KHL membership and could rejoin if finances allow). Most fans consider Khimik Voskresensk the true heir of Voskresensk hockey, and this rivalry was regarded as both a Moscow Oblast Derby, and an Organizational Derby. Divisional rivalries Permanent divisions were first introduced to the KHL organizational structure in the second season, 2009-2010 (in the first season, the divisions were based on performance rather than geography, and were designed to be fluid. Starting in the second season, divisions became geographic in order to cut travel costs). As yet, notable rivalries due only to divisions have not really developed, although sports reporters always pay higher attention to games between the top two teams. Severstal Cherepovets vs. Lokomotiv Yaroslavl Amur Khabarovsk vs. Avangard Omsk Amur Khabarovsk vs. Sibir Novosibirsk Amur Khabarovsk vs. Metallurg Novokuznetsk (Defunct) Dinamo Riga vs. SKA Saint Petersburg Play-off rivalries Avangard Omsk vs. Metallurg Magnitogorsk Two of the best teams from the Russian Superleague era, these two teams are still considered "Grands" and their matches are highlighted by the news when they occur. Salavat Yulaev Ufa vs. Ak Bars Kazan Severstal Cherepovets vs. Atlant Moscow Oblast (Defunct) SKA Saint Petersburg vs. Atlant Moscow Oblast (Defunct) Ak Bars Kazan vs. Traktor Chelyabinsk Ak Bars Kazan vs. Metallurg Magnitogorsk Salavat Yulaev Ufa vs. Metallurg Magnitogorsk Lokomotiv Yaroslavl vs. Atlant Moscow Oblast (Defunct) Big Green Derby Ak Bars Kazan vs. Salavat Yulaev Ufa Also can be referred to as the Derby of Champions, these are the first two teams to have won the Gagarin Cup. Both teams have green uniforms, are from autonomous republics, and have NHL-caliber players, making the games always a much watched and commented on affair. Cat Derby Barys Nur-Sultan vs. Ak Bars Kazan The name of the rivalry comes from the names of the team - both refer to snow leopards. Ak Bars has played Barys in the first playoff round of the first three KHL seasons, and defeated them every year without losing a game. Other rivalries SKA Saint Petersburg vs. Severstal Cherepovets Vityaz Chekhov vs. HC Dinamo Minsk Vityaz Chekhov vs. Avangard Omsk References Kontinental Hockey League Ice hockey rivalries