KHL - Western Conference - Part 2 (Russia & Belarus)

Tarasov Division
1 - Severstal Cherepovets are based in Cherepovets, Vologda Oblast, Russia. Founded in 1956, the club was originally known as Stroitel Cherepovets. The name was changed to Metallurg Cherepovets in 1959 and to its present name, Severstal, after the steel company that owns the club, in 1994.
2 - HC Dinamo Minsk - The origins of the club begin in 1976, where the original Dinamo played 5 seasons in the Soviet Top Ice Hockey League, finishing as high as 10^th in 1989/90. Dinamo was renamed as Tivali Minsk in 1993 and were crowned champions of the Belarusian Championship 4 times in 1993, 1994, 1995 and 2000. Tivali disbanded in 2000 paving the way for Dinamo to be re-founded in 2003, taking the name of the historic club, and won the championship and Belarus Cup twice. On March 26, 2008, the KHL confirmed the Belarusian club's inclusion in the Bobrov Division.

3 - HC CSKA Moscow - Central Sports Club of the Army. It is referred to in the West as "Central Red Army" or the "Red Army Team" for its past affiliation with the Soviet Army, popularly known as the Red Army. HC CSKA Moscow won more Soviet championships and European cups than any other team in history.
4 - HC Spartak Moscow - Part of the Spartak Moscow sports club, they were established in 1946.
They have won the Soviet Championship 4 times, and have also had European-level success in the Spengler Cup, which they have won 5 times. Unfortunately for its fans, the financial state of the team was becoming worse and worse since the beginning of 2006. After the season, a Russian businessman and huge Spartak fan, Vadim Melkov, volunteered to find suitable sponsorship for his favorite team. After negotiations, the Government of Moscow agreed to cover all of team debts. Some preliminary agreements about team sale were achieved as well. However, Melkov died during the S7 Airlines plane crash of July 9, 2006. All the deal proposals were cancelled. After a month of struggling to improve the financial situation, it was decided by Spartak management to disband the team for a year.

5 - Atlant Moscow Oblast - founded on December 20, 1953, under the name of Khimik (1953–2008) in Voskresensk. 3 Bronze Medal results between 1965 and 1984 were capitulated in 1989 when the team achieved silver under prestigious head coach Vladimir Vasiliyev, a major accomplishment for a team from a small town. More impressive is how much successful homegrown talent has come out of the Khimik system, withs names including future Stanley Cup winners such as Igor Larionov and Valeri Kamensky. In the spring of 1998, the status of the team changed. Taking place on their 45th anniversary, during the 2005–06 season, the team relocated within the Moscow Oblast, from Voskresensk to Mytishchi. Following this, the team changed its name to Atlant, prior to its inclusion in the KHL. Their new team logo features a Central Asian Shepherd Dog.
6 - Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod, used to play their homes games at Konovalenko Sports Palace, named after Viktor Konovalenko - one of the most famous Soviet goaltenders who played for Torpedo. They now play at Trade Union Sport Palace.
7 - Lokomotiv Yaroslavl - The name of the team is derived from its owner, Russian Railways, the national railroad operator. On September 7, 2011, a plane carrying the team to a KHL game in Minsk crashed shortly after takeoff, killing all of the team's roster (plus four players from the Loko MHL Junior squad) and coaching staff except for two who were not on the flight, forward Maxim Zyuzyakin and goaltending coach Jorma Valtonen. The tragedy forced Lokomotiv Yaroslavl to cancel their participation in the 2011-12 season. The club instead joined the VHL, the second top ice hockey league in Russia after the KHL, in December 2011 for the remainder of the season and automatically qualified for the VHL playoffs. Also, they were allowed to use more than 6 non-Russian players in the KHL squad.