Gagarin Cup [SEP] named after
Gagarin Cup
The Gagarin Cup () is the trophy presented to the winner of the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL) playoffs, and is named after cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin, the first human in space. The Cup was supposedly named after Gagarin because the last possible game of the inaugural KHL season would take place on April 12, the anniversary date of Gagarin's flight.
After the end of the KHL's regular season, sixteen teams participate in the playoffs. The 1/8 and quarter-finals were a best-of
lbs), making it heavier than the NHL's Stanley Cup. The Cup is made of silver and is gold-plated.
Naming history.
According to league president Alexander Medvedev, the Cup was named after Gagarin because Russian citizens associate his name with the achievement of great accomplishments, and the man himself has been described as a symbol of the nation. Additionally, according to the founders of the KHL, his ascent into space serves as a metaphor for the contemporary Soviet breakthrough in hockey. Gagarin himself did