After a long regular season, KHL playoffs finally start up at the end of February and continue through to the finals in late April. They told us their KHL club would go out of their way to do anything for them.If you’re a star player for example and the team owner(s) really like you, they’ll go above and beyond for you.Here’s a crazy story one player , former NHLer, shared with us on this… It was 3 games into the season and he literally couldn’t lift his arm. In Russia though, it’s never a guarantee that’ll happen , hopefully it does,. We had a couple players tell us some variation of the following… After 5-6 weeks of intense training and exhibition play, it’s finally time for the regular season. A number of KHL teams finish up the final training period with a small pre-season tournament.Here’s what a former KHL player had to say about the entirety of the pre-season training period…
Currently, players from Russia constitute approximately 6-7% of the total roster in the NHL. For decades — Russia has been recognized as one of the most formidable hockey nations globally. This fact is widely acknowledged. The country’s robust hockey development significantly contributes to this status. For young Russian players, aspiring to either the KHL or the NHL typically represents the ultimate ambition. While many youth hockey and development programs exist across Russia, when approaching junior age, top talents tend to transition into the MHL, should they remain within the country. Once the KHL season concludes (players generally enjoy a brief respite), subject to the duration of their season. Import players often find themselves flying home for some well-deserved rest. “A teammate of ours suffered a fractured collarbone (and within two days), the head trainer had him on medication and back on the ice.” Nonetheless, it is expected that every player at this level arrives at camp in peak physical condition from day one.
- Once training camp wraps up for most KHL teams — they’ll move into the actual start of preseason games which will last another couple weeks through a good part of August.
- Several teams in the league continue to implement this practice rigorously, requiring players to stay in the baza regularly throughout the season. One player’s comments on this were…
- Following Vityaz’s exit, the regular season was shortened to 748 games over 182 game days, with each team participating in 68 regular season contests.
- On 10 September 2011, three days after the 2011 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash, the KHL head office decided to honor the deceased in the 2011 Opening Cup.
During the 2023–2024 season — players representing 18 nations played at least one game in the KHL. Foreign goaltenders on Russian teams also became subject to a limit regarding their total seasonal ice time. 40 NHL players — the majority of them Russians, played in the KHL during the lockout. Within each conference quarterfinals, semifinals and finals are played before the conference winners play against each other for the Gagarin Cup. Each team plays four games against each division opponent (20) (three games against each non-division conference opponent (18)), and two games against each non-conference opponent (24) for a total of 62 games.
For the 2025–26 KHL season it comprises member clubs based in Russia (20), Belarus (1), and Kazakhstan (1), for a total of 22 clubs.
Where Do KHL Players Live In-Season?
If you’re looking for hockey tryouts, the KHL is not the place to look for one. Once training camp wraps up for most KHL teams, they’ll move into the actual start of preseason games which will last another couple weeks through a good part of August. During one years camp, I literally had to tell one of Russian coaches on multiple occasions to ease off on the intensity with a few of our veteran imports. They’ll also probably get you on the bike for your VO2 max testing at this point or at the start of camp , pictured below,.
Overview of the seasons
- Once the KHL regular season finally gets underway at the start of September, it’s a long haul of a season.With 68 regular season games throughout, the KHL has the most demanding game load of any country in Europe.Clubs typically play several games per week (unless there’s a national break).
- A total of 62 games are played by each team (including four games against each divisional opponent (20)), three games against each conference opponent outside their division (18), and two games against each non-conference opponent (24).
- They told us their KHL club would go out of their way to do anything for them.If you’re a star player for example and the team owner(s) really like you, they’ll go above and beyond for you.Here’s a crazy story one player , former NHLer, shared with us on this…
The KHL originally formed out of the former NHL betting predictions Russian Superleague (RSL) whose history dates way back to 1946 at the end of World War 2.When the Soviet Union collapsed in early 1990’s — the league stopped play for several seasons. The majority of KHL teams are based in Russia (20 of them in total). The KHL is one of the wildest hockey leagues in the world.From world-class hockey to players getting paid cash salaries in duffel bags under the table, there’s no shortage of adventure. While respectable — the performance was not enough to fully restore his NHL stock to starter-level consideration. Alexandar Georgiev is once again betting on himself, terminating his KHL contract and reopening the door to an NHL return after a volatile stretch that has taken his career across three leagues in less than two seasons. One point was awarded for losing in overtime or game-winning shots — and zero points for losing in regulation time.
For most, it’s probably an old school Soviet Red Army hockey player training with weights doing crazy exercises or getting bagged on the ice mercilessly by the coaches whistle (davai-davai). In this chapter, we’re diving into the deep end of Russian hockey training and we’ll cover what a typical KHL season schedule looks like from the inside… From team owners ripping darts on planes to a trainer nonchalantly lighting one up in between periods, you’ll absolutely see this throughout the country.For import players seeing this for the first time, they’re usually a bit in shock (laughing). To locals, they don’t think much of it. The owners of a number of these teams literally run the show and call the shots around town.The world where they live is their literal playground and to some extent — they play by their own rules.
Gagarin Cup playoffs
Points were given for every match — with two points awarded for victories, regardless of whether achieved in regulation, overtime, or a shootout. The league maintained the playoff format from the previous two seasons for the Gagarin Cup, featuring a cross-playoff structure where teams compete in the Conference Quarterfinals before a switch to cross-conference matches and re-seeding in the second round. To ensure conference balance following Vityaz’s departure (Lada Togliatti), part of the Kharlamov Division in the Eastern Conference, was relocated to the Bobrov Division in the Western Conference.
The typical age of players in the KHL
These exhibition matches leading up to the season provide clubs with the opportunity to prepare their players and ensure they are game-ready when the regular season commences. Additionally, clubs can evaluate players, scrutinize rosters, and make final decisions regarding the season-opening lineup. Especially if the statistics and leagues you’ve been part of aren’t particularly impressive on paper. Let’s transition into pre-season training… Depending on your playing level and experience, numerous other high-quality hockey tiers exist throughout the continent, and an effective European hockey agent can significantly assist you in this regard. In addition to having a reliable European hockey agent (if this situation discourages you), rest assured that you are not entirely left behind. Given that the KHL is among the top five leagues worldwide, significant scouting is usually required to gain entry here.
Conversely, there are many former NHL/AHL imports who have previously played in the National League. Within the KHL, a blend of exceptionally talented young players, who may one day ascend to the NHL, shares the ice. With numerous KHL-affiliated teams — it functions as a quality second league that blends veteran players and rising talents on loan from KHL franchises. In previous years, we have had several players on teams within the league. To conclude their seasons, many players choose to take a brief vacation. By the time the championship is presented, the victorious team will have achieved 16 playoff victories.
Once relying on a “Russian players versus the rest of the world” format (it is now organized similarly to the NHL All-Star Game), with four divisions competing in 3v3 matchups. Held annually in January or February at the season’s midpoint, the Kontinental Hockey League All-Star Game is an exhibition event featuring the league’s top players facing off against one another. Since its establishment in 2008 (the KHL has seen participation from 35 teams), with 32 teams qualifying for at least one postseason. The Championship of Russia is awarded to the highest-ranking Russian team.
The combination of travel schedules and training routines can be exhausting with two-a-day sessions and lengthy flights; however, our team’s commitment allowed us to concentrate primarily on the game. Following Vityaz’s withdrawal (the regular season saw a reduction to 748 games across 182 gamedays), with each team competing in 68 regular season matches. Between September 5, 2025, and March 20, 2026, 22 teams participated in 68 regular season games over 182 play days. While the KHL may not be the right league for you — if you are a skilled player eager to continue competing, please reach out to us. In Russia, approximately three-quarters of all players in the Kontinental Hockey League are Russian. For import players in the KHL today (their origins include Canada), Kazakhstan, Belarus, the USA, China, and a few from Sweden, the Czech Republic, and Slovakia. Only Canada, the USA, and Sweden can claim a higher number of players representing their countries in the world’s premier league , National Hockey League,.
