On June 1st the first ever KHL Draft took place. Only 23 of the league's teams picked players as Khimik Voskresensk and Vityaz Chekhov couldn't participate due to the franchises' bad finances. Avtomobilist Ekaterinburg took one of the vacant places and now looks very, very close in joining the league in the next season. In the four rounds 86 players were drafted out of the possible 91 because HC MVD preferred not to pick players and other teams passed a couple of calls as well.

Draft Format

The draft's order has been set by the reversed standings with the exception of Avtomobilist Ekaterinburg, which picked last as they haven't played in the Russian top league last season. KHL teams could have drafted any Russian player aged 17-21 unprotected by KHL teams or playing for a non-KHL team, while there were no limitations in the foreign players, with the same age range. Teams will retain rights on the Russian players until they turn 22, and on non-Russian players until they turn 28. KHL teams could protect up to 15 players among the ones without a two-way contract that allows them to play in both KHL and MHL (the new junior league).

Draft Overview

Atlant Mytischi was the busiest team in the draft as they picked 13 players, three of them in the first round. The next most active team was SKA St. Petersburg with nine selections. The non-KHL team that lost more players was MHK Krylya Sovetov, seeing 11 of their players get picked up by the KHL.

Three strategies were quickly noticeable in the draft.

1. Some teams tried to secure the top Russian (or Belarus and Latvian in the Minsk and Riga cases) talents.

2. Others, like SKA St. Petersburg, tried to earn the rights to foreign top prospects just in case the NHL door is closed for them in the future. It was mostly the case of SKA, Lokomotiv and Ak Bars Kazan, who drafted Taylor Hall

3. A further, smaller group, got nothing or will most likely get close-to-nothing, as they either chose not to draft players (HC MVD), traded away almost all their pics (Ak Bars) or through some other process. This third group was the less evident as it counted for only a small number of teams.

Draft selections

First round

1.  CSKA Moscow - D Mikhail Pashnin (Mechel Chelyabinsk) 

Pashnin's selection was rather predictable as Russian U20 national team coach and head coach of CSKA, Nemchinov, never hid his liking for the Mechel young defender, constantly playing him with the national junior team. CSKA had to trade three draft picks to Dinamo Minsk to get the first draft, but now they've got a player they wanted badly. They gained a defensive kind of defenseman who can move the puck and play on both powerplay and penalty killing units.

2.  Dinamo Minsk - F Mikhail Stefanovich (Quebec Remparts, QMJHL) 

With the second overall pick Dinamo Minsk picked Mikhail Stefanovich from the QMJHL Quebec Remparts. A risky move as most likely Stefanovich will be signed by the Leafs soon to play in the AHL with the Marlies or to get back to the Remparts for another year as over age player.

3.  Amur Khabarovsk - G Dmitri Shikin (Kristall Elektrostal)

The first goalie picked up in the draft went to Amur Khabarovsk. The starting netminder of Vyschaya Liga's Kristall Elektrostal was also guarding the crease of the U18 national team last season, but didn't make it through the WJC. The young keeper seemed to be happy to end up in Khabarovsk, even though he stated that SKA showed much interest in him.

4.  Sibir Novosibirsk - D Nikita Zaitsev (MHK Krylya Sovetov)

With the fourth overall pick Sibir gains a good puck moving defenseman who showed very good play in the last WJC under-18 in Fargo and during the whole season for his club team in the Vyschaya Liga.

5. HC MVD - passed

HC MVD opted not to draft.

6.  Severstal Cherepovets - D Dmitri Gromov (MHK Krylya Sovetov)

MHK Krylya Sovetov lost yet another player when Severstal decided to pick up the small defenseman Dmitri Gromov, who played a minor role with the main team playing only ten games in the Vyschaya Liga.

7. Avangard Omsk - passed

Just like HC MVD, Avangard decided not to draft.

8.  SKA St. Petersburg - G Harri Sateri (Tappara Tappere, Finland)

After losing Dmitri Shikin to Amur, SKA selected the first foreigner in the draft, Finnish goalie Harri Sateri. Sateri has also been drafted in the NHL by the San Jose Sharks.

9.  Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk - F Vadim Yaschuk (HK Belgorod)

Neftekhimik decided to pick up a very young player with Vadim Yaschuk. Born in 1992, he is the youngest player drafted player. Yaschuk scored an impressive 85 points in 20 matches with Belgorod's junior team. However, he doesn't have any experience with pro hockey.

10.  Severstal Cherepovets - F Ignat Zemchenko (MHK Krylya Sovetov)

With their second selection, Severstal Cherepovets decided to draft a young player, too, selecting the center Zemchenko from Krylya Sovetov. He recorded very good numbers with the farm and junior teams. However, he didn't play with the main team, which makes sense for a such young player.

11.  Atlant Mytischi - D Evgeni Molotilov (Guelph Storm, OHL)

Atlant's first selection has been used to pick up Russian player Evgeni Molotilov, who played this season in the Ontario Hockey League with the Guelph Storm. Molotilov is a promising defenseman good both in attack and defense, but given his good chances of being drafted this year it's hard that he'll play in the KHL during the 09-10.

12.  SKA St. Petersburg - G Ramis Sadikov (HK Rus)

With their second selection, SKA picked up another goalie. HK Rus' Ramis Sadikov is a physically large, talented netminder who didn't play with the junior national team, but got decent numbers in the Moscow championship.

13.  Dinamo Riga - F Roberts Bukarts (Krylya Sovetov)

As expected, Dinamo Riga's picks have been spent on Latvians. The first player picked was Roberts Bukarts, who scored 11 times in the Vyschaya Liga with Krylya Sovetov; a good number of goals for a young player.

14.  SKA St. Petersburg - F Vladimír Růžička (Slavia Prague)

SKA continued picking foreigners with their 14th pick as they opted for Czech center Vladimír Růžička. He has also been picked up in the NHL by the Phoenix Coyotes.

15.  SKA St. Petersburg - F Tomáš Tatár (HK Zvolen)

Another foreigner for SKA; the speedy Slovak Tomáš Tatár who might be picked up in the upcoming NHL Draft in one of the first two rounds.

16.  Dinamo Moscow - F Andrei Bykov (Fribourg-Gotteron)

Oddly enough, Dinamo Moscow ended up drafting Slava Bykov's son. A talented center he has spent almost his career in Switzerland as his father was playing there.

17.  Metallurg Magnitogorsk - D Aleksandr Savoskin (Krylya Sovetov) 

Metallurg Magnitogorsk spent their first round selection on the young, defensive defenseman Aleksandr Savoskin. Born in 1992, he comes from Krylya Sovetov.

18.  Dinamo Minsk - D Kirill Gotovets (Shattuck St. Mary, USA) 

Yet another expected pick by the Minsk team as they secured the rights on Kirill Gotovets, a very promising defenseman who played in the American High School leagues and skated in the training camp for the 2009 WC with the men team.

19.  Lokomotiv Yaroslavl - F Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson (Timra, Swe) 

In a similar fashion to SKA St. Petersburg, Lokomotiv drafted Sweden top prospect Magnus Paajarvi-Svensson, who is unlikely to report anytime as he will be picked very high in the next NHL Draft.

20.  Atlant Mytischi - D Stefan Stepanov (Krylya Sovetov) 

Atlant used their second selection on another defender, the very young Stefan Stepanov from Krylya Sovetov, who played this season in America too, for the Dallas Stars AAA.

 Choosing the 20 years old Rybitsky, Lada opted for a player who might be potentially KHL-ready as the young defenseman spent the whole season with Izhstal Izhevsk main team in the Vyschaya Liga scoring four points in 59 matches.

23.  Avtomobilist Ekaterinburg - F Ondřej Roman (Viktovice, Cze)

Avtomobilist decided to go with a Czech player probably advised by their new coach Sykora.

Second round

24. Dinamo Minsk - F Teemu Pulkkinen (Jokerit)
25. SKA St. Petersburg - F Andrei Leonov (Kristall Elektrostal)
26. Amur Khabarovsk - F Artem Tomilin (Krylya Sovetov)
27. Sibir Novosibirsk - F Michal Repik (Rochester Americans, AHL)
28. Spartak Moscow - F Aleksandr Gogolev (MHK Krylya Sovetov)
29. Severstal Cherepovets - F Vitaly Popov (MHK Krylya Sovetov)
30. Atlant Mytischi - D Roman Rukavishnikov (HK Rus)
31. Dinamo Moscow - D Aleksadr Ataev (Krylya Sovetov)
32. Lokomotiv Yaroslavl - D Erik Karlsson (Frolunda HC)
33. CSKA Moscow - F Yuri Sheremetiev (Halifax Mooseheads, QMJHL)
34. SKA St. Petersburg - F Antonin Melka (HC Kladno)
35. Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod - F Kaspar Daugavins (Bimghanton Senators, AHL)
36. Dinamo Riga - F Roberts Ekimovs (Brynas, Swe)
37. Spartak Moscow - F Artem Voronin (MHK Krylya Sovetov)
38. Metallurg Novokuznetsk - passed
39. SKA St. Petersburg - D Jyri Niemi (Saskatoon Blades, WHL)
40. Atlant Mytischi - F Mattias Tedenby (HV 71, Swe)
41. Dinamo Minsk - F Mikael Granlund (Karpat Oulu, Fin)
42. Lokomotiv Yaroslavl - G Jaroslav Januš (Erie Otters, OHL)
43. Atlant Mytischi - F Jiří Tlustý (Toronto Marlies, AHL)
44. Ak Bars Kazan - passed
45. Salavat Yulaev Ufa - D Mikhail Grigoriev (Yuzhny Ural Orsk)
46. Avtomobilist Ekaterinburg - F Aleksei Filippov (MHK Krylya Sovetov)

Third round

47. Atlant Mytischi - G Petr Eremin (Kristall Elektrostal)
48. Dinamo Minsk - F Artem Demkov (Acadie Bathurst Titan, QMJHL)
49. Metallurg Novokuznetsk - D Georgi Dulnev (Kristall Elektrostal)
50. Spartak Moscow - F Sergei Chistyakov (Kristall Elektrostal)
51. Sibir Novosibirsk - F Simon Hjalmarsson (Buros, Swe)
52. HC MVD - passed
53. Severstal Cherepovets - D Kirill Svyazov (MHK Krylya Sovetov)
54. Atlant Mytischi - D Artem Venskel (Vityaz)
55. Barys Astana - D Boris Novikov (MHK Krylya Sovetov)
56. Dinamo Moscow - F Zach Kassian (Peterborough Petes, OHL)
57. Atlant Mytischi - D Egor Antropov (Belye Medvedi)
58. Atlant Mytischi - F David Kveton (Ocelari Trinec)
59. Dinamo Riga - F Ainars Podzins (Krylya Sovetov)
60. Spartak Moscow - F Juraj Mikúš (HK Skalica)
61. SKA St. Petersburg - F Jakob Josefson (Djurgarden, Swe)
62. Dinamo Moscow - D Erik Gudbranson (Kingston Frontenacs, OHL)
63. Metallurg Magnitogorsk - F Marat Zaripov (Mechel Chelyabinsk)
64. Dinamo Minsk - G Yuri Lavtretsky (Kapitan Stupino)
65. Lokomotiv Yaroslavl - F Nikolai Suslo (HK Gomel)
66. Atlant Mytischi - G Jhonas Enroth (Portland Pirates, AHL)
67. Atlant Mytischi - F Oleg Li (Fargo)
68. Salavat Yulaev Ufa - F Ilya Ivanovsky (Vityaz)
69. Avtomobilist Ekaterinburg - F Richard Panik (Ocelari Trinec, Cze)

Fourth round

70. Dinamo Minsk - D Sergei Sheleg (Sudbury Wolves)
71. Metallurg Novokuznetsk - D Maksim Matushkin (Bjerkloven, Swe)
72. Lada Togliatti - passed
73. Sibir Novosibirsk - D Kristoffer Berglund (Sundsvall, Swe)
74. CSKA Moscow - F Aleksandr Fedoseev (MHK Krylya Sovetov)
75. Severstal Cherepovets - F Artur Ganzvind (MHK Krylya Sovetov)
76. Avangard Omsk - D Aleksandr Toropov
77. Barys Astana - D Kirill Alenikov (Metallurg Magnitogorsk)
78. Dinamo Moscow - D Miro Hovinen (Jokerit, Fin)
79. Lada Togliatti - F Sergei Rabukhin (CSK VVS Samara)
80. SKA St. Petersburg - D Michal Jordan (Plymouth Whalers, OHL)
81. Torpedo Nizhny Novgorod - D Aleksandr Frolenkov (Belye Medvedi)
82. Dinamo Riga - F Andris Dzerins (Kingston Frontenacs, OHL)
83. Spartak Moscow - D Victor Hedman (MODO Hockey, Swe)
84. Neftekhimik Nizhnekamsk - F Pavel Bondarevsky (HK Rus)
85. Metallurg Magnitogorsk - D Oliver Ekman-Larsson (Leksand)
86. Metallurg Magnitogorsk - D Simon Bertilsson (Brynas, Swe)
87. Lokomotiv Yaroslavl - F Toni Rajala (Ilves Tampere, Fin)
88. Atlant Mytischi - D Dmitri Shvidenko (Spartak Moscow)
89. Ak Bars Kazan - F Taylor Hall (Windsor Spitfires, OHL)
90. Salavat Yulaev Ufa - D Egor Martynov (Mechel Chelyabinsk)
91. Avtomobilist Ekaterinburg - D Kirill Badulkin (Mechel Chelyabinsk)