This is a review of the most significant events of the past month in the Kontinental Hockey League.
Change of Course
Roman Rotenberg`s departure from SKA was both surprising and, for some, anticipated, becoming the most talked-about event in early June. Over three and a half seasons as head coach (plus six games as interim in 2020), Rotenberg`s SKA played 261 matches, winning 166 with a goal difference of 859-644. However, results declined yearly – reaching the conference final in 2022 and 2023, the second round in 2024, and the first round this year – indicating an unsatisfactory and worsening performance trend. Igor Larionov, who was recently dismissed from Torpedo despite having a valid contract, has taken over Rotenberg`s position. SKA`s changes extend beyond coaching; they also recently announced a rebranding and a return to their former arena, the Ice Palace.
The Return
Another significant coaching development unfolded over two parts: Igor Nikitin`s contract termination with Lokomotiv was followed a week later by his signing with CSKA. While neither move was entirely unexpected – rumors of Nikitin`s return to Moscow circulated in May – the official announcement confirmed the coaching change. Nikitin brought his familiar assistants with him: Dmitry Yushkevich, Rashit Davydov, and Dmitry Pirozhkov. Parallel to the coaching staff changes, CSKA also acquired key players. They signed forward Dmitry Buchelnikov, a top asset from Vityaz, who is facing uncertainty. Alongside Buchelnikov, CSKA secured his teammate Jeremy Roy, a restricted free agent, and defenseman Vladislav Yeremenko from Metallurg, an unrestricted free agent who missed more than half of last season due to injury.
Avtomobilist`s Offensive Boost
While coaching moves have dominated the headlines this summer, player transfers are also significant. SKA`s situation, in particular, impacted the market, as Roman Rotenberg`s departure reportedly voided previous agreements with several prominent players. Despite this, notable deals are happening. Avtomobilist has made a splash by signing Reid Boucher, one of the league`s premier snipers in recent years. Boucher spent most of his career at Avangard, consistently scoring over 30 goals, including an impressive 53 in 2023-2024. His previous departure from Omsk to Lokomotiv saw a dip in production, so his move to Yekaterinburg will be watched closely. Avtomobilist didn`t stop there, further bolstering their attack by acquiring forward Roman Gorbunov from Dynamo Minsk.
Avangard`s Restructuring
Avangard has moved to fill the void left by Boucher. They signed unrestricted free agent Alexander Volkov from Dynamo Minsk and attempted to acquire restricted free agent Dmitry Rashevsky from Dynamo Moscow. However, Dynamo Moscow matched the qualifying offer, retaining Rashevsky for now. Avangard GM Alexey Sopin remains keen on acquiring the player and is reportedly pursuing a trade. Sopin successfully traded for forward Vasily Ponomarev`s rights from Spartak and immediately signed him. Avangard is also strengthening its defense, adding Artyom Blazhiyevsky from Traktor and Jesse Blacker from Avtomobilist.
Replacing Fucale
Gagarin Cup finalists Traktor face significant roster changes. Key forwards Vitaly Kravtsov and Maxim Shabanov are restricted free agents, Charles Robinson is without a contract, Nikita Korostelev has moved to Spartak, and Vladimir Tkachev joined Sibir – totaling five main forwards departing or uncertain. Defensively, they`ve lost Artyom Blazhiyevsky (to Avangard) and Steven Kampfer, who retired; both were top-four defensemen. Goaltender Zach Fucale signed with Dynamo Minsk. Traktor quickly found a replacement for Fucale in Chris Driedger. Driedger was once projected for a strong NHL career but was limited to 70 games due to injuries. He performed well in the AHL and served as Canada`s starting goalie when they won silver at the 2021 World Championship. Traktor has begun to address losses in defense and offense by signing Jordan Gross from Dynamo Minsk, Yegor Korshkov from Ak Bars, and Andrey Nikonov from Sochi, though these additions may not yet fully compensate for the departures.
Sibir`s New Additions
Sibir is also undergoing significant changes, particularly in its forward group. The signings of Vladimir Tkachev (from Traktor), Nikita Soshnikov (from Admiral), and Arkhip Nekolenko (from Lada) are considered strong additions. However, the team has also experienced notable departures. Offensive leader Taylor Beck has left for Switzerland, Nikita Korotkov moved to Metallurg, and contracts for Andy Andreoff, Georgy Belousov, Anton Berlyov, Brendan Leipsic, and Maxim Sushko have expired. The future of Trevor Murphy, the team`s most productive defenseman last season, also remains uncertain.
Restart Button
Lada is undergoing the most significant overhaul, having signed a remarkable 18 (!) new players: two goaltenders, six defensemen, and ten forwards. While many are from the VHL and less familiar to fans, the most notable addition is forward Alexander Khokhlachev. Following a dip in his career performance with Amur and Sochi, a restart under a familiar coach – Boris Mironov, Lada`s new head coach – is a logical step. Lada also signed Alexander`s younger brother, Timofey, who has spent the last decade playing in North America.
The Quiet Ones
In stark contrast to Lada, five teams currently have zero newcomers, which is unusual for late June. This is somewhat typical for Barys and Kunlun in recent seasons, and Vityaz is at a clear turning point. However, the other two teams on this quiet list are surprising. One is SKA; while the recent significant changes explain the shelving of previous transfer plans, some activity would still be expected. So far, SKA`s only moves have been bringing back Sergei Ivanov and Andrey Chivilyov from loans. The other surprisingly quiet team is Ak Bars, which has neither returns nor new signings listed yet.
Neville Woodall