The Opening Cup (), 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 playoff champion (Gagarin Cup Winner) and the previous season's Continental Cup winner. The game is played on the home ice of the previous season's playoff champion.
History During the first season of the KHL, the match was played between the winner and runner-up of the 2007–08 playoffs of the Russian Superleague.
The Western Conference in the 2010 Opening Cup game was represented by UHC Dynamo because the 2009–10 Western Conference champion, HC MVD, merged with Dynamo Moscow to form the new team after the 2009–10 season. On September 10, 2011, three days after the 2011 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash disaster, the KHL head office decided to honor the deceased in the 2011 Opening Cup.
Winners + Key to colors WWestern Conference member EEastern Conference member N/AN/A, KHL conferences established during the second season of competition SeasonMatch datePrevious seasonGagarin Cup WinnerPrevious seasonContinental Cup WinnerSince 2015ResultVenueRef2008–09 2 September 2008N/A Salavat Yulaev UfaN/ALokomotiv Yaroslavl4–1 Ufa Arena, Ufa 2009–10 10 September 2009E Ak Bars KazanWLokomotiv Yaroslavl3–2 (OT) TatNeft Arena, Kazan 2010–11 8 September 2010E Ak Bars KazanW Dynamo Moscow2009–10 season's finalist HC MVD united with HC Dynamo after the 2009–10 season, thus Dynamo Moscow participated in the 2010 Opening Cup.1–3 TatNeft Arena, Kazan2011–12 12 September 2011Game originally was scheduled for 7 September 2011; because of the 2011 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl plane crash during the playing of the Opening Cup, the game was abandoned and rescheduled for 12 September 2011.E Salavat Yulaev UfaWAtlant Moscow Oblast5–3 Ufa Arena, Ufa2012–13 4 September 2012W Dynamo MoscowEAvangard Omsk3–2 (SO) Megasport Arena, Moscow2013–14 4 September 2013W Dynamo MoscowETraktor Chelyabinsk5–1 Minor Arena Luzhniki, Moscow2014–15 3 September 2014E Metallurg MagnitogorskWDynamo Moscow2014 playoff runner-up HC Lev Praha ceased operations for the 2014–15 season. Dynamo Moscow took their place as Continental Cup holders.6–1 Arena Metallurg, Magnitogorsk2015–16 24 August 2015W SKA Saint PetersburgWCSKA Moscow 3–4 (OT) Ice Palace, Saint Petersburg2016–17 22 August 2016E Metallurg MagnitogorskWCSKA Moscow3–2 Arena Metallurg, Magnitogorsk2017–18 21 August 2017W SKA Saint PetersburgWCSKA Moscow 4–2 Ice Palace, Saint Petersburg2018–19 1 September 2018EAk Bars KazanWSKA Saint Petersburg1–6 TatNeft Arena, Kazan2019–20 1 September 2019WCSKA MoscowEAvangard OmskAs CSKA Moscow won both trophies, Avangard Omsk took the other place as Gagarin Cup runner-up1–3 CSKA Arena, Moscow2020–21 2 September 2020E Ak Bars KazanWCSKA MoscowAs a result of the COVID-19 pandemic, the Gagarin Cup was not awarded in 2019-20. CSKA Moscow were, however, the Continental Cup winners3–2 (OT) CSKA Arena, Moscow2021–22 1 September 2021E Avangard OmskWCSKA Moscow4–0 Balashikha Arena, Balashikha2022–23 1 September 2022WCSKA MoscowEMetallurg Magnitogorsk6–2 CSKA Arena, Moscow2023–24 1 September 2023WCSKA MoscowEAk Bars Kazan2–5 CSKA Arena, Moscow2024–25 3 September 2024EMetallurg MagnitogorskWLokomotiv Yaroslavl2–3 Arena Metallurg, Magnitogorsk
Appearances Team Wins Losses Win % 8 CSKA Moscow 2 6 .250 5 Ak Bars Kazan 3 2 .600 4 Dynamo Moscow 3 1 .750 3 SKA Saint Petersburg 2 1 .667 3 Avangard Omsk 2 1 .667 3 Metallurg Magnitogorsk 2 2 .500 3 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl 1 2 .333 2 Salavat Yulaev Ufa 2 0 1.000 1 Atlant Moscow Oblast 0 1 .000 1 Traktor Chelyabinsk 0 1 .000
Notes and references
External links Official September 2013 Opening Cup match gallery (photo contains the trophy) Official September 2013 Opening Cup match gallery (photo contains the trophy)