2008–09 KHL season

2008–09 KHL season
League Kontinental Hockey League
Sport Ice hockey
Duration September 2, 2008 – April 12, 2009
Number of teams 24
Regular season
Regular-season winner Russia Salavat Yulaev Ufa
Season MVP Russia Danis Zaripov
Ak Bars Kazan
Top scorer Russia Sergei Mozyakin
Atlant Moscow Oblast
Playoffs
Playoffs Playoffs MVP Russia Alexei Morozov
Ak Bars Kazan
Gagarin Cup
Champions Russia Ak Bars Kazan
  Runners-up Russia Lokomotiv Yaroslavl

The 2008–09 KHL season was the inaugural season of the Kontinental Hockey League. It started on September 2, 2008, and finished on April 12, 2009.[1] 24 teams each played 56 games.

League business

NHL player transfer

KHL teams signed several players from the NHL, including Jaromír Jágr, Alexander Radulov, Ray Emery,[2] Sergei Brylin, Ladislav Nagy, Jozef Stumpel, Marcel Hossa, Ben Clymer, Alexei Zhitnik, Bryan Berard, and Chris Simon.

Dispute

A dispute between the two leagues over some of these signings was supposed to have been resolved by an agreement signed on July 10, whereby each league would honor the contracts of the other, but the signing of Alexander Radulov was made public one day after the agreement (though it was actually signed two days prior to the agreement taking effect),[3] leading to an investigation by the International Ice Hockey Federation.[4]

Finances

Ownership

On a deal dated October 30, Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works bought 11.76% of the KHL.[5]

Salary cap

The league has implemented a salary cap.

Economic trouble

Metallurg Novokuznetsk has so far experienced difficulty financing its operations, largely due to the global financial crisis of 2008. Team sponsor Evraz Group is rumored to be cutting funding. There is a possibility the team will cease operations by New Years.[6]

HC MVD has experienced delays in paying players, while Khimik Voskresensk has run itself into debt. Metallurg Magnitogorsk has been forced to cut staff expenditures by 30%. Avangard Omsk owner Roman Abramovich has promised to continue financial support so long as the team maintains good results. Other teams experiencing financial limitations are Vityaz Chekhov, Atlant Moscow Oblast, Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, HC CSKA Moscow.

As far as the league is concerned it has devised a "crisis package" for dealing with the economic turmoil. Cuts will be made to non-salary expenditures, such as pre-game activity, training camps, and elimination of pre-season tournaments. Mid-level player salaries may also be rolled back. Divisional re-alignment will also take place for the 2009–10 season to cut down on travel costs.

Inaugural All-Star Game

The inaugural KHL All-Star Game took place on January 10, 2009. Each team consisted of ten forwards, five defensemen, and two goaltenders. The starting rosters were voted upon on the KHL.ru website and decided by December 22. The secondary lines and goaltenders were to be voted upon by the media, and announced December 26, with the following players and reserves announced by January 8. The game took place in Moscow's Red Square, with Team Jágr (International All-Stars) defeating Team Yashin (Russian All-Stars) 7–6.

Regular season

Death of Alexei Cherepanov

On October 13, 2008 during a match between Avangard Omsk and Vityaz Chekhov, forward Alexei Cherepanov died due to a heart condition.

On December 29, 2008, Russian investigators revealed that he suffered from myocarditis, a condition where not enough blood gets to the heart, and that he should not have been playing professional hockey. The federal Investigative Committee also announced that a chemical analysis of Cherepanov's blood and urine samples allowed experts to conclude "that for several months Alexei Cherepanov engaged in doping".[7] Official sources have stated the banned substance taken was nikethamide, a stimulant, and that it had been taken 3 hours prior to the game in which he died.[8]

Omsk club director Mikhail Denisov has since been fired,[7] whereas the league Disciplinary Committee has since removed Omsk's doctors from that role with the club, and has suspended Avangard general manager Anatoly Bardin and team president Konstantin Potapov. The KHL Disciplinary Committee met on this matter on January 5,[9] and also suspended Chekhov's team president.[10]

League standings

Final standings.[11]

Points have been awarded as follows:

     Division winner
     Qualified for playoffs
League standings GP W OTW SOW SOL OTL L GF GA Pts
Russia Salavat Yulaev Ufa 56 38 4 1 3 2 8 203 116 129
Russia Ak Bars Kazan 56 36 1 3 3 3 10 189 123 122
Russia Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 56 32 2 2 4 3 13 175 111 111
Russia CSKA Moscow 56 27 4 3 7 4 11 176 141 106
Russia Atlant Moscow Oblast 56 35 3 4 2 1 11 189 111 122
Russia Metallurg Magnitogorsk 56 25 2 11 2 1 15 174 148 104
Russia Dynamo Moscow 56 27 4 3 3 2 17 184 143 100
Russia SKA Saint Petersburg 56 26 2 7 4 0 17 143 105 100
Russia Spartak Moscow 56 26 1 5 2 1 21 173 158 93
Latvia Dinamo Riga 56 24 3 2 3 1 23 132 15686
Russia Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod 56 24 2 2 3 1 24 162 162 84
Russia Traktor Chelyabinsk 56 24 0 2 5 3 22 142 166 84
Russia Lada Togliatti 56 21 3 5 2 3 22 120 116 84
Russia Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk 56 22 2 1 5 2 24 146 140 79
Kazakhstan Barys Astana 56 20 3 4 2 2 25 174 191 78
Russia Avangard Omsk 56 19 2 6 1 4 24 161 164 78
Russia Severstal Cherepovets 56 19 1 7 2 2 25 142 171 77
Russia HC MVD 56 20 2 4 1 0 29 142 159 73
Russia Sibir Novosibirsk 56 15 1 5 2 5 28 146 172 64
Russia Amur Khabarovsk 56 15 2 2 6 1 30 111 158 60
Russia Metallurg Novokuznetsk 56 12 3 2 5 2 31 127 157 54
Belarus Dinamo Minsk 56 12 1 2 5 2 34 124 197 49
Russia Vityaz Chekhov 566 2 3 7 5 33 134 225 40
Russia Khimik Voskresensk 56 8 3 0 7 2 36 108 187 39

Divisional standing

Bobrov Division GP W OTW SOW SOL OTL L GF GA Pts
Russia Salavat Yulaev Ufa 56 38 4 1 3 2 8 203 116 129
Russia Atlant Moscow Oblast 56 35 3 4 2 1 11 189 111 122
Russia Spartak Moscow 56 26 1 5 2 1 21 173 158 93
Russia Severstal Cherepovets 56 19 1 7 2 2 25 142 171 77
Russia Metallurg Novokuznetsk 56 12 3 2 5 2 31 127 157 54
Belarus Dinamo Minsk 56 12 1 2 5 2 34 124 197 49
Tarasov Division GP W OTW SOW SOL OTL L GF GA Pts
Russia CSKA Moscow 56 27 4 3 7 4 11 176 141 106
Russia Metallurg Magnitogorsk 56 25 2 11 2 1 15 174 148 104
Russia SKA Saint Petersburg 56 26 2 7 4 0 17 143 105 100
Russia Traktor Chelyabinsk 56 24 0 2 5 3 22 142 166 84
Russia HC MVD 56 20 2 4 1 0 29 142 159 73
Russia Khimik Voskresensk 56 8 3 0 7 2 36 108 187 39
Kharlamov Division GP W OTW SOW SOL OTL L GF GA Pts
Russia Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 56 32 2 2 4 3 13 175 111 111
Latvia Dinamo Riga 56 24 3 2 3 1 23 132 15686
Russia Lada Togliatti 56 21 3 5 2 3 22 120 116 84
Russia Avangard Omsk 56 19 2 6 1 4 24 161 164 78
Russia Sibir Novosibirsk 56 15 1 5 2 5 28 146 172 64
Russia Amur Khabarovsk 56 15 2 2 6 1 30 11 158 60
Chernyshev Division GP W OTW SOW SOL OTL L GF GA Pts
Russia Ak Bars Kazan 56 36 1 3 3 3 10 189 123 122
Russia Dynamo Moscow 56 27 4 3 3 2 17 184 143 100
Russia Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod 56 24 2 2 3 1 24 162 162 84
Russia Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk 56 22 2 1 5 2 24 146 140 79
Kazakhstan Barys Astana 56 20 3 4 2 2 25 174 191 78
Russia Vityaz Chekhov 566 2 3 7 5 33 134 225 40

League leaders

Goals Czech Republic Jan Marek (Magnitogorsk) 35
Assists Russia Sergei Mozyakin (Atlant) 42
Points Russia Sergei Mozyakin (Atlant) 76
Shots Canada Kevin Dallman (Astana) 218
Plus/minus Russia Alexei Tereschenko (Ufa) +41
Penalty minutes Canada Chris Simon (Chekhov) 263
Wins (Goaltenders) Russia Georgi Gelashvili (Yaroslavl) 30
Goals against average Russia Dmitri Yachanov (SKA) 1.47
Save percentage Kazakhstan Vitaly Kolesnik (Atlant) .945

Goaltenders: minimum 15 games played

Scoring leaders

GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus-minus; PIM = Penalty minutes

Player Team GP G A Pts +/– PIM
Russia Mozyakin, SergeiSergei Mozyakin Atlant Moscow Oblast 56 34 42 76 +34 14
Czech Republic Marek, JanJan Marek Metallurg Magnitogorsk 53 35 37 72 +26 62
Russia Morozov, AlekseyAleksey Morozov Ak Bars Kazan 49 32 39 71 +22 22
Russia Zaripov, DanisDanis Zaripov Ak Bars Kazan 56 34 31 65 +26 26
Canada Dallman, KevinKevin Dallman Barys Astana 53 28 30 58 +6 137
Russia Tereschenko, AlexeiAlexei Tereschenko Salavat Yulaev Ufa 55 28 30 58 +41 22
Czech Republic Jágr, JaromírJaromír Jágr Avangard Omsk 55 25 28 53 −1 62
Russia Korolyuk, AlexanderAlexander Korolyuk Atlant Moscow Oblast 56 21 32 53 +21 32
Kazakhstan Perezhogin, AlexanderAlexander Perezhogin Salavat Yulaev Ufa 55 28 24 52 +34 32
Russia Glazachev, KonstantinKonstantin Glazachev Barys Astana 56 28 24 52 −7 30

Playoffs

Preliminary Round
(best of 5)
Quarter-finals
(best of 5)
Semi-finals
(best of 7)
Gagarin Cup Finals
(best of 7)
            
1 Russia Salavat Yulaev 1
16 Russia Avangard 3
16 Russia Avangard 2
2 Russia Ak Bars 3
2 Russia Ak Bars 3
15 Kazakhstan Barys Astana 0
2 Russia Ak Bars 4
7 Russia Dynamo Msk 2
4 Russia CSKA 3
13 Russia Lada 2
4 Russia CSKA 0
7 Russia Dynamo Msk 3
7 Russia Dynamo Msk 3
10 Latvia Dinamo Rg 0
2 Russia Ak Bars 4
3 Russia Lokomotiv 3
3 Russia Lokomotiv 3
14 Russia Neftekhimik 1
3 Russia Lokomotiv 3
9 Russia Spartak 0
8 Russia SKA 0
9 Russia Spartak 3
3 Russia Lokomotiv 4
6 Russia Metallurg Mg 1
5 Russia Atlant 3
12 Russia Traktor 0
5 Russia Atlant 1
6 Russia Metallurg Mg 3
6 Russia Metallurg Mg 3
11 Russia Torpedo 0

Playoff leaders

Source: khl.ru[12][13]

Goals Finland Jukka Hentunen (Kazan) 9
Assists Russia Alexei Morozov (Kazan)
Russia Alexei Yashin (Yaroslavl)
11
Points Russia Alexei Morozov (Kazan) 19
Shots Russia Danis Zaripov (Kazan) 71
Plus/minus Russia Ilya Nikulin (Kazan)
+13
Penalty minutes Russia Grigori Panin (Kazan) 69
Wins (Goaltenders) Russia Georgi Gelashvili (Yaroslavl)
13
Goals against average Kazakhstan Vitali Yeremeyev (Dynamo M)
1.63
Save percentage Russia Alexander Pimankin (Nizhny Novgorod)
94.4
Shutouts Russia Georgi Gelashvili (Yaroslavl)
5

Goaltenders: minimum 5 games played

Scoring leaders

Source: khl.ru[14]

GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus-minus; PIM = Penalty minutes

Player Team GP G A Pts +/– PIM
Russia Alexei Morozov Ak Bars Kazan 21 8 11 19 +8 12
Russia Alexei Yashin Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 19 7 11 18 +3 10
Sweden Tony Mårtensson Ak Bars Kazan 21 7 9 16 +10 2
Sweden Mattias Weinhandl Dynamo Moscow 12 6 10 16 +8 4
Russia Danis Zaripov Ak Bars Kazan 21 6 10 16 +9 8

Leading goaltenders

Source: khl.ru[15]

GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average

Player Team GP Min W L GA SO SV% GAA
Kazakhstan Vitali Yeremeyev Dynamo Moscow 12 700:01 8 4 19 1 .927 1.63
Russia Stanislav Galimov Ak Bars Kazan 7 396:05 3 2 11 1 .926 1.67
Finland Jussi Markkanen CSKA Moscow 7 379:16 3 3 11 2 .934 1.74
Russia Georgi Gelashvili Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 19 1,129:56 13 6 33 5 .933 1.75
Canada Ray Emery Atlant Moscow Oblast 7 418:56 4 3 13 1 .941 1.86

Awards

Players of the Month

Best KHL players of each month.[16]

Month Goaltender Defense Forward Rookie
SeptemberRussia Alexander Eremenko (Ufa) Sweden Magnus Johansson (Atlant) Russia Sergei Mozyakin (Atlant) Russia Maxim Kitsyn (Novokuznetsk)
OctoberKazakhstan Vitaly Kolesnik (Atlant) Russia Ilya Nikulin (Kazan) Czech Republic Jan Marek (Magnitogorsk) Russia Andrei Kolesnikov (Chekhov)
NovemberUnited States Robert Esche (St. Petersburg) Russia Konstantin Korneyev (CSKA) Russia Alexei Tereshchenko (Ufa) Russia Stanislav Galimov (Kazan)
DecemberCzech Republic Martin Prusek (Riga) Czech Republic Karel Rachůnek (Dynamo M) Russia Danis Zaripov (Kazan) Russia Alexandr Vasiliev (Chekhov)
JanuaryKazakhstan Vitaliy Yeremeyev (Dynamo M) Russia Vitali Proshkin (Ufa) Russia Alexander Korolyuk (Atlant) Russia Alexandr Vasiliev (Chekhov)
FebruaryGermany Dimitrij Kotschnew (Spartak) Slovakia Peter Podhradský (Torpedo) Russia Danis Zaripov (Kazan) Russia Stepan Zakharchuk (Togliatti)
MarchRussia Georgi Gelashvili (Yaroslavl) Russia Ilya Nikulin (Kazan) Sweden Mattias Weinhandl (Dynamo M)

KHL Awards

On 15 May 2009, the KHL held their first award ceremony. A total of 23 different awards were handed out to teams, players, officials and media.[17] The most important trophies are listed in the table below.

Golden Hockey Stick Trophy (regular-season MVP) Russia Danis Zaripov (Kazan)
Play-off Master Award (play-off MVP) Russia Alexei Morozov (Kazan)
Alexei Cherepanov Award (best rookie) Russia Ilya Proskuryakov (Magnitogorsk)

References

  1. http://www.fhr.ru/news_english/eng_Calendar_of_KHL_for_a_season
  2. Emery signs one-year deal with Russian team – tsn.ca
  3. Radulov on His Return to Russia – NHL FanHouse
  4. Predator inks debatable deal – iihf.com
  5. Magnitogorsk Iron and Steel Works bought 11.76% of the authorized capital of KHL – sovsport.ru
  6. http://www.metallurg.ru/news/42243/
  7. 1 2 "Russian investigators say Cherepanov was 'doping'". The Sports Network. 2008-12-29. Archived from the original on 31 December 2008. Retrieved 5 January 2009.
  8. "Заявление Континентальной хоккейной лиги по итогам расследования обстоятельств смерти хоккеиста Алексея Черепанова". KHL.ru. 2008-12-30. Archived from the original on 13 January 2009. Retrieved 5 January 2009.
  9. "KHLfires Omsk doctors". The Sports Network. 2008-12-31. Archived from the original on 12 January 2009. Retrieved 5 January 2009.
  10. "Officials suspended". The Sports Network. 2008-01-15. Retrieved 16 January 2009.
  11. KHL Official Statistics for season 2008/2009
  12. "KHL Playoff Statistics: Skaters". KHL.ru. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
  13. "KHL Playoff Statistics: Goalies". KHL.ru. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
  14. "Player Stats: 2008–2009 Playoffs: All Skaters – Total Points". Kontinental Hockey League. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
  15. "Player Stats: 2009–2010 Playoff: Goalie – Goals Against Average". Kontinental Hockey League. Retrieved 28 February 2011.
  16. KHL Best players (in Russian)
  17. Kontinental Hockey League Awarded Laureates Of 2008/2009 Season khl.ru, 2009-05-15. Accessed 2009-06-20. Archived 2009-06-22.
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