Rivalries in theKHL come in many categories. There's many rivalries that have carried over from the days of theRussian Superleague, while others are new and may disappear. Some are based on geography, while others are based on team names or organization that these teams belonged to back in theSoviet Union. Not all teams have pronounced rivalries that don't change with each season - this article attempts to chronicle only those that last for multiple years.
In the European tradition, rivalries inRussia are referred to as "Derbies".
Every year, sports news outlets even calculate who the Moscow Champion is, based on games just between these three teams. As of the second season of theKHL (2009–10), all the Moscow teams are in one Conference, making rivalry matches more common. Due to hockey being less popular thanassociation football and other sports in Moscow, teams based there usually suffer in attendance. Capital city derbies, however, are always attended far better than other games.
A continuation of the general rivalry between Saint Petersburg and Moscow, this rivalry encompasses SKA against any of the Moscow teams, although not the teams in the Moscow Oblast. The most tense rivalry is between SKA and CSKA, which calledThe Army Derby.
Not as seriously regarded by Ak Bars as by Neftekhimik, this rivalry nonetheless is significant in that Ak Bars has been known to poach players and coaches (Vladimir Krikunov was poached just before the2011–12 KHL season followingZinetula Bilyaletdinov's hiring by theRussia men's national ice hockey team). Ak Bars Kazan is regarded as the 'older brother' of Tatarstan hockey, and the rivalry reflect a sibling mentality.
The rivalry was natural from the very beginning due to theCzech Republic–Slovakia ice hockey rivalry and the two teams being the only representatives of their countries in the league. It got even intensified when in their first gameHC Lev'sZdeno Chára body-checked Slovan's team captainMiroslav Šatan after which Šatan had been out of play until the end of the season.[10] The fairness of this hit was the center of many discussions.
Both teams in Soviet times belonged to the Army organization - (C)SKA stands for (Central'niy) Sportivniy Klub Armii, (Central) Sports Club of the Army.
Not as prominent as the Army rivalry, sometimes games between theDynamo Sports Club teams are referred to as a rivalry. Fans also sometimes treat the inter-Dynamo games with special attention. However unlike the other two, the new incarnation ofDinamo Riga does not directly come from the organization but rather only took the identity of the meanwhile abolished Soviet eraincarnation of Dinamo Riga.
Dynamo Moscow and Dinamo Riga have met in three consecutive years of the KHL playoffs (if the series againstHC MVD is included), with Moscow winning two series so far, and Riga only one.
Before relocating to Mytishchi, Atlant used to be known as Khimik and play in Voskresensk. After relocation, Voskresensk fielded a new team called Khimik in the Russian minor leagues. In the first season of the KHL, Khimik Voskresensk was invited to join theRussian Major League after it won the league and original inviteeAvtomobilist Yekaterinburg could not fulfill its financial obligations. Not active since Khimik dropped out of the league after the first season due to financial issues (although it theoretically still holds KHL membership and could rejoin if finances allow). Most fans consider Khimik Voskresensk the true heir of Voskresensk hockey, and this rivalry was regarded as both a Moscow Oblast Derby, and an Organizational Derby.
Permanent divisions were first introduced to the KHL organizational structure in the second season, 2009-2010 (in the first season, the divisions were based on performance rather than geography, and were designed to be fluid. Starting in the second season, divisions became geographic in order to cut travel costs). As yet, notable rivalries due only to divisions have not really developed, although sports reporters always pay higher attention to games between the top two teams.
Two of the best teams from theRussian Superleague era, these two teams are still considered "Grands" and their matches are highlighted by the news when they occur.
Also can be referred to as the Derby of Champions, these are the first two teams to have won theGagarin Cup. Both teams have green uniforms, are from autonomous republics, and have NHL-caliber players, making the games always a much watched and commented on affair.
The name of the rivalry comes from the names of the team - both refer to snow leopards. Ak Bars has played Barys in the first playoff round of the first three KHL seasons, and defeated them every year without losing a game.[16]
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