August 29, 2000

Russian League - 2000/2001 season.
Revolution in Russian hockey.

There are tremendous changes in store for the 55^th anniversary of professional hockey in Russia. The season starts on September 7, 2000. At the first stage 18 clubs will compete in the two rounds’ tournament. Each team will play the other teams two times (home-away). The first stage games end on January 20, 2000. According to the final results performed by the clubs the teams will be divided into three different groups of six, pools A,B,C.

At the second stage they will go on to compete afresh in the group they have been sent. That means that the points gained at the first stage will not be taken into the consideration.

In the first group A the clubs will fight for the best available position on the play-off grill.

In the second group B the teams will compete for the rest two play-off tickets. So only eight clubs will make play-offs of the Russian hockey league.

In the third group C the teams will fight for its survival in the Russian Elite division. Two failures will automatically lose their spot in the Russian Hockey Super League. Two winners of the Higher League tournament will occupy their place for the next season respectively.

Also for the first time in Russian League history, there will be no relegation tournament.

Teams for 2000-01 (team, city)
Dynamo, Moscow
CSKA, Moscow
Lokomotive, Yaroslavl
Metallurg, Novokuznetsk
Metallurg, Magnitogorsk
Lada, Togliatti
AkBars, Kazan
Severstall, Cherepovets
Torpedo, Nizhny Novgorod
Salavat Yulayev, Ufa
Dynamo-Energia, Ekaterinsburg
Mechel, Chelyabinsk
Avangard, Omsk
Molot Prikamye, Perm
Neftekhimik, Nizhnekamsk
Amur, Khabarovsk
SKA, St. Petersburg
Vityaz, Podolsk

The coming season promises to become one of the brightest in the Russian history. First of all lots of clubs of both leagues, Super and Higher ones, have been very active at the hockey market buying and selling different crafty players. Secondly lots of young yet unknown skilful players will have a try-out with their club teams. Thirdly some former NHL names, like Dmitry Kvartalnov, Alexander Semak, Vladimir Vorobyev, Roman Oksyuta and Roman Ilyin, are on the rosters of the famous teams. Fourthly there would be a flood of NHL prospects in the line-ups of the teams.