Gagarin Cup


The Gagarin Cup is the trophy presented to the winner of the Kontinental Hockey League playoffs, and is named after cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space. The Cup was supposedly named after Gagarin because the last possible game of the inaugural KHL season would take place on April 12, the anniversary date of Gagarin's flight.
After the end of the KHL's regular season, sixteen teams participate in the playoffs. The 1/8 and quarter-finals were a best-of-five series during the first season, and the semi-finals and finals were a best-of-seven series during the first season. Conferences were established for the second season. Conference quarter-finals are a best-of-five series while the conference semi-finals, conference finals and Gagarin Cup finals are a best-of-seven series. The winner of the final best-of-seven series receives the Gagarin Cup.
It has been reported that the Cup weighs 18 kg, making it heavier than the NHL's Stanley Cup. The Cup is made of silver and is gold-plated.

Naming history

According to league president Alexander Medvedev, the Cup was named after Gagarin because Russian citizens associate his name with the achievement of great accomplishments, and the man himself has been described as a symbol of the nation. Additionally, according to the founders of the KHL, his ascent into space serves as a metaphor for the contemporary Soviet breakthrough in hockey. Gagarin himself did play hockey, albeit not at a level comparable to that of the KHL.
Another candidate for the namesake of the Cup was longtime HC CSKA Moscow and Soviet national team coach Anatoli Tarasov, considered the "father of Soviet hockey". It was later decided that one of the four divisions would bear his name.

Series results

Appearances

In the table, the teams are sorted by the number of appearances in the Gagarin Cup finals, then by the number of wins. Italicized marks now non-existent teams. In the "Years of appearance" column, bold years indicate winning Gagarin Cup Finals appearances.
TeamWinsLossesWin %Years of appearance
4Ak Bars Kazan31.7502009, 2010, 2015, 2018
3Metallurg Magnitogorsk21.6672014, 2016, 2017
3CSKA Moscow12.3332016, 2018, 2019
2Dynamo Moscow201.0002012, 2013
2SKA Saint Petersburg201.0002015, 2017
2Avangard Omsk02.0002012, 2019
1Salavat Yulaev Ufa101.0002011
1Lokomotiv Yaroslavl01.0002009
1HC MVD01.0002010
1Atlant Moscow Oblast01.0002011
1Traktor Chelyabinsk01.0002013
1Lev Prague01.0002014