The Gagarin Cup final will see Yaroslavl’s Lokomotiv face off against Kazan’s Ak Bars. The first game of the series will take place in Yaroslavl on May 11.
These two teams are meeting in the final for the first time since the 2008/09 season, which marked the league’s inaugural year.
Photo: HC Lokomotiv
Lokomotiv topped the Western Conference in the KHL regular season for the second consecutive year. In the playoffs, they defeated Spartak (4-1 in the series), Salavat Yulaev (4-0), and Avangard (4-3). Notably, in the semifinals against Omsk, Bob Hartley’s team faced a 0-3 series deficit.
Lokomotiv is also the reigning champion of the league’s main trophy. Only two clubs in league history have won both the regular season championship and the Gagarin Cup. CSKA achieved this in the 2018/19 season, and Lokomotiv repeated the feat in 2025.
Photo: HC Ak Bars
Ak Bars finished fourth overall in the KHL regular season standings and third in the Eastern Conference. In the Gagarin Cup playoffs, Anvar Gatiyatulin’s team showed confident play, defeating Chelyabinsk’s Traktor (4-1), Minsk’s Dynamo (4-0), and Metallurg (4-1).
This is Ak Bars’ first appearance in the Gagarin Cup final since the 2022/23 season, when they lost to CSKA in a seven-game series (3-4).
Photo: HC Ak Bars
Hockey agent and former NHL scout Alexei Dementyev said the upcoming games in Yaroslavl will be tough for Ak Bars, as Lokomotiv plays confidently at home where the first matches will be held.
Dementyev noted that the longer rest for Kazan, who finished their semifinal series earlier, could give them an advantage in the final. He also called the teams equal in strength, style of play, player experience, and physical attributes, describing it as “a clash of titans.”
Former Russian national team and KHL club head coach Vladimir Krikunov stated that Ak Bars showed significant improvement in the playoffs, with much higher scoring than in the regular season. “In the regular season, they were inconsistent—sometimes beating everyone, then losing to everyone,” Krikunov said.
However, Krikunov noted it is difficult to predict the winner, as the teams are evenly matched with a 50-50 chance.
Former Russian national team coach Vladimir Plyushchev said the final series between Lokomotiv and Ak Bars was unexpected.
Discussing Ak Bars’ advantages, Plyushchev highlighted that the team plays organized and aggressive hockey. “I don’t think Lokomotiv can handle them. In my opinion, Yaroslavl is inferior in that regard,” he added.
Two-time Olympic champion Alexander Kozhevnikov told AllHockey.ru that Kazan operates like a well-oiled machine: “They play well defensively, know the plan, stick to the system, and follow the coach’s instructions.” However, he noted that playing against Kazan could be countered through improvisation, which might create difficulties for them against Lokomotiv.
Regarding Lokomotiv’s weaknesses, Kozhevnikov pointed to their goaltending.
**Bookmaker Odds**
Lokomotiv – Ak Bars
Bookmaker odds*: 2.2 – 2.9
* Based on average data from leading bookmakers.
