joining from Severstal. Elsewhere, David Nemirovsky made a winning start with Sibir, and Andrei Martemyanov had a winning start on his return to Amur.

Jaskin, Zhafyarov on target

Ak Bars’ big attacking acquisitions both made a scoring start to their summers. Dmitrij Jaskin and Damir Zhafyarov, both of whom joined from SKA, were on target in a comfortable 5-0 win over VHL outfit Neftyanik. However, the following day they were on the losing side at home to Lada after a 2-3 verdict for the Motormen.

Sochi wins again, Jaskin on target for Ak Bars

Coming up

Next week sees even more pre-season action, with three tournaments getting underway. On Thursday, Kazan hosts the Taneco Cup. This four-team contest pits Ak Bars against Lokomotiv, Barys and Traktor. The group stage finishes Sunday, with playoff games scheduled for Monday. Also on Thursday, Ufa starts the Republic of Bashkortostan Cup involving Salavat Yulaev, Dynamo Moscow, Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg and Metallurg Magnitogorsk. This is a round-robin event that finishes Sunday. It’s the same format for the Lada Cup in Togliatti, which starts Friday. The host club celebrates its return to the KHL by reviving its traditional curtain-raiser. Neftekhimik, Kunlun Red Star and VHL champion Khimik provide the opposition for Oleg Bratash’s team.

U.S. international joins Barys

One of the more intriguing summer trades sees Riley Barber head to Barys. The American forward, 29, has played the bulk of his career in the AHL with just 16 games in the NHL. However, on the international stage he has done rather more: World Championship gold at U18 and U20 level, then a call-up to the senior USA team for the 2022 Worlds in Finland.

Avangard offense takes shape

Ryan Spooner is the latest center to join Avangard as the Hawks continue to reshape their offense. The 31-year-old Canadian spent last season at Dinamo Minsk, where he was top scorer with 52 (20+32) points in 70 games. In addition, Vladimir Tkachyov committed to Avangard with a three-year deal. Last season he led the Hawks in scoring with 73 (26+47) points from 78 games.

Smith signs extended Chinese deal

Chinese international goalie Jeremy Smith is the latest import to sign a long contract with Kunlun Red Star. The experienced netminder agreed a three-year term. He has been with the club since 2019, playing 110 games and winning 28 wins. Both stats are club records for a goalie. He also qualified to play for Team China and took part in the Beijing Olympics in 2022.

Women’s Hockey League gets bigger

Next season’s Women’s Hockey League will have more games than ever. The eight competing times will meet six times during the regular season (up from four), making a 42-game campaign. Then, in the playoffs, the champion will need to win 10 games to take the prize. In the first two rounds, teams will contest best-of-five series before a grand final played as a best-of-seven in line with the KHL or Stanley Cup format. With all eight teams destined to contest this season’s playoffs, every club will have at least 45 games in the coming season. The schedule is set to be unveiled on Aug. 8.