The KHL is back! Lokomotiv, Traktor battle for the Opening Cup!
The eighteenth KHL season kicks off tonight with the traditional clash between last year’s finalists, Lokomotiv and Traktor. It’s the first time that the two sides meet in the Opening Cup game. In their histories, the Railwaymen had one Cup win, last year, while Traktor has zero.
After an exciting offseason and the traditional preseason games and tournaments, the KHL is back with a matchup between Lokomotiv and Traktor – last year’s finalists. The Railwaymen took the series 4-1, and they will be on the lookout for another victory and another trophy. Traktor had a busy offseason, losing leader Maxim Shalunov and productive forward Vitaly Kravtsov – both heading to North America – but signing last year’s scoring champion Joshua Leivo from Salavat Yulaev and Mikhail Grigorenko from SKA. On the blue line, Steven Kempfer called it a career, and Traktor replaced him with Jordan Gross. Top goalie Zach Fucale moved to Dinamo Minsk, with Chris Driedger signed as the team’s new starting goalie. Another interesting signing is French-born forward Pierrick Dube.
On the other side of the rink, Lokomotiv changed almost nothing on the ice, but hired former Stanley Cup and Gagarin Cup champion Bob Hartley as Igor Nikitin returned to CSKA in the offseason. The Yaroslavl franchise also returned local defenseman Daniil Misyul from North America.
Both teams won three games in the preseason, with the Railwaymen playing six games against Traktor’s four. Maxim Beryozkin and Yegor Surin led the scoring race for Lokomotiv, with Semyon Der-Arguchintsev and Andrei Svetlakov scoring three goals and two assists each for Traktor.
As the sole game of the night, the clash between Metallurg and Lokomotiv becomes a beacon of excitement for fans who have eagerly awaited the dawn of the new, 2025-2026 season.
19:30: Lokomotiv vs Traktor
Lokomotiv has a 1-2 record in opening cup games, winning last season in Magnitogorsk (4:3) and losing 1:4 against Salavat Yulayev in 2008, 2:3 OT against Ak Bars in 2009. Traktor is at its second appearance in Opening Cup games, losing 1:5 to Dynamo Moscow back in 2014. Lokomotiv’s forward Alexander Radulov has a record five Opening Cup wins, twice with Salavat Yulaev, and one each with CSKA, Ak Bars, and Lokomotiv.
Lokomotiv’s forwards Artur Kayumov and Maxim Shalunov enter the season on a three-game scoring streak, with 4 (2+2) points for the first and 3 (1+2, including the cup-clinching goal) for the latter.
Injury list
Lokomotiv: Daniil Tesanov.
Milestone alert
Lokomotiv’s forward Artur Kayumov may record his 250th KHL point (currently at 248).
Lokomotiv’s forward Alexander Polunin may reach 100 league assists (currently at 99).
Lokomotiv’s goalie Alexei Melnichuk may set his 10th KHL shutout.
