After a sixteen-year wait that many considered far too long, Russian hockey pioneer Alexander Mogilny has finally received hockey's highest honor. The explosive winger was officially inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the 2025 class during a gala ceremony in Toronto.
A Career of Extraordinary Achievements
Mogilny's selection came through a secret ballot where he received at least 75% support from the 18-member selection committee. His credentials for induction are beyond dispute. He belongs to hockey's exclusive Triple Gold Club, having won a Stanley Cup with the New Jersey Devils in 2000, an Olympic gold medal with the Soviet Union in 1988, and a world championship in 1989.
His individual achievements are equally impressive. During the 1992-93 NHL season with the Buffalo Sabres, Mogilny scored 76 goals in just 77 games, putting him among the league's most dangerous scorers. He later won the Lady Byng Trophy in 2003 as a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, recording 79 points with only 12 penalty minutes.
Peers Remember an Exceptional Talent
Fellow 2025 inductee Joe Thornton expressed his admiration for Mogilny. "I was a huge fan of his," Thornton said. "I used to go to Buffalo from St. Thomas to watch him. He and Pat Lafontaine were my guys. I would have loved to meet with him and talk to him."
Mogilny's impact was immediate upon his defection from the Soviet Union in 1989. He chose jersey number 89 to commemorate his year of escape, and in his first game as a Sabre, he scored just 20 seconds after the opening faceoff. He later tied an NHL record by scoring five seconds into a game against the Toronto Maple Leafs in 1991.
The Russian Machine That Changed Hockey
Hall of Fame defenseman Zdeno Chara recalled the excitement Mogilny and other Russian players brought during the dead puck era. "All the Russians were fast, super-highly skilled and advanced compared to other good players," Chara noted. "Every time they had the puck it was just an explosion. They provided the excitement fans were looking for."
Former linemate Sergei Fedorov, himself a Hall of Famer, once declared Mogilny the best of their legendary Russian trio that included Pavel Bure. "Alex was faster than all of us," Fedorov said. "Alex was a machine, he was built like a machine. On top of all the crazy skill he had, he's better than all of us."
Former Vancouver Canucks teammate Corey Hirsch made the ultimate compliment when comparing Mogilny to the electrifying Bure. "Pav was electric, he'd bring you out of your seat whenever he had the puck," Hirsch said. "But a player with the best all-around game that could play defence, offence, protect the puck, one-timers, wrist shots, everything, who could do everything at an extremely high level, Alex was probably the best all-around player I've ever seen."
Despite his absence from the ceremony, Mogilny's legacy is now permanently enshrined in hockey history, recognizing one of the most talented and influential players to ever grace the ice.
