The KHL is a professional Hockey league based in Eurasia that was founded in 2008. Really though this is a league that has roots all the way back to 1946.
In 1946 the Soviet Union formed the Soviet Championship league with just five teams. After the fall of the Soviet Government the league was changed to the International Hockey league and in 1996 was re-branded as the Russian Super League.
The RSL was just one part of three of Russian Pro Hockey League. The Major League, and First League where the others. At the end of the 2008 season the RSL became the KHL.
The teams in this league play for the Gagarin Cup, a cup named after famous Russian Cosmonaut Yuri Gagarin. Teams play a 56 game regular season and then a 16 team playoff round. Two teams from the KHL are guaranteed entry into the Champions Hockey League season.
Currently there are 24 teams in the KHL, 21 of which are located within the Russian Federation. The three other teams are in Belarus, Latvia, and Kazakhstan. There are rumors that this league will seek to add other team from across Europe in hopes of becoming a major force of hockey on the World stage.
Due to their close relationship with the Russian Government may of the Russian teams are able to offer players tax free contracts. This has begun to lure players away from the American NHL.
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Correction: the 1946 Soviet League included not just 5, but 12 teams. Dynamo Moscow won the title that year. Later on the number of teams in the main Soviet League increased to 20 (1962-63). However, throughout the history that number varied greatly, bouncing between 12 and 20. The last championship 1990-91 included 16 teams, and was won by Dynamo Moscow again.
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