Season Preview: Avtomobilist. Kudashov’s first season in Yekaterinburg

KHL.ru continues its club-by-club preview of the coming season. Avtomobilist has a new head coach and a new-look roster.

Last season

Avtomobilist finished its regular season in the top four, in lines with the club’s expectations over recent years. After the All-Star Game, the team faced difficulties as Reid Boucher quit for family reasons and never returned. His departure was offset, at least somewhat, by the addition of Daniel Sprong from CSKA. But last season was the end for head coach Nikolai Zavarukhin after four full campaigns in charge. In the playoffs, Zavarukhin’s team suffered an unexpected first-round loss to Salavat Yulaev, prompting a change in personnel on and off the ice.

Recruitment

Arrivals:

Goalie: Lorens Zinaddin (Torpedo). Defensemen: Jordan Gross (Traktor), Ilya Karpukhin (Ak Bars), Kale Clague (Manitoba, AHL), Andrei Salnikov (Torpedo). Forwards: Alexander Barabanov (Ak Bars), Danil Gushchin (Colorado, NHL), Alexander Kadeikin (Traktor), Artemy Kuznetsov (Torpedo), Adam Ruzicka (Spartak), Anton Slepyshev (Dynamo Moscow).

Departures:

Goalie: Nikita Novosyolov (Colorado, NHL). Defensemen: Yury Zhuravlyov, Sergei Zborovsky (Dynamo Moscow), Daniil Malorossiyanov (Dragons, loan), Maxim Osipov (Sibir), Yury Pautov (AKM, VHL). Forwards: Nikita Artamonov (Severstal, loan), Reid Boucher, Alexei Byvaltsev (Ak Bars), Stephane da Costa, Semyon Kizimov (Severstal), Brooks Macek (Mannheim, Germany), Danil Romantsev, Vasily Filyayev (Toros, VHL), Stepan Khripunov (Dragons). 

Top 3 signings

Alexander Barabanov

Avto’s most discussed acquisition was the signing of Alexander Barabanov. Last season he helped Ak Bars reach the Gagarin Cup final before falling to Lokomotiv. Barabanov was among his team’s leading scorers in the regular season, and in the playoffs he was among the top scorers from any team. Avtomobilist will expect the forward to play a leading role this season.

Kale Clague

This Canadian defenseman’s smooth skating and offensive capabilities stand out. Clague is comfortable on the puck and can find dangerous shooting lanes. Alexei Kudashov faces a tough decision when it comes to Clague or Jordan Gross on the power play.

Alexander Kadeikin

The experienced Alexander Kadeikin will be a leader off the ice, as well as the first-line center for his team. At Traktor he wore the ‘C’ before his move to Avtomobilist this summer. Alexander can be relied upon for at least 30 points a season, and is among the more effective players on the power play in the KHL.

Coaching

Alexei Kudashov was appointed as head coach this summer, having unexpectedly lost his job at Dynamo in Nov. 2025 despite perfectly respectable results in Moscow. Even back then, there was media speculation about the coach’s next move and, in the end, he opted for Avtomobilist – his first Eastern Conference club.

Kudashov’s team looks set to play a more attacking style than the previous coach. At the same time, he faces a tough time on the psychological front as several of his players have difficult temperaments. At Dynamo, Kudashov showed he can work with star players and the fact that several followed him from the Blue-and-Whites to the Motormen speaks for itself.

Goalies

Avtomobilist continues with last year’s goaltending duo of Vladimir Galkin and Evgeny Alikin. Yekaterinburg retains two strong goalies who could form the strongest pairing in the Eastern Conference. These experienced netminders will duel for the first choice role.

Defense

There are three new faces who will be expected to play a key role on defense – Ilya Karpukhin, Jordan Gross and Kale Clague. Each has offensive upside and the new import is likely to feature on the power play. Throw in the players returning from last season and you have a defensive line that appears well-balanced in its mix of two-way and stay-at-home players.

Offense

Alexei Kudashov’s new arrivals up front are no less impressive than their defensive counterparts. Alexander Barabanov, Danil Gushchin, Adam Ruzicka and Alexander Kadeikin could make the difference; the first three have already featured on the same line in pre-season. Anton Slepyshev adds depth to the roster. The centers seem set: Alexander Kadeikin will go to the first line, while Kudashov has deployed Adam Ruzicka in that role rather than on the wing. Yegor Chernikov has been used in pre-season, while Maxim Denezhkin seems likely to have a role at center on the lower lines.

Youngsters

Right now, Kudashov is using young players on his teams, notably Artyom Kashtanov and Maxim Tarasov. Forward Dmitry Isayev also joined up with the first team over the summer, as did defensemen Mikhail Gamzakov, Daniil Karpovich and Artyom Shchuchinov, who can also expect chances during the season.

Expectations

Avtomobilist has repeatedly talked up its hopes of winning the cup, but tends to fall short in the playoffs. Up to now, the Motormen have never gone further than the third round. Can Alexei Kudashov improve on that at the first attempt? Previously, he hasn’t gone past the quarter-finals. As for the regular season, Avtomobilist should be capable of matching its usual top-four finish in the East.