Alexander Mogilny facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alexander Mogilny
Mogilny with the New Jersey Devils in 2005
Born	(1969-02-18) 18 February 1969 (age 56) Khabarovsk, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height	6 ft 0 in (183 cm)
Weight	210 lb (95 kg; 15 st 0 lb)
Position	Right Wing
Shot	Left
Played for	CSKA Moscow Buffalo Sabres Spartak Moscow Vancouver Canucks New Jersey Devils Toronto Maple Leafs
National team	Soviet Union and  Russia
NHL Draft	89th overall, 1988 Buffalo Sabres
Playing career	1986–2006
Medal record Men's ice hockey Representing Soviet Union Olympic Games Gold 1988 Calgary Ice hockey World Championship Gold 1989 Sweden Ice hockey World Junior Championship Silver 1988 Soviet Union Ice hockey Gold 1989 USA Ice hockey

Alexander Gennadevich Mogilny (Russian: Александр Геннадиевич Могильный; born 18 February 1969) is a Russian former professional ice hockey player. He is currently the president of Amur Khabarovsk in the Kontinental Hockey League (KHL). He was the first player drafted by an NHL team to leave the Soviet Union to play in North America.

During his NHL career, Mogilny played for the Buffalo Sabres, Vancouver Canucks, Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils. He once tied for the NHL lead in goals with 76 during the 1992–93 season. He also became a member of the Triple Gold Club when he won the Stanley Cup in 2000 with the New Jersey Devils.

Biography

Early Life and Soviet Hockey

Alexander Mogilny grew up in the Soviet Union. He was chosen at a young age to join CSKA Moscow, also known as the "Red Army Team". This team was part of the Soviet Army. It could pick the best young hockey players in the country.

In 1986, Mogilny became a full-time player for CSKA Moscow. He scored 15 goals and 16 points in 28 games in his first year. At just 17, Mogilny and Sergei Fedorov were the youngest on the team. People expected them to become top stars.

Mogilny first played for the Soviet Union at the 1987 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He scored 3 goals and 2 assists in 6 games. However, his team was removed from the tournament. This happened because of a big fight with Team Canada. It was called the "Punch-up in Piestany".

The International Ice Hockey Federation (IIHF) banned all players involved for 18 months. This ban was later shortened to six months. This allowed Mogilny to play in the 1988 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He scored 9 goals and 18 points in 7 games. His team won a silver medal, and he was named the Top Forward.

He also played with the main Soviet team at the 1988 Winter Olympics. He was the youngest player and won a gold medal. The next year, at the 1989 World Junior Championships, he was team captain. He played on a powerful line with Pavel Bure and Fedorov. They led their team to a gold medal. Mogilny scored 7 goals and 12 points in 7 games.

He then won his first World Championship when the Soviet Union won in 1989. Despite his success, Mogilny wanted to play in the NHL. The Buffalo Sabres had drafted him 89th overall in 1988. After the 1989 World Championships, he left his team in Stockholm and went to North America.

Buffalo Sabres Years

The Buffalo Sabres gave Mogilny the number 89. This was to remember the year he arrived and his draft pick number. He wore #89 for his entire career.

He played his first NHL game on October 5, 1989. It was against the Quebec Nordiques. He scored his first NHL goal just 20 seconds into his first shift. He was 20 years old. His first season was okay, with 43 points in 65 games. He got better in his second year, scoring 30 goals and 64 points.

He continued to improve with 39 goals and 84 points the next year. In his fourth season, he became a true NHL superstar. On December 21, 1991, Mogilny scored five seconds into a game. This tied the NHL record for the fastest goal to start a game.

In the 1991–92 season, the Sabres got Pat Lafontaine. Lafontaine and Mogilny played together very well. They used their speed and skill to become a top duo. The 1992–93 season was amazing for Mogilny. He scored 76 goals and 127 points in 77 games.

His 76 goals tied him for the NHL lead that year. This was the fifth-highest goal total in NHL history. It was also the first time two non-North American players led the league in goals. Mogilny's 76 goals and 127 points set records for a Russian NHL player. He scored his 50th goal in his 46th game. He had seven hat-tricks that season.

In the 1993 playoffs, Mogilny was key for the Sabres. He scored 6 goals in 4 games. This helped his team beat the Boston Bruins. In the next round, he broke his leg in Game 3. The Sabres then lost the series without him. This was the second time he broke his leg in two years. These injuries limited his potential. He was also the Sabres' captain for a time, the first Russian captain in NHL history.

Vancouver Canucks Trade

The Sabres needed to save money. So, they traded Mogilny to the Vancouver Canucks on July 8, 1995. They got Michael Peca and other players in return. The Canucks wanted Mogilny to help them win their first Stanley Cup.

The plan was to put Mogilny with Pavel Bure. They had played together before in Russia. But Bure missed almost their whole first season together due to injury. Mogilny still had a great first year. He led the team with 55 goals and 107 points. He finished third in the league in goals.

He scored 9 points in 6 playoff games that year. But the Canucks lost to the Colorado Avalanche. Mogilny led the Canucks in scoring again in his second year with 73 points. After that, injuries and inconsistent play lowered his production. The Canucks also missed the playoffs for three years. In 2000, the Canucks traded Mogilny to the New Jersey Devils.

New Jersey Devils Success

Mogilny joined the New Jersey Devils during the 1999-2000 season. He didn't score as much as expected at first. But the Devils still won the Stanley Cup that year. They beat the Dallas Stars in the finals. With this win, Mogilny got his first Stanley Cup. He also became a member of the special Triple Gold Club. This club is for players who have won an Olympic gold medal, a World Championship gold medal, and the Stanley Cup.

The next year, he stayed healthy. He had a strong season, leading the Devils with 43 goals and 83 points. The Devils made it to the Stanley Cup Finals again. But they lost to the Colorado Avalanche in 7 games.

Toronto Maple Leafs Chapter

In 2001, Mogilny signed a four-year, $22 million contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He liked the team's fans. This also reunited him with Pat Quinn, who was now the Leafs' General Manager. Mogilny started strong with two goals in his first game. He scored his 400th career NHL goal a few games later.

He dealt with injuries but finished third in team scoring. In the 2002 playoffs, Mogilny played a big role. He led the team in playoff goals. He scored two goals in two Game 7 wins. The Maple Leafs were stopped by the Carolina Hurricanes in the Eastern Conference Finals.

The next season, coach Pat Quinn put Mogilny and Mats Sundin on the first line. They had great chemistry, especially on the powerplay. Mogilny led the team with 79 points. He also had two hat-tricks. This was the only year Sundin didn't lead the Leafs in scoring. Mogilny scored his first playoff hat-trick in Game 1 against the Philadelphia Flyers. The Leafs lost that series.

Mogilny won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy that year. This award is for sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct. He was the first Leaf to win it since 1963.

In the next year, Mogilny had hip surgery. He returned late in the season. He recorded his 1,000th career NHL point in a dramatic game. The Leafs came back from being down 5-2 to tie the game. Mogilny's shot led to the tying goal. He then set up the winning goal in overtime. The next season was cancelled due to a lockout. Mogilny became a free agent. In 2016, the Maple Leafs named him the #83 greatest player in their history.

Return to New Jersey and Retirement

After the lockout, Mogilny returned to the New Jersey Devils in 2005. He signed a two-year contract. He scored 25 points in 34 games. But his hip problem continued to bother him. He was not able to play at his old level.

He agreed to play for the Albany River Rats, the Devils' minor league team. He played 19 games there. But he could not get medical approval to return to the NHL. He was placed on long-term injury reserve and retired at the end of the 2006–07 season.

Post-Playing Career

After retiring, Mogilny went back to Russia. He started working as a consultant for his hometown team, Amur Khabarovsk. In 2013, he became president of Admiral Vladivostok. After two seasons, he returned to Khabarovsk. He is still the president of Amur Khabarovsk today.

Legacy

Alexander Mogilny was a pioneer for Russian players in the NHL. He was the first Russian to be an NHL captain. He was also the first Russian named to the NHL All-Star team. He holds the highest single-season goal total for a Russian player. He is the fourth-highest Russian scorer in NHL history.

Mogilny was the second Russian player to reach 1,000 points in the NHL. He reached this milestone just after Sergei Fedorov. In 1993, he and Teemu Selänne were the first non-North Americans to lead the NHL in goals.

In 2016, he was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame. Many people believe he should be in the Hockey Hall of Fame. He has similar stats to other great players who are already in. He also helped open the door for many Russian players in the NHL. But he has not been inducted yet.

International Play

At the 1988 Winter Olympics, Mogilny played for the Soviet national team. He was only 18 years old. His team won the gold medal.

In the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, Russia played five warm-up games. They were the only team that didn't lose. In some games, Mogilny played on a line with Bure and Fedorov. This line was called "perhaps the best forward line on earth." Mogilny and Fedorov led the team in scoring. Russia lost in the semi-finals to the United States.

Player Profile

Mats Sundin, a former Maple Leafs captain, called Mogilny the "best player [he's] ever played with." Sundin said Mogilny was "gifted, skilled, a natural hockey player, and the best pure goal-scorer he's ever seen." Pat Quinn, a former coach, called him "The most talented player that he's ever coached." Quinn said Mogilny had "good size and wonderful skating ability."

Sergei Fedorov said, "Alex was faster than all of us." He called Mogilny "a machine" with "crazy skill." Igor Larionov said Mogilny was "such a talented guy. Really good with the stick, and smart." Pat Lafontaine said Mogilny was the "best player that I had a chance to see and play with talent-wise." He said Mogilny had a rare mix of speed, skill, and quickness.

Lafontaine and Mogilny played together during the 1992–93 season. Mogilny scored 76 goals and Lafontaine had 148 points. Lafontaine said they had a "sixth sense" on the ice. He added that Mogilny "thinks the game at such a high level." Lou Lamoriello, a former Devils president, said Mogilny could "break a game open at any given time." He praised Mogilny's "exceptional" skating and shot.

Mogilny was often the main attacker for his line and team. As he got older and had more injuries, he became a smart playmaker. He was also a strong two-way player. This means he was good at both offense and defense. He had great hockey instincts. When he had a breakaway, he liked to shoot quickly. He also often used a backhand shot between the goalie's legs.

Awards and Achievements

• NHL All-Star – 1992, 1993, 1994, 1996, 2001, 2003 (injured)
• NHL second All-Star team – 1993, 1996
• Stanley Cup champion – 2000
• Goal-scoring leader (tied with Teemu Selänne) – 1993 (76)
• Lady Byng Memorial Trophy – 2003
• Most game-winning goals in a season – 1993 (11)
• Buffalo Sabres Hall of Fame (inducted on 1 January 2011)
• World Junior Championships All-Star team – 1988
• World Junior Championships best forward – 1988
• Member of the Triple Gold Club (10 June 2000)
• Inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame in 2016
• Fastest goal scored in an NHL debut

Career Statistics

Regular Season and Playoffs

International

See Also

• List of NHL players with 1,000 points
• List of NHL players with 100 point seasons
• List of Eastern Bloc defectors