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Reid Boucher produced the pre-season performance of the day with a hand in all three goals as Avtomobilist won 3-0 in Ufa. CSKA made its first appearance of the summer, but Igor Nikitin suffered a 1-4 loss at Dinamo Minsk on his return to action as the Muscovites’ head coach. Lada edged a shoot-out win over an experimental Ak Bars roster in Tuesday’s third game.

August 1 marked the end of the summer for most KHL teams. But roster-building continues, with a veteran coach returning to the league and yet another Calder Cup winner arriving from the AHL. Meanwhile, Lokomotiv staged its title parade and the league announced a couple of tweaks to the rules for the coming season.

Daniel Sprong signs with CSKA, Poturalski and Lajoie join Avangard, and Blacker returns to Avtomobilist. KHL.ru presents the best moves on the international market for the last week.

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.

Bob Hartley takes over at Lokomotiv, CSKA lands Spencer Martin and Rhett Gardner, while SKA strengthens the blue line with Murphy and Menell. KHL.ru presents the top international transfers of the last week.

The on-going KHL 3x3 Championship is approaching the final stages. The six teams to go to the playoffs were confirmed at the weekend and the big showdown is coming up in Moscow next month. Elsewhere, Vityaz announced it is withdrawing from competition and a young goalie makes waves at the NHL draft.

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.

Dinamo Minsk dumped CSKA Moscow out of the Gagarin Cup. A 5-2 victory in the Russian capital completed a 4-2 series win for Dmitry Kvartalnov’s men. It’s the first time in KHL history that the Belarusians have progressed beyond the first round of the playoffs, with Kvartalnov getting the better of one of his former clubs to make history.

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?

A comfortable home victory over Severstal saw Spartak safely into the second round of the 2025 Gagarin Cup playoffs. Alexei Zhamnov’s team finished the series in five games and joins Lokomotiv in the last eight. In today’s other Western Conference tie, Dinamo Minsk blitzed CSKA 7-0 to regain the lead in the series. The teams will return to Moscow with Dinamo up 3-2.

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.

With a 4-2 win over Spartak, Severstal escaped a sweep in its first-round KHL playoff series and sent the action back to Moscow on Thursday. As a result, seven out of eight series are guaranteed to go to at least five games, with only Lokomotiv still capable of a sweep when it plays Torpedo tomorrow. In Tuesday’s other action, CSKA defeated Dinamo Minsk at home, completing a recovery from 0-2 to tie the series ahead of the return to Belarus for game five.

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?

The first few days of playoff action lived up to their billing. We’ve had goals, upsets, and fantastic individual performances. Here’s a run-down of what we’ve seen so far:

Both Moscow teams picked up wins in today’s Western Conference playoffs. For CSKA, a come-from-behind success at home to Dinamo Minsk was vital to keep the series alive. Ilya Vorobyov’s team gave up an early goal but rallied to draw back to 1-2 in the series. Spartak, meanwhile, is just one game away from progress after edging a 1-0 verdict at Severstal. The Red-and-Whites could complete the sweep on Tuesday.

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.

In the West, Dinamo Minsk and Spartak Moscow are both in strong positions in their first-round playoff series. The Belarusians again scored five on CSKA and head to Moscow with a 2-0 lead in the series. Spartak is in a similar position after beating Severstal 4-2 with Alexander Pashin moving to 4 (2+2) points in post season.

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.

In both of Wednesday’s Western Conference games, the visitor opened a 2-0 lead – and ended up losing. CSKA scored twice in three minutes in Minsk, but Dinamo roared back to win it 5-2. In Moscow, Severstal led 2-0 and 4-2 against Spartak only to fall in overtime.

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.

Severstal grabbed a late winner at home to Dynamo, moving up to sixth place on the final day of the KHL regular season. As a result, Dynamo is set for a first-round playoff battle with old rival SKA, while Severstal will begin at Spartak. The Red-and-Whites secured third place in the West with a come-from-behind win over Lada, while Dinamo Minsk’s victory at Sochi kept the Belarusians in the top four. They will play CSKA, which snapped a four-game losing streak with a 2-1 win at Vityaz, while Neftekhimik thumped Admiral as the Sailors continue to struggle ahead of the playoffs.

The final regular season matchday features five games that will determine key playoff positions. It begins with Vityaz hosting CSKA, where the visitors can clinch fourth place in the West with a win and a Dinamo Minsk loss to Sochi in regulation. Spartak faces Lada in Moscow, aiming to secure third place under similar conditions. In the East, Admiral visits Nizhnekamsk, needing just an overtime appearance to claim seventh. Sochi hosts Dinamo Minsk, who are still in the race for third. The day ends with Dynamo Moscow taking on Severstal, with the visitors needing a single point to lock in sixth.

Two of Friday’s three games took place in Moscow – and the Russian capital took two beatings. Lokomotiv won 4-1 at Dynamo, while Dinamo Minsk defeated CSKA by the same scoreline. Earlier, Neftekhimik edged a 2-1 verdict over Admiral.

Three games are on the schedule today as the KHL playoff race intensifies. In the East, Admiral has a chance to secure seventh place but must overcome Neftekhimik, which is coming off a win in Moscow. The action then shifts west, where Dynamo Moscow and Lokomotiv face off for the sixth time this season, with the Blue-and-Whites looking to maintain their edge. To close the day, CSKA hosts Dinamo Minsk in a crucial matchup, as both teams aim to break their losing streaks and fight for a top-four finish.

Jaros returns to production with CSKA, Murphy keeps on getting assists. KHL.ru presents the best players from each country.

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.

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.

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.

Monday’s top story was the opening of Avtomobilist’s new arena. Unfortunately, the party did not go entirely to plan, with visitor CSKA claiming a 4-3 win on the first night. Spartak enjoyed a 5-3 victory at Ak Bars in an entertaining game, while the conference leaders celebrated shut-out wins: Traktor 6-0 at Lada, Lokomotiv 3-0 at home to Severstal. Sibir’s playoff prospects took a knock with a 1-3 reverse at Vityaz.

Avtomobilist plays its first game in its new home against CSKA, Lada welcomes Traktor, Lokomotiv hosts Severstal, Ak Bars faces Spartak, and Vityaz clashes with Sibir on a tense KHL Monday with games across both Conferences.

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.

Tuesday’s big game was in Moscow, where SKA edged a shoot-out win over CSKA after a 2-2 tie in regulation. Alexander Nikishin’s goal ended a four-game losing run for the visitor. Earlier, Josh Leivo scored his 44th goal of the season as Salavat Yulaev won 3-1 at Amur. Leivo is just four behind Sergei Mozyakin’s record 48-goal haul from 2017. Also in the Far East, Admiral’s 1-0 win over Neftekhimik puts it close to clinching a playoff spot. Lokomotiv breezed to a 5-0 win at Severstal and Avangard kept up it’s winning streak with an overtime verdict at Sochi.

SKA celebrates its 1,200th game in the league trying to return to victory after four straight losses as the St. Petersburg squad faces CSKA. Earlier in the day, Amur hosts Salavat Yulaev and Admiral welcomes Neftekhimik in the Far East. Severstal clashes with Lokomotiv and HC Sochi tries to halt Avangard’s winning streak in the remaining contests of a tight KHL Tuesday.

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.