Review of the season. Lokomotiv: Tireless Radulov and the long-awaited Gagarin Cup
KHL.ru keeps on reviewing the season for the league’s teams. Today is the turn of the champions – Lokomotiv.
In 2024, Lokomotiv was swept by Metallurg in the Gagarin Cup Finals. However, no drastic changes were made in Yaroslavl after that defeat. Ahead of the new season, the club retained nearly the entire runner-up roster, adding just two players — Byron Froese and Alexander Radulov.
The 2024-2025 season went as well as it possibly could for Lokomotiv. The Yaroslavl team began by winning the Opening Cup, then confidently took the lead in the Western Conference standings and in the league overall. In mid-March, they claimed the Continental Cup for finishing first in the regular season. Lokomotiv earned a total of 49 wins in the regular season — a new club record.
On their way to the Gagarin Cup, Lokomotiv swept Torpedo (4–0), edged out Avangard (4–3), and defeated Salavat Yulaev (4–1). The final series against Traktor lasted five games — just like in the previous two rounds, Lokomotiv lost the opening match but then won four straight to capture their first-ever Gagarin Cup.
Best players
One of the greatest players in KHL history, 38-year-old Alexander Radulov brought fire to Lokomotiv. In the regular season, he posted a relatively modest 34 points (18 goals, 16 assists), but in the playoffs, we saw the classic Radulov — energetic, aggressive, and effective. He finished as Lokomotiv’s top scorer in the 2025 playoffs and was named the Most Valuable Player of the Gagarin Cup playoffs. His chemistry with young forward Yegor Surin was especially noteworthy and caused plenty of trouble for opponents during the playoffs.
"A lot of people called me and said, ‘Why did you take him?’ Well — here’s why! I’m very grateful to Sanya. I hope the feeling is mutual. There are very few athletes like him. Radulov turned out to be the missing puzzle piece at just the right moment. He’s the cherry on top," said Lokomotiv head coach Igor Nikitin after winning the Gagarin Cup.
Isayev delivered yet another incredible season. He recorded 45 wins in 62 games across the regular season and playoffs, with a 92.9% save percentage — including a stellar 93.8% during the Gagarin Cup — a goals-against average of 1.58, 10 shutouts, and earned his second consecutive title as the league’s best goaltender.
Shalunov tied with Radulov for third in Lokomotiv’s scoring during the 2024-2025 season, tallying 50 points (24 goals, 26 assists) in 81 games. He led the team in shots on goal (202), delivered the most hits among Lokomotiv forwards (138), and — most importantly — was the team’s leader in game-winning goals. Of his 24 goals, 12 were game-winners!
Coaching
Igor Nikitin has firmly etched his name into the history of both Lokomotiv and the KHL. He has coached more games (297) and earned more victories (188) than any other head coach in Lokomotiv’s KHL history.
In September 2024, he became the fourth coach in league history to reach 400 wins and the sixth to coach 600 KHL games. He also participated in the 2025 KHL Fonbet All-Star Game, matched his own achievement by winning both the Continental Cup and the Gagarin Cup in the same season, and became just the third coach in KHL history to win the Gagarin Cup with two different teams – he also lift the Cup with CSKA. To cap it all off, he was named the KHL Coach of the Year.
After guiding Lokomotiv to their first Gagarin Cup, Nikitin surprised many by leaving the club and returning to CSKA.
Best Game
Game give of the Gagarin Cup Final against Traktor. Martin Gernat opened the scoring in the second period, and Steven Kampfer tied it late in regulation. With the score tied at one, the game went to OT. At 68:01, Maxim Shalunov scored the golden goal, sending Yaroslavl into a frenzy.
Youngsters
Goalie Maksim Mayorov made his debut for Lokomotiv this season at age 21, appearing in two games — and even recorded a shutout in his very first game against Barys. Another notable debut came from forward Roman Luttsev. The 19-year-old had an outstanding season in the JHL, scoring 66 points (33 goals, 33 assists) in 58 games for Loko, and earned his chance at the top level with three appearances for the senior team.
Meanwhile, Daniil But and Yegor Surin established themselves as full-time roster players. The 20-year-old But played 67 games and tallied 29 points (9 goals, 20 assists). Surin, just 18, appeared in 60 games and notched 21 points (12 goals, 9 assists). But stood out more in the regular season, while Surin came alive in the playoffs, becoming one of Lokomotiv’s key players during their championship run.
On the blue line, two 20-year-olds impressed: Dmitry Simashev and Mark Ulyev. Simashev played 77 games, collecting 7 points (1 goal, 6 assists) with a plus-8 rating. Ulyev logged 40 regular-season games, adding 6 assists and a plus-5 differential.
Summer work
The top priority for Lokomotiv’s management now is to find a new coaching staff. As for the players, things are much more stable. The front office has already signed new contracts with nearly all of the champions whose deals were set to expire. Key contributors like Alexander Radulov, Maxim Berezkin, Maxim Shalunov, and Yegor Surin will all remain with the club.
Joining the team are defensemen Daniil Misyul and Mac Hollowell, who both played in the AHL last season. Several young players who spent the 2024-2025 season on loan with other KHL clubs are also returning to Yaroslavl.
As for departures, Lokomotiv hasn’t suffered any major losses. Dmitry Simashev and Daniil But have moved to Utah, while Martin Gernat’s contract has expired.
