Traktor Chelyabinsk
Professional ice hockey club based in Chelyabinsk, Russia.
Traktor Chelyabinsk (also called Traktor or HC Traktor Chelyabinsk) is a professional ice hockey team from Chelyabinsk, Russia. It plays in the Kharlamov Division of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). The club was founded in 1947 as the team of the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant and has competed in Soviet and Russian top-level leagues since 1948. From 1948 to 1953 it was known as Dzerzhinets, then as Avangard from 1954 to 1958, before adopting its current name for the 1958–59 season. The team played at the Yunost Sport Palace from 1967 until 2009, when it moved to the Traktor Ice Arena, named after Valery Belousov.
In the Soviet era, Traktor debuted in the top league on December 12, 1948, against CDKA Moscow, with future star Viktor Shuvalov leading the team in scoring that season. Chelyabinsk first reached fourth place in 1955, at a time when Moscow clubs dominated the medal standings. After playing in the second division from 1965 to 1968, the team returned to the top flight in 1968. In 1973, Traktor reached the USSR Cup final against CSKA, taking a 2–0 lead before losing 5–2. The club’s best Soviet-era result came in the 1976–77 season, when it won bronze in the Soviet championship. Notable players developed during this period included forward Sergei Makarov and defenseman Sergei Starikov, both of whom played extensively for the Soviet national team from the late 1970s to the mid-1980s, winning more than ten international tournaments each.
During the early 1990s, under head coach Valery Belousov, Traktor finished third twice in the International Hockey League. Several players from that era—including Sergei Gomolyako, Valeri Karpov, Igor Varitsky, and Ravil Gusmanov—represented Russia at world championships. The late 1990s brought a decline: in 1998, Traktor was relegated to the Vysshaya Liga, and Mechel became Chelyabinsk’s top team. Traktor returned to the elite in 2006 after winning the second-division championship under coach Gennady Tsygurov, earning promotion to the Russian Superleague. After the 2006–07 season, Tsygurov resigned and was replaced by Andrei Nazarov, a Chelyabinsk native who had played 13 NHL seasons as an enforcer. Nazarov kept the team in the top league but also oversaw a world-record total of penalty minutes in a single game during a mass brawl with Ak Bars Kazan in January 2008.
- Founded
- 1947
- Home arena
- Traktor Ice Arena named after Valery Belousov (since 2009)
- Previous home arena
- Yunost Sport Palace (1967–2009)
- Division
- Kharlamov Division (KHL)
- Continental cup wins
- 1
- Gagarin cup runners up
- 2
- Vysshaya liga championship
- 1
Lore & Background
Traktor Chelyabinsk was founded in 1947 as a team of the Chelyabinsk Tractor Plant. From 1948 to 1953 the team was called Dzerzhinets, and from 1954 to 1958 it was called Avangard. The current name was adopted during the 1958–59 season. The team played its first top-league game on December 12, 1948 against CDKA Moscow. In 1973 Traktor played in the USSR Cup finals against CSKA, losing 5–2 after leading 2–0. The team's highest achievement during the Soviet period was a bronze medal in the 1976–77 Soviet championship.
During the 1990s, Traktor twice finished third in the International Hockey League under head coach Valery Belousov. The club was relegated to the Vysshaya Liga in 1998 and returned to the elite in 2006 by winning the second division championship. In the KHL era, Traktor won the Continental Cup in 2012 as the best regular-season team and reached the Gagarin Cup Finals in 2013, losing to Dynamo Moscow. The team moved to the Traktor Ice Arena in 2009.
Reader's Guide
Traktor Chelyabinsk holds a significant place in Russian and European hockey as a club that has produced numerous national team players, including Sergei Makarov and Sergei Starikov, who each won over ten international tournaments with the USSR. The club's history reflects the broader shifts in Russian hockey: from Soviet-era dominance by Moscow teams, through a period of decline in the late 1990s, to a resurgence in the KHL era. Traktor's 2013 Gagarin Cup Finals appearance, achieved after three seven-game series wins from 3–1 deficits, demonstrated the team's resilience. The club's move to a new arena in 2009 and its ability to develop young talent such as Evgeny Kuznetsov and Valeri Nichushkin underscore its ongoing role in the KHL. The team's all-time KHL scoring leaders and the honoring of players who have won World Championship titles reflect its commitment to its heritage.
Did You Know?
- Traktor was originally named Dzerzhinets (1948–1953) and Avangard (1954–1958) before adopting its current name.
- The team set a world record for overall penalty minutes in a single game after a mass brawl versus Ak Bars Kazan in January 2008.
- The club's home arena, Traktor Ice Arena, is named after former head coach Valery Belousov.
More in KHL and European Hockey Clubs 1-24
Spotted an error? Know more?
Reader corrections go straight into our review queue. Suggest an edit · How this site is sourced