Kontinental Hockey League

People play ice hockey in this big league.

Teams play in many different lands. Some teams are in Russia. Others are in China or Belarus.

Players skate fast to score goals. They play many games each year. This helps them get ready for big contests.

The best team wins a special prize. It is called the Gagarin Cup.

Many fans love to watch the games. It is a very exciting sport!

The KHL is a big ice hockey league.

It started in 2008. Now, 22 clubs play in the league. Most teams are in Russia. Other teams are in Belarus, Kazakhstan, and China.

Teams are split into two groups. These are the East and West conferences. Each group has 12 teams. The teams play 62 games in a season. At the end, the best teams play in the playoffs. They play many rounds to find a winner. The winning team gets the Gagarin Cup.

Many people love to watch these games. In 2025, over five million fans came to see the games. On average, 7,256 fans watch each game. The league has seen many changes over the years. Some teams joined from other lands. Other teams left due to money or war. Even so, hockey remains a big part of life for these fans.

The Kontinental Hockey League, or KHL, is a major international ice hockey league.

It brings together professional teams from many different places to compete on the ice. Fans around the world watch these players show off their incredible speed and skill. For the players, it is a chance to prove they are the best. At the end of every season, the champion wins the famous Gagarin Cup.

This trophy is a symbol of great pride for the winning team.

Playing in the KHL follows a very specific set of rules.

The league is divided into two large groups called the East and West conferences. Each conference has 12 teams, which are further split into two smaller divisions. Every team plays 62 games during the regular season. They play many games against their own division neighbors. They also play games against teams in the other conference. After the regular season, the top eight teams from each conference enter the playoffs.

These playoff rounds are played as best-of-seven series to find the true winner.

The league has a long and changing history. It was founded in 2008 after growing out of the Russian Superleague. At its start, there were 24 teams from Russia, Belarus, Latvia, and Kazakhstan. The league has faced many hard times over the years. In September 2011, a tragic plane crash involving the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team occurred. Because of this, September 7 became a day of mourning.

No regular-season games were held on that day to honor those lost. This shows how much the hockey community cares for its members.

Many different countries have sent teams to join the KHL over time.

For example, the Finnish team Jokerit played in the league from 2014 to 2022. There was also a team from Slovakia called Lev Praha. In 2016, a Chinese club named HC Kunlun Red Star joined from Beijing. This was part of China's plan to prepare for the 2022 Winter Olympics. Today, the league has 22 member clubs. Most are in Russia, but there are also teams in Belarus, Kazakhstan, and China.

In 2025, the league saw a huge total of 5,706,785 spectators.

If you know about other hockey leagues, the KHL might feel familiar. It is similar to the National Hockey League, or NHL, in North America. The two leagues have even worked together through special agreements in the past. Sometimes, players move between these different leagues to play for new teams. The KHL also has a special tournament called the Nadezhda Cup. This is for teams that do not make the playoffs. It helps players keep practicing and stay ready for big world championships.

The Kontinental Hockey League, commonly known as the KHL, is a major international professional ice hockey league.

It serves as a premier stage for elite athletes to demonstrate their speed, precision, and teamwork. Founded in 2008, the league emerged from the former Russian Superleague (RSL). It was designed to bring together top-tier clubs into a unified, high-level competition. The ultimate goal for every participating club is to win the Gagarin Cup.

This trophy is awarded annually to the champion of the playoffs at the conclusion of each season.

The league operates through a structured system of conferences and divisions.

Since 2009, the KHL has been organized into the East and West conferences. Currently, each conference contains 12 teams. These teams are further subdivided into two divisions, with six teams in each division.

During the regular season, every team plays a total of 62 games. This schedule includes 20 games against division opponents, 18 games against non-division conference opponents, and 24 games against non-conference opponents. This specific format ensures that teams face a wide variety of playing styles and strategies.

After the regular season ends, the most successful teams enter the playoffs.

The eight highest-ranked teams from each conference earn a playoff berth. These teams compete through quarterfinals, semifinals, and conference finals. All playoff rounds are played as best-of-seven series, meaning a team must win four games to advance. The winners of the Eastern and Western conferences eventually meet to compete for the Gagarin Cup.

For teams that do not qualify for the playoffs, the league offers a second chance through the Nadezhda Cup, or "Cup of Hope." This consolation tournament helps players maintain their skills and prepare for international world championships.

The history of the KHL is marked by both expansion and significant challenges.

At its inception in 2008, the league began with 24 teams from Russia, Belarus, Latvia, and Kazakhstan. Over the years, the league attempted to expand into Central Europe and Scandinavia. For example, the Slovakian team Lev Poprad joined in 2011, followed by Lev Praha from the Czech Republic. The Finnish team Jokerit also competed in the league from 2014 until 2022. However, many teams have also left due to financial difficulties or political changes. In 2022, following the Russian invasion of Ukraine, clubs like Jokerit and Dinamo Riga withdrew from the league.

Tragedy has also played a role in the league's history. On September 7, 2011, the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl team was involved in a fatal plane crash. Almost all members of the team lost their lives shortly after takeoff. This event deeply affected the hockey community. In memory of the disaster, September 7 was designated as a day of mourning. No regular-season games were held on this date until after the 2017–18 season concluded.

The KHL is a massive operation with significant spectator interest. In the 2025 regular season, the league recorded a total attendance of 5,706,785 spectators. This averages out to 7,256 spectators attending each individual game. The league currently comprises 22 member clubs. These clubs are located in Russia (19), Belarus (1), Kazakhstan (1), and China (1). The inclusion of the Chinese club HC Kunlun Red Star in 2016 was a specific effort to help prepare China's national team for the 2022 Winter Olympics in Beijing.

The KHL also maintains complex relationships with other global hockey organizations. For many years, the league and the North American National Hockey League (NHL) worked under a Memorandum of Understanding. This agreement was intended to allow leagues to honor each other's player contracts. However, following the 2022 invasion of Ukraine, the NHL suspended its dealings with the KHL. This included instructions for NHL teams to cease all business with KHL clubs and their representatives. Despite these complexities, the KHL remains a major hub for international talent, with players representing 18 different nations during the 2023–2024 season.