2010-11 KHL season

The 2010–11 KHL season is the third season of the Kontinental Hockey League. It was held from 8 September 2010 and ended on 16 April 2011.
The season started with the Opening Cup game between the last season's finalists, Ak Bars Kazan and the new team that was created by merging last season's Western conference winner HC MVD with Dynamo Moscow.
Salavat Yulaev Ufa won the Gagarin Cup and the Russian Championship after beating Atlant Moscow Oblast 4–1 in the play-off final series.
==League changes==
===Team changes===
Folding of Lada Togliatti
Lada Togliatti dropped out of the league and joined the Russian Major League instead, after failing to meet the league's financial requirements.
Merger of HC MVD and Dynamo Moscow
On 30 April 2010, it was announced that HC MVD would merge with Dynamo Moscow to form UHC Dynamo, which for the time being will play the majority of their games at Megasport Arena in Moscow, while also attempting to play some games in Balashikha. The current plan is to have a new, large and modernized arena constructed in Balashikha by 2012.
Expansion teams
By the deadline of 1 April 2010, six new teams from four different countries applied for KHL membership for this season: HC Yugra, Krylya Sovetov Moscow and Gazovik Tyumen from Russia; HC Budivelnyk from Kiev, Ukraine; HC Lev from Hradec Králové, Czech Republic; and Vėtra Vilnius from Lithuania. Of these teams, Budivelnyk and Yugra were initially accepted into the KHL, but on 24 June 2010 Budivelnyk announced it is unable to participate in the KHL in the 2010–11 season because their stadium is not ready. On 16 July 2010, HC Lev, which in the meantime has been moved to Poprad in Slovakia, was accepted into the KHL, but after the Slovak Hockey Federation's delay to give permit to the team, the KHL excluded Lev from the 2010–11 season.
===Other changes===
Play-off format
Unlike in the previous seasons, all play-off series will be played in a best-of-seven format.
Vuvuzelas ban
The KHL administration has explicitly banned the sale and use of vuvuzelas, infamous since the 2010 FIFA World Cup, in ice hockey arenas.
==Regular season==
The regular season started on 8 September 2010 with the Opening Cup and ended on 20 February 2011. There were short breaks in November, December and February for international matches and for the all-star game. Each team played 54 games during the regular season.
===Notable events===
Opening Cup
The first game of the season is traditionally the "Opening Cup" and is played between the two Gagarin Cup finalists from the previous season. Because previous season's runner-up HC MVD merged with Dynamo Moscow, the Opening Cup was played between defending champion Ak Bars Kazan and the newly formed UHC Dynamo. The game took place on 8 September 2010 at the TatNeft Arena in Kazan where UHC Dynamo beat Ak Bars Kazan 3-1.
KHL versus NHL exhibition games
The Carolina Hurricanes played SKA Saint Petersburg at the Ice Palace Saint Petersburg in Saint Petersburg, Russia on October 4 (SKA won 5–3), and the Phoenix Coyotes played Dinamo Riga at Arena Riga in Riga, Latvia on October 6 (Riga lost 1–3).
Game in Switzerland
On 23 December 2010, before the Spengler Cup started, the two participants from the KHL, SKA Saint Petersburg and Spartak Moscow, played an official regular-season game in the Vaillant Arena in Davos, Switzerland. It was the first KHL game played in central Europe.
All-Star Game
The All-Star weekend took place on 5 and 6 February 2011 in Saint Petersburg.
===League standings===
Source: KHL.ru
Points were awarded as follows:
*3 Points for a win in regulation ("W")
*2 Points for a win in overtime ("OTW") or penalty shootout ("SOW")
*1 Point for a loss in a penalty shootout ("SOL") or overtime ("OTL")
*0 Points for a loss in regulation ("L")
    	Division winner
    	Qualified for playoffs
===Conference standings===
The conference standings determined the seedings for the play-offs. The first two places in each conference were reserved for the division winners.
Western Conference 	GP	W 	OTW	SOW	SOL	OTL	L 	GF 	GA 	Pts
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 	54	33	1 	1 	4 	1 	14	203	143	108
UHC Dynamo Moscow 	54	28	1 	1 	4 	4 	16	149	131	96
SKA Saint Petersburg 	54	23	3 	6 	5 	4 	13	171	144	96
Atlant Moscow Oblast 	54	21	4 	7 	4 	2 	16	138	115	91
Severstal Cherepovets 	54	25	2 	3 	0 	4 	20	145	142	89
HC Spartak Moscow 	54	24	1 	1 	3 	3 	22	129	142	82
Dinamo Riga 	54	20	2 	5 	5 	2 	20	160	149	81
Dinamo Minsk 	54	17	3 	5 	5 	2 	22	150	155	74
Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod	54	18	5 	3 	1 	2 	25	144	151	73
CSKA Moscow 	54	13	0 	7 	4 	2 	28	136	169	59
Vityaz Chekhov 	54	13	1 	3 	3 	2 	32	119	178	52
Source: khl.ru
Eastern Conference 	GP	W 	OTW	SOW	SOL	OTL	L 	GF 	GA 	Pts
Avangard Omsk 	54	31	9 	2 	2 	1 	9 	176	120	118
Ak Bars Kazan 	54	29	2 	3 	5 	3 	12	181	133	105
Salavat Yulaev Ufa 	54	29	5 	4 	4 	0 	12	210	144	109
Metallurg Magnitogorsk 	54	27	1 	5 	3 	4 	14	167	141	100
Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk 	54	22	0 	6 	6 	3 	17	145	151	87
Sibir Novosibirsk 	54	22	2 	4 	1 	4 	21	133	131	83
Barys Astana 	54	20	2 	2 	6 	3 	21	155	152	77
Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk 	54	22	1 	2 	1 	2 	26	159	162	75
Traktor Chelyabinsk 	54	14	6 	2 	5 	1 	26	142	166	64
Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg	54	10	6 	4 	2 	1 	31	134	184	53
Amur Khabarovsk 	54	13	1 	1 	3 	4 	32	112	173	50
Metallurg Novokuznetsk 	54	8 	1 	3 	4 	5 	33	105	186	41
Source: khl.ru
===Divisional standings===
Western Conference
Bobrov Division 	GP	W 	OTW	SOW	SOL	OTL	L 	GF 	GA 	Pts
UHC Dynamo Moscow 	54	28	1 	1 	4 	4 	16	149	131	96
SKA Saint Petersburg	54	23	3 	6 	5 	4 	13	171	144	96
HC Spartak Moscow 	54	24	1 	1 	3 	3 	22	129	142	82
Dinamo Riga 	54	20	2 	5 	5 	2 	20	160	149	81
CSKA Moscow 	54	13	0 	7 	4 	2 	28	136	169	59
 
Tarasov Division 	GP	W 	OTW	SOW	SOL	OTL	L 	GF 	GA 	Pts
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 	54	33	1 	1 	4 	1 	14	203	143	108
Atlant Moscow Oblast 	54	21	4 	7 	4 	2 	16	138	115	91
Severstal Cherepovets 	54	25	2 	3 	0 	4 	20	145	142	89
Dynamo Minsk 	54	17	3 	5 	5 	2 	22	150	155	74
Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod	54	18	5 	3 	1 	2 	25	144	151	73
Vityaz Chekhov 	54	13	1 	3 	3 	2 	32	119	178	52
Eastern Conference
Kharlamov Division 	GP	W 	OTW	SOW	SOL	OTL	L 	GF 	GA 	Pts
Ak Bars Kazan 	54	29	2 	3 	5 	3 	12	181	133	105
Metallurg Magnitogorsk 	54	27	1 	5 	3 	4 	14	167	141	100
Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk 	54	22	0 	6 	6 	3 	17	145	151	87
Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk 	54	22	1 	2 	1 	2 	26	159	162	75
Traktor Chelyabinsk 	54	14	6 	2 	5 	1 	26	142	166	64
Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg	54	10	6 	4 	2 	1 	31	134	184	53
Chernyshev Division 	GP	W 	OTW	SOW	SOL	OTL	L 	GF 	GA 	Pts
Avangard Omsk 	54	31	9 	2 	2 	1 	9 	176	120	118
Salavat Yulaev Ufa 	54	29	5 	4 	4 	0 	12	210	144	109
Sibir Novosibirsk 	54	22	2 	4 	1 	4 	21	133	131	83
Barys Astana 	54	20	2 	2 	6 	3 	21	155	152	77
Amur Khabarovsk 	54	13	1 	1 	3 	4 	32	112	173	50
Metallurg Novokuznetsk	54	8 	1 	3 	4 	5 	33	105	186	41
===League leaders===
Source: khl.ru
Goals 	Roman Červenka (Omsk) 	31
Assists 	Alexander Radulov (Ufa) 	60
Points 	Alexander Radulov (Ufa) 	80
Shots 	Kevin Dallman (Astana) 	225
Plus/minus 	Alexei Morozov (Kazan) 	+27
Penalty minutes 	Darcy Verot (Chekhov) 	182
Wins (Goaltenders) 	Karri Rämö (Omsk) 	33
Goals against average	Konstantin Barulin (Mytischi)	1.91
Save percentage 	Vitali Yeremeyev (Astana) 	92.7
Shutouts 	Dominik Hašek (Moscow) 	7
Goaltenders: minimum 15 games played
====Scoring leaders====
Source: khl.ru
 
GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus-minus; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player 	Team 	GP	G 	A 	Pts	+/–	PIM
Alexander Radulov	Salavat Yulaev Ufa 	54	20	60	80 	+27	83
Patrick Thoresen 	Salavat Yulaev Ufa 	54	29	36	65 	+21	30
Roman Červenka 	Avangard Omsk 	51	31	30	61 	+15	56
Sergei Mozyakin 	Atlant Moscow Oblast 	54	27	34	61 	+10	12
Pavol Demitra 	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 	54	18	43	61 	+12	29
Aleksey Morozov 	Ak Bars Kazan 	53	21	35	56 	+27	24
Josef Vašíček 	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 	54	24	31	55 	+16	34
Jaromír Jágr 	Avangard Omsk 	49	19	32	51 	+6 	48
Matt Ellison 	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod	53	21	29	50 	–6 	28
Mattias Weinhandl	SKA Saint Petersburg 	54	21	28	49 	+14	42
==== Leading goaltenders ====
Source: khl.ru
GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; SOL = Shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
Player 	Team 	GP	Min 	W 	L 	SOL	GA	SO	SV% 	GAA
Konstantin Barulin	Atlant Moscow Oblast	28	1504:47	13	9 	4 	48	6 	.925	1.91
Karri Rämö 	Avangard Omsk 	44	2592:49	33	6 	4 	85	5 	.925	1.97
Jakub Štěpánek 	SKA Saint Petersburg	32	1844:06	16	8 	5 	63	3 	.923	2.05
Vitali Koval 	Atlant Moscow Oblast	34	1766:55	12	10	9 	61	2 	.921	2.07
Petri Vehanen 	Ak Bars Kazan 	43	2538:01	25	12	6 	89	2 	.926	2.10
==Playoffs==
The playoffs started on 23 February 2011. The fifth and final game of the final series for the Gagarin Cup was played on 16 April 2011.
===Playoff leaders===
Source: khl.ru
Goals 	Gleb Klimenko (Magnitogorsk) 	10
Assists 	Josef Vašíček (Yaroslavl) Pavol Demitra (Yaroslavl) Patrick Thoresen (Ufa) Alexander Radulov (Ufa)	15
Points 	Josef Vašíček (Yaroslavl) 	22
Shots 	Sergey Mozyakin (Mytishchi) 	77
Plus/minus 	Patrick Thoresen (Ufa) Ilya Gorokhov (Mytishchi) 	+11
Penalty minutes 	Fedor Fedorov (Mytishchi) 	65
Wins (Goaltenders) 	Erik Ersberg (Ufa) 	15
Goals against average	Petri Vehanen (Kazan) 	1.32
Save percentage 	Petri Vehanen (Kazan) 	95.7
Shutouts 	Petri Vehanen (Kazan) Erik Ersberg (Ufa) 	3
Goaltenders: minimum 5 games played
====Scoring leaders====
Source: khl.ru
 
GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; +/– = Plus-minus; PIM = Penalty minutes
Player 	Team 	GP	G	A 	Pts	+/–	PIM
Josef Vašíček 	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 	18	7	15	22 	+6 	16
Sergei Mozyakin 	Atlant Moscow Oblast	23	8	13	21 	–2 	2
Pavol Demitra 	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 	18	6	15	21 	+10	4
Patrick Thoresen 	Salavat Yulaev Ufa 	21	3	15	18 	+11	16
Alexander Radulov	Salavat Yulaev Ufa 	21	3	15	18 	+10	42
==== Leading goaltenders ====
Source: khl.ru
GP = Games played; Min = Minutes played; W = Wins; L = Losses; SOL = Shootout losses; GA = Goals against; SO = Shutouts; SV% = Save percentage; GAA = Goals against average
Player 	Team 	GP	Min 	W 	L 	GA	SO	SV% 	GAA
Petri Vehanen 	Ak Bars Kazan 	9 	543:49 	5 	4 	12	3 	.957	1.32
Erik Ersberg 	Salavat Yulaev Ufa 	20	1118:23	15	3 	36	3 	.933	1.93
Robert Esche 	Dinamo Minsk 	4 	215:38 	2 	2 	7 	0 	.942	1.95
Konstantin Barulin	Atlant Moscow Oblast	22	1286:09	11	10	44	2 	.928	2.05
Jakub Štěpánek 	SKA Saint Petersburg	11	698:22 	7 	4 	25	1 	.920	2.15
== Final standings ==
Rank	Team
1 	Salavat Yulaev Ufa
2 	Atlant Moscow Oblast
3 	Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
4 	Metallurg Magnitogorsk
5 	Avangard Omsk
6 	Ak Bars Kazan
7 	SKA Saint Petersburg
8 	Dinamo Riga
9 	Dynamo Moscow
10 	Severstal Cherepovets
11 	Yugra Khanty-Mansiysk
12 	Sibir Novosibirsk
13 	Spartak Moscow
14 	Barys Astana
15 	Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk
16 	Dinamo Minsk
17 	Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod
18 	Traktor Chelyabinsk
19 	CSKA Moscow
20 	Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg
21 	Vityaz Chekhov
22 	Amur Khabarovsk
23 	Metallurg Novokuznetsk
==Awards==
===Players of the Month===
Best KHL players of each month.
Month 	Goaltender 	Defense 	Forward 	Rookie
September	Bernd Brückler (Torpedo) 	Sandis Ozoliņš (Riga) 	Denis Platonov (Magnitogorsk)	Yaroslav Khabarov (Magnitogorsk)
October 	Mikhail Biryukov (Khanty-Mansiysk)	Maxim Solovyev (Dynamo M) 	Roman Červenka (Omsk) 	Alexander Osipov (Khabarovsk)
November 	Karri Rämö (Omsk) 	Johan Fransson (St. Petersburg)	Sergei Mozyakin (Atlant) 	Dinar Hafizulin (Chekhov)
December 	Petri Vehanen (Kazan) 	Alexander Guskov (Yaroslavl) 	Sergei Mozyakin (Atlant) 	Alexander Pankov (Ufa)
January 	Dominik Hašek (Spartak) 	Kevin Dallman (Astana) 	Pavol Demitra (Yaroslavl) 	Grigory Zheldakov (Spartak)
February 	Petri Vehanen (Kazan) 	Karel Rachůnek (Yaroslavl) 	Alexander Radulov (Ufa) 	Mikhail Stefanovich (Minsk)
March 	Erik Ersberg (Ufa) 	Marat Kalimulin (Yaroslavl) 	Gleb Klimenko (Magnitogorsk) 	Pavel Zdunov (Magnitogorsk)
===KHL Awards===
On 20 May 2011, the KHL held their annual award ceremony. A total of 20 different awards were handed out to teams, players, officials and media. The most important trophies are listed in the table below.
Golden Stick Award (regular season MVP)	Alexander Radulov (Ufa)
Best coach 	Miloš Říha (Atlant)
Alexei Cherepanov Award (best rookie) 	Pavel Zdunov (Magnitogorsk)
The league also awarded six "Golden Helmets" for the members of the all-star team:
Forwards	Alexander RadulovSalavat Yulaev Ufa	Alexander RadulovSalavat Yulaev Ufa	Igor GrigorenkoSalavat Yulaev Ufa	Igor GrigorenkoSalavat Yulaev Ufa	Sergei MozyakinAtlant Moscow Oblast	Sergei MozyakinAtlant Moscow Oblast
Defense 	Sandis OzoliņšDinamo Riga 	Sandis OzoliņšDinamo Riga 	Sandis OzoliņšDinamo Riga 	Kirill KoltsovSalavat Yulaev Ufa 	Kirill KoltsovSalavat Yulaev Ufa 	Kirill KoltsovSalavat Yulaev Ufa
Goalie 	Erik ErsbergSalavat Yulaev Ufa 	Erik ErsbergSalavat Yulaev Ufa 	Erik ErsbergSalavat Yulaev Ufa 	Erik ErsbergSalavat Yulaev Ufa 	Erik ErsbergSalavat Yulaev Ufa 	Erik ErsbergSalavat Yulaev Ufa
==References==
*KHL regular season calendar in English
*KHL playoffs format in English
*KHL Official Rulebook in Russian
Category:Kontinental Hockey League seasons
Category:2010 in hockey
Category:2011 in hockey