Igor Nikitin is leaving his position as head coach of the Lokomotiv Yaroslavl hockey club. The team announced that Nikitin “terminated the contract, which was valid until 2027, on his own initiative.”

The two-time Gagarin Cup winner is expected to take over as head coach of CSKA Moscow. Nikitin previously coached CSKA from 2017 to 2021, leading them to a Gagarin Cup victory in the 2018/19 season. He was dismissed in 2021 after CSKA lost in the playoff finals to Avangard Omsk.

Nikitin’s tenure with Lokomotiv lasted nearly four years. During that time, the team’s performance improved steadily. In 2025, Lokomotiv won the Russian Championship and the Gagarin Cup, with Nikitin being named the KHL’s best coach of the season. Lokomotiv also secured first place in the KHL Regular Championship and won the Continental Cup.