More and more China, less and less Russia. Ilya Kovalchuk’s club left the league. More and more China, less and less Russia Ilya Kovalchuk’s club left the VHL team league for the season

Major League Hockey is becoming an increasingly international league. Only it is growing not with Russian clubs, not with Siberia, as many dreamed, but with Chinese ones.

Following the KHL, the “comrades from the Middle Kingdom” have now opened the second strongest Russian division. And in the amount of two clubs at once.

Tower players now have to learn the names of clubs such as Kunlun Red Star Heilongjiang (Harbin) and Tsen Tou (Jilin), and managers wonder how to get there. Moreover, if “Red Star Heilongjiang”, as the name suggests, will be the pharmaceutical club of Kehael’s “Kunlun”, then “Tsen Tou” will be an independent team.

Where they will find high-class hockey players in such numbers is still unknown. Last season, the Chinese Dragons had difficulty finding three players with Chinese roots in the KHL. From North America. Of these, only one had a permanent place in the lineup - Zach Yuen.

Naturally, there will be no Chinese players for two more Chinese clubs and the places will be filled by foreign players. Let's hope that at least Russian ones.

Indeed, next season the place of the VHL will be taken by the joint Russian-Chinese (or Chinese-Russian) Silk Road Cup. And over time, the number of participants from the most populous country in the world should be increased to ten. Plans worthy of Ostap Bender, who told the Vasyukin residents about the interplanetary chess tournament.

Well, the number of Russian clubs in the major leagues is indeed decreasing. Four more clubs died. Including last season's Bratina winner Dynamo (Balashikha), which is certainly a shame for the league. In addition to Dynamo, Ilya Kovalchuk’s home club, THC (Tver), which last season became the basis for the Russian team that won the Universiade, will not play next season. As well as Saratov “Crystal” and “Ariada-NH” (Volzhsk), which have rich hockey traditions.

There are also newcomers: the Bashkir Gornyak (Uchaly) (which became the “farm” of Avtomobilist), the Samara CSK VVS (will cooperate with Lada) and the Novokuznetsk Metallurg. Of these, only Kuznya, which was recently planning to play in the KHL, will be the favorite.

Among the 27 participants in the VHL championship next season are two St. Petersburg clubs - SKA-Neva and Dynamo (St. Petersburg).

Opinions

Dmitry Kurbatov, Chairman of the VHL Organizing Committee:

With the emergence of two Chinese clubs, the VHL championship is reaching a serious international level. The league is getting younger, which has a positive effect on training personnel for the KHL and the emergence of more high-level professional hockey players. Next season we will do everything possible to make the championship even more interesting, unpredictable, and the financial position of the clubs more stable.

Vladislav Tretyak, President of the FHR:

I think that the upcoming VHL season should be very interesting. The geography of the league is expanding, five new clubs will join the tournament. In addition to the well-known teams - primarily, of course, Novokuznetsk Metallurg - two Chinese teams will take part in the competition. All this, of course, increases interest not only in the league itself, but also in our hockey as a whole. I am sure that the new season will give us bright, unforgettable hockey confrontations, and the league will have new loyal fans - the VHL deserves it.

Composition of participants in the VHL Championship 2017/18 season:

1. Bars (Kazan)

2. “Buran” (Voronezh)

3. “Gornyak” (Uchaly)

4. “Diesel” (Penza)

5. Dynamo (St. Petersburg)

6. “Ermak” (Angarsk)

7. “Trans-Urals” (Kurgan)

8. “Star” (Chekhov)

9. “Izhstal” (Izhevsk)

10. Kunlun Red Star Heilongjiang (Harbin)

11. “Metallurg” (Novokuznetsk)

12. “Hammer-Prikamye” (Perm)

13. “Neftyanik” (Almetyevsk)

14. “Rubin” (Tyumen)

15. “Saryarka” (Karaganda)

16. “SKA-Neva” (St. Petersburg)

17. “Falcon” (Krasnoyarsk)

18. “Sputnik” (Nizhny Tagil)

19. “Toros” (Neftekamsk)

20. “Torpedo” (Ust-Kamenogorsk)

21. HC "Ryazan" (Ryazan)

22. HC "Sarov" (Sarov)

23. “Khimik” (Voskresensk)

24. "Tsen Tou" (Jilin)

25. CSK VVS (Samara)

26. “Chelmet” (Chelyabinsk)

27. “Southern Ural” (Orsk)

The VHL Championship 2017/2018 is the 8th edition of the second most powerful professional hockey tournament in Russia. The teams participating in the championship are far from the KHL teams. Clubs of the Major Hockey League cannot boast of large budgets, wild popularity, or high salaries for players. However, this does not prevent them from demonstrating a solid and interesting game, which is replete with intrigue and loud sensations. Let's hope that in the upcoming draw, fans will once again witness spectacular and uncompromising matches!

Schedule of the new season of the VHL championship 2017 – 2018

The 8th edition of the competition will begin in the first half of September 2017 and end at the end of April next year. The specific date of the drawing will be announced closer to the start of the tournament.

Like the Continental League, the VHL championship consists of two parts: the regular championship and the playoffs.

Regular season (September 2017 – February 2018)

The clubs will play each other in a two-round format. Based on the results of the matches, 16 teams that will occupy the top lines in the Major Hockey League standings will advance to the next round of the competition.

Play-offs (February – April)

Participants selected among the 16 best teams will continue to fight for the trophy using the playoff system. The meetings between the rivals will be a series of matches in which the team that wins 4 games will celebrate triumph. The knockout stage will begin with the 1/8 round.

Major Hockey League teams 2017/2018

The championship is considered international. Any clubs can take part in it. However, so far the majority of HCs come from Russia. “Foreigners” are represented by only two teams from Kazakhstan – Karaganda “Syryarka” and “Torpedo” from Ust-Kamenogorsk. Here is a list of 25 ice squads that will almost certainly participate in the upcoming season:

• "SKA-Neva";
• "Falcon";
• "Torpedo";
• "Saryarka";
• "Trans-Urals";
• Dynamo (Balashikha);
• "Hummock";
• "Star";
• "Ermak";
• "Chelmet";
• "Neftyanik";
• Dynamo (St. Petersburg);
• "Diesel";
• "Izhstal";
• "Satellite";
• "Ryazan";
• "Ruby";
• "Sarov";
• "Leopard";
• "Molot-Prikamye";
• "Ariad";
• "Chemist";
• "Southern Urals";
• "Buran".

Latest news of the VHL championship 2017/2018

The league is expecting a very likely addition in the form of Kunlun Red Star Capital and Gornyak. Both HCs are farm clubs. The first represents the KHL newcomer Chinese Kunlun Red Star, and the second represents the Ekaterinburg Avtomobilist.

Kunlun Red Star Capital

The Chinese decided to thoroughly get used to the KHL. Therefore, they decided to create two farm clubs at once: Kunlun Red Star Capital and Kunlun Red Star Junior. The first team will play in the VHL, and the second in the youth hockey league (MHL). Little is known about Kunlun Red Star Capital. According to preliminary information, the team will be headed by Alexey Tertyshny, who is part of the Kunlun Red Star coaching staff. The club will be based in Beijing.

"Miner"

Based on the ice team from the Bashkir city of Uchaly, the management of Avtomobilist intends to create a full-fledged farm club. It is expected that the team's budget will be 1.2 billion rubles. In previous seasons, Gornyak played in the MHL, where it showed mature and memorable play.

And next season, the competition trophy will be rebranded. From now on, the main award will be called not “Bratina”, but the Vladimir Petrov Cup. The trophy owes its new name to the legendary Soviet striker Vladimir Petrov, one of the main characters of the “Red Machine”, who played shoulder to shoulder with Valery Kharlamov and Boris Mikhailov. Vladimir Vladimirovich passed away in February 2017. Therefore, the VHL management decided to perpetuate the memory of the great athlete in such an original way.

Afterword

The new season has not yet arrived. Therefore, we are still waiting for the main wave of news about the upcoming edition of the competition: resignations and appointments of coaches, the emergence of new teams, high-profile organizational decisions and unexpected transfers of hockey players to the VHL. The closer September gets, the more often new information about the upcoming season will appear!

For many players, the upcoming VHL season 2017-2018 will be a great opportunity to improve their level of play and move to a Top Division club. This motivation makes the championship more exciting, intriguing and competitive. It is precisely this fighting spirit of the teams that attracts more and more Russian fans outside the arenas, who are increasingly witnessing real hockey battles.

What's new in the new season?

Currently, the calendar of games, the exact list of teams that will play in the upcoming championship, as well as the transfer table have not yet been officially announced. However, it became known that the Chinese KRS Heilongjiang, which is the farm club of Kunlun Red Star, playing in the KHL, will join the league.

In addition, an application for participation in the tournament was submitted from two more teams: “Gornyak” from the city of Uchaly and the Moscow “CSKA VVS”. The first club previously played in the MHL-B (National Youth Hockey League) and is the farm club of the Ekaterinburg Avtomobilist. The club representing the capital is planning close cooperation with Tolyatti “Lada” from the KHL.

The third participant in the championship will probably be “Metallurg” from Novokuznetsk, which left the Continental League in the 2016-2017 season.

Last season, 26 teams took part in the Major Hockey League. However, the tournament was not without losses: HC Kristall (Saratov) dropped out of the championship. Due to financial problems, the issue of participation in the championship by Dynamo from Balashikha and Ariada from Volzhsk still remains relevant.

VHL Regulations 2017 - 2018

By analogy with the KHL rules, the Major Hockey League championship consists of two parts - the regular championship and the playoffs.

The teams will play each other in a so-called “round robin”. Based on the results of the games, 16 clubs from the top of the standings advance to the next round of the tournament and will play in the playoff series, which starts in February and ends in April 2018.

The opponents will play 4 matches among themselves. The winner of the series will take part in the next round of the championship. Knockout games begin at the 1/8 final stage.

Preliminary standings of the VHL 2017 - 2018

This tournament is rightfully considered international. Almost any foreign team can take part in it. However, today the vast majority of clubs represent Russia. Last season, only two professional teams entered the championship standings - “Torpedo” (Ust-Kamenogorsk) and Karaganda “Saryarka”.

The following teams will almost certainly take part in the upcoming championship:

1. SKA-Neva (St. Petersburg);
2. Sokol (Krasnoyarsk);
3. THC (Tver);
4. Torpedo (Ust-Kamenogorsk);
5. Trans-Urals (Kurgan);
6. Saryarka (Karaganda);
7. Dynamo (Balashikha);
8. Dynamo (St. Petersburg);
9. Toros (Neftekamsk);
10. Zvezda (Chebarkul);
11. Ermak (Angarsk);
12. Chelmet (Chelyabinsk);
13. Neftyanik (St. Petersburg);
14. Diesel (Penza);
15. Izhstal (Izhevsk);
16. Sputnik (Nizhny Tagil);
17. Ryazan (Ryazan region);
18. Rubin (Tyumen);
19. Sarov (Nizhny Novgorod region);
20. Bars (Kazan);
21. Molot-Prikamye (Perm);
22. Ariada (Volzhsk);
23. Khimik (Voskresensk);
24. Buran (Voronezh);
25. Southern Urals (Orsk).

VHL season 2017 - 2018 news

A radical rebranding is planned for the upcoming season in the Major Hockey League. According to the new regulations, the name of the main trophy will change. From now on, instead of “Bratina”, it will be named in honor of the legendary striker of the USSR national team - the Vladimir Petrov Cup.

Match schedule

As mentioned earlier, the exact list of participants in the championship, as well as its schedule, have not been announced at the moment. This information will become available closer to autumn. Currently, only the start and end dates of the tournament are known. It starts in September 2017, and the final playoff matches will be played in April 2018.

Results of the final playoff series 2016-2017:

1. Torpedo – Dynamo (Balashikha) – 1:2;
2. Torpedo – Dynamo (Balashikha) – 1:3;
3. Dynamo (Balashikha) – Torpedo – 5:2;
4. Dynamo (Balashikha) – Torpedo – 2:1.

Video

In the VHL season 2017-2018, the game schedule is particularly dense. The current championship will be the eighth edition of the prestigious trophy, in which the best young hockey players from the post-Soviet space will compete. Attendance at VHL matches is gradually increasing, which indicates an increase in both spectator interest and the level of play of many teams.

27 clubs take part in the VHL 2017-2018. The competition started on September 8, 2017 with the opening match between last year's triumphant Torpedo (Ust-Kamenogorsk) and Zauralye (Kurgan). The meeting ended with the guests winning in overtime (3:4). The season will end in April 2018.

The tournament takes place in two stages:

• regular season;
• playoff series.

During the regular championship, the 16 best teams are determined, which will continue to fight for the Petrov Cup. It is noteworthy that this trophy is being played for the first time. Previously, the winner of the playoff series was awarded the Bratin Cup. It was decided to rename the trophy after the death of the legendary Soviet hockey player Vladimir Vladimirovich Petrov, who played in the trio with Mikhailov and Kharlamov.

In the elimination round, teams are divided into pairs according to their occupied places (1 team plays with 16, 2 with 15, 3 with 14, etc.). Each series is played up to 4 wins, and if the score is tied on the scoreboard after 60 minutes of the match, an additional 20 minutes is assigned until the first goal is scored. The number of overtimes is not regulated. There is no series for third place: the best loser in the semi-finals receives bronze.

This season, two teams became newcomers to the league - Kunlun Hailongjian and Gornyak. Both hockey teams are farm clubs of the KHL Kunlun Red Star and Avtomobilist, respectively. Young players who have reached the age of 17 will be tested here before joining the ranks of the adult squad.

You can see the 2017-2018 VHL standings for today below:

The schedule of upcoming VHL games is as follows:

Tournament Goals

Many experts are in favor of abolishing the VHL. In their opinion, there is no point in competition when a championship is held at the same time at an order of magnitude higher level - . However, the tournament is a kind of rehearsal platform for both clubs and the judiciary trying to get into. The list of main tasks that the VHL sets for itself includes:

• cultivation of team spirit;
• training of coaching staff;
• increasing the skill of individual players;
• development of tactical schemes and interactions.

The VHL is designed to attract new audiences. In sparsely populated cities of Russia or nearby countries, there is simply no money in the budget to support their own club in the KHL, although the infrastructure allows hockey matches to be held. In this case, a minor league becomes an excellent solution, since participation in it does not require significant financial expenses, and also provides an opportunity to organize interesting leisure time for young people and sports fans.

Contenders for victory

The 2017-2018 VHL is an unpredictable tournament, and the busy calendar does not allow us to predict even those lucky ones who will make it to the playoffs at the end of the regular season. Today, at least 10 clubs are fighting for the last 16th place with approximately equal chances of success. Surely in the spring elimination series we will see such clubs as:

• "Dynamo St. Petersburg";
• "Neftyanik";
• "Sary-Arka";
• "Trans-Urals";
• "Ruby";
• "Chekhov's Star";
• "Torpedo" (Ust-Kamenogorsk).

This season, Dynamo from St. Petersburg unexpectedly became the favorite. The club has been playing in the VHL since 2013 and, as they say, did not have enough stars from the sky, although it regularly qualified for the playoffs. In the current draw, Dynamo under the leadership of Leonid Tambiev shot, confidently holding the first line in the table. If the current rate of points accumulation is maintained, the champion of the regular season will be known long before its end.

“SKA-Neva” is part of the structure that plays in the KHL, and that says it all. High competition does not allow many talented players to make it into the main team of the Army team. Finding themselves in a farm club due to various circumstances, they are forced to prove their worth in the VHL. At the moment, SKA-Neva looks like the main favorite for the playoffs, and only 6 points separate it from first place in the regular season.

In the 2017-2018 VHL, a number of teams are vying to win the Petrov Cup. This includes Sary-Arka, which plays excellent defense, the goal-scoring Zvezda Chekhov, the pragmatic Rubin and at least a dozen other equally worthy teams. It is obvious that in knockout games, physical readiness, psychological stability, and tactical skills will come to the fore. If in the regular season hockey players have a chance for error, then starting in February there will be none. Well, as always, the strongest will win.

VHL 2017-2018 is considered one of the most exciting tournaments in hockey. The competition does not boast a huge budget, and the salaries of many players leave much to be desired. Professional athletes take to the ice and fight in every match, demonstrating skill, will to win, and unbending character. Don't miss the matches of the Major Hockey League that will bring you positive emotions.

See the following for the top 10 goals of the VHL championship video:

The Major Hockey League (VHL) is the second strongest division of professional Russian ice hockey after the continental league. Since the 2015/2016 tournaments, VHL competitions have been held under the auspices of the Russian Hockey Federation.

Details about the VHL championship of the 2017/2018 season

1. The eighth championship of the Major Hockey League will begin in early September 2017;
2. The sports hockey spectacle with the puck will end at the end of April 2018;
3. Meetings of VHL teams will be held in two stages: regular championship and playoff tournament;
4. This season, two new participants are expected to appear on the ice: the Chinese “Kun Lun Red Star”, the Ekaterinburg “Avtomobilist”;
5. The Bratin Cup will be renamed to the Vladimir Petrov Cup;
6. The games for the “Vladimir Petrov Cup” are dedicated to the legendary forward of the USSR national hockey team, two-time Olympic champion Vladimir Vladimirovich Petrov, who died in February 2017;
7. Twenty-five teams will take part in the VHL season 2017/2018.

Why were VHL tournaments created?

When holding championships of the Major Hockey League:

• Firstly, the following winners are determined purely on sporting grounds:

A) VHL Tournament;
B) All-Russian hockey competitions;
B) Regular Championship.

• Secondly, during such competitions the skill level of individual players increases, teams are united, and the rating of hockey clubs also increases.
• Thirdly, the level of professional training of both coaching staff and referees is increasing.
• Fourthly, such ice shows allow the population of the Russian Federation and abroad to spend their leisure time, and at the same time attract a larger number of fans for the hockey club.

See also:

Dynamo Stadium in 2018: latest news, commissioning date

Date of the VIII VHL Championship in 2018

The games of the eighth VHL championship will begin at the beginning of September 2017 and will finish towards the end of April 2018. The exact closing date for the games has not yet been announced; it will be known before the opening.

Scheme of the tournament of the 8th season of the VHL 2017-2018

Similar to KHL games, VHL meetings will contain two parts:

1. Regular championship.
2. Playoff tournament.

The team meeting pattern is circular.

After all the games are played, the sixteen winning teams in the VHL standings will take the top places and will play each other in the second round of the competition.

The second round of hockey competitions will be held according to the Olympic playoff system, that is, the club is eliminated upon the first defeat. So there is a great incentive to reach the 1/8 and 1/4 finals.

In turn, this will make it possible to determine the undisputed winner, as well as watch an interesting intense struggle for leadership.

The emergence of new VHL teams in 2018

In the 2017/2018 season, fans will see new additions to the league:

• HC Kun Lun Red Star, China;
• HC "Avtomobilist", Ekaterinburg.

See also:

KHL season 2017/18: news, schedule, standings of the Kontinental Hockey League

In fact, there are two Chinese teams. “Kun Lun Red Star Capital” will take part in the VHL matches, and the youth team “Kun Lun Star Junior” will take part in the MHL. There are rumors that Alexey Tertyshny will be the coach of the first team.

Video news of the VHL 2017-2018

There is another interesting hockey team “Gornyak” from the city of Uchaly in Bashkiria; it has already shown itself to be playing well in the MHL youth league. Thanks to this, the management of the Bashkir Avtomobilist is ready to spend more than a billion rubles on creating a strong reserve team.

Vladimir Petrov Cup

A pleasant surprise awaits fans at these matches: the challenge Bratina Cup will change its name to the Vladimir Petrov Cup.

This legendary forward of the USSR national hockey team, two-time Olympic champion, played in the same ranks with V. Kharlamov and B. Mikhailov. He died in February 2017. The Cup will be named in his memory.

VHL championship teams in the 2017-2018 season

Twenty-five participating teams will compete at the rinks in the Major League for the 2017/2018 season. These are mostly Russian squads, but there are two from Kazakhstan. List of participants in the upcoming VHL championship:

1. "Ariad", Volzhsk, Mari-El.
2. "Buran", Voronezh.
3. "Bars", Kazan.
4. "Dynamo", St. Petersburg.
5. "Dynamo", Balashikha.
6. "Diesel", Penza.
7. "Ermak", Angarsk, Irkutsk region.
8. "Trans-Urals", Kurgan.
9. "Zvezda", Moscow.
10. "Izhstal", Izhevsk.
11. "Molot-Prikamye", Perm.
12. "Neftyanik", Almetyevsk.
13. "Rubin", Tyumen.
14. "Ryazan", Ryazan.
15. "Sarov", Sarov, Nizhny Novgorod region.
16. "Saryarka", Kazakhstan.
17. "Sputnik", Nizhny Tagil.
18. "Sokol", Krasnoyarsk.
19. "SKA-Neva", St. Petersburg.
20. "THK", Tver.
21. "Torpedo", Ust-Kamenogorsk, Kazakhstan.
22. "Toros", Neftekamsk.
23. "Khimik", Voskresensk.
24. "Chelmet", Chelyabinsk.
25. "South Ural", Orsk.