View source for Kontinental Hockey League team changes

From the league's inception in 2008 there have always been '''team changes in the [[Kontinental Hockey League]]''' between seasons, as some new teams have joined the league or others have left it. There is no promotion/relegation system with the [[Russian Major League|VHL]] in place like there was with the [[Russian Superleague|Superleague]] and [[Russian Major League|Vysshaya Liga]]. The number of teams in the league stayed at 24 throughout the first two seasons. In the [[2010–11 KHL season|third season]] the number of teams was reduced to 23 because [[HC Budivelnyk|Budivelnyk]], a team that planned to join the league, dropped out before the start of the season.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://en.khl.ru/news/2010/6/26/23872.html |title=Budivelnik will not play in KHL |date=26 June 2010 |publisher=Kontinental Hockey League |accessdate=26 June 2010}}</ref> Initially, [[Lev Poprad]] replaced Budivelnyk to retain the number of teams at 24.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://en.khl.ru/news/2010/7/19/23874.html |title=HC Lev to join KHL |date=19 July 2010 |publisher=Kontinental Hockey League |accessdate=19 July 2010}}</ref> However, Lev was excluded by the KHL before the start of that season,<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.khl.ru/news/2010/7/28/27728.html |script-title=ru:"Лев" не сыграет в ближайшем сезоне |date=28 July 2010 |publisher=[[Kontinental Hockey League]] |accessdate=29 July 2010 |language=Russian}}</ref> but would be accepted into the league for 2011–12. The league [[Potential Kontinental Hockey League expansion|plans to expand this number for future seasons]].

The [[2008–09 KHL season|inaugural season of KHL]] included all 20 teams of the 2007–08 [[Russian Superleague]]. Non–Russian teams [[Barys Astana]], [[Dinamo Riga]] and [[HC Dinamo Minsk|Dinamo Minsk]] also joined the newly formed league. Likewise, the recreated team of [[Khimik Voskresensk (2005–)|Khimik Voskresensk]], the champion of the 2007–08 season of the [[Russian Major League|Major League]], joined. Thus the initial number of teams was 24.

==Team changes by season==

{| class="wikitable"
|-
!Season
!Teams left the league
!Fate of the team
!&nbsp;
!Teams joined the league
!Where from
!Number of teams in the league
|-
|{{nowrap|[[2008–09 KHL season|2008–09]]}}
|colspan=5 align="center"|''inaugural season of competition''
|align="center"|'''24'''
|-
|[[2009–10 KHL season|2009–10]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Khimik Voskresensk (2005)|Khimik]]
|Joined [[Higher Hockey League|VHL]]
!rowspan=15|&nbsp;
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg|Avtomobilist]]
|[[Higher Hockey League|VHL]]
|align="center"|'''24'''
|-
|rowspan=3|[[2010–11 KHL season|2010–11]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Lada Togliatti|Lada]]
|Joined [[Higher Hockey League|VHL]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Dynamo Moscow|UHC Dynamo]]
|Newly created team by merger of [[HC Dynamo Moscow|Dynamo]] and [[HC MVD|MVD]]
|rowspan=3 align="center"|'''23'''
|-
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Dynamo Moscow|Dynamo M]]
|Merged with [[HC MVD|MVD]] to form [[UHC Dynamo]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Yugra|Yugra]]
|[[Higher Hockey League|VHL]]
|-
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC MVD|MVD]]
|Merged with [[HC Dynamo Moscow|Dynamo]] to form [[UHC Dynamo]]
|colspan=2|&nbsp;
|-
|[[2011–12 KHL season|2011–12]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Lokomotiv Yaroslavl|Lokomotiv]]
|Scratched from season due to [[2011 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl air disaster|plane crash]]
|{{flagicon|SVK}} [[HC Lev Poprad|Lev Poprad]]
|Newly created team
|align="center"|'''23'''
|-
|rowspan=4|[[2012–13 KHL season|2012–13]]
|{{flagicon|SVK}} [[HC Lev Poprad|Lev Poprad]]
|Disbanded
|{{flagicon|SVK}} [[HC Slovan Bratislava|Slovan]]
|[[Slovak Extraliga]]
|rowspan=4 align="center"|'''26'''
|-
|rowspan=3 colspan=2|&nbsp;
|{{flagicon|Ukraine}} [[HC Donbass|Donbass]]
|[[Higher Hockey League|VHL]]
|-
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Lokomotiv Yaroslavl|Lokomotiv]]
|Returned to KHL after [[2011 Lokomotiv Yaroslavl air disaster|plane tragedy]]
|-
|{{flagicon|CZE}} [[HC Lev Praha|Lev Praha]]
|Newly created team
|-
|rowspan=2|[[2013–14 KHL season|2013–14]]
|rowspan=2 colspan=2|&nbsp;
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Admiral Vladivostok|Admiral]]
|Newly created team
|rowspan=2 align="center"|'''28'''
|-
|{{flagicon|CRO}} [[KHL Medveščak Zagreb|Medveščak]]
|[[Austrian Hockey League|Austrian EBEL]]
|-
|rowspan=3|[[2014–15 KHL season|2014–15]]
|{{flagicon|Ukraine}} [[HC Donbass|Donbass]]
|Joined the [[Ukrainian Hockey Extra League]] prior to the [[2015–16 Ukrainian Hockey Extra League season|2015–16 season]], after one year of inactivity.  
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Lada Togliatti|Lada Togliatti]]
|Returned to the league
|rowspan=3 align="center"|'''28'''
|- 
|{{flagicon|CZE}} [[HC Lev Praha|Lev Praha]]
|Disbanded
|{{flagicon|FIN}} [[Jokerit]]
|[[Liiga]]
|-
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Spartak Moscow|Spartak Moscow]] 
|Took one year off due to financial issues
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Sochi]]
|Newly created team
|-
|[[2015–16 KHL season|2015–16]] 
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Atlant Moscow Oblast|Atlant]]
| 
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Spartak Moscow|Spartak Moscow]] 
|Returned to KHL
|align="center"|'''28'''
|-
|[[2016–17 KHL season|2016–17]] 
|rowspan=2 colspan=2|&nbsp;
| 
|{{flagicon|CHN}} [[HC Kunlun Red Star|HC Red Star Kunlun]]
|Newly created team
|align="center"|'''29'''
|-

|}

==Division lineup changes==
{| class="wikitable"
|-
!rowspan=3|Season
!colspan=10|Divisions
|-
|colspan=2 align="center"|[[Bobrov Division|Bobrov]]
|colspan=2 align="center"|[[Tarasov Division|Tarasov]]
|colspan=2 align="center"|[[Kharlamov Division|Kharlamov]]
|colspan=2 align="center"|[[Chernyshev Division|Chernyshev]]
|-
|align="center"|Joined division
|align="center"|Left division
|align="center"|Joined division
|align="center"|Left division
|align="center"|Joined division
|align="center"|Left division
|align="center"|Joined division
|align="center"|Left division
|-
|align="center"|[[2008–09 KHL season|2008–09]]<br /><small>(initial composition)</small>
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Atlant Moscow Oblast|Atlant]]<br />{{flagicon|BLR}} [[HC Dinamo Minsk|Dinamo Mn]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Metallurg Novokuznetsk|Metallurg Nk]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Salavat Yulaev Ufa|Salavat Yulaev]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Severstal Cherepovets|Severstal]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Spartak Moscow|Spartak]]
|
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC CSKA Moscow|CSKA]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Khimik Voskresensk (2005)|Khimik]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Metallurg Magnitogorsk|Metallurg Mg]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC MVD]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[SKA Saint Petersburg|SKA]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Traktor Chelyabinsk|Traktor]]
|
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Amur Khabarovsk|Amur]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Avangard Omsk|Avangard]]<br />{{flagicon|LAT}} [[Dinamo Riga|Dinamo R]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Lada Togliatti|Lada]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Lokomotiv Yaroslavl|Lokomotiv]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Sibir Novosibirsk|Sibir]]
|
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Ak Bars Kazan|Ak Bars]]<br />{{flagicon|KAZ}} [[Barys Astana|Barys]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Dynamo Moscow|Dynamo M]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk|Neftekhimik]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod|Torpedo]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Vityaz|Vityaz]]
|
|-
|align="center"|[[2009–10 KHL season|2009–10]]<br /><small>(geographical realignment)</small>
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC CSKA Moscow|CSKA]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Dynamo Moscow|Dynamo M]]<br />{{flagicon|LAT}} [[Dinamo Riga|Dinamo R]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[SKA Saint Petersburg|SKA]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Atlant Moscow Oblast|Atlant]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Metallurg Novokuznetsk|Metallurg Nk]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Salavat Yulaev Ufa|Salavat Yulaev]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Severstal Cherepovets|Severstal]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Atlant Moscow Oblast|Atlant]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Lokomotiv Yaroslavl|Lokomotiv]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Severstal Cherepovets|Severstal]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod|Torpedo]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Vityaz|Vityaz]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC CSKA Moscow|CSKA]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Khimik Voskresensk (2005)|Khimik]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Metallurg Magnitogorsk|Metallurg Mg]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[SKA Saint Petersburg|SKA]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Traktor Chelyabinsk|Traktor]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Ak Bars Kazan|Ak Bars]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Avtomobilist Yekaterinburg|Avtomobilist]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Metallurg Magnitogorsk|Metallurg Mg]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk|Neftekhimik]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Traktor Chelyabinsk|Traktor]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Amur Khabarovsk|Amur]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Avangard Omsk|Avangard]]<br />{{flagicon|LAT}} [[Dinamo Riga|Dinamo R]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Lokomotiv Yaroslavl|Lokomotiv]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Sibir Novosibirsk|Sibir]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Amur Khabarovsk|Amur]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Avangard Omsk|Avangard]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Metallurg Novokuznetsk|Metallurg Nk]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Salavat Yulaev Ufa|Salavat Yulaev]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Sibir Novosibirsk|Sibir]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Ak Bars Kazan|Ak Bars]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Dynamo Moscow|Dynamo M]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk|Neftekhimik]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod|Torpedo]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Vityaz|Vityaz]]
|-
|align="center"|[[2010–11 KHL season|2010–11]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Dynamo Moscow|UHC Dynamo]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Dynamo Moscow|Dynamo M]]<br />{{flagicon|BLR}} [[HC Dinamo Minsk|Dinamo Mn]]
|{{flagicon|BLR}} [[HC Dinamo Minsk|Dinamo Mn]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC MVD]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Yugra|Yugra]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Lada Togliatti|Lada]]
|
|
|-
|align="center"|[[2011–12 KHL season|2011–12]]
|{{flagicon|SVK}} [[HC Lev Poprad|Lev Poprad]]
|
|
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Lokomotiv Yaroslavl|Lokomotiv]]
|
|
|
|
|-
|align="center"|[[2012–13 KHL season|2012–13]]
|{{flagicon|UKR}} [[HC Donbass|Donbass]]<br />{{flagicon|CZE}} [[HC Lev Praha|Lev Praha]]<br />{{flagicon|SVK}} [[HC Slovan Bratislava|Slovan]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Vityaz|Vityaz]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC CSKA Moscow|CSKA]]<br />{{flagicon|SVK}} [[HC Lev Poprad|Lev Poprad]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Spartak Moscow|Spartak]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC CSKA Moscow|CSKA]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Lokomotiv Yaroslavl|Lokomotiv]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Spartak Moscow|Spartak]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Vityaz|Vityaz]]
|
|
|
|
|-
|align="center"|[[2013–14 KHL season|2013–14]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC CSKA Moscow|CSKA]]<br />{{flagicon|BLR}} [[HC Dinamo Minsk|Dinamo Mn]]<br />{{flagicon|CRO}} [[KHL Medveščak Zagreb|Medveščak]]
|{{flagicon|UKR}} [[HC Donbass|Donbass]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Dynamo Moscow|Dynamo M]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Vityaz|Vityaz]]
|{{flagicon|UKR}} [[HC Donbass|Donbass]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Dynamo Moscow|Dynamo M]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Vityaz|Vityaz]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC CSKA Moscow|CSKA]]<br />{{flagicon|BLR}} [[HC Dinamo Minsk|Dinamo Mn]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod|Torpedo]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod|Torpedo]]
|
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Admiral Vladivostok|Admiral]]
|
|-
|align="center"|[[2014–15 KHL season|2014–15]]<ref>{{cite web|url=http://en.khl.ru/news/2014/07/09/27893.html|title=Regular Season Format Unveiled|date=2014-07-09|accessdate=2014-07-11}}</ref>
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Atlant Moscow Oblast|Atlant]]<br />{{flagicon|FIN}} [[Jokerit]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC CSKA Moscow|CSKA]]<br />{{flagicon|CZE}} [[HC Lev Praha|Lev Praha]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC CSKA Moscow|CSKA]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Sochi]]<br /> {{flagicon|RUS}} [[Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod|Torpedo]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Atlant Moscow Oblast|Atlant]]<br />{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Spartak Moscow|Spartak Moscow]]<br /> {{flagicon|UKR}} [[HC Donbass|Donbass]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Lada Togliatti|Lada]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod|Torpedo]]
|
|
|-
|align="center"|[[2015–16 KHL season|2015–16]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[HC Spartak Moscow|Spartak M]]
|{{flagicon|RUS}} [[Atlant Moscow Oblast|Atlant]]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|-
|align="center"|[[2016–17 KHL season|2016–17]]
|
|
|
|
|
|
|{{flagicon|CHN}} [[HC Kunlun Red Star|HC Red Star Kunlun]]
|
|}

==References==
{{reflist}}
{{Kontinental Hockey League}}

{{DEFAULTSORT:Team changes}}
[[Category:Kontinental Hockey League teams| ]]
[[Category:Kontinental Hockey League|team changes]]