Bilyalov's extension — key question for Ak Bars management? We discussed it with Kirill Kornilov

Timur Bilyalov's best season in terms of contribution to Ak Bars' overall team result

The KHL offseason is smoothly moving towards its midpoint. Some players have already started training under individual programs, having finished their so-called lazy vacations. Club managers, unlike the players, have been working hard on the transfer market since the beginning of June, trying to lure coveted unrestricted free agents in the KHL to their teams.

Ak Bars, similar to last summer, is not trying to blow up the information field with big deals in June. As a rule, Kazan makes impactful transfers in July-August. And in the first month of summer, they are actively engaged in extending agreements with the leaders who form the team's core.
So far, only news with thanks to players leaving the club this summer has come from Ak Bars. Defensemen Ilya Karpukhin, Konstantin Luchevnikov, and forwards Nathan Todd and Ilya Safonov will definitely not stay in the capital of Tatarstan for the next season. Dmitry Yashkin and Alexander Barabanov are close to leaving Ak Bars.

The situation of the starting goaltender Timur Bilyalov for the upcoming season is also completely unclear. Let us recall that the goaltender's current agreement with the Kazan club expired in May of this year. The past season for the 31-year-old goaltender turned out to be one of the best in his career in terms of statistics. In the regular championship, Bilyalov averaged a save percentage of 91.9% with a goals-against average of 2.35. And in the playoffs, Timur's numbers became even better: 92.8% save percentage with a 2.21 GAA.

In a conversation with a Realnoe Vremya correspondent, former Spartak system goaltender and now well-known KHL TV commentator Kirill Kornilov noted Bilyalov's stability in the past season, as well as the goaltender's great contribution to Ak Bars' results in the playoffs.

— Is it fair to consider the past season as the best for Timur Bilyalov? If we start from statistics, there were better seasons. Both in the regular championship and in the playoffs. If we talk about Timur's contribution to the overall team result, then, undoubtedly, this is the best season. And, most importantly, he managed to get through without injuries and slumps. After all, in recent seasons, there were unpleasant moments when Timur was out for some time due to injuries, but this season showed that he is a goaltender capable of winning the most important games. Of course, one cannot ignore his achievement of becoming the fourth goaltender in KHL history to achieve two hundred wins in the League, — Kornilov emphasized.

If Bilyalov leaves Ak Bars, will it be problematic for the club to find a replacement for him?

Indeed, Timur Bilyalov's contribution to Ak Bars' success in the last season is difficult to overestimate. The goaltender made a huge contribution not only to Kazan's third place at the end of the regular season but was also one of the most notable players in the playoffs. There were no complaints about Timur's performance during the series against Traktor or during the confrontation with Minsk Dynamo. In the battle with Metallurg, Bilyalov also looked very confident. Complaints about the Ak Bars goaltender's play could only arise during the final series against Lokomotiv, where Timur allowed a few less-than-mandatory goals in the final games.

Nevertheless, there is little doubt that for the Kazan management, extending Bilyalov's contract is one of the most important tasks in the current offseason. Yes, on the one hand, as our expert Kirill Kornilov noted, Marat Valiullin will need, among other things, to fill a large number of positions with skaters. And in this regard, maintaining contractual relations with Bilyalov is not the only priority for Ak Bars management. On the other hand, will the Kazan club find a worthy replacement for Timur if he does leave the team? The experience of other teams in the KHL shows that finding a quality goaltender is very difficult even in the North American markets, not to mention the domestic championship.

— Marat Valiullin has a huge amount of work ahead of him in the offseason. Extending Bilyalov is the most important task, but now the situation is such that the priority task will be to assemble a competitive roster. A lot of leading players are in a state of limbo. Ilya Safonov will not be there, which means a top-line center must be found. Not a single line is fully formed. So I won't even venture to say which direction is the most important for Marat Faritovich right now. If Ak Bars does not extend Bilyalov, will it be difficult for the club to find a replacement for him on the KHL market or in North America? As practice of recent seasons shows — yes, it will be difficult. Last season, out of four North Americans who came to the League, only Adam Scheel from Barys played the season to the end. Given the current situation, where finding a quality European goaltender on the market is practically impossible, bringing in a goaltender from North America is always a 50/50 proposition. There are too many nuances and factors that the goaltender will have to face, and it's far from certain that a newcomer will be able to adapt. And solving a goaltending problem during the season is very difficult, — Kirill Kornilov stated.

Is Maxim Arefyev ready to be Ak Bars' starting goaltender?

Representatives of Timur Bilyalov certainly understand how serious the goaltending shortage in the KHL is today. Stable and quality Russian goaltenders capable of solving big tasks with a club in the playoffs can be counted on one hand. Bilyalov, of course, is among these goaltenders, and therefore he deserves appropriate financial conditions. Under his previous contract with Ak Bars, the goaltender received, according to various insider estimates, from 50 to 55 million rubles per season. For what money will Bilyalov be ready to stay and play in Kazan, what amount will the club offer, and what will be the term of the new agreement? These are the questions that are currently on the surface.

It is clear that Timur's side will negotiate from a position of strength and is unlikely to make concessions. The goaltender will definitely not be left without a job in the KHL, and some other club will satisfy the player's financial appetites if Ak Bars does not. Difficult negotiations over Bilyalov's new contract are guaranteed.

In this regard, it is interesting whether Ak Bars' backup goaltender Maxim Arefyev is capable of handling the burden of being Ak Bars' starting goaltender. In the 2025/26 regular season, the talented graduate of the Kazan club's system was good (average save percentage — 92.9%). In the playoffs, Arefyev also looked decent (two wins in three games).

Our publication's expert Kirill Kornilov mentioned that in the upcoming KHL season (2026/27), Maxim Arefyev's playing time under Anvar Gatiyatulin will likely increase. But it is premature to say that the goaltender is capable of bearing the burden of being Ak Bars' number one. However, if Arefyev performs at his best, it is unlikely that Anvar Gatiyatulin will keep the goaltender on the bench just because he is young. As they say, the best players play on the ice.

— Is there potential for Maxim Arefyev to become Ak Bars' starting goaltender next season? At the very least, he has already shown that he can compete at the KHL level. His transition to KHL hockey is going quite smoothly and calmly. And Maxim certainly has potential. As last season showed, Semyon Vyazovoy handled the role of starting goaltender excellently, and he and Maxim are the same age. But knowing Anvar Rafailovich's approach — he is unlikely to throw a young goaltender into the fire and overload him. I don't think the coaching staff has plans to make Arefyev the starter next season. But an increase in playing time, I think, Maxim has earned with his play. Such talented guys need to be introduced gradually. Gradually increase the load. And decide by the playoffs. It's unlikely that coaches will shoot themselves in the foot and leave a goaltender who wins the competition on the bench. But here everything depends on Arefyev himself, — Kirill Kornilov concluded.