# Gagarin Cup

The Gagarin Cup (Russian: Кубок Гагарина, Kubok Gagarina) is the trophy presented to the winner of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) playoffs, and is named after Soviet cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space. The Cup was supposedly named after Gagarin because the last possible game of the inaugural KHL season took place on April 12, the anniversary date of Gagarin's flight.
After the end of the KHL's regular season, sixteen teams participate in the playoffs. The round of 16 and quarter-finals were a best-of-five series during the first season, and the semi-finals and finals were a best-of-seven series during the first season. Conferences were established for the second season. Conference quarter-finals are a best-of-five series while the conference semi-finals, conference finals and Gagarin Cup finals are a best-of-seven series. The winner of the final best-of-seven series receives the Gagarin Cup. It has been reported that the Cup weighs 18 kg (40 lbs), making it heavier than the NHL's Stanley Cup.

## Naming history

According to league president Alexander Medvedev, the Cup was named after Yuri Gagarin because Russian citizens associate his name with the achievement of great accomplishments, and the man himself has been described as a symbol of the nation.

## Series results

Key to colors :
| | Win for eventual play-off winner |
| | Loss for eventual play-off winner |
| W | Western Conference champion |
| E | Eastern Conference champion |
| N/A | N/A, KHL conferences established during the second season of competition |
| Season | Teams | Teams | Game scores | Game scores | Game scores | Game scores | Game scores | Game scores | Game scores | Series score | Series-winning goal scorer |
| Season | Teams | Teams | 1 | 2 | 3 | 4 | 5 | 6 | 7 | Series score | Series-winning goal scorer |
| 2008–09 | N/A | Ak Bars Kazan | 0–3 | 4–3 OT | | | 2–3 | | 1–0 | 4 | Alexei Morozov (50:04) |
| 2008–09 | N/A | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl | | | 3–0 | 2–5 | | 2–3 OT | | 3 | Alexei Morozov (50:04) |
| 2009–10 | E | Ak Bars Kazan | | | 2–3 | 1–2 | | 7–1 | | 4 | Nikita Alexeev (21:18) |
| 2009–10 | W | HC MVD | 2–3 | 1–4 | | | 3–2 | | 0–2 | 3 | Nikita Alexeev (21:18) |
| 2010–11 | E | Salavat Yulaev Ufa | 2–1 OT | 3–1 | | | 3–2 | | | 4 | Alexander Svitov (55:48) |
| 2010–11 | W | Atlant Moscow Oblast | | | 2–3 | 4–0 | | | | 1 | Alexander Svitov (55:48) |
| 2011–12 | E | Avangard Omsk | 2–1 | 1–2 | | | 2–3 | | 0–1 | 3 | Jakub Klepiš (52:03) |
| 2011–12 | W | Dynamo Moscow | | | 0–1 | 1–2 OT | | 5–2 | | 4 | Jakub Klepiš (52:03) |
| 2012–13 | E | Traktor Chelyabinsk | | | 3–1 | 0–1 | | 2–3 OT | | 2 | Alexei Tsvetkov (65:57) |
| 2012–13 | W | Dynamo Moscow | 2–1 | 3–2 | | | 3–4 | | | 4 | Alexei Tsvetkov (65:57) |
| 2013–14 | E | Metallurg Magnitogorsk | 0–3 | 4–1 | | | 2–1 OT | | 7–4 | 4 | Sergei Mozyakin (43:10) |
| 2013–14 | W | Lev Prague | | | 3–2 | 3–5 | | 5–4 OT | | 3 | Sergei Mozyakin (43:10) |
| 2014–15 | E | Ak Bars Kazan | 2–4 | 0–1 | | | 1–6 | | | 1 | Roman Červenka (58:57) |
| 2014–15 | W | SKA Saint Petersburg | | | 1–2 | 3–2 | | | | 4 | Roman Červenka (58:57) |
| 2015–16 | E | Metallurg Magnitogorsk | | | 2–3 OT | 1–0 | | 2–3 OT | | 4 | Chris Lee (38:57) |
| 2015–16 | W | CSKA Moscow | 5–1 | 1–2 | | | 1–2 OT | | 1–3 | 3 | Chris Lee (38:57) |
| 2016–17 | E | Metallurg Magnitogorsk | 4–5 | 3–1 | | | 3–5 | | | 1 | Ilya Kovalchuk (40:09) |
| 2016–17 | W | SKA Saint Petersburg | | | 2–1 OT | 3–2 | | | | 4 | Ilya Kovalchuk (40:09) |
| 2017–18 | E | Ak Bars Kazan | | | 2–3 OT | 3–1 | | | | 4 | Rob Klinkhammer (41:06) |
| 2017–18 | W | CSKA Moscow | 1–2 | 1–2 | | | 0–1 | | | 1 | Rob Klinkhammer (41:06) |
| 2018–19 | E | Avangard Omsk | | | 0–2 | 2–3 OT | | | | 0 | Maxim Mamin (77:44) |
| 2018–19 | W | CSKA Moscow | 5–2 | 3–0 | | | | | | 4 | Maxim Mamin (77:44) |
| 2019–20 | E | – | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2019–20 | W | – | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic | Cancelled due to the COVID-19 pandemic |
| 2020–21 | W | Avangard Omsk | | | 1–2 | 4–3 OT | | 1–0 | | 4 | Sergey Tolchinsky (19:28) |
| 2020–21 | E | CSKA Moscow | 1–4 | 3–0 | | | 0–2 | | | 2 | Sergey Tolchinsky (19:28) |
| 2021–22 | E | Metallurg Magnitogorsk | 1–3 | 6–4 | | | 2–3 | | 1–4 | 3 | Alexander Popov (09:29) |
| 2021–22 | W | CSKA Moscow | | | 0–4 | 0–1 | | 2–1 | | 4 | Alexander Popov (09:29) |
| 2022–23 | E | Ak Bars Kazan | 4–1 | 0–3 | | | 2–1 | | 2–3 | 3 | Darren Dietz (31:28) |
| 2022–23 | W | CSKA Moscow | | | 3–2 | 2–1 | | 0–3 | | 4 | Darren Dietz (31:28) |
| 2023–24 | E | Metallurg Magnitogorsk | 2–1 | 1–0 | | | | | | 4 | Daniil Vovchenko (51:10) |
| 2023–24 | W | Lokomotiv Yaroslavl | | | 2–1 | 2–1 | | | | 0 | Daniil Vovchenko (51:10) |

## Appearances

In the table, the teams are sorted by the number of appearances in the Gagarin Cup finals, then by the number of wins. Italicized marks now non-existent (not playing in the KHL) teams. In the "Years of appearance" column, bold years indicate winning Gagarin Cup Finals appearances.
| Team | Apps | Wins | Losses | Win % | Years of appearance (in Gagarin Cup Finals) |
| CSKA Moscow | 6 | 3 | 3 | 50,0 | 2016, 2018, 2019, 2021, 2022, 2023 |
| Ak Bars Kazan | 5 | 3 | 2 | 60,0 | 2009, 2010, 2015, 2018, 2023 |
| Metallurg Magnitogorsk | 5 | 3 | 2 | 60,0 | 2014, 2016, 2017, 2022, 2024 |
| Avangard Omsk | 3 | 1 | 2 | .333 | 2012, 2019, 2021 |
| Dynamo Moscow | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | 2012, 2013 |
| SKA Saint Petersburg | 2 | 2 | 0 | 1.000 | 2015, 2017 |
| Lokomotiv Yaroslavl | 2 | 0 | 2 | .000 | 2009, 2024 |
| Salavat Yulaev Ufa | 1 | 1 | 0 | 1.000 | 2011 |
| HC MVD Moscow Oblast | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 2010 |
| Atlant Moscow Oblast | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 2011 |
| Traktor Chelyabinsk | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 2013 |
| Lev Prague | 1 | 0 | 1 | .000 | 2014 |