Alexander Mogilny Deserves To Be In The Hockey Hall of Fame

The Hockey Hall of Fame announced their Class of 2023 on Wednesday. The newest members include Henrik Lundqvist, Mike Vernon, Tom Barrasso, Pierre Turgeon, and Caroline Ouellette, with Ken Hitchcock and Pierre Lacroix going in the builder’s category. But one name continues you be missing and that is Alexander Mogilny.

Before we get into the case for Mogilny we have to touch on those that got in. First off congratulations to all the members getting in. Most people want to look at the snubs without congratulating the people that got in. All these players, coaches, and managers are all deserving. It was the year of the goalie with three getting in. Turgeon finally gets in and Ouellette is one of the best women’s hockey players of all time. Of course, Hitchcock did as a coach and Lacroix did build the Quebec Nordiques and Colorado Avalanche franchises. Again congrats to all those who made it into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Now onto Alexander Mogilny.

Mogilny has been eligible since 2009 for the Hockey Hall of Fame. His story is truly remarkable. Mogilny was the first Soviet player drafted to defect joining the Buffalo Sabres in 1989. He put his life and his family’s lives on the line to make the trip to North America to play in the NHL. After the conclusion of the 1989 IIHF World Championship, he boarded a plane in Stockholm, Sweden in the middle of the night and defected. That’s just the beginning of the history he made.

When he came over to North America, Mogilny made an immediate impact with the Buffalo Sabres. 20 seconds into his first shift with the Sabres Mogilny scored his first career NHL goal. What a start. Though he struggled to adjust to North American life, he still put up 43 points including 15 goals in his rookie season. And his numbers only went up each season.

With the Sabres he hit the 30-goal plateau four times including scoring 76 goals during the 1992-93 season. He is one of six players in NHL history to score 75 or more goals in a season. Every other member of that club is in the Hockey Hall of Fame except Mogilny.

Mogilny then went to Vancouver where his scoring pace continued. He scored over 30 goals twice including a 55-goal season in 1995-96 season. Though his production dipped some in Vancouver, he was still an effective player and goal-scorer.

The Canucks traded Mogilny to the New Jersey Devils during the 1999-2000 season, where he found a role alongside Scott Gomez. Playing in New Jersey revitalized his career. During the 2000-01 season, Mogilny scored 43 goals and was an important piece for the Devils in their runs to back-to-back Stanley Cup Finals.

Mogilny is one of the best offensive forwards and goal-scorers in NHL history. In 990 games he recorded 1,032 points (473 goals and 559 assists). That is a 1.04 points-per-game pace. Pierre Turgeon got in with a 1.02-points-per-game pace.

Mogilny is a member of the Triple Gold Club winning an Olympic Gold Medal, World Championship Gold Medal, and a Stanley Cup. He got that Stanley Cup in New Jersey in 2000. He also has a World Junior Championship Gold Medal to his name as well. Last checked, there are 30 members of this exclusive club with nine in the Hockey Hall of Fame. That number will grow as well.

Take the politics out of it because what was the excuse before this? Whether he would show up to the ceremony or not, is irrelevant Mogilny’s resume alone gets him into the Hockey Hall of Fame.

It is hard to take away from the accomplishments of those players that got into the Hockey Hall of Fame, but one of those members should have been Alexander Mogilny and it is a shame that he continues to wait.