The big news last week was the postponement of the playoffs until April 10. The KHL announced a break in the season in response to the COVID-19 pandemic.

Playoffs suspended until April 10

Due to the on-going global COVID-19 pandemic, the KHL has halted all action until April 10. The decision, which brings the league in line with Russia’s major soccer and basketball tournaments, was taken in line with official advice about controlling the spread of the virus. However, the league remains committed to completing the current season and awarding the Gagarin Cup if it is possible to do so without compromising the health and safety of players, officials, staff and supporters.

KHL playoffs suspended until April 10

Moreover, Jokerit and Barys, two of the eight teams that won through the first round of post-season, had to withdraw from competition due to restrictions on public events in Finland and Kazakhstan. KHL President Alexei Morozov urged everyone concerned to work together to find a solution to the current problem. He also added that there was a contingency in place to complete the season without Jokerit and Barys, if necessary. However, in an interview with KHL.ru, Morozov made it clear that the door was always open for both teams to return to the competition if at all possible.

Alexei Morozov: ‘We can only solve this problem together’

Hrubec returns to China

The uncertainty about the end of the current season has not discouraged Kunlun Red Star goalie Simon Hrubec. The Czech international will be back in Beijing next term after signing a one-year extension to his contract with Curt Fraser’s team. Last season the 28-year-old shared goaltending duties with Jeremy Smith, starting 32 games and getting 12 wins. He had two shut-outs, a GAA of 2.16 and a ratio of 93.2%.

Kunlun Red Star extends Simon Hrubec

Kronwall retires

Lokomotiv Yaroslavl captain Staffan Kronwall is retiring after eight seasons with the Railwaymen and nine in the KHL. The 37-year-old, whose contract expires at the end of April, announced his decision on his Instagram. Kronwall is one of the longest-serving imports in the KHL, having also played for Severstal before moving to Yaroslavl. In total, he played 553 KHL games, scoring 59 goals and 161 assists. Of those, 201 (54+147) came for Loko, making him the most productive import in club history. “Yaroslavl became a second home for us, and my family and I are very grateful,” the 2013 World Champion wrote on social media.

Loko legend Kronwall hangs up his skates

Records for Omark and Dynamo

The first round of the playoffs brought no shortage of pretty play – check out the highlight reel for our top 10 goals in post season. It also brought new individual records for Salavat Yulaev’s Swedish international Linus Omark. He had 12 (1+11) points, setting a new scoring record for the first round of a KHL playoff ahead of Josef Vasicek’s 11 for Lokomotiv in 2011. Omark also had a record tally of assists, his 11 helpers outstripping the nine achieved by Pavol Demitra (2011, Lokomotiv), Sergei Mozyakin (2014, Metallurg), Brandon Kozun (2017, Lokomotiv) and Chris Lee (2017, Metallurg).

Dynamo Moscow’s free-scoring line of Jaskin, Shipachyov and Petersson also set a new record. They combined for 12 goals, three more than the previous best set by Metallurg’s Zaripov-Kovar-Mozyakin in 2017.

Icecast. Episode 18 with Andre Petersson

Women’s title goes to China

In the Russian Women’s Hockey League, the KRS Vanke Rays made history by winning it all in the club’s first season in the competition. The Shenzhen-based franchise, connected to the KHL’s Kunlun Red Star, defeated defending champion Agidel in the final. The Rays went undefeated through post season, overcoming Tornado in the semi-final, and did it all despite having to play every game on the road due to the coronavirus crisis in China. American international Alex Carpenter led the team in scoring with 7 (3+4) points, including the game-winner in Wednesday’s decisive encounter in Ufa, while Finnish Olympian Noora Raty was a star between the piping for a roster coached by Brian Idalski. But the team was not all about imports: defenseman Zhixin Liu contributed a couple of assists in the final series, while the team was captained by Xueting Qi, who previously represented China at the 2010 Olympics in Vancouver.

Ice Diaries: Notes on a Championship

HC Vityaz signed a two-year extension with goalie Ilya Ezhov, 33.

HC Sochi signed a two-year extension with forward Artyom Tomilin, 28, and a one-year extension with forward Dmitry Arkhipov, 27.

Dinamo Minsk head coach Craig Woodcroft talks with KHL.ru about his season in Belarus, Vyacheslav Gretsky’s unexpected All-Star call and Mikhail Grabovsky’s first season as a coach.

Q: How would you evaluate Dinamo’s season? Was this more of a development year?

We had two goals as a team this past season: make it to the playoffs and find and develop new hockey talents for Dinamo and Belarus. The latter one was definitely achieved. Anyone can visit khl.ru and find statistics on goals, points, minutes played and shifts for young players in Dinamo Minsk this season, compared to previous seasons – the club has never invested in young players like this past season. And that will pay off in the nearest future. In fact, you can already see the progress – just look at the leading roles those boys are playing in their teams in Belarus Extraliga playoffs (don’t underestimate its level!). I’m sure this is just the beginning for them, and they will become a new, winning generation of players for Dinamo and Belarus.

As for not making it to play-offs – there were many reasons for that; analyzing it requires time and detailed work, which is happening now. We will discuss that in media later. At this point I’d like to say that we recognize that we have not achieved what the fans, management and media wanted, and we take it very seriously, with no excuses, and we are working hard to improve significantly next season.

Q: It was your second year in the KHL. How much was different from your first stint?

As for our team, in my first year here the composition of the roster was very different – we had a lot of Belarus national team players who were in prime of their careers, and that was a major contributor to making it to the playoffs with 105 points in the regular season. They were the backbone of our team, providing consistency and key contributions on a nightly basis. That helped us to win games, especially when those games were tight. We didn’t have that this year; just look at the number of games we lost in overtime or the number of the games we lost by one or two goals. But, we understand, that given where we are in our process, this is what you get when the team is going through a change in generations.

Q: Is the KHL more competitive now?

Definitely, yes. The number of teams went down to 24, that automatically increased competition for places in rosters and pushed the overall quality of players up. The same is for coaching – I’ve seen a lot of good coaching, a lot of different styles and approaches, which provided us good challenges to compete against on a nightly basis. You could expect a surprise in every game – and that is a sure sign of high competitiveness.

Q: Belarus is very well known for high pressure on players and coaches. Do you feel it, and how do you cope with it?

The pressure is there for sure – a lot is expected from Dinamo in Belarus: to win, to play a style of hockey which is attractive for spectators, to develop players for the national team. The laws of physics say that to withstand that external pressure, you have to put the same pressure inside… and this is what we are trying to do here, all of us – coaches, players, personnel. If you don’t do that – you’re squeezed and you’re out. You have to accept that if you want to work in Dinamo Minsk.

Q: What caused those long losing skids during the season? Was there a problem with the team’s mentality?

It was a combination of several things, starting from many long-term injuries to key players. As an example, for the most part of the season we played without 3 of our top six defensemen. Or, our #1 goalie being out for almost a month right when we thought our team started to find our identity and play our game. There were other factors – many inexperienced players, and not enough leadership where it was expected from import players and Belarus veteran players. The latter factors lead to dips in psychology when losses started to pile up and they were very difficult to overcome.

Q: Goaltending was kind of a problem this year, you used a lot of guys. Was that more about the defense, or about the goalies themselves?

For a team like ours – not rich in budget and going through a rebuild, 92+% goaltending is a must to have chances to win a place in the playoffs. And we didn’t have that this past season. That’s why we had to try five goalies. And I have to say we expected more from each one of them, may be with the exception of Tolopilo, who played well enough for his age. But I don’t think that it’s fair to put blame solely on their shoulders, it’s a shared responsibility, it’s on everybody. Sometimes we showed inexperienced plays on a blue line, especially in games where we didn’t have all our imports; that allowed opponents to create opportunities that normally shouldn't happen. It’s on everybody and I think we as a group, need to understand how each of our jobs rely on each other to be successful. Once all of our players realize this, we can then each be a part of the solution to improve this essential area of our game.

Q: The biggest stories of the season involved Vyacheslav Gretsky. What could you say about this player and his crazy goal against CSKA? How team react on All-Star game participation?

Everybody inside the team and coaching staff were happy and excited for his All-Star Game selection, even knowing that he had minimal time on the ice. We understand that the fans select the players and this is part of the process. It’s a good experience, an eye-opening experience and a chance to play, be around the best players of the league. Who wouldn’t benefit from that? We knew that it would be good experience for him.

Goal against CSKA... During the summer we identified that he has these scoring attributes, that skillset. We know he has these abilities, we worked with him intensively during the whole year to build these skills, to polish his game. Now he can really showcase them. It doesn’t surprise us. We have real hope that there is more from him in years to come. He needs to keep working, to press forward and get better.

Q: Mikhail Grabovsky worked the first year as a coach. Does he have the potential to be a good coach?

Mikhail’s contribution to coaching staff was excellent this year. He came in fresh off being a player who played at the highest level and had a lot of personal success. His insights and knowledge of the game were very valuable for me personally. He brought a players’ viewpoint to the coaching staff; how best we should present things to the players and how we should look at our decisions with a player’s perspective in mind. Yes, there were setbacks. It’s his first year in coaching and I think he learned a lot about team structure and it’s importance to winning, how to build a system of play and just as importantly, building a culture. Grabo is the type of guy who has an insatiable appetite to keep learning and getting better. He has a tremendous work ethic, the best thing about him is that he cares about hockey, about our team, about hockey in Belarus, and most importantly he is extremely passionate about this team and our players, and getting us to a higher level.

Q: What kind of experience was this year in Minsk for you?

To be honest, it was a very difficult year for everybody involved. Losing sucks, losing takes a toll on everybody, physically and emotionally. I’m trying to put everything in the right prospective, understanding that we’re in a process, and in the early stage of a rebuild or generation change. There are going to be steps taken moving forward, and there will be many steps taken backward along this road. We must stay focused on where we want to go as a team and as a country, and we must not deviate from this plan. There were a lot of good moments, highlights, a lot of indicators that give us optimism as we move forward as a team, as coaches. Our job now is to stabilize, to continue find ways of getting better, pushing our players to a higher level so we can achieve more as a team. Those are challenges. Throughout this process, we must continually analyze what we did well and what works, and just as important, what we did not do well, what we need to improve and learn from these mistakes. When this process is done with integrity and honesty; I really believe we have enough smart people in our coaching staff and management to make right decisions that can allow us to grow and get results as we move forward.

Q: Next year the league will impose a hard salary cap. Do you think this will increase the level of competition?

The idea of a hard salary cap is to level the playing field. So, I think basically it means more teams are going to be more competitive instead of a few teams that have bigger budgets. It’s going to make the league even more interesting, it should be extremely competitive on every given night, when anybody could beat anybody. Teams should be ready and understand that every game is important and every game is winnable.

KHL’s statement on the championship in light of the COVID-19 outbreak.

In light of the developing global coronavirus pandemic, KHL has decided to cancel the remainder of the 2019-20 season. It is with a heavy heart that KHL has made this decision, however the health and safety of the all those involved in the League and its fans are of paramount importance.

KHL seriously considered a variety of options to complete the 2019-20 season, including playing out the championship at a later date in the year. However, it has been decided that this would cause too great of a disruption to the 2020-21 season.

A decision regarding the final League standings will be made at an upcoming KHL Board of Directors meeting. They will also make all necessary decisions relating to the 2020-21 championship. All the decisions will be communicated as soon as possible.

Information on the Youth Hockey League Championship 2019-20 season will be published separately.

Alexey Morozov, KHL President:

“It's unfortunate that we have to finish the season early, and it wasn't an easy decision. I'm sure that every fan, along with us, wanted to see the conclusion of the competition. However, the health of players and their loved ones, club employees, employees of sports facilities, and, of course, the fans, is much more important.

This decision could not be delayed, all those involved needed clarity and certainty in order to plan effectively. We thank everyone for their patience while we made this difficult decision.

I remain hopeful that the current situation will not affect next season.

I understand that many will be upset with the cancellation of the 2019-20 season, especially the fans of clubs that had progressed to the second round of the playoffs. However, we must follow the recommendations of health organisations.

Take care of yourself and your loved ones in this difficult time, and we will see you very soon.”

Im Zusammenhang mit der negativen Entwicklung der epidemiologischen Situation von COVID-19 in der Welt beschloss die Liga, den verbleibenden Teil der Saison 2019/2020 abzusagen.

Die Entscheidung wurde nach Rücksprache mit allen Interessenten getroffen und war von der Sicherheit der Gesundheit von Spielern, Fans, Vereinsmitarbeitern und allen an der Organisation und Durchführung von KHL Spielen Beteiligten abhängig.

Die Liga hat viele Szenarien für die weitere Entwicklung von Ereignissen entwickelt: Die Aussetzung der Meisterschaft bis zum 30. April 2020 bis zur Fortsetzung im Juni und Juli. Derzeit ist die Ausführung dieser Szenarien jedoch unwahrscheinlich.

Mehrere Vereine mussten ihre Weigerung erklären, weiterhin an den Playoffs teilzunehmen. Darüber hinaus würden sich Schwierigkeiten bei der Rückkehr ausländischer Spieler auf russisches Gebiet ergeben. All dies würde das Turnier der sportlichen Attraktivität berauben. Ein Playoff ohne Teams zu bestreiten, die das Recht haben, um den Gagarin Cup zu kämpfen, wäre ein Verstoß gegen das Sportprinzip.

Die Fortsetzung der Meisterschaft im Sommer würde sich äußerst negativ auf die nächste Saison auswirken.In diesem Szenario müssten die Vereine die üblichen Bedingungen der Sommerpause und dem Training vor der Saison vollständig ändern, und die KHL müsste die Bedingungen für das Transferfenster verschieben, den Saisonstart auf einen kritisch späten Zeitpunkt verschieben und auch die Anzahl der Spiele in der Meisterschaft reduzieren. Darüber hinaus haben bereits 18 Liga Klubs ihre Teilnahme an der Meisterschaft abgeschlossen und systematische Vorbereitungen für die Saison 2020/2021 getroffen.

Die Entscheidung über die Platzierungen der Saison 2019/2020 wird auf die nächste Verwaltungsrat der KHL Direktoren beschlossen . Der Verwaltungsrat wird auch die Zusammensetzung der Teilnehmer an der Meisterschaft 2020/2021 festlegen. Danach beginnt die Liga mit der Vorbereitung des Kalenders.

Informationen zur Saison 2019/2020 der Youth Hockey League werden separat veröffentlicht.

KHL Präsident Alexey Morozov:

- Leider müssen wir die Saison vorzeitig beenden. Diese Entscheidung war nicht einfach. Ich bin sicher, dass alle Fans zusammen mit uns die Fortsetzung des Kampfes um den Gagarin Cup sehen wollten. In dieser Situation ist jedoch die Gesundheit von Spielern und ihren Angehörigen, Klubmitarbeitern, Mitarbeitern von Sportanlagen und natürlich der Fans viel wichtiger. Wir glauben, dass niemand das Recht hat, Verantwortung für das Leben und die Gesundheit der Menschen zu übernehmen.

Die Lösung der Frage konnte nicht verschoben werden, alle Teilnehmer der Meisterschaft brauchten Sicherheit, um zukünftige Pläne zu erstellen. Die Liga musste eine fundierte Entscheidung treffen und allen die Spielregeln mitteilen.

Ich glaube, wir sollten auch versuchen sicherzustellen, dass die aktuelle Situation die nächste Saison in keiner Weise beeinflusst, dass sie in der für Teams und Fans üblichen Zeit beginnt und dass ihr Kalender rhythmisch und ausgewogen ist.

Ich verstehe diejenigen, die über die Absage der Meisterschaft verärgert waren, insbesondere die Fans der Vereine, die in die zweite Runde der Playoffs eingezogen sind. Aber jetzt ist es besser, die Empfehlungen von Gesundheitsorganisationen zu beachten. Pass auf dich und deine Lieben auf. Wir sehen uns sehr bald beim Hockey.

There are head coaching debuts, and then there are baptisms by fire. I think it is fairly obvious which category Brian Idalski’s inaugural WHL season would fall into, one that featured both a global pandemic that rendered his team homeless, and a fairy-tale ending—the championship title.

The Vanke Rays were forced to evacuate Shenzhen in late January due to the coronavirus outbreak, and spent the next two months on the road—logging stops in Saint Petersburg, Dmitrov and Ufa. Despite losing to Agidel in three of four matchups during the regular season, the vagabond Vanke Rays swept the two-time reigning champions in a thrilling final.

From Kunlun Red Star’s debut in the WHL to a health crisis that rocked the entire world—but his locker room first, Idalski and I caught up this week from our respective self-quarantines.

Gillian Kemmerer (GK): This year was a roller coaster for the Vanke Rays—a new league, new leadership and of course, the outbreak of the coronavirus in China. How did the news unfold that you would not get to return home for the rest of the season?

Brian Idalski (BI): I was in my apartment in Shenzhen. One day we got a message posted in WeChat: “Hey, there’s a virus.” The picture with it literally had two people in hazmat suits rolling out a dead body. You can imagine, when I went to practice the next day, how the players were freaking out about it—and this began the process. Our medical staff began researching, talking to people, and then we addressed the whole team. At the time, they were trying to contain [the coronavirus] in Wuhan, which was not close to us. We started to look at going to Saint Petersburg a week early. Everyone was about to take off for Chinese New Year, and they did—but then we were like, “We need to go, and we need to go now.” The men’s team had already packed up and they were staying in Russia, and the VHL team too. They wanted us to leave China in two days. We started recalling everyone from vacation—some kids were in and around Southeast Asia and had to go back to China. The Chinese kids came back, and a group of kids were in North America and met us in Saint Petersburg. It came together pretty quickly.

GK: So some of the team have apartments in Shenzhen that they have not seen since the day they left for Chinese New Year in January. They never came back.

BI: Absolutely—myself included. As I am still settling in at home, I realize my external hard drive is still in China. Some of my tax forms that I need and my receipts are still back in China. [Equipment manager] Steph Klein had packed up a lot of things before she left, but she was back in the States. A small group of us basically moved all of the gear to Saint Petersburg. We forgot a couple of things, I don’t even remember what now—but they were minor and we went out and got them. I have experienced a fair amount of stuff, but that was pretty surreal.

GK: All of this culminated in the Vanke Rays playing the whole of the post-season on the road. What was that experience like for you?

BI: For the older KRS kids, who had been through the CWHL and would spend a month and a half at a time in Canada, it was old hat for them. They had experienced that and were pretty good about it. Honestly, the maturity level of our club from the beginning was super high. We were tested early in the season when we could not go home because a curling competition was in our rink. We played in Beijing for three weeks, and then went back to Russia. We were on the road at one point for 52 days. That felt even longer than this last trip. We were starting to get a little squirrely at the end, and I have told people that we were pretty united in wanting to get things over with quickly and be done. We were pretty jacked up to do what we needed to do to finish the season quickly.

GK: The Vanke Rays dropped 3 of 4 regular season matchups against Ufa, and then swept the finals. How did you retool elements of your forecheck and power play to become more effective?

BI: The players had a lot of input throughout the year, and they really wanted to do some things differently on the power play. We were all for that. We always had in the backs of our minds that we wanted to throw some different looks [at Ufa] down the stretch and catch them off-guard. The big adjustment for me was the power play, and obviously Jessica Wong and Megan Bozek were big parts of that. Switching Alex Carpenter to the other side took some of the focal point off of her. I don’t think, especially in that first game when there were so many power plays, that [Ufa] were super prepared for that.

Breakout-wise, the way Noora Räty plays the puck limited some of their forecheck as well as the ability of Wong and Bozek to break the puck out. The addition of those two really limited some of the tough minutes for Snow Qi and Liu Zhixin, and you saw that they were better playing fresher.

Forecheck-wise, we had gone aggressive against Agidel the last couple of games and really wanted to get after them. I thought we counter-attacked, and really in a 1-2-2, did a nice job of scoring in transition. We slowed them down and their forecheck a little bit through neutral.

In the penalty kill, we were a little more aggressive. I thought we did a better job of being in shooting lanes, but again, your best penalty killer is always your goalie—and Noora was terrific.

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Публикация от Женская Хоккейная Лига (ЖХЛ) (@whl_ru)11 Мар 2020 в 5:33 PDT

GK: Adding one of the best goaltenders in the world, it certainly doesn’t hurt…

BI: [Laughs] No, it definitely makes coaches look much smarter.

GK: What role did bench management play in your success?

BI: You need to put your players in the best situations to be successful. I really thought, match-up wise, we were able to do a good job. I thought our third line was very solid and held their own. We also protected them a fair amount, and were able to keep them away from Olga Sosina and Alena Mills—even though Mills, early on, moved back to defense because of the injury Ufa had on their blue line to Maria Batalova. That was a big difference for them that weakened some of their forward lines. We could get Carpenter’s line in some good situations, and Hannah Miller with Leah Lum and Amy Menke really stepped up and played well. Overall, it was just a perfect recipe—we had great goaltending, some solid individual efforts from our best players like Carpenter and Bozek, and we got some secondary scoring from Miller’s line.

GK: Lum, Miller and Menke did not start playing together until the playoffs.

BI: Lum had been with Alex Carpenter and Rachel Llanes. Carp and Rachel were terrific, and we really thought we were going to need secondary scoring. We put Lum on that next group just to see if we couldn’t get that line going a little bit. Alex was always going to get her points, and Alex and Rachel had really good chemistry. Regardless of who was on the wing with them, they were going to produce. Having that second line was huge for us, and quite honestly Ufa’s second line scored a fair amount. They’re kindof similar [to us], where Sosina and Mills were going to get theirs. And they still did, but we were able to control that second line a lot more than we did during the regular season.

GK: How did you see the Carpenter-Llanes connection evolve over the year?

BI: I have a ton of respect for Rachel, just the way she goes about her business. She moves so well without the puck to get the spots. And Alex is so good at seeing the ice and moving the puck to set up for other people. It was just a good fit. Rachel works so hard, Alex is so smart—those two definitely had it going on together most of the year, and it did get better and better. We struggled to score early in the season, but by the end of the year, those two knew where each other were looking and what kinds of spots worked for them.

GK: Rachel was initially hired as a strength coach and was intended for the third line. It’s hard to believe after watching her all-star season.

BI: Some of that, culturally, was from Digit Murphy in the original setup [Murphy coached Kunlun Red Star in the inaugural season]. I knew that Rachel was quite an accomplished strength and conditioning coach, and when she goes home, she trains a lot of people. She is in great shape and always shows up. But this year, she was more dedicated to just being a player. You saw a big jump in her stats, and obviously there was a change in league that contributed to that, but I also think the focus on herself really helped to develop her game.

GK: Do you find that there is still a high level of mentorship between Chinese-born players and imports on the squad?

BI: Without a doubt. We don’t control our [Shenzhen] facility, so it’s not like we can pop out whenever we want. We’ve got a couple of hours of time to work with, and on the road, we are buying ice. We have two hours. You make goalie world and some skills time, and then we would have our standard practice for everybody. We would try to make some time at the back-end to work with players individually, and it wouldn’t be uncommon for the imports to grab a couple of the Chinese players and work on shooting or skills on top of the coaching staff. That was un-prodded and un-asked for, and just some of the culture from before that you help those players out.

GK: The Vanke Rays’ locker room is staged so meticulously that it is almost impossible to ignore. Do you think that this level of attention-to-detail contributes to on-ice success?

BI: There is no doubt that environment is important. When you walk into a place, you can tell if it’s special or not special just by the way it’s kept. That is a huge part of culture within organizations. I think Malcolm Gladwell discusses this with thin-slicing and the broken window theory. I gave a fair amount of leeway to Steph Klein because one of the things I noticed when I interviewed was how OCD she is! [Laughs] I read that you can tell more about a person by walking into their room and looking around for five minutes versus talking to them for hours. When I walked into Klein’s office, it was meticulous—everything was in a box, and it was numbered, straight, organized. I was just like, “Yes—that’s awesome.” A lot of that fell on her, and a lot of that was her taking the lead. The signage when we were in Ufa and making that locker room look like ours, I really thought it was professional and that the players appreciated it. You want to be surrounded by people who go that extra mile.

GK: How was the team’s reception in their first WHL season?

BI: In talking to a lot of people, I think [the Russians] were excited about having some different players and new people to compete against. I think a lot of those players have grown up playing against each other. As a new franchise with some North American players, it was exciting [for the Russian players] to compete against and compare themselves to an Alex Carpenter or Noora Räty. I thought they were very respectful and hoped that we would help to elevate the league. I think we were able to do that.

GK: I want to shift focus to your transition from coaching in the NCAA to professional women’s hockey. Were there any nuanced differences that you did not expect?

BI: My first coaching job twenty-some years ago was as an assistant coach in the Central Hockey League. I did have a little bit of pro experience in that regard after playing. When it came to women’s hockey and what was going on back in North America—the folding of the CWHL and talk of the NWHL not being professional enough for some of the elite players—I knew from the interview process that [Kunlun] was trying to do things right. My concern was being an English speaker with no Chinese or Russian language skills—what if I was in Russia and something happened? As far as the adjustment with everything else, it was difficult to speak with the referees or understand what was transpiring at different points in different games. That was difficult at times, but it was probably good for me because I learned to let it go! There was nothing I could do about it, so I focused on the task at hand and just played the next shift.

GK: How did you adjust to your new life in China and Russia?

BI: [Laughs] I told my wife that everyone spoke English in Shenzhen! I was at the hotel, I went to the rink—I had zero problems. When I moved there and we started going out on our own, she was like, “They don’t speak English!” It was very interesting to be abroad and navigate some of that. I loved having a scooter and zipping around town. Those were probably the biggest things—language, learning how to navigate the subway, being comfortable to go out on your own and grab something to eat. I absolutely loved the history of Beijing, Saint Petersburg, and Moscow. As a kid who grew up in Detroit with the Russian Five and the 1980 Olympics, it was surreal. The coolest thing. I thought Russia was absolutely awesome and that the people were terrific. It was a wonderful experience all the way around.

GK: Were there any individual players on opposing teams who stood out to you across the course of the season?

BI: First and foremost, we had a ton of respect for Ufa. Just the depth, the compete level. I thought they were a very complete team early-on and really handed it to us on a couple of occasions. That goes to Mills and Sosina.

Anna Shokhina from Tornado is one of the top-three women’s hockey players I have ever seen. Her ability to see the ice, control the puck, edge control…she made a couple of plays this year that made my jaw drop. One was at the All Star Game—she had a 2-on-1 and was staring at the winger on the other side. She doesn’t even look at the net and beats Kim Newell over the shoulder, by her ear in a tiny spot. That ability to move people with your eyes and look things off is super rare in women’s hockey.

The other is the big power forward for Biryusa—Valeria Pavlova. That kid is stronger, meaner, and more physical than Hilary Knight. I was not that familiar with Russians because they don’t tend to come over to [U.S.] colleges and are playing in the WHL. I was blown away with some of the individual talents.

GK: Looking ahead to next season, do you foresee any big changes? Will the team continue in the WHL?

BI: A lot of that is over my pay-grade, but I would think it’s a good fit. What will be interesting is within Hockey China—are we going to have more Chinese national players? I know the player pool, and there isn’t a lot of heritage players graduating college this year. There is a great group of younger players who are freshmen and sophomores in the U.S. and Canada. What will that look like? Will they add more [national] players, and will we have fewer imports? Those are conversations that are above me with management, but I think it will shake out in the next few weeks.

GK: Usually I ask KHL players what they do to entertain themselves on the road, but since these are unprecedented times…how are you keeping busy in self-quarantine?

BI: I’m reading The Romanovs by Simon Sebag Montefiore and I’ve been studying Russian on my Duolingo app. I would say I am a pretty weak yoga person right now, but without being able to go to the gym, that’s really all I’ve got.

KHL.ru continues to unearth the stories of some of the most notable achievements in the history of the league. The latest edition focuses on Esa Pirnes, a Finnish forward who played just one season in the KHL, but who used that time to set a record that stands to this day.

Who was he?

Esa Pirnes, a center, signed up with Atlant a few months before the start of the first KHL season in 2008. At the time, he had won two World Championship bronze medals with Finland. He also helped Tappara to the Finnish title in 2003 and picked up several individual awards in his homeland.

“Before coming to Russia a played a few years in Sweden with Farjestad. I was regularly involved with the national team at the Euro Hockey Tour and, if I remember right, I played in every game in 2007-08 before going to the World Championship. At that time, Atlant got in touch. They were looking for a two-way center who could also score points. While I was in Halifax at the Worlds, we closed a deal. Not long after that, Leonid Weisfeld, the club’s GM, flew to Helsinki and we signed a contract.

“Everyone knew that the KHL was going to bring something new to the hockey world, but nobody knew exactly what to expect. Personally, I wanted to play in a strong league. My wife and I were expecting a child, so this offer was a good chance to test myself in Russia. My family stayed home in Helsinki and I went to Moscow,” Pirnes recalled.

How did he play in the KHL?

In a single campaign with Atlant, Pirnes scored 50 (22+28) points in the regular season. That’s a record for a Finnish player in the KHL that still stands today, although in 2019/20 Jokerit defenseman Mikko Lehtonen came close with 49 points. Until this year, Pirnes was also the leading Finnish goalscorer, but he was overtaken last month when Dynamo Moscow’s Teemu Pulkkinen potted his 23^rd of the season. However, Pirnes did not play in the playoffs and Atlant went out in the second round.

“Of course, I’d heard people talking about how in Russia the training was really tough and you might be working 10 hours a day in the summer. Luckily, Fyodor Kanareikin and Valery Bragin followed a more European style. We had two sessions on the ice each day during our summer camp in Pajulahti, but the second was devoted entirely to special teams. At first, they had me on a line with Jan Bulis, but once the season started I was alongside Sergei Mozyakin.

“I remember how even when we were on the power play and had four forwards on the ice, I had to work in front of the net. Nobody liked that job and there were plenty of skilled guys on the team. Mozyakin is the best winger I ever played with and he’s a great guy. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t think I’d have set that record. Magnus Johansson, Ray Emery and I couldn’t speak a word of Russian, so the club set up some lessons for us and that made our stay much easier.

“There were never any problems with the coaches. Kanareikin speaks good English, plus he played for Jokerit in the past. The coaches explained what they expected from us and I think we managed to do that. Certainly, I don’t remember any big complaints about us. One of my favorite memories was the All-Star Game on Red Square. That was a unique experience for me and everyone else. Of course, it was very, very cold – maybe -20C?

“In the last few years, I’ve been thinking about who might break my record. I was sure that Mikko Lehtonen would get there this season. Every record is there to be broken, and I’ll be very happy for whichever of our Finnish players can break this one. Who might do it? If Omark stayed in Ufa, I’m sure that would help Teemu Hartikainen and Sakari Manninen get close. And I wouldn’t rule out Mikael Ruohomaa at Sibir, or Teemu Pulkkinen. But a lot depends on whether they can stay healthy and play a full season without injuries.

“Unfortunately, I couldn’t finish the season with the team, but there was a reason for that. The regular season ended on Feb. 26 and on Feb. 28 our daughter was born. I went home, but there were complications and for a time the doctors were fighting for her life. I was in constant contact with the coaches, but I couldn’t go back to Russia because I couldn’t leave my wife and child alone. She’s fine now, but at that time one of the happiest days of our lives almost turned into a nightmare,” Pirnes said.

Where is he now?

Pirnes retired in 2016 after one last season with his hometown team, Karpat Oulu. Today he still follows the KHL, working as a pundit at Jokerit’s home games for Viasat.

“I retired in 2016 after winning two more Finnish titles with Karpat. Right after that, Iiro Harjula, a producer with Viasat, asked if I’d like to join the team working at the World Cup of Hockey in Toronto. After that, I started working at Jokerit’s games. I enjoyed it right from the start. Times are changing and few of the guys I played with are still in the game, so I have to work hard to keep up to date.

“For a couple of years after my retirement I had a ‘regular job’, working in recruiting consultant, but then decided to concentrate on television work. This work suits me better. In the morning I take my daughter to the rink for her figure skating practice, then I spend some time with my family and in the evenings I head to the arena, just like when I was playing.

“We work in the studio for all of Jokerit’s home games. Our team has Jukka Jalonen, head coach of the national team, and Antti-Jussi Niemi, who you might remember played in the KHL. This season we were joined by Ville Niemien, Oskar Osala joined us for the games against Metallurg. In the first year I saw everything like a player but now I find I’m starting to think like a coach. Maybe one day I’ll go into coaching. In the summer I help Teemu Selanne at his academy, practicing shooting with kids,” Pirnes concluded.

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Kausi Hartwall Arenan studiossa on saatu päätökseen. Kausi jäi kesken, mutta asiat tärkeysjärjestykseen. Oli mahtava olla osana Viasatin tiimiä! Kiitos @iiroharjula ammattimaisesta isännöinnistä jälleen kerran. Jukka Jalonen ja @leftin_karlsson @nasijarventiikeri sekä @osalaoskar teidän kanssa oli hieno analysoida peliä. @mchill79 selostamossa täyttä rautaa, kuten myös @alinavoronkova_ kentän laidalta. Terveyttä kaikille, pidetään toisistamme huolta! #kiitos #suorayhteys #khlfi

Публикация от Esa Pirnes (@essipir12) 20 Мар 2020 в 11:48 PDT

Esa Pirnes

Born: April 1, 1977 in Oulu, Finland

Playing career: 1995-99, 2013-16 – Karpat; 1999-2001, 2005/06 – Espoo Blues; 2001-2003 – Tappara, 2003/04 – LA Kings (NHL); 2004/05 Lukko; 2006-2008 – Farjestad (Sweden); 2008/09 – Atlant; 2009-2011 – Jokerit; 2011/12 – Zug (Switzerland); 2012-14 AIK (Sweden).

Honors: Finnish champion (2003, 2014, 2015), Gentleman of the Year (Finland, 2006), Playoff MVP (Finland, 2003), World Championship bronze medal (2006, 2008), KHL All-Star Game (2009).

Linus Omark, one of the most productive imports in KHL history, has confirmed his departure from Salavat Yulaev. The 33-year-old said at the start of the season that this would likely be his last year in Russia and, following the early end to the playoffs, he bade farewell to Ufa.

In a post on his Instagram, Linus Omark wrote: “I am proud to have spent my last five years in such a world class club as Salavat Yulaev. From the first day, my family and I have been welcomed with open arms by the city and the people of Ufa. This is the place where my kids spent their first years and we will always carry it with us. I will hold the memories created dear to my heart.”

The forward also paid tribute to Teemu Hartikainen, Maxim Mayorov and Zakhar Arzamastsev, who played with him throughout his five years at the club. In response, Hartikainen posted: “I’m really going to miss one of my best friends and greatest hockey player I ever played with.”

But Omark’s departure is loss for the whole league, not just his team-mates in Ufa. The Swede, 33, has a deserved reputation as one of the most exciting players in the competition. Throughout his career – in the KHL, in his homeland or across the Atlantic – he’s known as the creative spark on his team. Omark is the player who makes things happen, who’s not afraid to take a chance on something extraordinary. It’s not just that he piles up the points – and plenty of them. It’s the manner in which he gets them: audacious assists off outrageous feeds that most players would struggle to spot, never mind execute; flamboyant finishes, defeating goalies with a rapier thrust rather than the bludgeon of a blunt weapon. The highlight reels tell their own story.

Regardless of team loyalties, any competition with Omark involved is more watchable as a result. The only people who won’t be sorry to see him leave will be the legion of defensemen he has outwitted over the years.

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Wow

Публикация от Linus Omark (@limpan67omark) 27 Мар 2020 в 5:05 PDT

Before Bashkiria

There’s more to Omark’s KHL career than Ufa, though. He first played in the league back in 2009/10, suiting up for Dynamo Moscow. In October of that season, he was named KHL rookie of the month and went on to compile a respectable 36 (20+16) points in 56 games that season on a roster dominated by Mattias Weinhandl and Jiri Hudler, but had nothing as Spartak dumped the Blue-and-Whites out of the playoffs at the first time of asking.

After that, it was off to North America and immediate controversy with a spin-o-rama attempt to win a shoot-out on his Oilers debut. Those glimpses of his flair kept fans in Edmonton intrigued, but his numbers never quite added up to a long NHL career.

He returned to the KHL in 2014/15, joining Jokerit as the Finns arrived in the League. And it was some arrival, forming part of the dazzling Lo-Ko-Mo line with Petr Koukal and Steve Moses, good for 133 points between the three of them. They added 22 more in the playoffs as Jokerit reached round two in its debut year in the KHL.

A second home

But it was at Salavat Yulaev that Omark really established himself as a KHL great. In five seasons with the Ufa team he broke Alexander Radulov’s scoring record, was a four-time All-Star – delivering the memorable ‘blazing stick’ penalty shot along the way – and established himself as a cult figure at the famous club.

The points piled up faster than ever: his first season at the club brought his best regular season haul in the KHL with 57 (18+39) and he broke the 50-point barrier in every season bar 2018/19. To make up for a mere 49 points in that regular season, he responded with his best playoff tally of 18 (4+14) points in 17 games. And, on the international stage, there was World Championship gold in 2017 and an Olympic call-up for the following year.

The only thing missing was a Gagarin Cup triumph. After Ufa’s run to the Conference Final last year, there were high hopes that Nikolai Tsulygin’s team could go further this time around. An impressive first-round win over Avangard, runner-up a year ago, gave substance to that ambition; Omark, inevitably, was at the forefront of the team’s performance, setting records with 12 (1+11) points in those six games. But then came the pandemic and an abrupt end to the season. Of the many unanswered questions, speculation about whether the Swedish wizard might conjured a cup for Salavat is one of the most compelling talking points of a longer-than-usual summer.

A hurried farewell

Omark himself is in no doubt. His farewell message to fans in Ufa stated: “I promised you the cup before the season, but unfortunately, we cannot control what is happening in the world right now. I still truly believe that we would have stood there in the end.”

However, the manner of Omark’s departure was necessarily awkward. Hastily leaving Russia as the prospect of closed borders grew ever more real, there was no opportunity for a proper farewell. Instead of kind of end-of-season send-off the Swede deserves, there was a hiatus followed by a message on social media.

Some tried to muddy the waters: an interview in a Swedish newspaper gave the impression that Omark left in haste and anger, unwilling ever to return; the player insisted he was misquoted and the offending article was later rewritten to omit the contentious quotes. And it’s clear from the reaction of fans in Ufa that Omark very much commands the respect and affection of those who enjoyed his play for so long at Salavat Yulaev.

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I promised you the cup before the season, but unfortunately, we cannot control what is happening in the world right now. I still truly believe that we would have stood there in the end. With that I am sad to say, all good things come to an end. I am proud to have spent my last five years in such a world class club as Salavat Yulaev. From the first day, my family and I have been welcomed with open arms by the city and the people of Ufa. This is the place where my kids spent their first years and we will always carry it with us. I will hold the memories created dear to my heart. Big thanks to my teammates, especially to #16, #92 and #70 who have been there with me the whole time. And to you, all of the fans, it has been a pleasure. You have been amazing and without you, hockey is not fun. I will always have a green heart, wherever I play #greenmachine. Thank you for all the good and bad times! Spasibo With love /#67

Публикация от Linus Omark (@limpan67omark) 25 Мар 2020 в 9:53 PDT

Dear fans,

All of us are facing a uniquely difficult situation in response to the COVID-19 pandemic. In the coming days, we would urge you all to stay home wherever possible and follow these simple rules.

How does COVID-19 spread?

People can catch COVID-19 from others who have the virus. The disease can spread from person to person through small droplets from the nose or mouth which are spread when a person with COVID-19 coughs or exhales. These droplets land on objects and surfaces around the person. Other people then catch COVID-19 by touching these objects or surfaces, then touching their eyes, nose or mouth. People can also catch COVID-19 if they breathe in droplets from a person with COVID-19 who coughs out or exhales droplets. This is why it is important to stay more than 1 meter (3 feet) away from a person who is sick.

Follow these simple rules

-        Regularly and thoroughly clean your hands with an alcohol-based hand rub or wash them with soap and water.

-        Maintain at least 1 metre (3 feet) distance between yourself and anyone who is coughing or sneezing.

-        Avoid touching eyes, nose and mouth.

-        Make sure you, and the people around you, follow good respiratory hygiene. This means covering your mouth and nose with your bent elbow or tissue when you cough or sneeze. Then dispose of the used tissue immediately.

-        Stay home if you feel unwell. If you have a fever, cough and difficulty breathing, seek medical attention and call in advance. Follow the directions of your local health authority.

For more information about protecting yourself against COVID-19, please refer to the World Health Organization or the website of your country’s health services.

Look after yourselves and your families.

Stay healthy.

#stayhome

The sporting world has been overtaken by the COVID-19 pandemic, with the KHL and its clubs joining forces to urge everyone to #StayHome and stay safe. Several of the league’s stars have taken to the ‘net to show how they are filling in the time in their homes. Meanwhile, in Belarus, Dinamo head coach Craig Woodcroft sees grounds for optimism about his club’s future, while a star of the KHL’s first season paid tribute to an influential line-mate.

#StayHome

KHL is encouraging all fans to follow the global advice to stay home and keep safe during the on-going COVID-19 pandemic. And, as well as sharing handy hints on how fans can protect themselves and their families against infection, several clubs took the opportunity to get creative with the #StayHome message and their own imagery. Some of the most striking designs came from Avangard, Amur and Barys.

#StayHome

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#ОмскийАвангард #НовыйАватар #лучшедома

Публикация от Хоккейный клуб Авангард (@avangard_inside) 27 Мар 2020 в 3:16 PDT

Keeping busy

While we wait for life to return to normal, various players and clubs have been posting their suggestions about how to fill in the time and keep in shape while we #stayhome. We’ve seen fitness regimes from the likes of Avtomobilist’s Peter Holland, Traktor’s Nick Bailen and Ak Bars’ Viktor Tikhonov– the latter bravely attempting press-ups with his wife on his back!

Avangard, meanwhile, has swapped hockey for table tennis – and tennis bats for hockey kit – in another hit video.

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Когда для хоккея нет льда, а спорта на карантине хочется #лучшедома #stayathome #ОмскийАвангард #хоккей #hockey #stayhome

Публикация от Хоккейный клуб Авангард (@avangard_inside) 27 Мар 2020 в 4:56 PDT

Farewell, Linus

The past week brought confirmation that Salavat Yulaev’s Swedish wizard Linus Omark would not be renewing his contract. After five years in Ufa, and seven in the KHL altogether, the flamboyant forward has cemented himself as a real star in the league. Omark, 33, is noted not only for his prolific scoring – he broke Alexander Radulov’s scoring record at Salavat Yulaev and recently hit a new mark for points in the first round of the playoffs – but also his visionary, inventive play. Tributes – from fans and team-mates alike – flooded in, and perhaps the most creative of them was a miniature sculpture on the end of the pencil!

Thanks for the memories, Linus!

Contract updates

Despite the present uncertainty, plenty of people are putting pen to paper on new contracts. In Khabarovsk, head coach Alexander Gulyavtsev will continue behind the bench for another year, while defenseman Valery Vasilyev signed a two-year extension with the Tigers. Elsewhere, forward Marat Khairullin is staying at Neftekhimik for another year, Vityaz goalie Ilya Ezhov is staying in Podolsk and Sochi agreed another deal with forwards Artyom Tomilin (two years, two way) and Dmitry Arkhipov (one year).

Latest transfer news

Mozyakin, the record maker

We’re used to Sergei Mozyakin setting scoring records – there are few in Russian hockey that he doesn’t own. But, according to Esa Pirnes, the Metallurg captain is also the main reason why he holds a KHL record of his own. In 2008/09, Pirnes centred Mozyakin’s line at Atlant and picked up 50 (22+28) points in the season. That’s the best regular season return ever for a Finnish player in the league. Speaking exclusively to KHL.ru, Pirnes said: “Mozyakin is the best winger I’ve ever played with, and he’s a great guy. If it wasn’t for him, I don’t think I’d ever have set that record.”

Pirnes: ‘If I hadn’t played with Mozyakin, I wouldn’t have set records!’

Promising signs for Dinamo Minsk

The pride of Belarus endured a tough season and finished well off the playoff pace. But head coach Craig Woodcroft still found cause for optimism when reviewing the campaign. The 50-year-old Toronto native is in his second spell with the club and is excited about the new focus on developing local talent in Minsk. “The club has never invested in young players like this past season,” he told KHL.ru. “And that will pay off in the nearest future. In fact, you can already see the progress – just look at the leading roles those boys are playing in their teams in the Belarus Extraliga playoffs.”

Woodcroft: “Dinamo had good moments that gives us optimism moving forward.”

JHL could finish in August

Although the KHL season is officially over due to the COVID-19 pandemic, it’s possible that this year’s Kharlamov Cup could be completed. Following the decision to suspend play, the Junior Hockey League is considering whether its playoffs could be completed as part of the pre-season program in August. The league is consulting the eight teams still in the competition and will announce a decision once the situation is clearer.

Lokomotiv head coach Mike Pelino talks about his year in Yaroslavl, developing young players and the role of the veterans.

In the summer, Pelino joined the coaching staff of his fellow Canadian Craig MacTavish, newly appointed to the Lokomotiv hot seat. However, it wasn’t long before MacTavish left the club and Pelino stepped up to replace him. Loko made it to the playoffs, but lost out to Jokerit in the first round.

‘Cherepanov is the most improved player in the league’

How would you sum up your season?

Right from the start we had a good group of people, players and coaching staff alike. But we just couldn’t get going. The club president, Yury Yakovlev, made the coaching change. He relieved Craig of his duties and, a couple of weeks later, he asked me to be head coach.

Things started to come together. The players started to understand what we were asking of them, they worked extremely hard and respected whatever it took to find a way to win the games. We finished with a very successful regular season. Our win percentage was pretty good for a team that started 5-9-1.

Our young players developed really well, the experienced guys were great leaders and role models. Everyone on the roster made a contribution and we were able to make the playoffs. Then we came up against a very good Jokerit team. A team from the top four will always be the favorite in a playoff series, that’s the way it goes. If we’d knocked them out it would have been a bit of an upset. We had our chances but, unfortunately, we couldn’t quite do it.

Was it a surprise when you became head coach?

Well, it was never my intention when I came to Yaroslavl. I was hired as an assistant to Craig, who came to Russia for the first time. It was a good role for me due to my experience in hockey, in the KHL. Then the firing happened so quickly and I guess I was the right man to step up. I have plenty experience as a head coach, even here in the KHL. You might recall how Ilya Vorobyov went off to the World Cup of Hockey in 2016 and I was behind the bench at Metallurg. We won five of our six games while he was away.

Coaching is something you do as a group. Everyone has different responsibilities and as a head coach you have to provide guidance and leadership. You set the tone, in the course of the game it’s the head coach who determines who goes on the ice, what the tactics should be. For me, it was just another day at work. There are more responsibilities, more expectations, but that just makes me stronger.

There are reports in the media that you intend to retire.

I’m taking it one day at a time. I don’t look to the future, I’m more concerned about the present. Right now, our season is over and I’m back in Canada. When something changes, I’ll make my decision.

Your captain, Staffan Kronwall, already announced his retirement.

Staffan’s a special person. I wish I had the opportunity to work with him in his prime. When I was in Magnitogorsk, I remember he was a tremendous player, an excellent captain and leader on the ice. This season I got to know him as a person, I saw how important he is as a leader in the locker room as well. Unfortunately, the years began to take their toll. He wasn’t the player he used to be, but I was glad to have him on my team. He gave us everything he could but with his injuries I think he realized its time to hang up the skates.

At the end of the season, you put out the youngest roster in the history of the KHL for the game against Vityaz – an average age of just 21 years, 178 days.

At the end of the season we felt that it was important to give our veterans a rest and saw a great opportunity to play the talented young players in our organization. Everyone took it seriously, the kids went through all the emotions of a game in the big league. Vityaz needed to win the game, both teams played really hard. We tied in the end and lost in a shoot-out, but it was a real game experience for all our kids.

It was a bit strange to see a roster where guys like Rushan Rafikov and Nikita Cherepanov were the veterans. They’re only 25!

In this league, you need to grow up quickly. I think Cherepanov is most improved player in the whole KHL, he’s a real warrior, he’s made great strides in his development. Young players needed to be thrown in at the deep end so they can show what they’ve got, and they responded. Look at Denis Alexeyev as well, he has huge potential, unbelievable hockey smarts, but he still need to learn the game and keep going in the right direction.

‘Sometimes we expect too much from young players’

Not everyone benefitted from the competition for places. Pavel Kraskovsky and Alexander Polunin were two top prospects in recent years, but didn’t get much game time this year.

When you have a lot of talented players in your program, somebody has to miss out. Unfortunately, this season it was Pavel and Sasha. We always put the team on the ice that we think will give us a win. These guys still have an opportunity, they just need to take it.

A lot was expected from Ilya Konovalov. Last season he was the KHL’s top rookie, but this year he seemed to suffer from sophomore syndrome?

People often expect too much from young players. He’s only 22, and he was asked to be our #1 goalie. Ilya’s a classy goalie, he gets it, but it’s hard for him. You see how players like Igor Shestyorkin, Ilya Sorokin, Andrei Vasilevsky, Ilya Samsonov all went at their own pace, they weren’t rushed into a starting role like Konovalov. It’s hard to demand that kind of consistency from a kid. And I don’t want to say anything bad about Alexander Lazushin, he was a big help for the team this season.

In the playoffs, your imports didn’t contribute as much as you might have hoped – with the exception of Stephane Da Costa.

Stephane really came up big in the playoffs, he’s one of the most talented players in the KHL in recent years. The other guys didn’t have the same success statistically. We hoped for more from Anton Lander and Magnus Paajarvi, but again that’s about the stats. Lander did a lot of good things for us on face-offs, on the PK, but success is measured differently.

And what about Vladimir Tkachyov, who seems to have rebooted his career after joining Lokomotiv?

I think he came to us at the right time for him. The way we work enabled him to really work on his strengths. He’s got everything he needs to be a strong, exciting player but maybe he was lacking in a bit of self-belief when he arrived here. I think he’s really taken his chance since joining us.

As well as the youngsters, you also had Andrei Markov and Alexander Svitov. How valuable were they as role models on the team?

Any young player needs good examples to follow, people to show them how they could be if they dedicate themselves to fitness. We were fortunate that we could sign Andrei Markov and it was a real blow that he got hurt in his first game. Markov is a true pro, he’s always the first one at practice, he works and works – and that’s at 41 years of age! Maybe he wasn’t quite at his old level, but he was a great example for the rest. And I can say the same about Svitov. He’s a winner, a warrior and a leader. He was unbelievable in that locker room and when the KHL creates its Hall of Fame, Svitov has to be one of the first in there.

Next season will bring a hard salary cap to the KHL. Do you think this will help Lokomotiv make a real challenge for the Gagarin Cup?

Lokomotiv has an unbelievable hockey school. If the club can sign good free agents then it will be among those battling for the top spots. The idea of the salary cap is to bring more parity to the entire league. Even now, we’re seeing more competition every year but the situation should change for the better and every game will be hard to predict.

And finally, what did you gain from your time in Yaroslavl?

All my seven years in Russia are quite special for me. First of all, just the opportunity to live in this country, to be part of the KHL. Then to help win two Gagarin Cup and play two more finals. This year, stepping up to be the head coach, it’s like every player wants to be on the power play, wants to have a go in the shoot-out; everyone wants to see what he can do. I’m grateful to everyone at Lokomotiv for the relationship we shared on the team. It was a great experience for me and I hope it was for the players as well.

KHL.ru dossier

Mike Pelino

Born: Nov. 13, 1959, Welland, Canada.

Coaching career: 199-2003, 2016/17 Team Canada (asst); 2005-09 – New York Rangers (NHL, asst); 2009/10 – San Antonio (AHL, asst); 2011-13 – Peterborough (OHL); 2013-18 – Metallurg Magnitogorsk (asst); 2018/19 – Avangard (asst); 2019/20 – Lokomotiv.

Honors: World Champion (2003), Gagarin Cup winner (2014, 2016)

From Riga to Vladivostok, from SKA to Kunlun Red Star, the season was full of action and packed with exciting goals and saves. KHL.ru presents the best plays of the 2019-20 season.

Top 10 goals

We begin our countdown of the top 10 goals of the season with Mikhail Belyayev’s goal against Vityaz Podolsk. That goal wasn’t only beautiful, but also very needed. In the last regular-season game, the Railwaymen pulled their goalie, being down by one goal at the end of the third period, when the young forward skated past the whole opposition’s unit before beating five-hole the Vityaz goalie with a quick backhander. Ninth place for Kirill Kaprizov, who beat SKA’s defense on the second attempt after a smart combination by his line in the offensive zone. Vityaz is again on the losing side for the eighth-placed goal: Ak Bars’ Stanislav Galiyev racked up the puck on the left flank, skated past D-man Ville Lajunen and tricked out Ilya Ezhov from close-in.

A third of the goals included in the rankings comes from beautiful behind-the-back passes. And Sibir Novosibirsk twice fell victim of this trick – once from Barys’ Nikita Mikhailis and Corban Knight, and once from Avtomobilist’s international forwards Peter Holland and Dan Sexton. Maybe Kunlun’s Spencer Foo could also try and give a fooling pass during his effort against Admiral, but at one point, he simply had to shoot and guessed the right angle for real beauty. The games between Salavat Yulaev Ufa and Avangard Omsk were full of passion, tight competition, and admirable goals. Two of them came after breakaways: first, Sergei Shirokov performed his renowned no-shot move, then Salavat Yulaev replied with a swift between-the-legs pass from Maxim Mayorov to Dmitry Kugryshev in the playoffs. The top-two rankings include a pair of similar goals, scored by SKA’s Andrei Kuzmenko and Admiral’s Nikita Korostelyov– both beating the goalie with a nifty through-the-legs move. However, Korostelyov’s goal is ranked higher as he also skated past Ak Bars’ Roman Rukavishnikov skating at full speed.

Top 10 saves

In almost every game, skaters need to save their team with a last gasp move. Two of these cases are included in our rankings: in 10^th place, Dinamo Riga’s Colton Gillies saved his team after Janis Voris’ daring adventure behind the net. Then, Kunlun’s Ryan Sproul covered Jeremy Smith and avoided a goal for the Chinese franchise. Probably, also Admiral’s Juho Olkinuora had the desire of a helping hand from a defenseman after a shot by Dinamo Minsk’s Teemu Pulkkinen ricocheted first on the post, then against his back – but he had to do all alone. Despite being an exceptional goalscorer, Pulkkinen once again was on the unlucky side – this time already as a member of Dynamo Moscow, when Spartak’s Pavel Khomchenko stoned him during the playoffs.

Usually, the most appealing saves are when the goalie manages to quickly recover and complete a save on the other side of the crease. Alexander Salak, Igor Saprykin, Adam Reideborn, Alexander Trushkov, and Evgeny Alikin just did very similar to what Khomchenko performed. However, the king of the saves is the Amur’s netminder. Other than completing a fantastic football-style jump, he also had to part with his stick in the process.

Metallurg signed a one-year extension with forward Andrej Nestrasil, 29, who picked 26 (15+11) points in 53 appearances last season.

Jokerit head coach Lauri Marjamaki tells KHL.ru about his second season in the league, the changes in the coaching staff and Mikko Lehtonen’s explosive debut season.

In 2018/19, Jokerit exited the playoffs in the first round after losing to Dynamo Moscow in six games. One year on, the Finns again looked solid in regular season and this time they made it past Lokomotiv Yaroslavl to reach the Western Conference semi-final.

‘We took a step forward as a team and as an organization’

- Lauri, after last season you talked about the finetuning that had to be done to enhance the team’s play. One year on, we can see that you found the answers to many of those problems.

- That’s true. After last season we spent a long time considering how to go forward. We weren’t satisfied when we lost in the first round. I think we took a step forward as a team and as an organization, we knew what we had to do and we did it: we had more depth on the roster, everyone was healthy, we went into the playoffs with 16 forwards and nine defensemen. I’m proud that, for the second time, we were one of the highest scoring teams in the league, we want to play with the puck and attack.

Mikko Lehtonen, Veli-Matti Savinainen, Henrik Haapala and Petri Kontiola were all good additions to the team and the power play. That’s something we really missed a year ago. But we still need to improve on defense, we allowed too many goals and our PK wasn’t good in the regular season.

- Maybe one of the factors was that the team was tired of ending its season early and was hungry for success this time?

- We want to succeed. We had an experienced team that was eager to win. All through the season we were in the top five, we got through that first round but, unfortunately, the season ended prematurely. I hope that this will make our team even hungrier for success next season.

- Were you as surprised as everyone else that Janis Kalnins emerged as your starting goalie ahead of Antti Niemi?

- Janis was much better than last year, he developed a lot and put up some really good numbers. Antti Niemi wasn’t the success we hoped for. It wasn’t easy for him, but he was a true team player and he always behaved professionally. He was a real example to the others: he came here as a Stanley Cup winner but things didn’t go well at the start, so he kept working harder every day. His attitude to his work was a good example for every player at the club.

- Mikko Lehtonen had an incredible season, getting 49 (17+32) points in the regular season.

- First and foremost, Mikko is a very good defenseman. He skates well, he can play tight, he defends well and he’s in great shape. What sets him apart is that most of his shots from long range get to the net, they get past the first block. He’s always got his head up, his passing is so accurate and he’s such a motivated guy, he just wants to get better and better.

- Was he your MVP for the season?

- Of course!

- In the playoffs against Lokomotiv, your fourth line played a big role with that partnership between Antti Pihlstrem and Marko Anttila.

- Their line with Ahti Oksanen played a big role all through the season, they didn’t just contribute on the penalty kill but at equal strength as well. If you want a winning team, you need guys like this.

‘The Gagarin Cup is always our target’

- Is it fair to say that Finland’s win at the World Championship had a positive impact on the team?

- It was huge for Finnish hockey, players had so much more confidence in their careers. Anttila scored a couple of important goals at the Worlds, he’s not usually a big goal scorer, and it helped his confidence. The start of the season wasn’t easy for him but the team started getting better with each game and Marko was getting important goals again. Antilla, Lehtonen and Savinainen each played a big role last season.

- Which of your players made most progress?

- Ahti Oksanen had a really good season. And Lehtonen, of course – I never expected such a great performance from him. Everyone did a great job. If we want to be successful, average is not good enough. It’s important what kind of players we have, what kind of set-up, and sometimes it’s hard to say goodbye to players who have been at the club for many years. If we want a better team, we need younger players. It’s the only way.

- Steve Moses was one of the players you had to say goodbye to.

- Steve’s a good forward, but he needs to be on the power play. He has a great shot. This season, we had enough players to fill that role. We really value his contribution to the development of the club, and wish him all the best in Switzerland.

- This week you announced some changes to the coaching staff, with Pekka Kangasalusta and Ari-Pekka Pajuluoma joining the team.

- Mika Saarinen wanted to move on, that’s normal. We needed to look at what we need right now. Coaching is more about communication with the players, looking at the little details. Pekka and Ari-Pekka have plenty of experience working as head coaches and as assistants. They know what to expect on our team. I’m sure everyone will enjoy working together.

- Have you noticed any changes in the league in the last couple of years?

- The KHL is such a high-quality league. But, as a coach, I’m a bit worried about playing on smaller rinks. I don’t like 26 meters or 28 meters, I like the classic big European ice. The strength of Russian hockey has always been guys playing with the puck and it’s hard when an opponent only wants to defend on the smaller ice. I think people want to see goals; next season we’ll have to see how we need to change our game.

- Next season also brings the hard salary cap. Could that make your team into a contender for the Gagarin Cup?

- We know why they are doing this, and we’ve seen good examples in other leagues where it has made it better for every team. For us, our aim every season is to win, and we want out fans to celebrate with the Gagarin Cup.

KHL.ru dossier

Lauri Marjamaki

Born May 29, 1977 in Tampere, Finland

Coaching career: 2007-13 – Espoo Blues; 2013-16 – Karpat; 2016-18 – Team Finland; 2018-present – Jokerit.

Honors: Finnish champion (2014, 2015), Finnish runner-up (2008, 2011), Bronze medal in Finland (2016), Coach of the year in Finland (2015).

Admiral Vladivostok has informed the KHL that it is withdrawing its application to compete in the 2020-2021 championship.

In response to the coronavirus situation, the local authorities in the Primorye Region decided to suspend funding for professional sports teams in the region.

The hockey club will not be closed down but will continue its work. The junior team, Typhoon, will compete in the Paris-Match Junior Hockey League in 2020-2021. Admiral plans to compete in the KHL in 2021-2022.

KHL President Alexei Morozov:

We are sorry to announce that Admiral will be unable to take part in next season’s KHL championship. Fans of the team should not worry: the club will continue. The situation with the on-going spread of COVID-19 is far from simple and, at the current time, it is not possible to assess the consequences of pandemic. We tried to find ways to help Admiral compete next season, but the regional governor made this decision in response to the situation on the ground. Issues affecting players currently under contract with the club are under control and will be resolved.

The KHL remains in contact with its member clubs, as well as federal and local government officials. The league would ask everyone involved with hockey to avoid making hasty decisions in the face of this situation. We have the time and opportunity to work together to discuss all of these issues as they emerge and find solutions that offer the greatest benefit to all concerned – players, clubs and fans alike.

There are still KHL players in playoff action, if you know where to look. Friday brings game five of the Belarusian President’s Cup, the grand final of the national championship. Yunost Minsk, a farm-club of the KHL’s Dinamo, could make it back-to-back titles with victory over Shakhter Soligorsk. And, on both teams, there are players who featured in this year’s KHL.

Soligorsk has two active KHLers on its team, Evgeny Dadonov and Roman Dostanko. Yunost, unsurprisingly given its close ties to Dinamo, has nine – from experienced internationals to emerging rookies. Dinamo Minsk head coach Craig Woodcroft drew attention to the players battling it out in the Extraliga finals. Speaking to KHL.ru last week, he highlighted the KHL team’s efforts to develop young players, and talked up the success of that plan: “You can already see the progress – just look at the leading roles those boys are playing in their teams in Belarus Extraliga playoffs (and don’t underestimate the level!)”

Woodcroft: “Dinamo had good moments that gives us optimism moving forward.”

Rising stars

Two of the most impressive contributions have come – as Woodcroft pointed out – from Dinamo youngsters. Ivan Drozdov, 20, currently leads Yunost in scoring. He’s produced 18 (5+13) points in 13 playoff games, following 32 appearances and 5 (2+3) points with Minsk in the KHL. His scoring for Yunost makes him the most prolific junior player in any Belarusian championship playoff and has commentators back home suggesting that he is taking his game to a new level. Drozdov is poised to finish as the leading scorer in this year’s Belarusian playoffs.

Defenseman Vladislav Yeryomenko also enjoyed an upswing in fortune on his return to Yunost. During the regular season, the 20-year-old endured a tough time in the KHL; his rating of -24 was the worst on the team, even if his 10 (3+7) points made him the second most productive blue liner behind Marc-Andre Gragnani in his rookie season in the big league. Now, with Yunost, he’s continued that scoring form, with 9 (3+6) points in 13 playoff games. He’s also enjoying a taste of playoff action and experiencing a different challenge from life in the KHL, as he told Belarusian journalists shortly after returning to Yunost. “The KHL is much faster, but playing here is a challenge too,” he said. “It’s a playoff, you need to focus on every shift.”

Other youngsters have also impressed – and not just for the finalists. Dmitry Deryabin, a 20-year-old D-man at Dinamo Molodechno, had encouraging notices as his team reached the semi-final. Fellow blue liner Pavel Denisov, just 18, completed his first KHL season in Minsk and also played a role in Molodechno’s post season run, albeit as a seventh defenseman in most games.

The role of experience

Older players have also made a contribution. Shakhter’s Evgeny Dadonov, 27, had a second stint in the KHL this season. Returning to the big league for the first time since 2014, the forward did not have an easy time of it on a struggling roster in Minsk and collected just 2 (1+1) points in 40 games. Back in Soligorsk, he rebounded to lead the scoring in the first round of the playoffs with four goals and two assists. Going into Friday’s showdown, he has 9 (7+2) points from 15 post season games. Like 25-year-old defenseman Roman Dostanko, Dadonov’s contract with Dinamo was ended in February, but both might remain on the radar after helping Soligorsk to the grand final.

In the Yunost ranks, Mikhail Stefanovich, 30, is also back on the scoring trail after a difficult season where he was in and out of the Dinamo line-up. With 14 (5+9) points and crucial goals in an overtime win in game three of the final, he’s been a key part of Yunost’s success. Alexander Kogalev, too, has made a useful contribution with five points on the road to the final. However, Andrei Stepanov, 33, a veteran of more than 400 KHL appearances and a host of World Championship campaigns, has made little impact. He featured in the first game of Yunost’s playoffs but has not be called upon since.

And Gretsky #99

And what of Vyacheslav Gretsky, a youngster who became such a talking point this season when he got his All-Star call? The 23-year-old went back to Dinamo Molodechno, where he spent a decent chunk of the regular season. And the season’s most unlikely star kept his name in the headlines when he potted the winner in the opening game of Dinamo’s series against Gomel. He ended his campaign with three goals and an assist.

Game five of the President’s Cup final takes place in Minsk on April 3. The game starts at 19:00 local time.

Ak Bars signed a one-year extension with Swedish goalie Adam Reideborn, 28. In 2019-20 campaign Swede appeared in 36 games, 21 wins, 91,3%, GAA 2.11.

As the COVID-19 pandemic continues to affect everyone’s lives, SKA forward Vasily Podkolzin has been out helping volunteers in St. Petersburg distribute food to vulnerable residents. Imports Adam Reideborn and Andrej Nestrasil signed contract extensions at Ak Bars and Metallurg respectively.

Life in lockdown

As the KHL encourages everyone to #stayhome, more and more familiar faces from around the league are showing us how they are filling in their time away from the rink. Maxim Sushinsky, Avangard president, lived up to a Siberian tradition by gathering his family to make pelmeni, traditional Russian dumplings.

Dynamo Moscow defenseman Andrei Mironov is clearly missing the chance to get his skates on – and is using his hockey stick to play billiards.

Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram

Жизнь Андрея Миронова без хоккея. День 20-й. @andreymironov's life without hockey. Day 20.

Публикация от КХЛ (@khl) 1 Апр 2020 в 12:40 PDT

But the most important contribution comes from SKA’s rising star Vasily Podkolzin. The teenage forward has joined with local volunteers to ensure that elderly residents of the city get food delivered to their homes – and he’s using his Instagram to encourage others to help out where they can.

Посмотреть эту публикацию в Instagram

Привет! Многим сейчас особенно непросто. Сегодня я помогаю Людмиле Николаевне – отправляю ей набор продуктов, чтобы она не выходила в магазин, а оставалась дома. Помочь людям – в наших силах, и если у вас есть возможность - помогайте и вы! #МыВместе! Обратитесь в волонтерские центры своего города, узнайте, чем можно помочь. Номер в Петербурге 245-32-20. Будьте здоровы, берегите себя и тех, кто рядом! #стопкоронавирус #поможемвместе #помощьлюдям #делайдобро #hcska

Публикация от Vasily Podkolzin (@podkol_) 1 Апр 2020 в 5:15 PDT

Imports extend contracts

Swedish goalie Adam Reideborn signed a one-year contract extension with Ak Bars. The 28-year-old played 36 games last season, winning 21. He had a GAA 2.11 and stopped 91.3% of shots. Czech forward Andrej Nestrasil is also coming back next year after signing an extended contract with Metallurg. Last season the former Neftekhimik forward had 26 (15+11) points in 53 games.

Latest transfer news

Pelino tips Cherepanov

Lokomotiv Yaroslavl has a great track record of developing new talent – and Mike Pelino reckons he’s identified another rising star. Defenseman Nikita Cherepanov is still only 24, but he’s established himself as something of a veteran on Loko’s youthful roster. Pelino, who gave an exclusive interview to KHL.ru last week, believes the blue liner is poised to add to his handful of international appearances with Russia. “Cherepanov is the most improved player in the whole KHL,” he said. “He’s a real warrior, he’s made great strides in his development. Young players need to be thrown in at the deep end ... and he responded.”

Pelino: ‘Lokomotiv will compete for the Gagarin Cup in the future’

World Championship triumph lifted Jokerit

Lauri Marjamaki, head coach at Jokerit Helsinki, also gave his thoughts about the past season in an interview with KHL.ru. And he talked up the impact of Finland’s World Championship victory in Bratislava last May as his team blazed a goalscoring trail throughout the season. “It was huge for Finnish hockey,” he said.“Our players had so much confidence. Guys like [Marko] Anttila – he’s not usually a big goal scorer but he got a couple of important goals at the Worlds and it helped his confidence. It wasn’t easy at the start of the season, but the team was improving game-by-game and Marko was getting important goals again. Anttila, [Mikka] Lehtonen and [Veli-Matti] Savinainen all played a big role in the season.”

Lauri Marjamaki: ‘Even I was surprised by Lehtonen’s performance’

Admiral takes a break

Admiral Vladivostok announced that it will not be competing in the KHL next season. The club will continue to operate its junior team and youth activities but is taking a one-year sabbatical from the KHL. The decision follows the announcement that the local authorities in the Primorye region will divert funding from professional sports organizations towards providing relief during the COVID-19 pandemic. Admiral is expected to return to the competition in the 2021-22 campaign.

Admiral will miss the 2020-21 season

The KHL continues to accept applications for accreditation for the 13th season.

The candidates must register an account on the official KHL Media Portal (https://media.khl.ru/) if needed and send their application for a seasonal accreditation. Registered users and their submitted applications will undergo a preliminary check by the web portal administrator, and as a result, the response times to applications may vary.

The period for submitting applications for the 2020-21 season accreditation runs through August 2, 2020, and is carried out using an electronic system, where your data are transferred to when sending the application. In the event of any clarification of submitted information being required, the applicant will be notified via email to the address specified by the applicant during the registration.

A decision on acceptance or otherwise of applications will be made on or before August 15, 2020, and confirmation of successful applicants will be sent your email address. The KHL will then forward the accreditation cards to the press officers of the relevant hockey clubs, where they can be collected by the successful applicants. Accreditation cards may be collected from August 25, 2020 (applicants should confirm specific dates and times for collection with the press service of the relevant club).

We ask that media personnel familiarize themselves with the Provisions for the Season Accreditation, which can be viewed here. Observance of the Provisions is mandatory for all media personnel seeking the 2020-21 seasonal accreditation.

All inquiries relating to the new system of accreditation should be sent via email to the address media@khl.ru, accompanied by a written description of the relevant problem area, with screenshots attached, plus relevant technical information – i.e., browser version and operating system installed on your device.

KHL.RU starts naming the best 12 players in the history of the league for each role. Today, the talk is about goalies Georgy Gelashvili and Henrik Karlsson.

12. Georgy Gelashvili

GP: 291; W: 138, SO: 20, GAA: 2.27, S%: 92.3

Clubs: Lokomotiv, Metallurg Magnitogorsk, Torpedo, Yugra

Country: Russia

Maybe not many remember Georgy Gelashvili as a top goalie, but in the first few seasons of the KHL, he was a force – especially so when he lined up for Lokomotiv Yaroslavl. In the 2008-09 season, he was named the top goalie of the year as he helped the Railwaymen getting to the first Gagarin Cup finals of the league’s history. Despite leading the league with five shutouts in the postseason, Gelashvili didn’t manage to lead Lokomotiv to the final triumph as the team surrendered to Ak Bars in the seventh game. The next year, Gelashvili was fantastic again between the piping in Yaroslavl. Still, once again, the Railwaymen lost in game seven – this time against the eventual Western Conference champions, HC MVD.

After two seasons in Yaroslavl, Gelashvili moved east, signing with Metallurg Magnitogorsk, initially on a one-year deal. In his first year on the Urals, Gelashvili made it to the Conference finals, even if in the East, but once again, game seven proved fatal for the goalie, who surrendered to a third-period goal by Vladimir Antipov. Gelashvili wouldn’t reach those heights anymore. After signing a new two-year contract in Magnitogorsk, the Chelyabinsk native lined up with Torpedo and Yugra, before moving to the VHL in 2016 and retire in 2019. To date, Gelashvili is still in the top 10 goalies in the league for shutouts, and single-season wins. He’s also the second Lokomotiv goalie for games played and shutouts and leads the Railwaymen with 70 wins.

11. Henrik Karlsson

GP: 283; W: 145, SO: 26, GAA: 2.31, S%: 92.0

Clubs: Avangard, Jokerit, Barys

Country: Sweden and Kazakhstan

Henrik Karlsson signed his first contract in the KHL in the 2013-14 season, when he played six games for Avangard. After this experience, he moved closer to home, inking a one-year deal with Jokerit. Karlsson will then spend another season in Helsinki, always posting strong numbers, but the turning point of his career was when the goalie signed with Barys Nur-Sultan. One year in the Kazakh capital was enough to convince the local ice hockey federation to offer him the chance to play for the local national team, and he accepted. He played the next three seasons not only with Barys but also on the international scene with Kazakhstan, with mixed results.

The veteran goalie amassed a high number of games in his career and is currently the 15th top goalie in this ranking – having played just one more than former SKA and Sibir’s netminder Mikko Koskinen. He also leads all Barys goalies with 178 career games, 88 wins, and 18 shutouts. Karlsson has just five wins less than Jokerit’s record-holder, Janis Kalnins, 60 against 55. Karlsson started the 2020 playoffs on a positive note, and he’s ready to return stronger than ever next year.