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Coaching legend steps down, Traktor sweeps into next round
A busy week of personnel changes saw three KHL teams replace their head coach – one while still contesting the playoffs. A legend of the league stepped down after his team’s exit, while the lowest ranked team in the competition was the first to reach the semi-finals.
Traktor sweeps into last four
Traktor Chelyabinsk is the lowest-ranked team still in the 2024 KHL playoffs, but it’s also the first to clinch its place in the third round. Alexei Zavarukhin’s team completed a 4-0 sweep of regular season champion Dynamo Moscow, belying its status as the sixth seed from the Eastern Conference. Dynamo’s loss continues an unhappy sequence for the Muscovites, who have not progressed beyond the second round since winning the cup in 2013. It also adds to the “curse of the Continental Cup”: only once in the KHL era has the regular season champ gone on to win it all in April.
Lowest seed storms into last four, Loko goes up 3-1. March 22 playoffs
SKA, Avangard close to the brink
Two other big hitters are in grave danger of dropping out in the second round. SKA’s ambitions to win a third title could be halted in Avtomobilist on Monday, with the Motormen up 3-1 in that series. Roman Rotenberg’s team already dodged one bullet, winning game four on Saturday in St. Petersburg with the goals starting to flow once more. However, in 65 series where a team has opened a 3-0 lead, only once has the opposition recovered to win. Avtomobilist, fifth in the East this season, is hopeful of adding to its victory over last year’s finalist, Ak Bars.
Avangard, second in the Eastern Conference, is also down 1-3 against Lokomotiv, third in the West. Although the Hawks recovered from Monday’s shocking 0-7 home loss to win in overtime in Yaroslavl two days later, Lokomotiv responded with a 3-1 verdict on Friday to maintain control of the series.
Spartak rediscovers scoring touch
The regular season’s leading scorer, Spartak, suffered an untimely goal drought at the start of its series against Metallurg. However, after back-to-back shut-outs in Magnitogorsk (4-0, 1-0), it all changed when the action moved to Moscow. Three points from Ivan Morozov and two goals from Nikolai Goldobin led the way in a 5-2 win that brings the series back to life.
Spartak revives hopes, SKA faces elimination. March 21 playoffs
Avangard fires Kravets
After a 7-0 hammering at home to Lokomotiv left the Hawks down 2-0 in its second-round playoff series, Avangard’s management took dramatic action. The club dismissed head coach Mikhail Kravets – a rare step in mid series – and appointed Sergei Zvyagin as his interim replacement. Zvyagin, a former Russian international goaltender, turned to coaching in 2012-2013 with Barys and had worked as goalie coach at Avangard since 2018. The 53-year-old’s first game behind the bench brought a win thanks to Reid Boucher’s overtime goal. However, Lokomotiv took a 3-1 verdict in game four and can wrap up the series with victory in Omsk tomorrow.
Bilyaletdinov steps down
Legendary head coach Zinetula Bilyaletdinov will not be continuing behind the bench. After Ak Bars crashed out in the first round of this year’s playoffs, Bill confirmed that he is not seeking to extend his contract with the Kazan club. It brings to an end a glittering career that saw him become the first Russian coach to work in the NHL. He spent four years in North America as an assistant with the Jets and the Coyotes before returning to Dynamo Moscow in 1997. He went on to win Olympic silver and bronze with Russia as an assistant coach, and led Dynamo and Ak Bars to Russian Superleague glory. In the KHL era, he won three Gagarin Cups (2009, 2010, 2018) and led Russia to World Championship gold in 2012.
Management changes at Sibir
Kirill Fastovsky earned a reputation as one of the smartest GM’s in the business during his time at Sibir. His acuity in the trade market helped the Novosibirsk club punch above its weight for several seasons and he turned the club from an outsider into a regular playoff contender. However, this week it was announced that he would be renewing his contract when it expires at the end of April, ending 14 years in his current position. His replacement is Lev Krutokhvostov, who is currently in charge of Sibir’s academy. The new sporting director is Viktor Merkulov, who previously worked as GM at Dynamo Moscow.
Vityaz to seek new head coach
Another club confirmed that it will have a new direction in 2024/2025. Vityaz, which finished bottom of the Western Conference this season, announced that it won’t be renewing Dmitry Ryabykin’s contract. Ryabykin, who previously had a spell behind the bench with Avangard, came to the club back in the fall but could not arrest the Balashikha team’s slump. His contract officially expires on April 30.
Konstantin Koltsov, RIP
Belarusian forward Konstantin Koltsov sadly passed away last Monday. He was just 43 years old. Shortly before his death in Miami, Florida, it was announced that he would no be continuing as an assistant coach at Salavat Yulaev. The Ufa club, where Koltsov had worked for two seasons under Viktor Kozlov, was also the scene of his greatest successes as a player. He won the Russian Superleague there in 2007, and was part of the 2011 Gagarin Cup winning squad. As a player, Konstantin also had three seasons with the Pittsburgh Penguins; as a coach he made his first forays into the international game last season when he took charge of Team Belarus at the Channel 1 Cup in December.
Schedule changes
Following the terrorist attack at a concert hall near Moscow on Friday evening, two KHL playoff games were postponed. Spartak Moscow vs Metallurg, scheduled for Saturday, was cancelled due to a blanket ban on large-scale events in the capital in the aftermath of the attack. Sunday’s game between Avangard and Lokomotiv was also postponed. Both games are now set to take place on Tuesday, March 26. The Spartak-Metallurg game is the fourth in that series, with Metallurg up 2-1. Avangard hosts Loko in game five, with the Railwaymen one victory short of progressing.
