As a matter of fact:

1. The NHL is entirely a commercial league and does not depend on anyone other than investors, businessmen and club owners. Let's not forget to mention the players' union. The KHL is connected with the Ministry of Sports, and does everything for the Russian national team - with the light hand of the Ministry of Sports, the regulations, the limit on legionnaires, and so on are changed, so that our hockey players occupy high places in second-rate tournaments, creating the illusion that everything is fine in domestic hockey.

2. The NHL has nothing to do with statesmen. In the KHL, the president of the N-th team is one of Putin's friends and a major businessman, in addition, the entire world of our elite is on the board of directors. Another team is sponsored by Rosneft, and Sechin is personally interested in its success. In general, very high-ranking officials are involved in hockey in Russia.

3. KHL, as well as hockey in general in Russia, does not pay off as a business. Only 1-2 teams profit from franchises and home games, while overseas hockey is a thriving business that brings club owners fabulous money.

4. In Russia, less attendance (but in some cities only because of the spaciousness of arenas) than in America and Canada. In the NHL, the average attendance is 15 thousand, and in Russia - from 4 to 5 thousand.

5. KHL and NHL have different size sites, which is reflected directly in the game. There are more grounds in the KHL - accordingly, hockey is not so contact, it is more combinational and sweeping. In the NHL, on the contrary, there are fewer areas - there is a more contact game, more shots on goal and less time to think. What's more spectacular is up to you.

6. In the KHL, the teams that take the first eight places in their conferences go to the playoffs. In the NHL, several places are allocated for the wild - card system, and sometimes teams with fewer points than their opponents end up in elimination games.

7. The regulations regarding the treatment of fights, power techniques, dangerous attacks and other things related to the safety of players are also different.

8. In the NHL there are richer traditions - here and the "white storm" and throwing octopuses on the ice, and so on. For much of what is allowed overseas, we would be held accountable.

9. And finally, any hockey player dreams of playing in the NHL. All his aspirations are to get into the best league world, and many regard our championship as a fallback. Many players, having not received a contract in America or Canada, go to Russia, some outstanding foreign hockey players come to us to end their careers. Certainly, it comes about great players, who are on everyone's lips and in plain sight, with ambitions.

In general, with the exception of some differences, both leagues play hockey and play the Stanley Cup and the Gagarin Cup. Do not think that the NHL is much better than our league. Russia has a peculiar atmosphere, its own developing culture of illnesses and traditions. On NHLovskie "Battle on the Hudson" and "Battle on Albert" there is an Army derby and the same Green. Of course, you shouldn't compare the level of hockey here and there, because it is different. But nothing beats going to some "Mytishchi Arena" and enjoying the fact that your team won. Here, not overseas.

the site explains what needs to be done with the VHL so that the clubs do not leave it, and what benefit this will bring to the KHL and the entire Russian hockey.

When the Major Hockey League, and the reason is the budget cut by 47% (although before the cut it was the richest VHL team, spending about 300 million rubles a year), their eyes open wide and refuse to return to their usual state. Think about it: 150 million rubles! $ 3 million at the current exchange rate is the budget of the "packed" AHL club. Not one of the rich, but not poor either. Maybe not profitable, but surely beating costs. At the same time, he has a much more solid selection of players.

In general, the budgets of independent clubs in the American Hockey League - and there are 15 out of 30 in it - vary from 2 to 4.5 million dollars. In practice, addicts are even cheaper, although formally this is not the case, since they still transfer money from one pocket to another.

What's funny is that the limits in VHL are exactly the same. According to the regulations, the minimum budget of the club should be 100 million rubles - the same $ 2 million. And this 100 million, by the way, does not include the membership fee - another 4 million. And the richest clubs spend over 200 million. Circus? And what another.

But, as you understand, at the same cost of clubs on both sides of the ocean, at the exit, we see a product that is completely different in quality. Bratina's finale is not a sight for the faint of heart. Low rate, butterflies from a mustache, undershoots by 3 meters. The Calder Cup Final is a bouncy, fun and completely digestible action that makes you want to watch. But what can I say, the leaders of the AHL come to the KHL and become leaders on this side of the ocean. Not all, yes, but most. While the leaders of the VHL are at the level Continental League, to put it mildly, are completely untenable. So what is the point of this banquet then?

It is clear that the maintenance of the MHL and RHL clubs, which are at the disposal of some VHL clubs, costs a pretty penny, but the salaries of the players should also be lower and significantly. As well as employee salaries. Moreover, in the VHL you will not find any development coaches, skating coaches, scouts, sales departments of 20 people, a pack of certified physiotherapists and other attributes of the AHL clubs, where, sometimes, the staff has 50 people, and everyone is really busy with business.

The leaders of the AHL come to the KHL and become leaders here, and the leaders of the VHL are untenable at this level. So what is the point of this banquet then?

The minimum wage in the AHL is $ 42,375 per year. In the VHL - 150 thousand rubles (3000 dollars) per year for players under the age of 21 and 450 thousand (9000 dollars) - after 21. The maximum in both leagues is not limited, there is no ceiling, but in the same American Hockey League no one earns more than 400 thousand dollars (the minimum contract in the NHL is 525 thousand) with an average salary of about 80 thousand. Only 15 players have a salary of more than 300 thousand there - and this is necessarily bilateral agreements with unlimited free agents (from 27 years old), which are either partially (from independent clubs; according to a complex formula, taking into account indicators), or fully covered by the parent club of the NHL. Unilateral, purely Akhael contracts, more than 200 thousand dollars, are simply unthinkable, but in the VHL, just imagine, they are encountered. How this is possible, and where a lot of money goes - that is another question.

The Grand Rapids Calder Cup finalist, Detroit's independent farm club, has a budget of $ 3-3.5 million a year. Of these, 350 thousand are spent on logistics, 500 thousand - for renting the 11-thousandth Van Andel Arena, about one and a half million - for salaries of 40 employees (the sales and marketing department is the most numerous, the average attendance, by the way, is 8082 people) plus 10 interns ... This “fee fund” is actually quite modest, because coaching staff paid by Detroit, and many have part-time work. The remaining money from the budget goes directly to the players. At the same time, it should be noted that in the 2015 playoffs for the Griffons there are only four hockey players who have nothing to do with the Red Wings, whose salaries do not exceed the average for the AHL. That is, almost the entire composition is partially paid by the "red wings", who carefully bring their own staff to the NHL, including coaching. Suffice it to say that Detroit has as many as 15 full-fledged Grand Rapids graduates, and Mike Babcock is likely to be replaced head coach Griffins by Jeff Blashill.

This, of course, is in many ways a unique system, but in the NHL and AHL everyone is striving for something like this one way or another. Some are worse, and some are even better, like Tampa and Syracuse, for example. But everyone wins, including the fans of the Ahaelov teams. And that's why:

1. NHL clubs can safely bring the players of the system to the desired level, spending mere pennies. About 80% of the league's hockey players have gone through the AHL school in one way or another (short trips to get in shape, of course, do not count, otherwise the percentage would have been much higher);

2. AHL clubs get the opportunity to reduce costs, while strengthening their rosters;

3. The difference in salaries in a bilateral contract is often tenfold, or even more (although in rare cases it can be doubled), which provides a powerful incentive for players to develop;

4. The charter of the AHL states that its main priority is the development of players. In view of this, the following rules have been adopted: out of 18 field players in the application for a match, 13 must qualify as "developing players". That is, have in your asset no more than 260 matches in a career in professional leagues... The American itself is also taken into account. hockey league, and the NHL, and the KHL, and the VHL, and all the leading European championships with their sub-league systems. Therefore, the AHL is a very young league: average age- 24 years old against 26 in the VHL, 27.3 in the NHL and 27.7 in the KHL. The screenings are ongoing, if veterans remain, they are truly great professionals, albeit, perhaps, lacking in talent;

5. Add that very powerful stimulus to your youth, and at the output you will get the highest speed and readiness of teams to gnaw the ice every second, which, of course, affects the entertainment for the best.

The relentless struggle for a place in the sun is what makes the AHL such a rewarding league for the NHL. And at the same time for USA Hockey with Hockey Canada. The competition within the teams is huge, young people spur both themselves and others, everyone wants to break into the first link - an ideal springboard for a step up. Well, if it's too difficult, then at least show up and move up the table of ranks in the scout reports of other teams. Perhaps some of the clubs will want to barter you and place a bet on you.

Do not forget that for the development of the player, the more playing time, the more play in different situations, the more responsibility, the better. This, however, does not bother the FHR at all, which strives to forcefully stuff as many semi-finished products into the KHL as possible, and they do not care that there is almost no sense from 5-7 minutes of play, interspersed with imprisonment in club boxes.

At the moment, the VHL does not give anything to Russian hockey, just throwing out suitcases of money

SKA, Ak Bars, Salavat, Dynamo, Traktor understood this, deciding to work closely with the farm clubs, but this is not enough, especially since it declares with full responsibility that its league will never will become a competition between farms, speaks of some kind of history, although what does history have to do with it?

What's the use of history if half a league is well-fed, not striving for anything, veterans, receiving more than they could get anywhere else? And all this against the backdrop of disastrous marketing and complete loss-making of clubs. The following steps suggest themselves:

1. Make player development a priority;

2. Introduce a similar qualification for the AHL, adjusted for a smaller number of matches;

3. Remove the downright idiotic rule from Clause 3 of Article 35 of the VHL Regulations, which reads:

The club has the right to include in the "Main Team" application list the players of the KHL club who have entered into relevant bilateral contracts, subject to the following conditions:

- no more than 9 hockey players for Clubs that have a common organizational and / or financial structure with the KHL club;

- no more than 4 hockey players for Clubs that have entered into an agreement on sports cooperation with the KHL club;

4. At the same time, introduce a ban on sending players from the KHL to the farm clubs who can play in the MHL due to their age, so as not to weaken the Youth Hockey League;

5. To reorient towards making profit instead of wasting money, for which purpose, introduce the concept of a maximum salary, which cannot exceed the minimum in the KHL (750 thousand rubles a year for players under the age of 21, 3 million rubles a year for players over 21) ... Again, an additional incentive.

At the moment, the VHL does not give anything to Russian hockey, simply throwing away suitcases of money. Yes, clubs perform a certain social function, but they will continue to perform it even when a common strategy appears - now it is not there. It is quite possible that it is even better to perform. And at the same time benefit ourselves and the big hockey pyramid.

It is not surprising that this is not understood in FHR. With this organization, everything has long been clear. But the new leadership of the KHL was going to reform HSE, and the release of a considerable number of MHL hockey players with a new age limit may not be accidental. Not a fact, of course, but Dmitry Chernyshenko, a big fan of Big Data, should not have lost sight of such an ineffective structure as the VHL.

For amateurs and fans, these are not just words.

A bit of history

History of this sports association does not last as long as hockey itself, but it is also worth attention. The league was organized in 2009 on November 24. Since then, the composition of the teams participating in the championship, the players and the main characters has changed many times, but the essence has not changed.

Competitions

VHL is whole life for fans and, moreover, players! When the competition begins, the season opens, the life of hockey players begins to bubble up. During the competition, nothing else exists for them but the game.

Hockey leagues of Russia

At the moment, there are many different hockey leagues, the most popular of them are the VHL and the KHL. The abbreviations KHL and VHL are deciphered as Continental and Higher Continental is a little higher in its status.

Team composition

The VHL players are from the MHL. After training in the Youth League, young future hockey stars move into the ranks of the Major League players.

Season

The game season opens every year at the beginning of autumn. The opening day of the season is a floating date. In 2017, the gaming season opened on October 8th. The final game of the season will take place on February 28, 2018.

Participating teams

In the current season, 27 applications from different cities of Russia have been announced. At the moment, the favorites are the leading VHL teams, these are: Dynamo - St. Petersburg, SKA-Neva - St. Petersburg, Izhstal - Izhevsk (Udmurtia) and Saryarka (Karaganda) with Chemist (Voskresensk).

Forecasts

At the moment, in the 2017-2018 season, the Major Hockey League playoff tournament is taking place. The VHL was formed relatively recently, but this kind of competition is already more than a tradition. Of course, bets and predictions have been made on sports for a long time. But what do the professionals say?

From the multitude of ice hockey experts, those who cannot be considered biased judges were brought in. That is, specifically the head coaches and strategists of the teams, who for some reason did not take part in the games.

Sports predictions, especially when it comes to hockey, is a very fickle thing. You can't think for a long time. In this sport, the state of affairs can change critically and rapidly.

The meeting was given Special attention some favorites (including favorites of the past years). In the analysis and approximate calculation of the chances of "Saryarka" and "Chelmet", experts unanimously decided that there would be no problems for "Saryarka" in this game and the team would easily win. It should be remembered that it is Saryarka that is the current owner of Bratina and the champion of the 2015-2016 season.

The next game on the agenda of the meeting was Izhstal - Kazzinc-Torpedo. In this matter, only one percent of the audience gave their preference to the Kazakh team. But these opinions were quickly discarded, as the voters were linked to the team by a common homeland. Sports experts boldly guessed the victory of the Izhevsk team.

"Molot-Prikamye" - "Lipetsk". Of the total number of respondents, opinions were literally divided into two camps. If we believe this survey 100%, then we can say that the game will end in a draw.

Outcomes

Sport is an extremely objective thing, and hockey is also fast. Now all the teams are only at the very beginning of the VHL championship, which means that it is too early to judge. Despite all predictions, the hottest time of the season is yet to come. We will find out how the championship will turn out only in March next year.

The Kontinental Hockey League is the main international hockey league of the Eurasian continent, which includes teams from Russia and the CIS countries, as well as Croatia, China, Slovakia, Finland and other countries. In this article we will tell you about the history of the teams, the names and nicknames of the KHL clubs in the Western Conference. How did the Zubrs appear in the KHL? What KHL team are called "Jokers"? Why is "Torpedo" called "Deer"? Why is the Croatian club called Medvescak? Why is the hockey club "Slovan" called "Eagles". You will find answers to these and many other questions in this material.

HC "Dynamo Minsk"(Dinamo Minsk) - nicknames: "Bison", "Bison", "Bulls", "Minskers", "Dynamo", "Minsk".

Minsk "Dynamo" is currently the only representative of Belarus in the Continental Hockey League. The Dynamo-Minsk club was founded in 1948, and for the first few years the team played in amateur leagues BSSR. In 1980, "Dynamo" made its way to the Supreme League of the USSR, but the team was unable to gain a foothold there, having flown into class "A". Eight years later, in 1988, the club entered the Premier League again. In the early 1990s, due to a lack of funds, the sports society "Dynamo" hockey club... In 1993, the team received financial support from individuals and passed into their hands. The club was renamed "Tivali". After the 1999/2000 season, the team was disbanded. The revival of the team took place in 2003. "Dynamo" received financial support from enterprises of the Minsk region, and the law enforcement agencies of Belarus acted as the founders of the club. In 2008, the team joined the newborn hockey league - the KHL. Despite the fact that rather interesting variants “Partizan” and “Minsk Bison” were proposed as the name for the team, the leadership of the FHRB decided to keep the traditional brand “Dynamo”. True, the name of the city in which it is based - Minsk, was added to the name of the team. The nicknames "Bison" and "Zubry" at "Dynamo-Minsk" have appeared since 2009, when the management decided to change the club's emblem so as not to pay for the use of the brand, the rights to which belong to the BFSO "Dynamo". Instead of the traditional letter "D", a bison appeared on the team's logo, which is sometimes confused with a bison. The fans affectionately call the team "bulls", and the nicknames "Dynamo" and "Minskers" are quite logical, and do not require additional explanations.

HC "Dynamo Riga"(Dinamo Riga) - nicknames: "Riga", "Latvians", "Riga", "Dynamo".

The Dynamo club, based in the capital of Latvia - Riga, was founded in 2008. Riga "Dynamo" is the sole representative of their country in the Continental Hockey League. The predecessor of the current “Dynamo Riga” is considered to be the club of the same name, formed back in 1946 to participate in the first championship of the USSR. The team changed its name very often, but most of its existence was called "Dynamo". In addition, the club has achieved the greatest success under this name. In 1995 the Dynamo team was disbanded and the club ceased to exist. In 2008, a new hockey league, the KHL, was formed, so it was decided to revive the club. In the same year, the team spent its debut season in the newly formed league. The nicknames "Riga" and "Riga" are associated with the city in which the team is based. The team is called "Latvians" as a representative of Latvia. The nickname "Dynamo" is derived from "Dynamo".

HC "Jokerit"(Helsingin Jokerit) - nicknames: "Jokers", "Helsinki Jokers", "Clowns", "Jesters", "Jokers".

The Jokerit Club was founded in 1967. Based in the capital of Finland, Helsinki. He is currently the only representative of the "Land of a Thousand Lakes" in the KHL. In 2013, an agreement was signed to move the club to the Continental Hockey League, and in 2014 it was officially announced that the Jokers would join the KHL from the 2014/15 season. Before joining the KHL, "Jokerit" played in the Finnish SM-league, the champion of which became six times. The nickname "Jokers" is a translation of the word "Jokerit". In addition, the club emblem depicts a winking joker (joker). Sometimes the team is called "Clowns", but this is not true. The correct nickname for "Jokerita" is "Jokers", the nicknames "Jesters" and "Balagurs" are also acceptable.

HC "Medvescak"(Klub hokeja na ledu Medveščak) - nicknames: "Bears", "Bears", "Zagreb bears", "Bears".

The Medvescak hockey team appeared in the Croatian capital city of Zagreb in 1961, where it is based today. From 1961 to 1991, the club was played in the UHL (Yugoslavian Hockey League). In 1991, due to the fact that Croatia separated from Yugoslavia, the team began to play in the XXL (Croatian Hockey League). During one season (2008/2009), the club played in the Slo-Hockey League. After a year in the Sloho Hockey League, the team was admitted to the AHL (Austrian Hockey League), and played there until the end of the 2012/2013 season. In 2013, the club received the go-ahead from the KHL leadership to represent their country in the strongest league of the Eurasian continent. In the same year, “Medvescak” made his debut in the KHL with a home match against Moscow “CSKA”, in which he defeated the “army team” with a score of 7: 1. Team "Medvescak" bears the name of the eponymous region of Zagreb (Gorniy Grad - Medvescak), one of the seventeen regions of the capital of Croatia. Medvescak's emblem depicts a bared bear. The nickname of the team "Medvescak" is "Bears", which is quite logical, as well as all derivatives of this word.

SKA"(SKA) - nicknames: "Army men", "St. Petersburg men", "St. Petersburg army men", "Club from the banks of the Neva", "Wallets", "Fat bags".

The hockey club "SKA" was born in 1946 in St. Petersburg (then Leningrad) under the name "House of Officers named after S. M. Kirov". Two years later, the club was renamed "LDO" (Leningrad House of Officers) and bore this name until the end of the 1952/1953 season. In 1953, the current "SKA" became known as "ODO" (District Officers' House). In the seasons 1957/1958 and 1958/1959 the team played under the name "SKVO" (Military District Sports Club). It was only in 1959 that the club was renamed into our usual "SKA" (Army Sports Club). From 1994 to 2006, the city in which the team is based - "SKA St. Petersburg", was added to the name, but from the 2013/2014 season, the name of the club was again reduced to "SKA". Actually titles sports teams, which are an abbreviation (SKA, CSKA, etc.), according to the rules, are not quoted, but many still put SKA in quotation marks. In fact, this is not so important. With the nickname "CSKA" everything is clear - Army Sports Club. The team is sometimes called "Wallets" and "Fat bags", because "SKA" is one of the richest teams in the Continental Hockey League.

HC "Slovan"(HC Slovan Bratislava) - nicknames: "Eagles", "Eagles", "Proud Eagles", "Slovaks", "Bratislava".

Hockey club "Slovan" is based in the capital of Slovakia, Bratislava. The club was founded in 1921 under the name "CSK Bratislava". In 1939 the name of the club was changed to "Slovan". Since 1949, the club began to be called "Sokol NV", but already in 1952 it was decided to return the team to its former name - "Slovan". Before joining the KHL, the team from Bratislava played in the CHL (Czechoslovak Hockey League), and later in the SHL (Slovak Hockey League) and the Slovak Extraliga. In 2012, the club applied to join the KHL, which was approved by the league's management. Slovan began playing in the KHL in the 2012/2013 season. Slovan's emblem shows a proud eagle in profile, hence the nicknames "Eagles", "Eagles" and "Proud Eagles". The nicknames "Slovaks" and "Bratislava" refer to the country and city that the team represents.

HC "Spartak"(Spartak Moscow) - nicknames: "Red and White", "Spartachi", "Spartak", "Gladiators".

The Moscow hockey club "Spartak" was founded in 1946. Throughout its history, the club has been based in the capital of Russia. "Spartak" is one of the oldest hockey clubs and is one of the four Russian teams who took part in the first ice hockey championship of the USSR. In the Continental Hockey League, the “red-white” have been playing since the day of her birth - since 2008. Since the 2011/2012 season, the team has been unable to make it to the Gagarin Cup playoffs for three years in a row. In the 2013/2014 season, the “red and white” experienced serious financial difficulties. The Central Bank revoked the license from the general sponsor of Spartak - Investbank, as a result of which the hockey club was practically left without funding, and was declared bankrupt, and the team was disbanded. Unable to find sponsorship in the offseason, the club's management and the Kontinental Hockey League agreed that HC Spartak would miss the 2014/2015 season. At the same time, the leadership of the league assured the team and the fans that they would not let the great club disappear, and would provide him with all kinds of assistance so that in a year Spartak would return to the KHL. The promise was kept, and in the 2015/2016 season the club again became part of the Kontinental Hockey League. The colors of Spartak are historically red and white, the nickname “red and white” is associated with the club colors. The club is also called "Spartacus", "Spartacus" - these nicknames are derived from "Spartacus". The nickname "Gladiators" is a reference to the gladiator-slave Spartacus, whose name the hockey club bears.

HC "Vityaz"(Vityaz ") - nicknames:" Knights "," Wars "," Heroes "," Vitki ".

The hockey team appeared in Podolsk back in the 1960s. It was called "Torpedo" and existed until 1990, after which it was disbanded. For six years in the city there was no professional hockey. Big hockey came to the region again, when in 1996 on the basis of two cities - Podolsk and Chekhov, was created sport Club"Knight". The club spent the 1996/1997 season in the championship of the Moscow region, and was based in the Venyukovo microdistrict of the city of Chekhov, which is 52 kilometers from the capital. In the 1997/1998 and 1998/1999 seasons, the team played in the RHL. In 1999, the team made its debut in the Major League, and at the end of the tournament won a ticket to the Super League. In 2000, the club changed its place of registration, moving to the city of Podolsk, Moscow region, where the construction of a new hockey palace was just completed. The debut in the elite turned out to be unsuccessful, and the team again went to the Major League, in which they spent the next four years. After the 2003/2004 season, the team returned to Chekhov, and in 2005 Vityaz managed to return to the elite. Russian hockey... In 2008, the club became a member of the KHL. At the end of the 2012/2013 season, the Vityaz hockey club, after ten years in Chekhov, returned to the city of Podolsk, where it is currently based. The main reason for the next move was insufficient roominess. ice arena in Chekhov. All nicknames of HC "Vityaz" are directly related to the name of the team ("Voiny," Bogatyrs "). The nickname" Vitka "was invented by the fans, and is derived from" Vityaz "-" Vitya "-" Viti "-" Vitka ".

HC "Dynamo Moscow"(Dinamo Moscow) - nicknames: "Dynamo", "White-blue", "Cops", "Garbage".

Hockey club "Dynamo" was founded in 1946 in the capital of Russia, Moscow. Dynamo Moscow is the first Canadian ice hockey team in Russian history. Back in 1932, the footballers of the sports society, who played "Russian" hockey in winter, participated first in friendly, and later in official matches ice hockey vs German team"Fichte". “Russian” bandy, which is also called bandy, was different from ice hockey, but “Dynamo” prevailed over the German team in the first official game, defeating “Fichte” with a score of 17: 3. HC Dynamo is a team that is the owner of a unique achievement: championship titles in the USSR, MHL, CIS, European Champions Cup, Russia and KHL (Gagarin Cup). No club has ever achieved this. The Blues have been playing in the Continental Hockey League since its foundation (2008). In 2010, due to financial problems of the Moscow “Dynamo”, the team's management decided to merge the two clubs HC “MVD” and HC “Dynamo” into one. Thus, on April 30, 2010, there appeared new team UHK "Dynamo" (United Hockey Club), which became the legal successor of the hockey club "Dynamo". In the summer of 2012, it was decided to abandon the United prefix. Patrons of the sports society "Dynamo", including hockey team, were law enforcement agencies, in particular - the Ministry of Internal Affairs (Ministry of Internal Affairs). That is why the nicknames "Garbage" and "Cops" have stuck to the team. The nickname "Dynamo" is a derivative of "Dynamo". The nickname "Blue and White" is a reference to the club colors of the team.

HC Lokomotiv"(Lokomotiv) - nicknames: "Railwaymen", "Loko", "Lokomotiv", "Locomotives".

The history of the hockey club "Lokomotiv" was divided into "before" and "after" September 7, 2011, when the entire staff of the Yaroslavl club, as well as the team's coaching staff, died in a plane crash. But first things first. Hockey club "Lokomotiv" was founded in 1959, but the club was then called "YMZ" (Yaroslavl Motor Plant). The YMZ team in the 1959/1960 season had the honor to represent the Yaroslavl region at the RSFSR championship. However, "YaMZ" was not the first club in the region. Before him, the honor of the glorious city of Yaroslavl was defended by the Lokomotiv railroad team, which was disbanded in 1951 and has nothing to do with the current Loko, as well as Spartak and the team of the Yaroslavl tire plant Khimik. Before the 1963/1964 season, YMZ was renamed Trud, and a year later the team received the name Motor. In the 1965/1966 season, the team was given a new name - "Torpedo", under which the Yaroslavl team performed in the Second, in the First, and then in Major League championship of the USSR. From 1992 to 1996, "Torpedo" played in the MHL (International Hockey League). In 1996, the MHL was disbanded, and “Torpedo” this season took the gold of the Russian championship. In 2000, the team from the city of Yaroslavl was taken under their wing by Russian Railways, and the club changed its name to Lokomotiv. In the seasons 2001/2002 and 2002/2003, Lokomotiv became the Champion of Russia, and in the last Super League championship in the history of the championship, the railway workers reached the final, but lost in the decisive series to Ufa's Salavat Yulaev. In 2008, Lokomotiv became part of the newborn Kontinental Hockey League, which replaced the Russian Super League. On September 7, 2011, near Yaroslavl, immediately after takeoff from the Tunoshna airport, the Yak-42D plane crashed, on which the local hockey team Lokomotiv went to the capital of Belarus, Minsk, where they were supposed to fight with the Dynamo club. There were 45 people on board: 37 passengers and 8 crew members. At the crash site, 43 people were killed, the striker of the "railroad workers" Alexander Galimov died on the morning of September 12 at the Institute of Surgery. Vinshevsky. The only person who survived the crash was the flight attendant Alexander Sizov. Already on September 10, 2011, the team's management decided that HC Lokomotiv would miss the 2011/2012 Kontinental Hockey League season, and play it in the VHL (Higher Hockey League) with the youth squad, and return to the KHL in the 2012/2013 season. In 2012, Lokomotiv returned to the KHL. The leadership of the League said that the “railroad” will receive a guaranteed place in the playoffs, regardless of what place the team will take at the end of the regular season. However, the club refused such privileges. In the first season after their return, Lokomotiv reached the playoffs of the Gagarin Cup, but lost in the first round series to Severstal from Cherepovets. The hockey club "Lokomotiv" has the nicknames "Loko", "Lokomotivs", "Railwaymen", "Locomotives", and it is quite understandable why.

HC "Severstal"(Severstal) - nicknames: "Cherepovites", "Miners", "Steelworkers", "Seva", "Metallurgists", "Industrialists".

December 18, 1955 is considered to be the birthday of Cherepovets hockey, when the first match took place on the newly built hockey rink, in which the team of the city of Cherepovets and “Torpedo” from the Hero City of Volgograd fought. In 1956, the "Builder" team was founded in Cherepovets. She performed in the championship Volgograd region, where she became the champion in the very first year. Since 1957, "Builder" began to perform in republican competitions. Since 1959, the team began to play in the championship of the RSFSR under the name "Metallurg", and was called that way until 1994, until it finally became "Severstal". The team played in the Super League from 1992 until 2008, when the Kontinental Hockey League was formed. The Severstal team is named after the steel and mining company of the same name, PJSC Severstal, which is the main sponsor of the club. The nickname "Cherepovchane" refers to the region where the team is based. The nicknames "Miners", "Industrialists", "Steelworkers", and sometimes the team is called "Metallurgists", refer to the history of the name and activities of the main sponsor of the team.

HC "Sochi"(Sochi) - nicknames: "Southerners", "Leopards", "Predators", "Cats", "Sochi".

A hockey club in the city of Sochi, Krasnodar Territory, appeared in 2014, when the KHL leadership decided to expand the league. Earlier in the city to the Winter Olympic Games 2014, a large-scale sports infrastructure was built, including the future home arena hockey club "Sochi" - Ice Palace"Big" (12,000 seats). HC Sochi has been playing in the Kontinental Hockey League since the 2014/2015 season. In the very first season in the KHL, the Sochi team advanced to the playoffs of the Gagarin Cup, but lost to the Moscow CSKA in a series of the first round (4: 0). Hockey club "Sochi" is the only representative of the southern region of Russia in the KHL, therefore it is quite symbolic that the team from the city of Sochi received the same name. The nicknames "Leopards", "Cats" and "Predators" HC "Sochi" received because the symbol of the club is a leopard, the image of which is shown on the team logo.

HC "Torpedo"(Torpedo) - nicknames: "Torpedo", "Deer", "Avtozavodtsy".

The Nizhny Novgorod "Torpedo" was born in 1946 in the city of Gorky (now Nizhny Novgorod), and began playing in the USSR championships in the 1947/1948 season. The creation of a hockey team in Gorky is mainly associated with the popularization of "Canadian" hockey in the USSR. All-Union Committee on physical culture and decided to hold the national championship in ice hockey in the 1946/1947 season. The city of Gorky, which was represented by the team of the Gorky Automobile Plant (GAZ), also joined the number of cities participating in the tournament in the 1947/1948 season. At the beginning of 1947, the first official hockey tournament, the City Cup, was held in Gorky, in which the residents of Gorky won, and already at the end of the year, "Torpedovtsy" took part in the USSR championship. In 1961, "Torpedo" won silver medals in the national ice hockey championship. Before the team became part of the Kontinental Hockey League in 2008, Torpedo played in the MHL, RHL and Russian championships. The club did not achieve serious success in any league, however, “Torpedo” has always been famous for its fighting spirit and character, was known as a fighter club. In 1983 and 1985, the team was awarded the "Thunderstorm of Authorities" prize, which was awarded to the team that took the most points from the championship prize-winners. The owner of the "Torpedo" hockey club - "GAZ Group" is a Russian automotive company, headquartered in Nizhny Novgorod... The hockey club logo depicts a deer, the same as the GAZ logo. Hence the nickname of HC "Torpedo" - "Deer". Another nickname for the team is "Avtozavodtsy", from the same opera.

Hello dear!
Today I decided to talk a little about slang words and about the terms that we often use in everyday life to describe hockey. For those who are not in the subject, I think it will be useful.
To begin with, I'll tell you about the simplest:
The KHL is our championship, which, I personally think, is the most professional, interesting and cool league among domestic sports in general. This abbreviation stands for simply - Continental Hockey League. The KHL is played so far (God forbid that it be so) 28 teams from 7 states, divided into 2 conferences (East and West), each of which has 2 divisions. The main trophy is the Gagarin Cup


The main trophy of the KHL

The KHL is the pinnacle of the hockey pyramid, as several other leagues are actively developing in the country. VHL - Higher Hockey League - the second most important tournament, where 26 teams from Russia and Kazakhstan play, and MHL - Youth Hockey League, where youth teams of KHL teams and several independent teams, including those from other countries, play.
The KHL strives to become the best hockey league in the world, but it is still far from the leader - the North American NHL (National Hockey League).
Well, besides the KHL, there are several other strong leagues in Europe. First of all, these are the Finnish SM-League, the Swedish Hockey League, the German Bundesliga, the Swiss National League and the Czech Extraliga.
Now let's go over the equipment.

Czech Extraliga emblem

Cancer or otherwise a shell, this is a special bandage that protects the primary male sexual characteristics from an unpleasant and possibly fatal meeting with a rubber disc :-)


Visor - special device made of plastic that protects the eyes.


Leggings - Special gloves that protect the hands, wrist joints and the lower part of the forearms of the player when hitting the hands with a club, puck or ball hits, and in other similar cases.

Pancake - Wide goalkeeper glove with finger pads with inside with which the goalkeeper holds the stick. He has a trap on his other hand.

Guitar - wide goalkeeper stick


Mattresses or a cot, they are also felt boots - goalkeeper's knee pads.


Well, closing the topic of goalkeepers, I must say that the frame is a hockey goal, so when they say "stand on the frame", then do not take this matter literally. The goalkeeper himself is often called the goalie or goalkeeper.
Rusk is when the collar does not allow goals into its own net and he has a clean sheet. In another way, this is called a shotout.

Have you already shot out? :-)

A mask is a piece of equipment that covers the entire face and must be worn by players until they turn 18. Hence the term "masker"

The great Peter Bondra also played with a mask :-)

Mesh - it's a sweater, it's a jersey, it's a sweatshirt, it's a T-shirt for some reason - top part the shape by which the player can be distinguished.
The hockey jersey has the club emblem on the front of the chest, and the player's number and name on the back.


The hosts always wear a dark jersey color - a light one for the guests. So, for the first time you came to hockey and you don't know who to root for - cheer for the dark ones :-)
To be continued...
Have a nice time of the day!