In the 2004–05 season, Kazan signed 11 National Hockey League players, including Russian superstars Alexei Kovalev and Ilya Kovalchuk and Canadians Vincent Lecavalier and Dany Heatley, in an attempt to celebrate Kazan's 1000th anniversary with a championship.
Na tempada 2004-05, o Kazan fichou a 11 xogadores da NHL, incluíndo ás estrelas rusas Alexei Kovalev e Ilya Kovalchuk e canadenses Vincent Lecavalier e Dany Heatley, nun intento de celebrar o centenario do Kazan cun campionato.