New imports and headline trades
Two record-breaking forwards were among the high-profile trades in the KHL this week. And we also saw the first new imports signing up for 2026/2027 – one entirely new, another returning after a season in Switzerland.
Leivo to Avangard
When your “difficult second season” sees you scoring at a point a game, things are usually going pretty well. True, Josh Leivo didn’t manage to match his record-breaking 49 goals in his debut season in Ufa, but life in Chelyabinsk didn’t seem to be too much of a chore – 65 points in 62 regular season games. The Canadian parted ways with his compatriot, head coach Benoit Groulx, during the season – and now he’s linking up with another Canadian at Guy Boucher’s Avangard. And he’ll find more familiar faces in the form of Chicago Wolves team-mates Andrew Poturalski, Max Lajoie and Vasily Ponomaryov.
Shipachyov takes Kuznetsov’s role in Ufa
Vadim Shipachyov keeps on going. After reaching 1,000 KHL games last season and having broken Sergei Mozyakin’s points record in the league, he’s seeking a new challenge. And what better than providing the experience and cunning for Salavat Yulaev? Viktor Kozlov’s team had Evgeny Kuznetsov in that role at the end of last season, but the former Washington Capital’s fitness problems limited his impact on the team. Shipachyov played through Dinamo Minsk’s best ever KHL campaign, contributing on and off the ice with 47 points and incalculable influence on Minsk’s young offensive prospects. Now, with Dinamo undergoing big changes, he’s set to be an elder statesman on another team with plenty of upside.
Clague comes to Avtomobilist
The first all-new import for the coming season is Kale Clague. The 28-year-old offensive blue liner signed a contract with Avtomobilist. In Yekaterinburg, they will hope that he can bring the kind of two-way threat that has been largely absent from a solid but unspectacular D-core. Clague, meanwhile, has a point to prove. Consistently productive in the AHL over the past three seasons, the last of his 94 NHL appearances came back in 2023/2024 with Buffalo. A first move away from North America should bring a new challenge – and a higher profile.
Tierney returns to Minsk
In the opening weeks of the trade window, Dinamo Minsk suffered some big losses. A clutch of players crossed the Atlantic, head coach Dmitry Kvartalnov departed for Lokomotiv and Vadim Shipachyov took his vast experience to Ufa. Redressing that balance, Canadian center Chris Tierney returns to the club. The 31-year-old had 20 (10+10) points in 60 games in 2024/2025 before moving to Ambri-Piotta in Switzerland. Those might not seem like the most eye-catching stats, but in a time of change the club management seems to be going for a tried-and-tested option. And during a rebuild, a player with substantial experience on both sides of the Atlantic – Tierney played 649 NHL games, mostly for San Jose and Ottawa – is always good to have around.
Coach of the Year stays in Kazan
Anvar Gatiyatulin just missed out on a Gagarin Cup, but after a strong season with Ak Bars he agreed a new two-year deal with the Tatar team. Last season he won 57 games on the way to the final, earning the title of Coach of the Year despite losing to Lokomotiv in six games at the climax of the season. In total, Gatiyatulin has 304 wins in 539 KHL games.
Rule changes approved
As usual, the summer sees some tweaks to the rules of the game in an effort to reduce unnecessary breaks in play and make the game more attractive for spectators. This year’s main changes affect the hand pass – which no longer prompts a whistle if it happens in the players’ own half of the ice – and video reviews. The big change for reviews means that in a situation where the officials are asked to check whether the puck fully crossed the goal-line, the same screening will automatically review whether the goaltender was impeded. Previously, this required a separate bench challenge. Also, when reviewing suspected high sticking or major penalties, officials will also check for simulation on the part of the opposition player(s) affected. In a further change, if a player loses his helmet but is able to retrieve it and continue playing, no penalty will be issued.
Isayev on coaches
Lokomotiv goalie Daniil Isayev, who won back-to-back Gagarin Cups under Igor Nikitin and Bob Hartley, compared the contrasting styles of the two coaches. Of Nikitin, noted as a coach with a rigid structural approach, he said: “We never adjusted to the opposition, we just stuck to our guns. We kept doing the same things because they worked. We forced them to adjust to us.” But Hartley’s methods were rather different: “Sometimes we would adjust to our opponents. If you look at our penalty kill, we played differently depending on who we were up against.”
