Hockey Club Ak Bars (russian: Ак Барс, tt-Cyrl, Ак Барс, en, Snow Leopard), also known as Ak Bars Kazan, is a Russian professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
team based in
Kazan
Kazan ( ; rus, Казань, p=kɐˈzanʲ; tt-Cyrl, Казан, ''Qazan'', IPA: ɑzan is the capital and largest city of the Republic of Tatarstan in Russia. The city lies at the confluence of the Volga and the Kazanka rivers, covering a ...
. They are members of the
Kharlamov Division
The KHL's Kharlamov Division was formed in 2008 as part of the league's inauguration. It is one of four divisions and part of the Eastern Conference since the second season of the KHL when the conferences were established. It is named in honor of ...
of the
Kontinental Hockey League
The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL; russian: Континентальная хоккейная лига (КХЛ), Kontinental'naya khokkeynaya liga) is an international professional ice hockey league founded in 2008. It comprises member clubs ba ...
.
History
Founded as Mashstroy Kazan in 1956, the name was later changed to SC Uritskogo Kazan when it entered the
Soviet Class B league in 1958. It was promoted to
Soviet Class A2, where it gained promotion to the top tier of Soviet hockey. Kazan's performance was respectable, starting the season by winning 6 out of 19 games against the best of the Soviet teams before falling away in the second half of the season and was demoted. Twice they won the USSR League (lower tiers), being named Champion of Russia in 1962 and 1976.
SC Uritskogo Kazan's most successful period occurred in the late 1970s and early 1980s. Following the breakup of the Soviet Union, Uritskogo Kazan became
Itil Kazan in 1990 and participated in the IHL. Itil was only mildly successful, narrowly avoiding relegation to the
Vysshaya Liga in 1991 and 1992.
It was following the establishment of the
Russian Superleague
The Russian Superleague (russian: Чемпионат России Суперлига, ''Russian Championship Superleague''), commonly abbreviated as RSL, was the highest division of the main professional ice hockey league in Russia. It was consi ...
(RSL) in 1996 that the golden age of hockey in Tatarstan began. Renamed Ak Bars Kazan after the traditional symbol of the Tatars, the snow leopard. Benefiting from the resources boom in the
Urals
The Ural Mountains ( ; rus, Ура́льские го́ры, r=Uralskiye gory, p=ʊˈralʲskʲɪjə ˈɡorɨ; ba, Урал тауҙары) or simply the Urals, are a mountain range that runs approximately from north to south through European ...
, Ak Bars began its history in fine form, finishing first in their respective divisions in 1997 and 1998 along with winning the RSL in 1998.
In the 2004–05 season, Kazan signed 11
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
players, including Russian superstars
Alexei Kovalev
Alexei Vyacheslavovich Kovalev ( rus, Алексей Вячеславович Ковалёв, , ɐlʲɪkˈsʲej vʲɪtɕɪˈslavəvʲɪtɕ kəvɐˈlʲɵf; born February 24, 1973) is a Russian professional ice hockey coach, executive and former pr ...
and
Ilya Kovalchuk
Ilya Valeryevich Kovalchuk (russian: Илья Валерьевич Ковальчук; born 15 April 1983) is a Russian former professional ice hockey winger. He played for the Atlanta Thrashers, New Jersey Devils, Los Angeles Kings, Montrea ...
and Canadians
Vincent Lecavalier
Vincent "Vinny" Lecavalier (born April 21, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who is currently a special advisor to hockey operations for the Montreal Canadiens. Lecavalier, played seventeen seasons in the National Hockey ...
and
Dany Heatley
Daniel "Dany" James Heatley (born January 21, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. Originally drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers second overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the National ...
, in an attempt to celebrate Kazan's 1000th anniversary with a championship. They did not succeed, however, as a lack of continuity and chemistry saw them finish in fourth place and were upset in the first round of the playoffs by
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Hockey Club Lokomotiv (russian: ХК Локомотив, en, Locomotive HC), also known as Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, is a Russian professional ice hockey team, based in the city of Yaroslavl, playing in the top level Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) ...
. Since then, Ak Bars Kazan dominated the RSL, winning the league in 2006. In 2007, Kazan paced the league with 35 wins and 214 goals in 54 games before falling at the final hurdle to
Metallurg Magnitogorsk
Metallurg Magnitogorsk (russian: Металлург Магнитогорск) is a professional ice hockey team based in Magnitogorsk, Chelyabinsk Oblast, Russia. They are members of the Kharlamov Division of the Kontinental Hockey League. They a ...
.
Ak Bars has been led in recent years by the dominant "ZZM" line of
Sergei Zinovjev
Sergei Olegovich Zinovjev (russian: Серге́й Олегович Зиновьев; born March 4, 1980) is a Russian former professional ice hockey centre and General Manager of his original club, Metallurg Novokuznetsk of the Kontinental Hocke ...
,
Danis Zaripov
Danis Zinnurovich Zaripov (russian: Данис Зиннурович Зарипов, tt-Cyrl, Данис Зиннур улы Зарипов; born 26 March 1981) is a Russian professional ice hockey left winger currently playing for Ak Bars Kazan ...
, and
Aleksey Morozov, who have established themselves as one of the most dominant lines in recent history. Combined with veterans such as Vitaly Proshkin and
Vladimir Vorobiev, and imports, such as
Ray Giroux,
Petr Čajánek
Petr Čajánek (; born August 18, 1975) is a Czech former professional ice hockey forward. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the St. Louis Blues from 2002 to 2007. The rest of his career, which lasted from 1993 to 201 ...
, and
Jukka Hentunen
Jukka Mika Petteri Hentunen (born May 3, 1974) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey forward, who last played with KalPa of the SM-liiga in the 2012–13 season.
Playing career
Hentunen played with HPK of the SM-liiga when he was drafted ...
, Kazan has remained one of the top teams in the league. However, they have been at times criticized for lacking consistency and relying too heavily on star players such as Morozov.
Ak Bars Kazan are strong rivals with
Lokomotiv Yaroslavl
Hockey Club Lokomotiv (russian: ХК Локомотив, en, Locomotive HC), also known as Lokomotiv Yaroslavl, is a Russian professional ice hockey team, based in the city of Yaroslavl, playing in the top level Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) ...
and the neighboring team of
Salavat Yulaev Ufa
Hockey Club Salavat Yulaev (russian: Хоккейный клуб «Салават Юлаев», Hokkejnyj klub «Salavat Julajev»; ba, «Салауат Юлаев» хоккей клубы, «Salawat Yulayev» xokkey klubı), commonly referred ...
. However, Ak Bars was the strongest rival with
Dynamo Moscow
MGO VFSO "Dynamo" (russian: МГО ВФСО «Динамо»), commonly known as Dynamo Moscow (russian: Динамо Москва) is a Russian sports club based in Moscow. Founded by Felix Dzerzhinsky on 18 April 1923, Dynamo Moscow was the first ...
in the 1990s.
Honors
Champions
Russian Championship ''(5)'':
1997–98,
2005–06,
2008-09,
2009–10,
2017–18
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 ...
''(3)'':
2008-09,
2009–10,
2017–18
Opening Cup
The Opening Cup (russian: Кубок Открытия, Kubok Otkrytiya), is the trophy awarded to the winner of the first game of every regular season of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). This match is played between the previous season's playo ...
''(2)'':
2009–10,
2020–21
The dash is a punctuation mark consisting of a long horizontal line. It is similar in appearance to the hyphen but is longer and sometimes higher from the baseline. The most common versions are the endash , generally longer than the hyphen b ...
Russian Superleague
The Russian Superleague (russian: Чемпионат России Суперлига, ''Russian Championship Superleague''), commonly abbreviated as RSL, was the highest division of the main professional ice hockey league in Russia. It was consi ...
''(2)'':
1997–98,
2005–06
IIHF European Champions Cup
The IIHF European Champions Cup (ECC) was an annual event organized by the International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF), which took place during a long weekend in early January. The winner was considered the official club champion of Europe by t ...
''(1)'':
2007
IIHF Continental Cup
The Continental Cup is a second-level ice hockey tournament for European clubs (behind Champions Hockey League), begun in 1997 after the discontinuing of the European Cup. It was intended for teams from countries without representatives in the E ...
''(1)'':
2007–08
Soviet Class A2 ''(3)'': 1962, 1985, 1989
(West)
Soviet Class B ''(1)'': 1976
Runners-up
Russian Championship ''(5)'':
1999-00,
2001-02,
2006-07,
2014-15,
2019-20
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 ...
''(1)'':
2014-15
Russian Superleague
The Russian Superleague (russian: Чемпионат России Суперлига, ''Russian Championship Superleague''), commonly abbreviated as RSL, was the highest division of the main professional ice hockey league in Russia. It was consi ...
''(3)'':
1999-00,
2001-02,
2006-07
Russian Championship ''(1)'':
2016-17
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 ...
''(1)'':
2016-17
Russian Superleague
The Russian Superleague (russian: Чемпионат России Суперлига, ''Russian Championship Superleague''), commonly abbreviated as RSL, was the highest division of the main professional ice hockey league in Russia. It was consi ...
''(1)'':
2003-04
IIHF Continental Cup
The Continental Cup is a second-level ice hockey tournament for European clubs (behind Champions Hockey League), begun in 1997 after the discontinuing of the European Cup. It was intended for teams from countries without representatives in the E ...
''(1)'':
1999-00
Season-by-season KHL record
''Note: GP = Games played; W = Wins; L = Losses; OTL = Overtime/shootout losses; Pts = Points; GF = Goals for; GA = Goals against; P = Playoff ''
Players
Current roster
Franchise KHL scoring leaders
These are the top-ten point-scorers in franchise history. Figures are updated after each completed KHL regular season.
''Note: Pos = Position; GP = Games played; G = Goals; A = Assists; Pts = Points; P/G = Points per game''; '' = current Ak Bars player''
NHL alumni
*
Denis Arkhipov (1995–2000)
*
Dmitri Bykov (1999–2002)
*
Pavel Datsyuk
Pavel Valerievich Datsyuk (, ; born 20 July 1978) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player. Datsyuk was nicknamed the "Magic Man" honoring his incredible stickhandling and creativity with the puck. From 2001 to 2016, he played for the ...
(2000–2001)
*
Fedor Tyutin
Fedor Anatolievich Tyutin (russian: Фёдор Анатольевич Тютин, ''Fjodor Tjutin''; born 19 July 1983) is a Russian former professional ice hockey defenceman. Tyutin was drafted in the second round, 40th overall by the New York R ...
(2003–2004)
*
Aleksey Morozov (2005–2013)
*
Alexander Burmistrov (2008–2009, 2013–2015, 2017–2018, 2020–)
Head coaches
*
Anatoly Muravyov (1956–1965, 1966–1968)
*
Ismail Milushev (1965–66, 1968–1971)
*
Evgeny Yegorov (1971–1975)
*
Vladimir Andreyev (1975–1978)
*
Vladimir Vasiliev (1978–1982)
*
Oleg Golyamin
Oleg (russian: Олег), Oleh ( uk, Олег), or Aleh ( be, Алег) is an Slavic peoples, East Slavic given name. The name is very common in Russia, Ukraine and Belаrus. It derives from the Old Norse ''Helgi'' (Helge (name), Helge), meaning ...
(1982–1984)
*
Gennady Tsygurov (1984–1987)
*
Vitaly Stain Vitali, Vitalii, Vitaly, Vitaliy and may refer to:
People Given name
* Vitaly Borker (born 1975 or 1976), Ukrainian American Internet fraudster and cyberbully
* Vitaly Churkin (1952–2017), Russian politician
* Vitaly Ginzburg (1916–2009), Russ ...
(1987–88)
*
Vsevolod Yelfimov (1988–1991, 1994–95)
*
Yuri Ochnev (1991–92)
*
Vladimir Gusev (1992)
*
Viktor Kuznetsov (1992–94)
*
Yuri Moiseev Yuri Moiseyev may refer to:
*Yuri Moiseyev (ice hockey)
Yuri Ivanovich Moiseev (July 15, 1940 in Penza, Soviet Union – September 25, 2005) was an ice hockey player who played in the Soviet Hockey League. He played for HC CSKA Moscow.
He w ...
(1995–1999, 2001–02)
*
Vladimir Krikunov
Vladimir Vasilievich Krikunov (russian: Владимир Васильевич Крикунов, born March 24, 1950) is retired Soviet and Russian ice hockey player and former head coach of team Russia. He is currently a coach of the KHL club Din ...
(1999–01)
*
Vladimir Plyushev
Vladimir Anatolievich Plyuschev (russian: Владимир Анатольевич Плющев; born February 8, 1955) is a Russian professional coach (ice hockey), ice hockey coach. He is currently a head coach of the Kazzinc-Torpedo of the Sup ...
(
2002–03)
*
Vladimír Vůjtek
Vladimír Vůjtek (born 17 February 1972) is a Czech former professional ice hockey right wing. He was drafted by the Montreal Canadiens in the fourth round, 73rd overall, of the 1991 NHL Entry Draft.
Career
Vůjtek played two seasons for HC ...
(
2003–04)
*
Zinetula Bilyaletdinov
Zinetula Khaidarovich "Bill" Bilyaletdinov (russian: Зинэтула Хайдарович Билялетдинов, tt-Cyrl, Зиннәтулла Хәйдәр улы Билалетдинев; born 13 March 1955) is a former Russian ice hockey ...
(
2004–
2011
File:2011 Events Collage.png, From top left, clockwise: a protester partaking in Occupy Wall Street heralds the beginning of the Occupy movement; protests against Libyan dictator Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed that October; a young man celebrate ...
)
*
Vladimir Krikunov
Vladimir Vasilievich Krikunov (russian: Владимир Васильевич Крикунов, born March 24, 1950) is retired Soviet and Russian ice hockey player and former head coach of team Russia. He is currently a coach of the KHL club Din ...
(
2011–2012)
*
Valery Belov (
2012
File:2012 Events Collage V3.png, From left, clockwise: The passenger cruise ship Costa Concordia lies capsized after the Costa Concordia disaster; Damage to Casino Pier in Seaside Heights, New Jersey as a result of Hurricane Sandy; People gather ...
–2014)
*
Zinetula Bilyaletdinov
Zinetula Khaidarovich "Bill" Bilyaletdinov (russian: Зинэтула Хайдарович Билялетдинов, tt-Cyrl, Зиннәтулла Хәйдәр улы Билалетдинев; born 13 March 1955) is a former Russian ice hockey ...
(2014–2019)
*
Dmitri Kvartalnov
Dmitri Vyacheslavovich Kvartalnov (Дмитрий Вячеславович Квартальнов; born March 25, 1966 in Voskresensk, Soviet Union) is a retired professional ice hockey player who played 112 games in the National Hockey League, all ...
(2019–2022)
*
Oleg Znarok
Oleg Valerievich Znarok (russian: Олег Валерьевич Знарок, lv, Oļegs Znaroks; born 2 January 1963) is a Soviet-Latvian professional ice hockey player. In 2022, he was the head coach of Ak Bars Kazan in the Kontinental Hockey L ...
(2022)
*
Yuri Babenko (2022)
Notable alumni
*
Vincent Lecavalier
Vincent "Vinny" Lecavalier (born April 21, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey player who is currently a special advisor to hockey operations for the Montreal Canadiens. Lecavalier, played seventeen seasons in the National Hockey ...
*
Dany Heatley
Daniel "Dany" James Heatley (born January 21, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey winger. Originally drafted by the Atlanta Thrashers second overall in the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, he won the Calder Memorial Trophy as the National ...
*
Brad Richards
Bradley Glen Richards (born May 2, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey centre. Richards was drafted in the third round, 64th overall, by the Tampa Bay Lightning in the 1998 NHL Entry Draft and played for the Lightning, New York Ra ...
*
Robert Esche
Robert L. Esche (born January 22, 1978) is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender who is the current president of the Utica Comets of the American Hockey League (AHL) and the Utica City FC of the Major Arena Soccer League (MASL). ...
*
Ilya Kovalchuk
Ilya Valeryevich Kovalchuk (russian: Илья Валерьевич Ковальчук; born 15 April 1983) is a Russian former professional ice hockey winger. He played for the Atlanta Thrashers, New Jersey Devils, Los Angeles Kings, Montrea ...
*
Alexei Kovalev
Alexei Vyacheslavovich Kovalev ( rus, Алексей Вячеславович Ковалёв, , ɐlʲɪkˈsʲej vʲɪtɕɪˈslavəvʲɪtɕ kəvɐˈlʲɵf; born February 24, 1973) is a Russian professional ice hockey coach, executive and former pr ...
*
Vyacheslav Kozlov
Vyacheslav Anatolevich "Slava" Kozlov (russian: Вячеслав Анатольевич Козлов; born May 3, 1972) is a Russian former professional ice hockey left winger.
Kozlov was a member of the Stanley Cup winning Detroit Red Wings t ...
*
Darius Kasparaitis
Darius Kasparaitis (russian: Дарюс Владович Каспарайтис, ''Daryus Vladovich Kasparaitis''; born October 16, 1972) is a Lithuanian-American former professional ice hockey defenceman. He mainly played in the National Hockey ...
*
Nikolai Khabibulin
Nikolai Alexandrovich Khabibulin (; rus, Николай Александрович Хабибулин, p=xəbʲɪˈbulʲɪn, born January 13, 1973) is a Russian former professional ice hockey goaltender. Known by the nickname "The Bulin Wall", h ...
*
Aleksey Morozov
*
Pavel Datsyuk
Pavel Valerievich Datsyuk (, ; born 20 July 1978) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player. Datsyuk was nicknamed the "Magic Man" honoring his incredible stickhandling and creativity with the puck. From 2001 to 2016, he played for the ...
*
Niko Kapanen
Niko Klaus Petteri Kapanen (born 29 April 1978) is a Finnish former professional ice hockey centre, who last played for HPK of the Finnish Liiga.
Playing career
Kapanen was drafted by the Dallas Stars in the 6th round as the 173rd overall pick i ...
*
Nik Antropov
Nikolai Alexandrovich Antropov (russian: Николай Александрович Антропов; born February 18, 1980) is a Kazakhstani-Canadian former professional ice hockey centre who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the ...
*
Ruslan Salei
Ruslan Albertovich Salei ( Belarusian: Руслан Альбертавіч Салей; Russian: Руслан Альбертович Салей; November 2, 1974 – September 7, 2011) was a Belarusian professional ice hockey player. Salei pla ...
*
Michael Nylander
*
Jiří Hudler
Jiří Hudler (; ; born 4 January 1984) is a Czech former professional ice hockey forward. He played with the Detroit Red Wings, Calgary Flames, Florida Panthers and the Dallas Stars of the National Hockey League (NHL). After beginning his car ...
*
Marcel Hossa
Marcel Hossa (; born 12 October 1981) is a Slovak former professional ice hockey left winger. Hossa previously played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Montreal Canadiens, New York Rangers and Phoenix Coyotes, having been drafted by ...
References
External links
*
{{Kontinental Hockey League
Ice hockey teams in Russia
Kontinental Hockey League teams
Sport in Kazan
1956 establishments in Russia