Ice hockey: the main stories of 14.09.2026

Nizhny Novgorod finally has its new home, and Torpedo christened Volga Arena with a 3-2 win over Ak Bars. The result was not secure until late: Torpedo forward Vladislav Firstov suggested afterwards that a disallowed third Ak Bars goal was down to the priests who blessed the building before the game. Yegor Sokolov scored for Ak Bars. He was traded from Torpedo to Kazan on 8 September, so his first goal at the new arena came against his old side. Russian federation president Vladislav Tretiak told one outlet that the three rinks set it apart from the more uniform arenas in North America. Ak Bars head coach Anvar Gatiyatulin said the club still lacks depth on defence.

Dinamo Minsk have lost all 4 games of the new campaign under Sergei Brylin. They went down 2-4 at Lada and put one into their own net late on. In Washington, Alexander Ovechkin skated with his teammates on 14 September for the first time since rejoining the club. Montreal have extended Martin St. Louis, according to the club.

• Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that Alexander Nikishin's trade request still stands at Carolina.
• Roman Rotenberg said Russia could be at the 2028 World Cup and are close to being readmitted at junior and U20 level.
• One outlet reports that Noah Östlund has signed for 8 years with Buffalo, with a $6.6m cap hit.
• NHL Network ranked Igor Shestyorkin 22nd in its top 50.
• Ilya Kovalchuk told a youth festival that Shanghai Dragons could move from St Petersburg to China by 2028.
• According to one report, Bo Horvat has taken over the Islanders captaincy from Anders Lee.
• Vedomosti says Ovechkin appears in a United Russia campaign video.
• Vitali Kravtsov's agent wants a compromise with Traktor this week. On 13 September Kravtsov said he would not sue the club.
• The same agent expects Nikita Gusev to settle on a club within days.
• Semyon Der-Arguchintsev's agent said Admiral are asking too much, and the forward remains without a club.
• Business Online reports that Andrei Razin would let Yegor Yakovlev go from Metallurg.
• John Hynes plans to try Maxim Shabanov alongside Kirill Kaprizov.
• Daniil Isayev of Lokomotiv was named KHL goaltender of the week after 4 wins in 4 games.
• Ak Bars forward Kevin Hayes said the KHL has been better than he expected.
• Ryan Whitney said Leo Carlsson has not yet earned $18m a year.
• Daniil Prokhorov scored twice as the Islanders prospects beat New Jersey 5-4 in overtime.
• Ilya Khokhlov has joined Yugra in the VHL.
• Columbus have invited Carson Soucy to camp on a tryout.