GRU operation: in what condition are the new contenders for the Gagarin Cup approaching the finals

The Gagarin Cup will have a new owner — neither Lokomotiv nor Traktor have ever won the main trophy during the KHL's existence. Now it seems surprising, especially considering the capabilities of Yaroslavl residents over the past 17 years. They were especially close to victory last season, when they went through their rivals to the finals with a skating rink, but they didn't have enough strength for Magnitogorsk. Will it be enough this time?

Different approach

For the first time in a long time, the question of the future Gagarin Cup winner is hanging in the air — right now it's difficult to give an unambiguous answer based on purely game nuances. The two best teams in the league outperformed their competitors throughout the season from September to May and differ from each other only stylistically. Otherwise, the finalists have a lot in common. Both have been steadily moving towards a real chance to become KHL champions for the first time in their own history for more than one year and are now at their peak. In such a situation, experience and psychology play an important role.

Lokomotiv employs experienced people who understand what conclusions should have been drawn from past failures. A year ago, Yaroslavl couldn't cope with the psychological pressure, approaching the final with Metallurg as an unequivocal favorite who has no right to lose. Igor Nikitin had enough time to understand the theory and correct his own mistakes in practice.

"In the fifth match, Traktor smelled blood and put the squeeze on us."

Goalkeeper of the Russian national team Andrey Mishurov — about the missed chance to go with Admiral to the second round of the KHL playoffs, last season as part of the Vladivostok club and the favorite of the Gagarin Cup

Traktor has also grown in many ways this year, but Chelyabinsk as a team has not been in such a situation yet. Individual Traktor players have a killer's instinct and cup knowledge. But not yet for the team as a whole. In previous episodes, Benoit Gru's team made a powerful impression. However, by and large, she did not encounter rivals with equal opportunities. Dynamo Moscow approached the semi-finals beaten and exhausted, having failed to raise their game to a new level.

Yaroslavl team survived the second overtime of the seventh match of the series with Avangard and should be in the best condition mentally. This is their main trump card, and not in the fiery form of the main star of the team, Alexander Radulov, or the confident actions of goalkeeper Daniil Isaev. If they manage to control their nerves at Lokomotiv on the second attempt, they will gain a decisive advantage. If they swim again, they'll bury themselves.

The Canadian system

Lokomotiv has been smoothly building a team for many years — the backbone is made up of local students, who are gradually being brought into the team and are very reluctant to part with them. Experienced newcomers Byron Frase and especially Radulov have given the team a powerful boost, but the foundation is still made up of those players who have been playing for the team for at least three or four seasons.

Traktor, on the other hand, laid the foundation for the current team last offseason by inviting Canadian coach Benoit Groux and several very strong players by KHL standards — Stephen Kaempfer, Alexander Kadeikin, Andrei Svetlakov. And during the season, general manager Alexey Volkov qualitatively strengthened the squad with Glotov, Day, Korostelev, Safin.

Gru quickly adapted to the KHL, understood the strengths of his players and taught them the system, but even Bob Hartley did not win the cup in his first season in the league. With all due respect to the mentor of Traktor, the figure is still more significant. Igor Nikitin has long earned his cup with Lokomotiv. The path to the trophy with CSKA turned out to be difficult for him, but in Yaroslavl he already took more time. Lokomotiv has no right to postpone the victory for another year.

The mystery of the third period: Traktor continues to amaze in the Gagarin Cup

Benoit Groux's team defeated Dynamo, and Salavat Yulaev turned out to be stronger than Lokomotiv in the first matches of the semifinal series.

"Traktor's hockey players are having a great season in general and the playoffs in particular," Ilya Karpukhin, a defender of SKA and the Russian national team, who played for the Chelyabinsk team for six years, said in a conversation with Izvestia. — I'm glad for the city, too. Chelyabinsk lives by hockey, people love Traktor and always fill the stands. They deserved to see the Gagarin Cup final live at home. Moreover, Traktor has not played in it for 12 years. I would like to wish him good luck. Does Lokomotiv have a chance to win the final?

It's hard to say. I think the finale will be interesting and challenging. Two system commands will meet. It will be extremely interesting to watch their rivalry. It is difficult to name a favorite. Yes, Lokomotiv won the regular season, but Traktor became the second in it. Both teams won their conferences. And it is impossible to name the best of them in advance — this will determine the final.

Indeed, the Nikitin and Gru teams fully deserved to reach the final, despite the fact that they did not reach it without difficulties. Thanks to the courageous work of Alexey Volkov, Traktor and its Canadian coach have all the tools to win the first championship in their history. However, if the Ural team exists for one season in its current configuration, then Lokomotiv has been moving towards the cup for several years, methodically improving its mechanism and competently working on mistakes. Perhaps Yaroslavl residents have less skill than Chelyabinsk residents. But they have a time-tested and well-established game system that gives results and does not allow them to demonstrate their best qualities to their rivals.