2020–21 KHL season
LeagueKontinental Hockey League
SportIce hockey
Duration
  • 2 September 2020 – 27 February 2021 (regular season)
  • 2 March – 28 April 2021 (playoffs)
Number of games60
Number of teams23
Regular season
Continental Cup winnerCSKA Moscow
(91 points)
Top scorer
Playoffs
Western championsCSKA Moscow
  Western runners-upSKA Saint Petersburg
Eastern championsAvangard Omsk
  Eastern runners-upAk Bars Kazan
Finals championsAvangard Omsk
  Runners-upCSKA Moscow

The 2020–21 KHL season was the 13th season of the Kontinental Hockey League. There were 23 teams that competed in 60 regular season games, beginning on 2 September 2020 and finishing on 27 February 2021.[1] The playoffs were held from 2 March, culminating in Game 6 of the Gagarin Cup Finals on 28 April. Avangard Omsk won their first Gagarin Cup title, avenging their sweep in the finals of the 2019 Gagarin Cup playoffs, defeating CSKA Moscow by 4 games to 2.[2]

Season changes

For the 2020–21 season, the competition was reduced to 23 teams after Admiral Vladivostok took a hiatus for the season due to the COVID-19 pandemic in Russia affecting their financial status.[3]

With pre-season events returning to the schedule in August as a part of preparations to start the season, Jokerit, whose ability to stage games was governed by Finland's restrictions in response to the coronavirus pandemic, announced that it expected to play before a reduced audience at the Hartwall Arena during the first month of the campaign.[4]

Due to the on-going travel restrictions against the COVID-19 pandemic, Kunlun Red Star determined that they would be unable to play in Wukesong Arena situated in Beijing, China for this season. In August, the club signed a contract to play out of Mytishchi Arena, the second venue for the 2007 Men's Ice Hockey World Championships located on the outskirts of Moscow.[5]

Teams

The 23 teams were split into four divisions: the Bobrov Division and the Tarasov Division as part of the Western Conference, with the Kharlamov Division and the Chernyshev Division as part of the Eastern Conference.

Following Admiral Vladivostok's hiatus from the league, and to alleviate any potential issues with teams transiting during the COVID-19 pandemic, several conference and divisional changes were announced.[1]

Western Conference Eastern Conference
Bobrov Division Tarasov Division Kharlamov Division Chernyshev Division
Finland Jokerit Russia CSKA Moscow Russia Ak Bars Kazan Russia Amur Khabarovsk
Russia Severstal Cherepovets Belarus Dinamo Minsk Russia Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg Russia Avangard Omsk
Russia SKA Saint Petersburg Latvia Dinamo Riga Russia Metallurg Magnitogorsk Kazakhstan Barys Nur-Sultan
Russia HC Sochi Russia Dynamo Moscow Russia Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk China Kunlun Red Star
Russia Spartak Moscow Russia Lokomotiv Yaroslavl Russia Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod Russia Salavat Yulaev Ufa
Russia Vityaz Podolsk Russia Traktor Chelyabinsk Russia Sibir Novosibirsk

League standings

Each team played 60 games: playing every other team home-and-away (44 games), 8–10 games against division rivals and 6–8 games against teams in the other division in their respective conference.[1]

Points were awarded for each game, where two points were awarded for all victories, regardless of whether it is in regulation time, in overtime or after game-winning shots. One point was awarded for losing in overtime or game-winning shots, and zero points for losing in regulation time. At the end of the regular season, the team that finished with the most points was crowned the Continental Cup winner.

Western Conference

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 CSKA Moscow (Z) 60 34 9 5 12 182 121 +61 91 Advance to Gagarin Cup Playoffs[lower-alpha 1]
2 SKA Saint Petersburg (X) 60 33 4 8 15 178 126 +52 82
3 Dynamo Moscow 60 34 5 6 15 195 137 +58 84 Advance to Gagarin Cup Playoffs
4 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 60 30 8 7 15 181 126 +55 83
5 Jokerit 60 26 6 9 19 174 153 +21 73
6 Severstal Cherepovets 60 23 9 4 24 149 159 −10 68
7 Dinamo Minsk 60 17 15 3 25 167 174 −7 67
8 Spartak Moscow 60 20 8 7 25 157 173 −16 63
9 Vityaz Podolsk 60 21 6 5 28 155 175 −20 59
10 HC Sochi 60 12 2 9 37 121 202 −81 37
11 Dinamo Riga 60 5 4 10 41 126 211 −85 28
Source: KHL
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) games won in regulation time; 3) games won in overtime; 4) games won in shootouts; 5) goal difference; 6) number of goals scored; 7) drawing of lots.
(X) Won division; (Z) Won Continental Cup
Notes:
  1. ↑ Teams leading a division hold one of the first two places of their conference.

Eastern Conference

Pos Team Pld W OTW OTL L GF GA GD Pts Qualification
1 Ak Bars Kazan (Y) 60 33 8 8 11 185 131 +54 90 Advance to Gagarin Cup Playoffs[lower-alpha 1]
2 Avangard Omsk (X) 60 33 3 12 12 180 134 +46 84
3 Metallurg Magnitogorsk 60 31 6 7 16 165 138 +27 81 Advance to Gagarin Cup Playoffs
4 Salavat Yulaev Ufa 60 28 10 5 17 181 151 +30 81
5 Traktor Chelyabinsk 60 27 7 6 20 157 143 +14 74
6 Barys Nur-Sultan 60 20 11 7 22 147 157 −10 69
7 Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg 60 24 6 8 22 152 154 −2 68
8 Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod 60 22 7 9 22 170 168 +2 67
9 Sibir Novosibirsk 60 20 7 4 29 146 155 −9 58
10 Amur Khabarovsk 60 17 7 7 29 146 171 −25 55
11 Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk 60 13 6 2 39 133 214 −81 40
12 Kunlun Red Star 60 11 2 8 39 139 213 −74 34
Source: KHL
Rules for classification: 1) points; 2) games won in regulation time; 3) games won in overtime; 4) games won in shootouts; 5) goal difference; 6) number of goals scored; 7) drawing of lots.
(X) Won division; (Y) Won conference
Notes:
  1. ↑ Teams leading a division hold one of the first two places of their conference.

Gagarin Cup playoffs

Ak Bars Kazan were the Eastern Conference regular season winners with 90 points. It was determined despite a 2–3 overtime loss at home to Spartak Moscow.[6] CSKA Moscow were the Western Conference regular season winners with 91 points. It was determined following a 1–3 defeat suffered by closest challengers SKA Saint Petersburg, at home to Dynamo Moscow, leaving CSKA Moscow with an unassailable points lead.[7] CSKA Moscow won the Continental Cup for the third season in succession and sixth time overall, defeating Ak Bars Kazan 1–0 on the final day of the regular season.[8]

The 2021 Gagarin Cup playoffs started on 2 March 2021, and finished on 28 April 2021.[9] The top eight teams from each of the conferences qualified for the playoffs.

Conference Quarterfinals Conference Semifinals Conference Finals Gagarin Cup Finals
            
1 Russia Ak Bars 4
8 Russia Torpedo 0
1 Russia Ak Bars 4
4 Russia Salavat Yulaev 0
2 Russia Avangard 4
7 Russia Avtomobilist 1
1 Russia Ak Bars 3
Eastern Conference
2 Russia Avangard 4
3 Russia Metallurg 4
6 Kazakhstan Barys 2
2 Russia Avangard 4
3 Russia Metallurg 2
4 Russia Salavat Yulaev 4
5 Russia Traktor 1
E2 Russia Avangard 4
W1 Russia CSKA 2
1 Russia CSKA 4
8 Russia Spartak 0
1 Russia CSKA 4
4 Russia Lokomotiv 3
2 Russia SKA 4
7 Belarus Dinamo 1
1 Russia CSKA 4
Western Conference
2 Russia SKA 2
3 Russia Dynamo 4
6 Russia Severstal 1
2 Russia SKA 4
3 Russia Dynamo 1
4 Russia Lokomotiv 4
5 Finland Jokerit 0

    Statistics

    Scoring leaders

    The following players led the league in points, at the conclusion of the regular season.[10] If two or more skaters are tied (i.e. same number of points, goals and played games), all of the tied skaters are shown.

    Player Team GP G A Pts +/– PIM
    Russia Vadim Shipachyov Dynamo Moscow 57 20 46 66 +28 22
    Finland Teemu Hartikainen Salavat Yulaev Ufa 53 28 36 64 +17 18
    Russia Damir Zhafyarov Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod 58 21 40 61 +6 26
    Czech Republic Dmitrij Jaškin Dynamo Moscow 59 38 22 60 +25 52
    France Stéphane Da Costa Ak Bars Kazan 52 27 30 57 +12 24
    Canada Justin Danforth Vityaz Podolsk 58 23 32 55 +3 50
    United States Brian O'Neill Jokerit 53 12 42 54 +30 12
    Finland Markus Granlund Salavat Yulaev Ufa 50 23 30 53 +22 26
    Finland Sakari Manninen Salavat Yulaev Ufa 55 19 33 52 +18 10
    United States Shane Prince Dinamo Minsk 52 25 24 49 +14 45

    Leading goaltenders

    The following goaltenders led the league in goals against average, at the conclusion of the regular season.[11]

    Player Team GP TOI W L GA SO SV% GAA
    Sweden Lars Johansson CSKA Moscow 24 1394:56 19 3 37 4 93.24% 1.59
    Russia Alexander Yeryomenko Dynamo Moscow 26 1371:21 16 6 40 4 93.58% 1.75
    Sweden Adam Reideborn Ak Bars Kazan 29 1712:59 16 9 52 3 93.11% 1.82
    Sweden Magnus Hellberg SKA Saint Petersburg 21 1171:57 14 4 37 2 93.05% 1.89
    Finland Juho Olkinuora Metallurg Magnitogorsk 30 1702:18 17 7 54 2 93.49% 1.90
    Canada Edward Pasquale Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 41 2393:26 25 11 76 5 92.46% 1.91
    Russia Igor Bobkov Avangard Omsk 30 1669:18 18 7 56 1 92.79% 2.01
    Russia Alexander Samonov SKA Saint Petersburg 22 1160:07 10 8 39 2 92.46% 2.02
    Russia Alexander Sharychenkov CSKA Moscow 36 2020:42 18 10 70 2 91.53% 2.08
    Russia Ivan Fedotov Traktor Chelyabinsk 26 1496:07 14 7 55 1 92.52% 2.21

    Awards

    Players of the Month

    The following players were recognised as the best KHL players of each month.

    Month Goaltender Defence Forward Rookie
    September[12] Russia Emil Garipov (Avangard Omsk) Canada Chay Genoway (Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg) Russia Alexei Makeyev (Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg) Russia Yegor Chinakhov (Avangard Omsk)
    October[13] Canada Edward Pasquale (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl) Russia Daniil Miromanov (HC Sochi) Canada Justin Danforth (Vityaz Podolsk) Russia Yegor Chinakhov (Avangard Omsk)
    November[14] Czech Republic Dominik Furch (Dinamo Minsk) Russia Alexei Emelin (Avangard Omsk) Czech Republic Dmitrij Jaškin (Dynamo Moscow) Russia Ivan Chekhovich (Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod)
    December[15] Russia Alexander Yeryomenko (Dynamo Moscow) Belarus Stepan Falkovsky (Dinamo Minsk) France Stéphane Da Costa (Ak Bars Kazan) Russia Ivan Chekhovich (Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod)
    January[16] Canada Edward Pasquale (Lokomotiv Yaroslavl) Sweden Philip Holm (Metallurg Magnitogorsk) United States Shane Prince (Dinamo Minsk) Russia Alexander Alexeyev (Salavat Yulaev Ufa)
    February[17] Sweden Lars Johansson (CSKA Moscow) Belarus Nick Bailen (Traktor Chelyabinsk) Czech Republic Dmitrij Jaškin (Dynamo Moscow) Russia Klim Kostin (Avangard Omsk)

    References

    1. 1 2 3 Potts, Andy (7 August 2020). "The KHL schedule for 2020-2021 – we start on Sep. 2!". KHL.ru. Kontinental Hockey League. Retrieved 10 August 2020.
    2. ↑ Potts, Andy (28 April 2021). "Avangard wins Gagarin Cup, Tolchinsky sinks former colleagues. April 28". KHL.ru. Kontinental Hockey League. Retrieved 28 April 2021.
    3. ↑ Ellis, Steven (1 April 2020). "Admiral Vladivostok announces withdrawal from KHL's 2020-21 season due to coronavirus". TheHockeyNews. Retrieved 19 June 2020.
    4. ↑ "Pre-season plans". Kontinental Hockey League. 29 June 2020. Retrieved 29 June 2020.
    5. ↑ Potts, Andy (22 July 2020). "Kovalev to coach Kunlun Red Star". IIHF. Retrieved 13 August 2020.
    6. ↑ ""Ак Барс – «Спартак" – 2:3 ОТ" [Ak Bars - Spartak - 2:3 OT]. Ak Bars Kazan (in Russian). OOO SKP Tatneft - Ak Bars. 20 February 2021. Retrieved 23 February 2021. «Ак Барс» по итогам 57 игр регулярки имеет 87 очков и досрочно обеспечил себе первое место в Восточной конференции. [Ak Bars has 87 points in 57 regular season games and secured first place in the Eastern Conference ahead of schedule.]
    7. ↑ Potts, Andy (18 February 2021). "Jokerit books playoff spot, Spartak back in top 8. February 18 round-up". KHL.ru. Kontinental Hockey League. Retrieved 23 February 2021. CSKA clinched top place in the Conference due to SKA's loss at home to Dynamo Moscow [...]
    8. ↑ Potts, Andy (27 February 2021). "CSKA tops the table. February 27 round-up". KHL.ru. Kontinental Hockey League. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
    9. ↑ Potts, Andy (7 August 2020). "The KHL schedule for 2020-2021 – we start on Sep. 2! : News : Kontinental Hockey League (KHL)". KHL.ru. Kontinental Hockey League. Retrieved 23 February 2021. The playoffs are due to start on March 2, 2021, with a potential Gagarin Cup Final game seven pencilled in for April 30, if required.
    10. ↑ "Leaders: Points (G+A)". KHL.ru. Kontinental Hockey League. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
    11. ↑ "Leaders: Goaltenders (GAA)". KHL.ru. Kontinental Hockey League. Retrieved 27 February 2021.
    12. ↑ Seren Rosso, Alessandro (1 October 2020). "Players of the Month: Garipov, Genoway, Makeyev, and Chinakhov". KHL.ru. Kontinental Hockey League. Retrieved 1 October 2020.
    13. ↑ Seren Rosso, Alessandro (31 October 2020). "Players of the Month: Pasquale, Miromanov, Danforth, and Chinakhov". KHL.ru. Kontinental Hockey League. Retrieved 31 October 2020.
    14. ↑ Seren Rosso, Alessandro (1 December 2020). "Players of the Month: Furch, Emelin, Jaskin, and Chekhovich". KHL.ru. Kontinental Hockey League. Retrieved 1 December 2020.
    15. ↑ Seren Rosso, Alessandro (2 January 2021). "Players of the Month: Yeryomenko, Falkovsky, Da Costa, and Chekhovich". KHL.ru. Kontinental Hockey League. Retrieved 3 January 2021.
    16. ↑ Seren Rosso, Alessandro (2 February 2021). "Players of the Month: Pasquale, Holm, Prince, and Alexeyev". KHL.ru. Kontinental Hockey League. Retrieved 2 February 2021.
    17. ↑ Seren Rosso, Alessandro (1 March 2021). "Players of the Month: Johansson, Bailen, Jaskin, and Kostin". KHL.ru. Kontinental Hockey League. Retrieved 1 March 2021.
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