2025 Closing Ceremony: Leivo, Nikitin, Isayev lead the way
The Closing Ceremony for the KHL 2024/2025 season took place in Moscow’s Barvikha Village on Thursday.
Canadian forward Josh Leivo picked up four awards: the Golden Stick for regular season MVP, plus prizes for leading scorer, leading goalscorer and a Golden Helmet. His 49 regular season goals for Salavat Yulaev set a new KHL record, outstripping Sergei Mozyakin’s mark.
Not surprisingly, many of this year’s awards went to Lokomotiv’s Gagarin Cup winners.
Lokomotiv netminder Daniil Isayev won the Goalie of the Year award for the second season in a row. He follows Alexander Yeryomenko and Vasily Koshechkin as a double-winner of this prize after backstopping the Railwaymen to Gagarin Cup glory this season.
“I’d like to thank our management, Igor Nikitin’s coaching staff, my team-mates and all the staff who gave everything this season,” he said. “I’d also like to thank my family for their support. It was a long and stressful season for them, especially in the final. Finally, thanks to [goalie coach] Rashit Davydov, without whom I wouldn’t be standing here.”
Head coach Igor Nikitin took the Coach of the Year honors, repeating his 2019 success after leading CSKA to the Gagarin Cup.
“I want to say a few words of thanks to my parents,” he said. “Mom, I know you’re watching; Dad, I’m sure you’re very happy, even though you’re no longer with us. I’d also like to thank my wife, Alla and our kids for their support and the atmosphere they create at home. And thanks to all the coaching staff: true professionals, men of character and principle who do their work with integrity, from all their hearts.”
A further individual award went to Lokomotiv’s Alexander Radulov as playoff MVP. He led his team in scoring and was announced as MVP after the final game of the Gagarin Cup final. He was also among the Golden Helmet winners.
“I’m grateful to my family and friends, my Mom and Dad, I love you so much,” he said. “Thanks to my wife and children. And, of course, to the guys who played as one team. I owe a lot to the coaching staff and fans in Yaroslavl, and to the club management that believed in me.”
The award for best line of the 2024/2025 season went to Severstal trio Mikhail Ilyin, Danil Aimurzin and Kirill Pilipenko. Between them, they contributed 42 goals for the Steelmen as the Cherepovets club reached a fifth successive playoff, finishing sixth in the Eastern Conference before falling to Spartak in the first round.
All the winners:
Gagarin Cup: Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Playoff MVP: Alexander Radulov (Lokomotiv)
Top scorer: Josh Leivo (Salavat Yulaev) 80 (49+31) points
Top goalscorer: Josh Leivo (Salavat Yulaev) 49 goals
Most productive defenseman: Trevor Murphy (Sibir) 58 (13+45) points
Golden stick: Josh Leivo (Salavat Yulaev)
Golden helmet: Vladislav Podyapolsky (Dynamo Moscow); Alexander Nikishin (SKA), Damir Sharipzyanov (Avangard); Josh Leivo (Salavat Yulaev), Alexander Radulov (Lokomotiv), Maxim Shabanov (Traktor)
Best goalie: Daniil Isayev (Lokomotiv)
Alexei Cherepanov prize for best rookie: Ivan Demidov (SKA)
Best coach: Igor Nikitin (Lokomotiv)
Best plus/minus: Artyom Galimov (Ak Bars, +31)
Most productive line: Mikhail Ilyin, Danil Aimurzin, Kirill Pilipenko (Severstal, 42 goals)
Vsevolod Bobrov prize for the highest scoring team: Traktor (282 goals)
Sergei Gimayev prize for loyalty to hockey: Ilya Kablukov (Avangard)
Valentin Sich prize for best director: Ivan Safin (Traktor)
Iron man: Alexander Polunin (Lokomotiv)
Best referee: Denis Naumov
Best linesman: Dmitry Shishlo
