2010–11 KHL season

The 2010–11 KHL season was the third season of the Kontinental Hockey League. It was held from 8 September 2010 and ended on 16 April 2011.

2010–11 KHL season
League	Kontinental Hockey League
Sport	Ice hockey
Duration	8 September 2010 – 16 April 2011
Number of teams	23
Regular season
Continental Cup winner	Avangard Omsk
Season MVP	Alexander Radulov Salavat Yulaev Ufa
Top scorer	Alexander Radulov Salavat Yulaev Ufa
Playoffs
Western champions	Atlant Moscow Oblast
Western runners-up	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Eastern champions	Salavat Yulaev Ufa
Eastern runners-up	Metallurg Magnitogorsk
Gagarin Cup
Champions	Salavat Yulaev Ufa
Runners-up	Atlant Moscow Oblast
Finals MVP	Konstantin Barulin Atlant Moscow Oblast

The season started with the Opening Cup game between the last season's finalists, Ak Bars Kazan and UHC Dynamo, the new team that was created by merging last season's Western conference winner HC MVD with Dynamo Moscow.

Salavat Yulaev Ufa won the Gagarin Cup and the Russian Championship after beating Atlant Moscow Oblast 4–1 in the play-off final series.

League changes

Team changes

Folding of Lada Togliatti

Lada Togliatti dropped out of the league and joined the Russian Major League instead, after failing to meet the league's financial requirements.

Merger of HC MVD and Dynamo Moscow

On 30 April 2010, it was announced that HC MVD would merge with Dynamo Moscow to form UHC Dynamo, which for the time being will play the majority of their games at Megasport Arena in Moscow, while also attempting to play some games in Balashikha. The current plan is to have a new, large and modernized arena constructed in Balashikha by 2012.^[1]

Expansion teams

By the deadline of 1 April 2010, six new teams from four different countries applied for KHL membership for this season: HC Yugra, Krylya Sovetov Moscow and Gazovik Tyumen from Russia; HC Budivelnyk from Kyiv, Ukraine; HC Lev from Hradec Králové, Czech Republic; and Vėtra Vilnius from Lithuania.^[2] Of these teams, Budivelnyk and Yugra were initially accepted into the KHL,^[3] but on 24 June 2010 Budivelnyk announced it is unable to participate in the KHL in the 2010–11 season because their stadium is not ready.^[4] On 16 July 2010, HC Lev, which in the meantime has been moved to Poprad in Slovakia, was accepted into the KHL,^[5] but after the Slovak Hockey Federation's delay to give permit to the team, the KHL excluded Lev from the 2010–11 season.^[6]

Other changes

Play-off format

Unlike in the previous seasons, all play-off series were played in a best-of-seven format.^[7]

Vuvuzelas ban

The KHL administration has explicitly banned the sale and use of vuvuzelas, infamous since the 2010 FIFA World Cup, in ice hockey arenas.^[8]

Regular season

The regular season started on 8 September 2010 with the Opening Cup and ended on 20 February 2011. There were short breaks in November, December and February for international matches and for the all-star game.^[7] Each team played 54 games during the regular season.

Notable events

Opening Cup

The first game of the season is traditionally the "Opening Cup" and is played between the two Gagarin Cup finalists from the previous season. Because previous season's runner-up HC MVD merged with Dynamo Moscow, the Opening Cup was played between defending champion Ak Bars Kazan and the newly formed UHC Dynamo. The game took place on 8 September 2010 at the TatNeft Arena in Kazan where UHC Dynamo beat Ak Bars Kazan 3–1.

KHL versus NHL exhibition games

Main article: List of KHL vs NHL games

The Carolina Hurricanes played SKA Saint Petersburg at the Ice Palace Saint Petersburg in Saint Petersburg, Russia on October 4 (SKA won 5–3), and the Phoenix Coyotes played Dinamo Riga at Arena Riga in Riga, Latvia on October 6 (Riga lost 1–3).^[9]

Game in Switzerland

On 23 December 2010, before the Spengler Cup started, the two participants from the KHL, SKA Saint Petersburg and Spartak Moscow, played an official regular-season game in the Vaillant Arena in Davos, Switzerland. It was the first KHL game played in central Europe.

All-Star Game

The All-Star weekend took place on 5 and 6 February 2011 in Saint Petersburg.^[7]

League standings

Source: KHL.ru^[10]

Points were awarded as follows:

• 3 Points for a win in regulation ("W")
• 2 Points for a win in overtime ("OTW") or penalty shootout ("SOW")
• 1 Point for a loss in a penalty shootout ("SOL") or overtime ("OTL")
• 0 Points for a loss in regulation ("L")

	Division winner
	Qualified for playoffs

Conference standings

The conference standings determined the seedings for the play-offs. The first two places in each conference were reserved for the division winners.

Western Conference	GP	W	OTW	SOW	SOL	OTL	L	GF	GA	Pts
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	54	33	1	1	4	1	14	203	143	108
UHC Dynamo	54	28	1	1	4	4	16	149	131	96
SKA Saint Petersburg	54	23	3	6	5	4	13	171	144	96
Atlant Moscow Oblast	54	21	4	7	4	2	16	138	115	91
Severstal Cherepovets	54	25	2	3	0	4	20	145	142	89
Spartak Moscow	54	24	1	1	3	3	22	129	142	82
Dinamo Riga	54	20	2	5	5	2	20	160	149	81
Dinamo Minsk	54	17	3	5	5	2	22	150	155	74
Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod	54	18	5	3	1	2	25	144	151	73
CSKA Moscow	54	13	0	7	4	2	28	136	169	59
Vityaz Chekhov	54	13	1	3	3	2	32	119	178	52

Source: khl.ru^[11]

Eastern Conference	GP	W	OTW	SOW	SOL	OTL	L	GF	GA	Pts
Avangard Omsk	54	31	9	2	2	1	9	176	120	118
Ak Bars Kazan	54	29	2	3	5	3	12	181	133	105
Salavat Yulaev Ufa	54	29	5	4	4	0	12	210	144	109
Metallurg Magnitogorsk	54	27	1	5	3	4	14	167	141	100
Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk	54	22	0	6	6	3	17	145	151	87
HC Sibir Novosibirsk	54	22	2	4	1	4	21	133	131	83
Barys Astana	54	20	2	2	6	3	21	155	152	77
Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk	54	22	1	2	1	2	26	159	162	75
Traktor Chelyabinsk	54	14	6	2	5	1	26	142	166	64
Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg	54	10	6	4	2	1	31	134	184	53
Amur Khabarovsk	54	13	1	1	3	4	32	112	173	50
Metallurg Novokuznetsk	54	8	1	3	4	5	33	105	186	41

Source: khl.ru^[12]

Divisional standings

Western Conference

Bobrov Division	GP	W	OTW	SOW	SOL	OTL	L	GF	GA	Pts
UHC Dynamo	54	28	1	1	4	4	16	149	131	96
SKA Saint Petersburg	54	23	3	6	5	4	13	171	144	96
Spartak Moscow	54	24	1	1	3	3	22	129	142	82
Dinamo Riga	54	20	2	5	5	2	20	160	149	81
CSKA Moscow	54	13	0	7	4	2	28	136	169	59

Tarasov Division	GP	W	OTW	SOW	SOL	OTL	L	GF	GA	Pts
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	54	33	1	1	4	1	14	203	143	108
Atlant Moscow Oblast	54	21	4	7	4	2	16	138	115	91
Severstal Cherepovets	54	25	2	3	0	4	20	145	142	89
Dinamo Minsk	54	17	3	5	5	2	22	150	155	74
Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod	54	18	5	3	1	2	25	144	151	73
Vityaz Chekhov	54	13	1	3	3	2	32	119	178	52

Eastern Conference

Kharlamov Division	GP	W	OTW	SOW	SOL	OTL	L	GF	GA	Pts
Ak Bars Kazan	54	29	2	3	5	3	12	181	133	105
Metallurg Magnitogorsk	54	27	1	5	3	4	14	167	141	100
Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk	54	22	0	6	6	3	17	145	151	87
Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk	54	22	1	2	1	2	26	159	162	75
Traktor Chelyabinsk	54	14	6	2	5	1	26	142	166	64
Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg	54	10	6	4	2	1	31	134	184	53

Chernyshev Division	GP	W	OTW	SOW	SOL	OTL	L	GF	GA	Pts
Avangard Omsk	54	31	9	2	2	1	9	176	120	118
Salavat Yulaev Ufa	54	29	5	4	4	0	12	210	144	109
Sibir Novosibirsk	54	22	2	4	1	4	21	133	131	83
Barys Astana	54	20	2	2	6	3	21	155	152	77
Amur Khabarovsk	54	13	1	1	3	4	32	112	173	50
Metallurg Novokuznetsk	54	8	1	3	4	5	33	105	186	41

League leaders

Source: khl.ru^[13][14]

Goals	Roman Červenka (Omsk)	31
Assists	Alexander Radulov (Ufa)	60
Points	Alexander Radulov (Ufa)	80
Shots	Kevin Dallman (Astana)	225
Plus–minus	Alexei Morozov (Kazan)	+27
Penalty minutes	Darcy Verot (Chekhov)	182
Wins (Goaltenders)	Karri Rämö (Omsk)	33
Goals against average	Konstantin Barulin (Mytischi)	1.91
Save percentage	Vitali Yeremeyev (Astana)	92.7
Shutouts	Dominik Hašek (Moscow)	7

Goaltenders: minimum 15 games played

Scoring leaders

Source: khl.ru^[15]

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

Player	Team	GP	G	A	Pts	+/–	PIM
Alexander Radulov	Salavat Yulaev Ufa	54	20	60	80	+27	83
Patrick Thoresen	Salavat Yulaev Ufa	54	29	36	65	+21	30
Roman Červenka	Avangard Omsk	51	31	30	61	+15	56
Sergei Mozyakin	Atlant Moscow Oblast	54	27	34	61	+10	12
Pavol Demitra	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	54	18	43	61	+12	29
Aleksey Morozov	Ak Bars Kazan	53	21	35	56	+27	24
Josef Vašíček	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	54	24	31	55	+16	34
Jaromír Jágr	Avangard Omsk	49	19	32	51	+6	48
Matt Ellison	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod	53	21	29	50	–6	28
Mattias Weinhandl	SKA Saint Petersburg	54	21	28	49	+14	42

Leading goaltenders

Source: khl.ru^[16]

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

Player	Team	GP	Min	W	L	SOL	GA	SO	SV%	GAA
Konstantin Barulin	Atlant Moscow Oblast	28	1504:47	13	9	4	48	6	.925	1.91
Karri Rämö	Avangard Omsk	44	2592:49	33	6	4	85	5	.925	1.97
Jakub Štěpánek	SKA Saint Petersburg	32	1844:06	16	8	5	63	3	.923	2.05
Vitali Koval	Atlant Moscow Oblast	34	1766:55	12	10	9	61	2	.921	2.07
Petri Vehanen	Ak Bars Kazan	43	2538:01	25	12	6	89	2	.926	2.10

Playoffs

The playoffs started on 23 February 2011. The fifth and final game of the final series for the Gagarin Cup was played on 16 April 2011.^[7]

	Conference Quarterfinals					Conference Semifinals					Conference Finals					Gagarin Cup Finals
	1	Avangard	4
	8	Neftekhimik	3
						2	Ak Bars	1
						3	Salavat Yulaev	4
	2	Ak Bars	4
	7	Barys	0
											3	Salavat Yulaev	4
	Eastern Conference
											4	Metallurg Mg	3
	3	Salavat Yulaev	4
	6	Sibir	0
						1	Avangard	3
						4	Metallurg Mg	4
	4	Metallurg Mg	4
	5	Yugra	2
																3	Salavat Yulaev	4
																4	Atlant	1
	1	Lokomotiv	4
	8	Dinamo Mn	3
						1	Lokomotiv	4
						7	Dinamo Rg	1
	2	UHC Dynamo	2
	7	Dinamo Rg	4
											1	Lokomotiv	2
	Western Conference
											4	Atlant	4
	3	SKA	4
	6	Spartak	0
						3	SKA	3
						4	Atlant	4
	4	Atlant	4
	5	Severstal	2

Playoff leaders

Source: khl.ru^[17][18]

Goals	Gleb Klimenko (Magnitogorsk)	10
Assists	Josef Vašíček (Yaroslavl) Pavol Demitra (Yaroslavl) Patrick Thoresen (Ufa) Alexander Radulov (Ufa)	15
Points	Josef Vašíček (Yaroslavl)	22
Shots	Sergey Mozyakin (Mytishchi)	77
Plus–minus	Patrick Thoresen (Ufa) Ilya Gorokhov (Mytishchi)	+11
Penalty minutes	Fedor Fedorov (Mytishchi)	65
Wins (Goaltenders)	Erik Ersberg (Ufa)	15
Goals against average	Petri Vehanen (Kazan)	1.32
Save percentage	Petri Vehanen (Kazan)	95.7
Shutouts	Petri Vehanen (Kazan) Erik Ersberg (Ufa)	3

Goaltenders: minimum 5 games played

Scoring leaders

Source: khl.ru^[19]

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

Player	Team	GP	G	A	Pts	+/–	PIM
Josef Vašíček	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	18	7	15	22	+6	16
Sergei Mozyakin	Atlant Moscow Oblast	23	8	13	21	–2	2
Pavol Demitra	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl	18	6	15	21	+10	4
Patrick Thoresen	Salavat Yulaev Ufa	21	3	15	18	+11	16
Alexander Radulov	Salavat Yulaev Ufa	21	3	15	18	+10	42

Leading goaltenders

Source: khl.ru^[20]

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

Player	Team	GP	Min	W	L	GA	SO	SV%	GAA
Petri Vehanen	Ak Bars Kazan	9	543:49	5	4	12	3	.957	1.32
Erik Ersberg	Salavat Yulaev Ufa	20	1118:23	15	3	36	3	.933	1.93
Robert Esche	Dinamo Minsk	4	215:38	2	2	7	0	.942	1.95
Konstantin Barulin	Atlant Moscow Oblast	22	1286:09	11	10	44	2	.928	2.05
Jakub Štěpánek	SKA Saint Petersburg	11	698:22	7	4	25	1	.920	2.15

Final standings

Rank	Team
1	Salavat Yulaev Ufa
2	Atlant Moscow Oblast
3	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
4	Metallurg Magnitogorsk
5	Avangard Omsk
6	Ak Bars Kazan
7	SKA Saint Petersburg
8	Dinamo Riga
9	Dynamo Moscow
10	Severstal Cherepovets
11	Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk
12	Sibir Novosibirsk
13	Spartak Moscow
14	Barys Astana
15	Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk
16	Dinamo Minsk
17	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod
18	Traktor Chelyabinsk
19	HC CSKA Moscow
20	Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg
21	Vityaz Chekhov
22	Amur Khabarovsk
23	Metallurg Novokuznetsk

Awards

Players of the Month

Best KHL players of each month.

Month	Goaltender	Defense	Forward	Rookie
September[21]	Bernd Brückler (Torpedo)	Sandis Ozoliņš (Riga)	Denis Platonov (Magnitogorsk)	Yaroslav Khabarov (Magnitogorsk)
October[22]	Mikhail Biryukov (Khanty-Mansiysk)	Maxim Soloviev (Dynamo M)	Roman Červenka (Omsk)	Aleksandr Osipov (Khabarovsk)
November[23]	Karri Rämö (Omsk)	Johan Fransson (St. Petersburg)	Sergei Mozyakin (Atlant)	Dinar Khafizullin (Chekhov)
December[24]	Petri Vehanen (Kazan)	Alexander Guskov (Yaroslavl)	Sergei Mozyakin (Atlant)	Alexander Pankov (Ufa)
January[25]	Dominik Hašek (Spartak)	Kevin Dallman (Astana)	Pavol Demitra (Yaroslavl)	Grigory Zheldakov (Spartak)
February[26]	Petri Vehanen (Kazan)	Karel Rachůnek (Yaroslavl)	Alexander Radulov (Ufa)	Mikhail Stefanovich (Minsk)
March[27]	Erik Ersberg (Ufa)	Marat Kalimulin (Yaroslavl)	Gleb Klimenko (Magnitogorsk)	Pavel Zdunov (Magnitogorsk)

KHL Awards

On 20 May 2011, the KHL held their annual award ceremony. A total of 20 different awards were handed out to teams, players, officials and media.^[28] The most important trophies are listed in the table below.

Golden Stick Award (regular season MVP)	Alexander Radulov (Ufa)
Best coach	Miloš Říha (Atlant)
Alexei Cherepanov Award (best rookie)	Pavel Zdunov (Magnitogorsk)

The league also awarded six "Golden Helmets" for the members of the all-star team:

Forwards	Alexander Radulov Salavat Yulaev Ufa		Igor Grigorenko Salavat Yulaev Ufa		Sergei Mozyakin Atlant Moscow Oblast
Defense	Sandis Ozoliņš Dinamo Riga			Kirill Koltsov Salavat Yulaev Ufa
Goalie	Erik Ersberg Salavat Yulaev Ufa