The 2016 Gagarin Cup playoffs of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) began on February 21, 2016, with the top eight teams from each of the conferences, following the conclusion of the 2015–16 KHL regular season.^[1]

Playoff seeds

After the regular season, the standard 16 teams qualified for the playoffs. The Western Conference regular season winners and Continental Cup winners are CSKA Moscow with 127 points. Avangard Omsk are the Eastern Conference regular season winners with 106 points.

Draw

The playoffs started on February 21, 2016, with the top eight teams from each of the conferences and ended with the last game of the Gagarin Cup final on April 19, 2016.^[2]

	Conference Quarterfinals					Conference Semifinals					Conference Finals					Gagarin Cup Finals
	1	Avangard	4
	8	Neftekhimik	0
						1	Avangard	3
						4	Salavat Yulaev	4
	2	Metallurg Mg	4
	7	Avtomobilist	2
											4	Salavat Yulaev	1
	Eastern Conference
											2	Metallurg Mg	4
	3	Sibir	4
	6	Admiral	1
						2	Metallurg Mg	4
						3	Sibir	1
	4	Salavat Yulaev	4
	5	Ak Bars	3
																2	Metallurg Mg	4
																1	CSKA	3
	1	CSKA	4
	8	Slovan	0
						1	CSKA	4
						7	Torpedo	1
	2	Jokerit	2
	7	Torpedo	4
											1	CSKA	4
	Western Conference
											6	SKA	0
	3	Lokomotiv	1
	6	SKA	4
						5	Dynamo Msk	2
						6	SKA	4
	4	HC Sochi	0
	5	Dynamo Msk	4

Sibir vs Metallurg Game 4 controversy

In the fourth game of Sibir — Metallurg series, on 37th minute a scored goal was confirmed after the episode when a player of Sibir, while leaving the ice during substitution, made physical contact with a player of Metallurg when the substituting player of Sibir was already on the ice (violation of clause (b) of rule 411 of the Hockey Game Rules for 2015/2016).^[3][4]

In the overtime the game-winning goal scored by Metallurg was confirmed after the episode when Metallurg started their substitution in violation of clause (a) item 1 of rule 411 of the Hockey Game Rules for 2015/2016 (the player to be substituted is on the ice outside the substitution area), however the league's Officiating Department chose to explain the officials action by another clause of rule 411 (player involved in a substitution being hit by the puck), leaving the violation of clause (a) unexplained.^[4][5]

In response to an appeal filed by Sibir demanding the cancellation of the game result, according to Sibir GM Kirill Fastovsky, the KHL noted "there was no refereeing error".^[6]

According to the KHL, this demand of Sibir about the cancellation of the game result "could not be considered as an appeal" because "the appeal procedure was not strictly followed" by Sibir (mandatory note in the official game sheet by the club representative after the end of the game about their intention to appeal against the game result, followed by filing the appeal within 24 hours along with required supporting evidence). The message from the KHL also referenced Clause 77 of the KHL Sports Regulations and noted the impossibility to accept for consideration appeals based on complaints to refereeing.^[7]

Player statistics

Scoring leaders

As of 19 Apr 2016

Source: KHL

Leading goaltenders

As of 19 Apr 2016

Source: KHL