Avtomobilist started a new season of the KHL on September 2, at the start of the championship the team won two victories in two matches: over Severstal (3: 2 in overtime) and Vityaz (3: 2).
Last season turned out to be the most successful for Yekaterinburg residents in the entire history of playing in the KHL. Avtomobilist took 1st place in the Eastern Conference for the first time in history. In addition, the team broke the club record for the number of victories in a row - at the start of the season, won the first 18 matches. This is the second result in the history of the KHL. In the playoffs, the team managed to win the series for the first time, overcome the first round and reach the quarterfinals of the Gagarin Cup.
“The task, like last season, is to do everything to get to the final of the playoffs. We hoped for this last year, especially after the results of the regular season. But hockey is hockey. We very much hope that this year Pavel Datsyuk, who has joined the team, will help us to accomplish this task, ”the club president Andrey Kozitsyn announced the task for the new season at a press conference held today.
Immediately after the Avtomobilist season extended contracts with the team leaders - Yakub Kovar for two years, Anatoly Golyshev - for four years. Experienced Russian and foreign players also came. Defenders Rafael Batyrshin, Fedor Belyakov, Maxim Berezin. Forwards Eugene Moser, Brooks Masek, Jeff Platt, Peter Holland. And, of course, the main news of the off-season is the return of Pavel Datsyuk to Yekaterinburg.
On July 12, Avtomobilist players left their vacation. After a medical examination at the European Medical Center "UMMC-Health", the team held several trainings in Yekaterinburg, and then went to the training camp in the Czech Republic. As in the previous year, the base in the town of Chomutov was chosen for training. On July 30, Avtomobilist played the first test match, beating the local Pirates with a score of 4: 0. In the next control game, against Energia from Karlovy Vary, our team won 4: 2. Also Avtomobilist took part in two summer tournaments. At the Cup of the President of the Republic of Kazakhstan, our team took second place. In Riga, at the Latvian Railway Cup, young players gained more playing practice. Avtomobilist took fourth place in the tournament. On August 27, a control game took place in Ufa against Salavat Yulaev.
“ The pre-season preparation was fundamentally changed, the workloads were increased, we tried to lay the foundation for the whole season, to focus on the spring, on the playoffs. The team is actually being rebuilt, about ten new people. Now the grinding is still in progress, the players are playing with each other. The season is expected to be difficult, but we will fight in all matches, "said the head coach of the team Andrei Martemyanov.
Before the start of the championship, a record was set for sales of season tickets. In three weeks, exceeded the result achieved last year in 22 weeks of subscription sales.
“I would like to thank our many fans who gave the team a lot of credit this summer. Our ticket and subscription program is very active. The number of season tickets sold suggests that the fans believe in the team, expect a good game and good results. Of course, this imposes on the club, on the team great obligations to meet these expectations, "- said the director of HC Avtomobilist Maxim Ryabkov.
This year's novelty" Weekend tickets "for fans who find it difficult to attend all the matches in working days, as well as for Avtomobilist fans from the cities of our region and the entire Ural region. Its price will include home matches on Saturdays, Sundays and public holidays. There will be seven such matches in the new season.
