Rivalries in the KHL

Rivalries in the KHL come in many categories. As the league is still young, many of the rivalries have carried over from the days of the Russian 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 the Soviet 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 in Russia are referred to as "Derbies".

Geographic rivalries

Capital City Derbies^[1]

• HC CSKA Moscow vs. HC Spartak Moscow
• HC Spartak Moscow vs. HC Dynamo Moscow
• HC Dynamo Moscow vs. HC CSKA Moscow

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 the KHL (2009–10), all the Moscow teams are in one Division, making rivalry matches more common. Due to hockey being less popular than 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.

Moscow Oblast Derby^[2]

• Atlant Moscow Oblast vs. Vityaz Chekhov

Two Capitals Derby^[3]

A continuation of the general rivalry between St. Petersburg and Moscow, this rivalry encompasses SKA against any of the moscow teams, although not the teams in Moscow Oblast.

• SKA Saint Petersburg vs. HC Spartak Moscow
• SKA Saint Petersburg vs. HC Dynamo Moscow
• SKA Saint Petersburg vs. HC CSKA Moscow

Tatarstan Derby^[4]

• Ak Bars Kazan vs. Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk

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 the 2011–12 KHL season following Zinetula Bilyaletdinov's hiring by the Russia 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.

Ural Derby^[5]

• Traktor Chelyabinsk vs. Metallurg Magnitogorsk

Siberian Derby

• Sibir Novosibirsk vs. Avangard Omsk^[6][7]
• Sibir Novosibirsk vs. Metallurg Novokuznetsk^[8]

Organizational rivalries

Army Derby^[9]

• HC CSKA Moscow vs. SKA Saint Petersburg

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.

Dinamo Derby^[10]

Not as prominent as the Army rivalry, sometimes games between the Dynamo 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 of Dinamo Riga does not directly come from the organization but rather only took the identity of the meanwhile abolished Soviet era Dinamo Riga (original).

• Dinamo Riga vs. HC Dinamo Minsk
• HC Dinamo Minsk vs. HC Dynamo Moscow
• HC Dynamo Moscow vs. Dinamo Riga

Dynamo Moscow and Dinamo Riga have met in all three years of the KHL playoffs (if the series against HC MVD is included), with Moscow winning two series so far, and Riga only one.

Steel Derby^[11]

Although not an organization, these two teams share the same theme.

• Metallurg Novokuznetsk vs. Metallurg Magnitogorsk

Also referred to as the "Metallurg Derby"^[12], these two teams are located relatively close to each other (by Siberian measures).

Divisional rivalries

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 of 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.

Play-off rivalries

• SKA Saint Petersburg vs. Dinamo Riga

Developed after a hard-fought series between the two teams in the first round of playoffs in 2009-10 KHL season. SKA was a stacked team, with the highest aspirations, while Dinamo Riga was considered an outsider. Nonetheless, Dinamo Riga was able to defeat SKA in only four games.

• Lokomotiv Yaroslavl vs. Ak Bars Kazan

Based on the first season's 2009 Gagarin Cup Finals, these two teams are also consistently among the best in the league, and represent a sort of East-West clash, as well as final rematch.

Cat Derby^[13]

• Barys Astana vs. Ak Bars Kazan

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.

Big Green Derby^[14]

• Ak Bars Kazan vs. Salavat Yulaev Ufa

Also can be referred to as the Derby of Champions, these are the first two teams to have won the Gagarin 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.

Other rivalries

• Avangard Omsk vs. Metallurg Magnitogorsk

Two of the best teams from the Russian Superleague era, these two teams are still considered "Grands" and their matches are highlighted by the news when they occur.

• Vityaz Chekhov vs. Avangard Omsk^[15]

A lot of tragedy and aggression surrounds this new and fresh KHL rivalry. In the first season of the KHL's existence, young Avangard superstar Alexei Cherepanov collapsed and died during a game against Vityaz. A year later, the a mass brawl between the two teams occurred during a game in January in Chekhov. The game had to be stopped and was not rescheduled (both teams received a 5-0 loss), as too many players from each term were penalized, and the KHL record for most penalty minutes in a game was set at 707.

Khimik Derby (Defunct, also known as Yellow-Blue derby)^[16]

• Khimik Voskresensk vs. Atlant Moscow Oblast

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 the Russian Major League after it won the league and original invitee Avtomobilist 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.

References