After years of competing in the low-level divisions the team was invited to the second level of the Soviet League "Class A" in 1964, subsequently getting promotion to the elite group for the 1978-1979, 1980-81, 1982-83, 1985-1986 and 1986-1987 seasons.

[citation needed] Salavat Yulaev was one of the founding clubs of the International Hockey League and later the Russian Superleague, and normally advanced to the playoffs at that time.

On June 9, 2009, a press release was issued, stating that Viktor Kozlov had signed a three-year contract to return to Russia.

Salavat Yulaev marked its first year in the KHL by winning its first two regular season titles and becoming the first club to be awarded the Continental Cup.

In March 2022, all four Finnish players, including the all-time scoring leader Teemu Hartikainen, and Geoff Platt and Philip Larsen left the team due to the Russian invasion of Ukraine.