Alexander Mogilny facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Alexander Mogilny
Hockey Hall of Fame, 2025
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

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). Mogilny 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, New Jersey Devils, and Toronto Maple Leafs. He tied for the most goals in the NHL during the 1992–93 season with 76 goals. He also became a member of the Triple Gold Club by winning the Stanley Cup in 2000 with the New Jersey Devils. Mogilny is being inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2025.

Playing Career Highlights

Early Hockey Days

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 Soviet Union.

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 17, Mogilny and Sergei Fedorov were the youngest on the team. People expected them, along with Pavel Bure, to become top players.

International Success and Moving to the NHL

Mogilny first played for the Soviet Union internationally at the 1987 World Junior Ice Hockey Championships. He scored 3 goals and 2 assists in 6 games. His team was removed from the tournament after a big fight with Team Canada. This event 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 Top Forward.

He also played with the senior team at the 1988 Winter Olympics. He won a gold medal there as the team's youngest player. The next year, at the 1989 World Junior Championships, he was team captain. He played on a famous line with 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 Championships with the Soviet Union in 1989.

Despite his success, Mogilny wanted to play in the NHL. He decided to join the Buffalo Sabres, who drafted him 89th overall in 1988. After the 1989 World Championships, he flew from Stockholm to North America. This made him the first NHL draftee to leave the Soviet Union to play in the NHL.

Buffalo Sabres Years (1989–1995)

The Sabres gave Mogilny the number 89. This was to honor the year he arrived and his draft spot. He wore #89 for his entire career. He played his first NHL game on October 5, 1989. He scored his first NHL goal just 20 seconds into his first shift.

It took time for Mogilny to get used to a new country. He also had a fear of flying. He finished his first NHL season with 43 points in 65 games. He improved to 30 goals and 64 points in his second year. He continued to get better, scoring 39 goals and 84 points in 67 games the next year.

The 1992–93 season was amazing for Mogilny. He scored 76 goals and 127 points in 77 games. His 76 goals tied him with Teemu Selänne for the NHL lead. This was the fifth-highest goal total in NHL history. It was also the first time a player from outside North America led the NHL 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 that year. He also had seven hat-tricks, including two games with four goals.

In the 1993 playoffs, Mogilny played a key role. He scored 6 goals in 4 games, helping the Sabres sweep the Boston Bruins. However, he broke his leg in the next round against the Montreal Canadiens. This injury kept him out for the rest of the series. The Sabres lost in 4 games. This was his second major leg injury in two years. He later became the first Russian captain in NHL history for a short time.

Vancouver Canucks (1995–2000)

The Sabres traded Mogilny to the Vancouver Canucks in 1995. This was to help with team salary limits. The Canucks hoped to pair Mogilny with Pavel Bure. They had played together before and had good chemistry.

However, Bure missed most of their first season due to injury. Mogilny still led the Canucks 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 in the first round to the Colorado Avalanche. Mogilny led the Canucks in scoring again the next year with 73 points. After that, injuries and inconsistent play reduced his scoring. The Canucks missed the playoffs for three years. In 2000, the Canucks traded Mogilny to the New Jersey Devils.

New Jersey Devils (2000–2001)

The Devils won the Stanley Cup in 2000. With this win, Mogilny earned his first Stanley Cup. He also became a member of the Triple Gold Club. The next year, he stayed mostly healthy. He led the Devils with 43 goals and 83 points. The Devils reached the Stanley Cup Finals again but lost to the Colorado Avalanche.

Toronto Maple Leafs (2001–2004)

In 2001, Mogilny signed a four-year contract with the Toronto Maple Leafs. He scored two goals in his first game with the Leafs. A few games later, he scored his 400th career NHL goal. He finished his first year third in team scoring.

Mogilny played a big part in the 2002 playoffs. With Mats Sundin injured, Mogilny led the team in playoff goals. He scored two goals in two Game 7 wins. However, Toronto was eliminated by the Carolina Hurricanes.

The next season, Mogilny and Sundin played on the first line. Mogilny led the team with 79 points. He also had 9 game-winning goals and two hat-tricks. This was the only year Sundin did not lead the Leafs in regular season scoring. Mogilny scored his first playoff hat-trick in Game 1 against the Philadelphia Flyers. He led the team in playoff goals again. The Leafs were eliminated in six games. Mogilny won the Lady Byng Memorial Trophy for sportsmanship that year. He was the first Leaf to win it since 1963.

The next year, Mogilny had hip surgery and missed most of the season. He returned late and recorded his 1,000th career NHL point against the Buffalo Sabres. He set up the game-tying goal and then the overtime winner. The Leafs were eliminated in the second round of the playoffs. The next season was canceled due to a lockout. Mogilny became a free agent in 2005. In 2016, the Maple Leafs ranked Mogilny as the #83 greatest Maple Leaf of all time.

Return to New Jersey and Retirement (2005–2006)

After the lockout, Mogilny returned to the New Jersey Devils in 2005. He scored 25 points in 34 games. But his hip problem made it hard to play at his best. He played 19 games for the Albany River Rats, the Devils' minor league team. He could not get medical clearance to return to the NHL for the 2006–07 season. He retired from professional hockey at the end of the season.

After Hockey

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 in the KHL. After two seasons, he returned to Amur Khabarovsk as president, a role he still holds.

International Play

Medal record
Representing Soviet Union
Men's ice hockey
Olympic Games
Gold	1988 Calgary
World Championship
Gold	1989 Sweden
World Junior Championship
Gold	1989 United States
Silver	1988 Soviet Union

At the 1988 Winter Olympics, Mogilny played for the Soviet national team at age 18. He scored 5 points in 6 games. His team won the gold medal. In the 1996 World Cup of Hockey, Russia played five warm-up games. Russia was the only team that won all its games. Mogilny, Fedorov, and Bure played on the same line for the first time internationally at the senior level. This line was considered "perhaps the best forward line on earth." Russia lost in the semi-finals to the United States.

Player Profile

Many great hockey players have praised Alexander Mogilny. Mats Sundin called him 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 LaFontaine, who played with Mogilny, said he was the "best player [he's] seen and played with talent-wise." LaFontaine added, "He was the rare combination of the speed, the skill and finesse, quickness. He was just the full package." They played together in the 1992–93 season when Mogilny scored 76 goals. LaFontaine said they had a "sixth sense" on the ice.

Sergei Fedorov said, "Alex was faster than all of us, [Pavel] Bure and Fedorov, and Alex was a machine." He believed Mogilny was the fastest of the three. Igor Larionov was impressed by Mogilny when he was a rookie. Larionov called him "such a talented guy. Really good with the stick, and smart. He was a natural."

Pat Quinn, a famous coach, called Mogilny "The most talented player that he's ever coached." Quinn said Mogilny had "good size and wonderful skating ability, he can play any kind of game." Lou Lamoriello, a former New Jersey Devils president, said Mogilny could "break a game open at any given time." He added, "His skating is exceptional. His shot is exceptional."

Legacy and Achievements

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 record for the most goals in a single season by a Russian player (76). He also has the second-highest point total for a Russian player in a single season. As of 2025, he is the fourth-highest Russian scorer in NHL history. Mogilny was the second Russian player to reach 1,000 points in the NHL. His 1992–93 season, where he tied for the goal-scoring lead, made him and Teemu Selänne the first non-North Americans to lead the NHL in goals.

In 2016, he was inducted into the Greater Buffalo Sports Hall of Fame. Mogilny was elected into the Hockey Hall of Fame in 2025.

Career Statistics

Regular Season and Playoffs

Bold indicates led league

International Play Statistics

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
• Scored his 50th goal in his 46th game of the season, during the 53rd game of the 1992–93 Buffalo Sabres season.
• Player of Triple Gold Club.

See also

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