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In the Words of the Winners – Quotes from KHL Closing Ceremony
On Wednesday, the 23rd of May, the concert hall of Moscow’s Barvikha Luxury Village hotel played host to the Closing Ceremony for the tenth-anniversary KHL season, and much has already been written and said by those who attended the event, or reported on it, or broadcast from it, but what was the glittering gala evening like for those viewing it from the stage – the winners themselves?
All that glitters... All the winners. KHL-10 Closing Ceremony
Red carpets and stars of hockey, politics, and show business, with trophies and medals glittering under the glare of the spotlight, limelight, and flash photography, elegant ladies in eye-popping outfits, and last, but by no means least, more than two dozen awards for the greatest players and all the other heroes whose exploits made the jubilee season of the KHL Championship such a roaring success.
24 hours to go! Don't miss the KHL Closing Ceremony!
The tenth anniversary season of the Kontinental Hockey League is now another glorious chapter in the history books of our beloved game, but there is still some important unfinished business, namely the Closing Ceremony - the glittering gala evening at which we reward those whose exploits made the jubilee season of the KHL Championship such a spectacular success.
Review of 2017/2018. Traktor: Back into top gear
KHL.ru continues its team-by-team review of the tenth season of the KHL Championship with a look back at the improving fortunes of Traktor Chelyabinsk. While most could have foreseen – and indeed, many openly predicted – that SKA, CSKA and Ak Bars would reach their respective Conference finals, Traktor was the unexpected guest at the party. Despite the city of Chelyabinsk's illustrious hockey history, when homegrown coaching hero Anvar Gatiyatulin guided the team all the way to the semi-finals of the 2017-18 knockout stage, it was the first time Traktor had been driven that far for five years, since the days of Valery Belousov.
Review of 2017/2018. SKA: A valiant but vain title defense
KHL.ru continues its team-by-team review of the tenth season of the KHL Championship with a look back at how the campaign unfolded for the reigning champion, SKA Saint Petersburg, a firm favorite among the experts, but whose attempt to defend its crown foundered in the Western Conference final.
Shipachyov, Afinogenov, Kagarlitsky to Dynamo. May 15-18 transfers
Dynamo Moscow has agreed two-year contracts with a pair of famous forwards: Vadim Shipachyov (1987), the Olympic, World, and two-time Gagarin Cup champion who returned to SKA last season ater his move to the Vegas Golden Knights went awry, and his fellow World Championship gold medalist, Maxim Afinogenev (1979), formerly of the Buffalo Sabres and Atlanta Thrashers. Also joining Dynamo, but on a one-year deal, is another Russian international, ex-Severstal and Donbass forward Dmitry Kagarlitsky (1989).
Review of 2017/2018. CSKA: Nikitin's debut, and victory over SKA
KHL.ru continues its team-by-team review of the tenth season of the KHL Championship with a look at the drama through the eyes of Moscow's Army Men, who, for the second time in three years, reached the final of the Gagarin Cup but went home empty-handed.
Review of 2017/2018. Ak Bars: Zaripov's return, and a third Gagarin Cup
KHL.ru begins its team-by-team review of the tenth season of the KHL Championship with a look back on how the campaign panned out for the men from Kazan, who last month became the first team in history to celebrate a third Gagarin Cup triumph.
Azevedo stays in Kazan; Videll moves to Riga. May 14-15 transfer highlights
Another forward signing a one-year deal with the Latvian club is Linus Videll (1985), who last season wore the colors of Traktor Chelyabinsk .The Swedish international had a previous tour of duty with Dinamo Riga back in the 2014-15 season.
Salak signs up for Lokomotiv. May 12 transfer highlights
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl has agreed a one-year contract with goaltender Alexander Salak (1988). The Czech Republic international had a varied career, including 2 outings in the NHL for the Florida Panthers in 2009-10, before arriving in the KHL during the 2013-14 Championship to mind the net for SKA Saint Petersburg and then, for three-and-a-half seasons, Sibir Novosibirsk. His overall KHL account stands at 110 victories in 211 games.
Semin returns to KHL. May 8 transfer highlights
Russian international forward Alexander Semin (1984), formerly of the Capitals, Hurricanes and Canadiens (NHL totals: 701 games, 254 goals, 297 assists), has agreed a one-year contract with Vityaz. Semin won the Gagarin Cup with Metallurg Magnitogorsk in 2016, but spent the 2017-18 campaign with Sokol in the VHL.
Dawes signs for Avto. May 5 transfer news
Avtomobilist has announced the biggest transfer coup of the spring so far with the signing of Nigel Dawes, one of the most deadly forwards in KHL history, on a two-year deal. The 33-year-old enjoyed spells with the Rangers, Coyotes, Flames, Thrashers and Canadiens (NHL totals: 223 games, 41 goals, 47 assists) before moving to the KHL and the Kazakhstan capital for the 2011-12 season, since when he has recorded 376 (217+159) points in 415 KHL games for Barys Astana. Last year, Dawes tallied 55 (35+20) points in the regular season, earning the League's top sniper title and the third-highest points total.
Vey to CSKA; Da Costa to Avtomobilist, May 3-4 transfer highlights
Former Los Angeles Kings, Vancouver Canucks, and Calgary Flames forward Linden Vey (1991) has departed Barys Astana and agreed a two-year contract with CSKA. The 26-year-old Canadian was the Astana team's top assistant last season, providing the passes for 35 goals.
Ak Bars. The 2018 champions, hero by hero
A champion team is not only an experienced head coach, a solid goaltender and a recognized sniper. The reason it is such a cliché to say, “Hockey is a team game,” is because it is true, and Ak Bars of 2018 is no exception to the rule. Every player in the Kazan collective contributed to the eventual victory, so we at KHL.ru devoted this page to all of the actors in the heroic Ak Bars drama.
45 KHL players in Eurotour finale
From the 26th to the 29th of April, Helsinki, Sodertalje and Stockholm host the final stage of the Eurotour, and the Russian national team, victorious at the 2018 Olympics and now under the guidance of new boss Ilya Vorobyov. Will be facing off against Sweden, the Czech Republic and Finland.
Eduard Zankovets: “At Slovan, I get called to a different carpet!”
Eduard Zankovets, head coach of Slovan for most of the 2017-18 season, gave an interview to KHL.ru in which he spoke about his decision to coach in Slovakia, the reasons behind the team's less-than-successful performance, and of his future in Bratislava.
A Picture of Success! Finest photos from Ak Bars night of triumph
This was what all that hard work was for. Those frantic and glorious moments after the final siren sounded the end of the 10th season of the KHL Championship, when the Ak Bars players knew they had done it. Mission Accomplished: a record-breaking third Gagarin Cup. The 1-0 win on home ice meant a 4-1 series victory over CSKA, and the celebrations could begin.
Refereeing Department on Cup-winning goal
Following Ak Bars forward Rob Klinkhammer’s goal in the 42nd minute of Sunday's match in Kazan – the goal which sealed victory for his team in the Gagarin Cup final series against CSKA - the visitors' bench appealed for a video review to ascertain whether the CSKA goalie had been blocked before the goal had been scored. As the video footage shows, there was no illegal impedence of the goaltender by the Kazan player, and as a result, the referee correctly allowed the goal to stand.
Vyacheslav Fetisov marks 60th birthday
On Friday, the 20th of April, one of the greatest players in hockey history celebrated his 60th birthday. Vyacheslav Fetisov started out as a youngster playing hockey in the yard and went on to reach the pinnacle of the sport, becoming a member of the exclusive Triple Gold Club – players who have won the Stanley Cup, Olympic gold and World Championship gold. Even this accolade barely hints at his success, bearing in mind that he won the Stanley Cup twice (plus one more as a coach), was a two-time Olympic champion and collected no fewer than seven golds at the Worlds. In international hockey, he was a fearsome defenseman and captain of the formidable Red Machine USSR team, as well as excelling in the leagues on both sides of the Atlantic.
44 KHL players in Czech stage of Eurotour
From 19 to 22 April, Pardubice in the Czech Republic hosts the third stage of the Eurotour, with the Russian national team, fresh from its stunning triumph at the 2018 Olympics, now under the new guidance of Ilya Vorobyov. Russia's first match under the new regime takes place today and on home soil, in Yaroslavl, against the men from Sweden, while the five remaining games in the tournament will be played in Pardubice. As is increasingly the case, there is a large contingent of KHL players in the tournament. To add to the 25 in the Russian roster, there are 4 in the blue-and-yellow of Sweden, 8 appearing for the Czechs, and seven turning out for Finland.
Notes from the Underground: Gagarin on the Metro
As the action in final series switches to Moscow, the Gagarin Cup must also be in attendance. Following its travels in chauffer-driven cars in trucks, and on long-distance trains, for Game 3 the trophy chose for its method of transport one of the architectural wonders of the world – the Moscow Metro.
Ilya Kovalchuk: “Thank you for creating the KHL!”
When the reigning champion SKA was eliminated from the playoffs, the club's talismanic captain, Ilya Kovalchuk, announced his that he was heading back to North America to resume his NHL career. The Olympic hero and two-time Gagarin Cup winner gave an interview to KHL.ru about his future, his past, and his good works off the ice.
Signed and sealed! Tatarstan to host 2019 Week of Hockey Stars
On April 14, 2018, in Kazan, the Kontinental Hockey League and the Republic of Tatarstan signed an agreement stating that the 2019 Week of Hockey Stars will be hosted in the Republic. The ceremony was attended by the President of the Republic of Tatarstan, R. N. Minnikhanov, and the President of the KHL, Dmitry N. Chernyshenko.
