Kontinental Hockey League team changes

From the league's inception in 2008 there have always been team changes in the Kontinental Hockey League between seasons, as some new teams have joined the league or others have left it. There is no promotion/relegation system with the VHL in place like there was with the Superleague and Vysshaya Liga. The number of teams in the league stayed at 24 throughout the first two seasons. In the third season the number of teams was reduced to 23 because Budivelnyk, a team that planned to join the league, dropped out before the start of the season.[1] Initially, Lev Poprad replaced Budivelnyk to retain the number of teams at 24.[2] However, Lev was excluded by the KHL before the start of that season,[3] but would be accepted into the league for 2011–12. The league plans to expand this number for future seasons.

The inaugural season of KHL included all 20 teams of the 2007–08 Russian Superleague. Non–Russian teams Barys Astana, Dinamo Riga and Dinamo Minsk also joined the newly formed league. Likewise, the recreated team of Khimik Voskresensk, the champion of the 2007–08 season of the Major League, joined. Thus the initial number of teams was 24.

Team changes by season

Season Teams left the league Fate of the team   Teams joined the league Where from Number of teams in the league
2008–09 inaugural season of competition 24
2009–10 Russia Khimik Joined VHL   Russia Avtomobilist VHL 24
2010–11 Russia Lada Joined VHL Russia UHC Dynamo Newly created team by merger of Dynamo and MVD 23
Russia Dynamo M Merged with MVD to form UHC Dynamo Russia Yugra VHL
Russia MVD Merged with Dynamo to form UHC Dynamo  
2011–12 Russia Lokomotiv Scratched from season due to plane crash Slovakia Lev Poprad Newly created team 23
2012–13 Slovakia Lev Poprad Disbanded Slovakia Slovan Slovak Extraliga 26
  Ukraine Donbass VHL
Russia Lokomotiv Returned to KHL after plane tragedy
Czech Republic Lev Praha Newly created team
2013–14   Russia Admiral Newly created team 28
Croatia Medveščak Austrian EBEL
2014–15 Ukraine Donbass Intend to rejoin KHL for the 2015–16 season Russia Lada Togliatti Returned to the league 28
Czech Republic Lev Praha Finland Jokerit Liiga
Russia Spartak Moscow Russia HC Sochi Newly created team

Division lineup changes

Season Divisions
Bobrov Tarasov Kharlamov Chernyshev
Joined division Left division Joined division Left division Joined division Left division Joined division Left division
2008–09
(initial composition)
Russia Atlant
Belarus Dinamo Mn
Russia Metallurg Nk
Russia Salavat Yulaev
Russia Severstal
Russia Spartak
Russia CSKA
Russia Khimik
Russia Metallurg Mg
Russia HC MVD
Russia SKA
Russia Traktor
Russia Amur
Russia Avangard
Latvia Dinamo R
Russia Lada
Russia Lokomotiv
Russia Sibir
Russia Ak Bars
Kazakhstan Barys
Russia Dynamo M
Russia Neftekhimik
Russia Torpedo
Russia Vityaz
2009–10
(geographical realignment)
Russia CSKA
Russia Dynamo M
Latvia Dinamo R
Russia SKA
Russia Atlant
Russia Metallurg Nk
Russia Salavat Yulaev
Russia Severstal
Russia Atlant
Russia Lokomotiv
Russia Severstal
Russia Torpedo
Russia Vityaz
Russia CSKA
Russia Khimik
Russia Metallurg Mg
Russia SKA
Russia Traktor
Russia Ak Bars
Russia Avtomobilist
Russia Metallurg Mg
Russia Neftekhimik
Russia Traktor
Russia Amur
Russia Avangard
Latvia Dinamo R
Russia Lokomotiv
Russia Sibir
Russia Amur
Russia Avangard
Russia Metallurg Nk
Russia Salavat Yulaev
Russia Sibir
Russia Ak Bars
Russia Dynamo M
Russia Neftekhimik
Russia Torpedo
Russia Vityaz
2010–11 Russia UHC Dynamo Russia Dynamo M
Belarus Dinamo Mn
Belarus Dinamo Mn Russia HC MVD Russia Yugra Russia Lada
2011–12 Slovakia Lev Poprad Russia Lokomotiv
2012–13 Ukraine Donbass
Czech Republic Lev Praha
Slovakia Slovan
Russia Vityaz
Russia CSKA
Slovakia Lev Poprad
Russia Spartak
Russia CSKA
Russia Lokomotiv
Russia Spartak
Russia Vityaz
2013–14 Russia CSKA
Belarus Dinamo Mn
Croatia Medveščak
Ukraine Donbass
Russia Dynamo M
Russia Vityaz
Ukraine Donbass
Russia Dynamo M
Russia Vityaz
Russia CSKA
Belarus Dinamo Mn
Russia Torpedo
Russia Torpedo Russia Admiral
2014–15[4] Russia Atlant
Finland Jokerit
Russia CSKA
Czech Republic Lev Praha
Russia CSKA
Russia HC Sochi
Russia Torpedo
Russia Atlant
Russia Spartak Moscow
Ukraine Donbass
Russia Lada Russia Torpedo

References

  1. "Budivelnik will not play in KHL". Kontinental Hockey League. 26 June 2010. Retrieved 26 June 2010.
  2. "HC Lev to join KHL". Kontinental Hockey League. 19 July 2010. Retrieved 19 July 2010.
  3. "Лев" не сыграет в ближайшем сезоне (in Russian). Kontinental Hockey League. 28 July 2010. Retrieved 29 July 2010.
  4. "Regular Season Format Unveiled". 2014-07-09. Retrieved 2014-07-11.