The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) continues to leverage advanced sports telematics systems, commonly known as `smart pucks,` to provide deeper insights into player performance and game dynamics. This report highlights key statistical achievements across various metrics, showcasing standout players and emerging trends powered by these innovative tracking systems.
Traffic
The `Traffic` metric quantifies how often a player positions themselves between a shot and the goaltender during various game scenarios. Traditionally, players like Alexander Kadeikin, Alexander Petunin, Dmitry Yashkin, and Vitaly Pinchuk have been strong in this category. This season, players from Lokomotiv have joined their ranks, with Maxim Beryozkin currently leading the entire league.
| # | Player | Club | Traffic Events |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beryozkin Maxim | Lokomotiv | 58 |
| 2 | Kadeikin Alexander | Traktor | 54 |
| 3 | Petunin Alexander | Metallurg | 54 |
| 4 | Yashkin Dmitry | Ak Bars | 52 |
| 5 | Pinchuk Vitaly | Dinamo Mn | 50 |
| 6 | Radulov Alexander | Lokomotiv | 47 |
| 7 | Ivanov Georgy | Lokomotiv | 38 |
| 8 | Morelli Mason | Barys | 36 |
| 9 | Romanov Ivan | Lada | 33 |
| 10 | Zernov Denis | CSKA | 32 |
Expected Goals (xG)
In terms of Expected Goals (xG), Barys forward Mason Morelli leads the pack. The 29-year-old American has generated scoring chances valued at 8.6 goals but has only converted three goals so far. The second position is shared by Vitaly Pinchuk, Adam Ružička, and Roman Kantserov.
| # | Player | Club | xG |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Morelli Mason | Barys | 8.6 |
| 2 | Pinchuk Vitaly | Dinamo Mn | 6.6 |
| 3 | Ružička Adam | Spartak | 6.6 |
| 4 | Kantserov Roman | Metallurg | 6.6 |
| 5 | Rashevsky Dmitry | Avangard | 6.5 |
| 6 | Vecchione Michael | Barys | 6.3 |
| 7 | Abrosimov Ruslan | Severstal | 6.1 |
| 8 | Beryozkin Maxim | Lokomotiv | 5.9 |
| 9 | Shalunov Maxim | Lokomotiv | 5.6 |
| 10 | Boucher Reid | Avtomobilist | 5.4 |
Won Duels
This metric shows a clear dominance from two clubs, Lokomotiv and Severstal, whose players actively engage in battles for the puck and frequently win them. Similar to the `Traffic` category, Maxim Beryozkin once again tops the list, with Severstal`s Ruslan Abrosimov securing the second spot.
| # | Player | Club | Won Duels |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Beryozkin Maxim | Lokomotiv | 161 |
| 2 | Abrosimov Ruslan | Severstal | 151 |
| 3 | Dumbadze David | Severstal | 146 |
| 4 | Shalunov Maxim | Lokomotiv | 144 |
| 5 | Ilyin Mikhail | Severstal | 143 |
| 6 | Kaldis Ioannis | Severstal | 139 |
| 7 | Radulov Alexander | Lokomotiv | 136 |
| 8 | Ivanov Georgy | Lokomotiv | 134 |
| 9 | Podshivalov Ivan | Severstal | 134 |
| 10 | Savchuk Riley | Lada | 134 |
Goaltender xG-
The `Goaltender xG-` metric calculates the difference between the actual goals conceded and the expected goals a goaltender *should* have allowed based on shot quality. Achieving a score beyond 10 expected goals saved is considered a significant accomplishment. Unlike the previous metrics, this value can fluctuate and decrease throughout the season. Currently, Vladimir Galkin of Avtomobilist leads this category, with Nikita Serebryakov and Alexander Samoilov rounding out the top three. Notably, two goaltenders from Kunlun Red Star (referred to as `Shanghai Dragons` in the text) are present in the top 10.
| # | Player | Club | xG- |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Galkin Vladimir | Avtomobilist | 11.66 |
| 2 | Serebryakov Nikita | Avangard | 9.26 |
| 3 | Samoilov Alexander | Severstal | 8.06 |
| 4 | Krasotkin Anton | Sibir | 7.33 |
| 5 | Rybár Patrik | Kunlun Red Star | 7.02 |
| 6 | Kareev Andrey | Kunlun Red Star | 6.41 |
| 7 | Shutov Andrey | Barys | 5.26 |
| 8 | Fucale Zach | Dinamo Mn | 4.05 |
| 9 | Isaev Daniil | Lokomotiv | 4.02 |
| 10 | Pleshkov Artemy | SKA | 3.87 |
Neville Woodall