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Metallurg celebrated the career of one its biggest stars at the weekend, while CSKA signed the league’s first ever player from the Netherlands. And, amid all that, we saw our first pre-season action of 2025.

The KHL’s players will be returning to their clubs in a couple of weeks – and we already have news of 2025’s first pre-season tournament. Meanwhile, our teams continue to build their rosters. But it’s still holiday time for many, with some KHL stars showing off their gaming skills alongside some of Russia’s leading cyber-athletes.

Interview with Metallurg junior team’s top scorer from the blueline.

A busy transfer window has seen several intriguing moves across the leagues’ landscape. Jeremy Roy brings his offensive upside to CSKA, while Jack Rodewald joins a contending Salavat Yulaev squad. KHL.ru presents the top international moves of the week.

Mit Metallurg Magnitogorsk scheiterte der amtierende Gagarin Cup Champion bereits in der ersten Runde. Nur Lokomotiv war mit einem Sweep souverän.  

Six of eight first-round playoff series are in the books. We’ve seen the defending champion deposed, a new recruit for the 250-goal club and just one series ending in a sweep. And there are a couple of game seven deciders to look out for ahead of round two.

Avangard is the first Eastern Conference team to advance to round two of the KHL playoffs. The Hawks won 3-2 at home to Metallurg, withstanding a third-period fightback to wrap up the series in six games. Ak Bars thrashed Avtomobilist 5-1 in Kazan, taking that series to game seven.

The battle for a spot in the next round intensifies as Avangard, Ak Bars, and CSKA fight to stay alive in their respective series. Metallurg looks to force a seventh game against Avangard, while Avtomobilist and Dinamo Minsk aim to close things out on the road. Goalies are stealing the spotlight, with Nabokov, Alikin, and Demchenko all coming off stellar performances for the winning sides. Will they be the difference-makers again, or will the opposition teams rally to extend their seasons?

Defending champion Metallurg will not give up it title without a fight: after dropping the first three games of the series against Avangard, Magnitka is now back to 2-3 ahead of the weekend trip to Omsk. A 3-1 win in Magnitogorsk means it’s all to play for here. Today’s other Eastern series is also poised at 3-2, with Avtomobilist enjoying the upper hand following a 2-0 win over Ak Bars. The visitor scored seven in game four, but could not beat Evgeny Alikin today.

The Gagarin Cup playoffs heat up with crucial matchups across the board. Metallurg fights to stay alive at home against Avangard, looking to extend the series after avoiding a sweep. Avtomobilist and Ak Bars return to Yekaterinburg with their series tied, as both teams aim to take control. Spartak gets another chance to close out Severstal, while the Steelers hope to force a game six. Meanwhile, Dinamo Minsk and CSKA battle in a pivotal game five, with the winner gaining a crucial edge in this tightly contested series of capitals.

Defending champion Metallurg is still in the Gagarin Cup race – but Andrei Razin’s men needed two late goals to beat Avangard and escape a round-one sweep. In Kazan, Ak Bars blitzed Avtomobilist in the first period, setting up a win that ties the series after four games.

Avangard and Spartak have a chance to close out their series with commanding 4-0 sweeps as they take the ice against Metallurg and Severstal, respectively. Meanwhile, Dinamo Minsk looks to push CSKA to the edge, while Ak Bars fights to level its series against Avtomobilist after a dramatic double-OT loss. With game four underway across the board, teams facing elimination will need to dig deep to keep their playoff hopes alive. Will we see the first teams advance to the next round, or will the battles rage on?

A second successive overtime winner from Vladimir Tkachyov gave Avangard a 3-0 lead over Metallurg in its first-round KHL playoff series. The Hawks can complete a sweep of the defending champion on home ice on Tuesday. Today’s other Eastern Conference action saw Avtomobilist move ahead in its series against Ak Bars. After dropping the opening game, the Motormen followed up Friday’s 4-3 verdict with an overtime victory in Kazan.

The reigning Gagarin Cup champion has its back against the wall after two defeats at home and will be forced to win if they want to have a real chance to return to cup contention. Then, the second Eastern series returns to Kazan after Avtomobilist tied things up in game two. In the Western Conference, Severstal will try to revert the trend after two Spartak wins, while CSKA will seek to at least get a first win in the series returning at home after two losses to Dinamo Minsk.

Avangard took a firm grip on its first-round playoff series, grabbing a second victory in Magnitogorsk thanks to Vladimir Tkachyov’s overtime goal. The Hawks will take a 2-0 lead to Omsk for game three at the weekend. In the other tie, it’s all square. Avtomobilist held on to beat Ak Bars 4-3, cancelling out its opening night loss.

Avangard collected a road win to open the series against the Gagarin Cup champion, while Ak Bars stunned Avtomobilist as both away teams claimed victory in the Eastern Conference. In the West, Spartak and Dinamo Minsk will try to double their advantage in game two against Severstal and CSKA, respectively.

The first action of the 2025 Gagarin Cup playoffs bucked the seedings. Defending champion Metallurg lost 4-1 at home to sixth seed Avangard, while Ak Bars won on the road at fourth seed Avtomobilist by the same scoreline.

Leivo is a new record man in the league, while defensemen made a statement in both Eastern and Western Conference. KHL.ru presents the best players from each country.

The Kontinental Hockey League’s commission has determined the best players of the Regular Season’s seventh and last month in four categories.

Four pairs start today, with eight teams kicking off their path towards the most coveted trophy in the season, the Gagarin Cup. The reigning champion, Metallurg, plays today as well, facing Avangard in a high-stake matchup. In the second Eastern clash today, Avtomobilist hosts Ak Bars after last year’s first-round showdown. In the West, Spartak welcomes Severstal in another repeat of last year’s series, then Dinamo Minsk faces CSKA as the two teams meet for the first time in the elimination stage.

Josh Leivo scored his 49th goal of the 2024/2025 campaign, breaking Sergei Mozyakin’s record for markers in a regular season. He struck midway through the third period to set the record and help Salavat Yulaev to a 4-1 win at Barys. That result confirms Ufa in second place in the East. Metallurg finished third, going down in Yekaterinburg as Avtomobilist secured fourth place. Magnitka will start the playoffs at home to Avangard, 5-1 winners over Kunlun; Avto entertains Ak Bars, OT winners at Sibir. SKA won a shoot-out at Torpedo to climb to sixth in the West, while Traktor eased to a 2-0 victory at home to Amur.

In the final regular-season game for these teams, six matchups will shape the playoff picture. Kunlun Red Star hosts Avangard, where Nail Yakupov could play his 70th game of the season. Sibir faces Ak Bars in a key battle for Eastern Conference positioning, while Traktor takes on Amur in Yakov Rylov’s farewell game. Avtomobilist and Metallurg meet in a decisive Ural Derby, Barys hosts Salavat Yulaev as Joshua Leivo chases history, and Torpedo faces SKA in the West’s closing matchup of the day.

Lokomotiv celebrated its status as regular season champion with a victory on the road at CSKA in Wednesday’s big game in the KHL. Today’s other action saw Metallurg edge an exciting battle with Admiral on the day that three club legends were honored for their achievements in the KHL.

Only two games are on tap today, one per conference, with Metallurg facing Admiral and CSKA facing off against Lokomotiv in two exciting matches.

The 2025 Continental Cup goes to Lokomotiv! The Railwaymen sealed top spot in the regular season standings thanks to victory at home to Admiral on Monday. Loko got there with two games to spare, moving six points clear of Traktor. In the Eastern Conference, Sibir claimed the last remaining playoff spot after defeating Barys 3-2. Monday’s other action saw Metallurg win a shoot-out at home to Vityaz.

The Kontinental Hockey League’s commission has determined the best players of the 2024-2025 Regular Season’s twenty-seventh week in four categories.

Three games on the slate, and each one carries weight. Sibir has a golden chance to secure its playoff spot, needing just a point against Barys to eliminate Neftekhimik. In Magnitogorsk, Metallurg looks to strengthen its top-four bid but faces a Vityaz team that has already beaten them this season. Over in the West, Lokomotiv can clinch the Continental Cup with a point against Admiral, while the visitors must win to lock in a postseason berth. Expect a thrilling night of hockey as the stakes reach new heights.

Dynamo Moscoe tightened its grip on second place in the Western Conference after beating city rival CSKA 2-1 in Saturday’s big game. Sibir had an important victory in the Eastern Conference playoff race, opening a five-point lead over Neftekhimik after edging past Torpedo. Salavat Yulaev kept up the pressure on conference leader Traktor after defeating Dinamo Minsk in a shoot-out. Ak Bars missed the chance to move into the top four with a loss at home to Vityaz. The day’s biggest win went to Metallurg, 7-1 victors over Kunlun. And Saturday’s top scorer was Oleg Li, whose hat-trick sparked Amur’s 5-2 success at home to Barys.

A thrilling six-game slate takes center stage, headlined by a high-stakes Moscow derby between CSKA and Dynamo. The matchday kicks off in the Far East, where Amur hosts Barys, followed by a pivotal playoff race clash between Sibir and Torpedo. Metallurg continues its homestand against Kunlun Red Star, while Salavat Yulaev battles Dinamo Minsk. Ak Bars looks to close out its home stretch on a high note against Vityaz. The day culminates in the Russian capital, where CSKA aims to maintain its dominance over Dynamo in their final regular-season showdown.

Jordan Gross is key for Dinamo Minsk, while Lokomotiv gets help from its international skaters. KHL.ru presents the best players from each country.

Two Eastern Conference giants enjoyed significant wins on Wednesday. Metallurg beat CSKA 4-2 as Ilya Vorobyov suffered a losing return to his former club. Then Ak Bars thumped Traktor 6-2 despite a lacrosse goal from Maxim Shabanov. That result saw Anvar Gatiyatulin mastermind a victory over his former employer. The day’s other action brought a 4-2 win for Spartak at Lada.

Only three games are on tap today, but exciting ones, with Metallurg hosting CSKA, Lada facing Spartak, and Ak Bars welcoming Traktor.

Torpedo became the eighth and final team to secure its place in the Western Conference playoffs. Victory at home to Spartak punched that post-season ticket and finally eliminated Kunlun Red Star. SKA had a 4-2 win over Metallurg in Saturday’s clash of the titans, while Avangard kept up its winning streak with a 2-0 verdict at Ak Bars. The biggest winners of the day were Vityaz (5-0 at Sochi) and Traktor (5-1 over Severstal) and there were shut-out wins for CSKA at Barys and Lada at home to Sibir.

After yesterday’s exciting showdown between Dynamo Moscow and Lokomotiv, seven games are on tap today, four in the East and three in the West. Traktor welcomes Severstal, Barys hosts CSKA, Lada battles with Sibir possibly for a last chance to qualify for postseason, and Ak Bars clashes with Avangard. In the West, Torpedo faces Spartak with a chance to book a ticket for the elimination stage, HC Sochi hosts Vityaz, and SKA faces off with Metallurg.

Metallurg’s Borna Rendulic nets the first goal for his new team, Leivo gets closer and closer to Mozyakin’s record, and Luke Johnson keeps on being clutch for Metallurg. KHL.ru presents the best players from each country.

The Hawks travel to Nizhny Novgorod seeking their tenth consecutive victory on a tense KHL matchday with five games on tap. In the Far East, Amur faces Salavat Yulaev and Admiral clashes with Neftekhimik. Then, Barys welcomes Sibir. In the West, Torpedo takes on Avangard, and Severstal faces off with Vityaz.

Dinamo Minsk and Dynamo Moscow continued their good recent form. The Belarusians won 6-2 at home to Kunlun, recording a seventh straight victory and climbing to fifth in the West. In Moscow, a 4-1 win over Avtomobilist gave Alexei Kudashov’s men some breathing space in the race for second place. Torpedo’s 4-3 win at Vityaz ended the home team’s playoff prospects. In the East, Lada is still alive, but the Motormen are running out of chances after a shoot-out loss at Metallurg.

Four games are on tap on a light KHL Monday, with an Eastern showdown between Metallurg and Lada, and three games in the West: Vityaz hosts Torpedo and Dinamo Minsk welcomes Kunlun Red Star as the competition for the last postseason spot in the conference intensifies, then Dynamo Moscow clashes with Avtomobilist as the Motormen try to defeat the Blue-and-Whites on the road for the first time in almost nine years.

Dynamo and CSKA are fighting it out for second place in the Western Conference. Both won on Saturday – Dynamo 6-3 over Kunlun, CSKA 4-2 over Torpedo – to move clear of fourth-placed Spartak. As a result of those games, SKA is also now guaranteed a playoff spot. In the Eastern Conference, Metallurg’s 3-1 win over Avtomobilist moves it to fourth in the standings.

The last regular-season month starts today. Metallurg hosts Avtomobilist in a high-stakes game, Dynamo Moscow faces Kunlun Red Star, and CSKA clashes with Torpedo on a light KHL Saturday.