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Ice hockey's Kontinental Hockey League to welcome two new teams

Amur Khabarovsk, Admiral Vladivostok join the KHL

The Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) is expanding to the Far East of Russia with the addition of two new teams, Amur Khabarovsk and Admiral Vladivostok, for the 2023-24 season. The announcement was made by KHL President Alexei Morozov at a press conference in Moscow on Friday.

Amur Khabarovsk

Amur Khabarovsk is based in the city of Khabarovsk, which is located near the border with China. Founded in 1957, the team has played in the Russian Hockey League (RHL) and the Supreme Hockey League (VHL) before applying for a KHL license.

Amur Khabarovsk is owned by the Khabarovsk Krai government and plays its home games at the Platinum Arena, which has a capacity of 7,100 spectators. The team is expected to be competitive in the KHL, as it has a strong roster of Russian players, including former NHL players Alexander Semin and Sergei Shirokov.

Admiral Vladivostok

Admiral Vladivostok is based in the city of Vladivostok, which is located on the Pacific Ocean. Founded in 2013, the team has played in the VHL before applying for a KHL license.

Admiral Vladivostok is owned by the Primorsky Krai government and plays its home games at the Fetisov Arena, which has a capacity of 5,500 spectators. The team is expected to be a bottom-feeder in the KHL, as it has a young and inexperienced roster.

Expansion impact

The addition of Amur Khabarovsk and Admiral Vladivostok to the KHL will have a significant impact on the league. The KHL will now have 24 teams, which will make it the largest hockey league in the world. The expansion will also help the KHL to grow its brand in the Far East of Russia, which is a region with a large population of hockey fans.

However, the expansion will also present some challenges for the KHL. The league will need to find a way to balance the competitive level of the league while also ensuring that each team has a chance to succeed. The KHL will also need to find a way to generate more revenue to support the expansion teams.

Overall

The addition of Amur Khabarovsk and Admiral Vladivostok to the KHL is a major development for the league. The expansion will help to grow the KHL's brand and reach new fans. However, the expansion will also present some challenges for the league, which it will need to overcome in order to ensure the long-term success of the expansion teams.