Alexander Mogilny finally inducted into Hockey Hall of Fame

After 16 years of gruelling omissions, an NHL legend who had a cup of coffee with the Toronto Maple Leafs in the early 2000s is on his way to the Hockey Hall of Fame.

Despite 473 career goals, 1032 points in 990 career games, and a Stanley Cup, which is typically the culprit that keeps otherwise deserving players out of the Hall of Fame, it took until 2025 for Alexander Mogilny to see his name on a Hockey Hall of Fame ballot. But, better late than never.

Mogilny defected from the Soviet Union to play in the NHL in 1989, becoming the first NHL player to do so, and played an instrumental role in paving the way for fellow aspiring Russians, with current stars such as Alex Ovechkin, Nikita Kucherov, and Kirill Kaprizov leading the way. He possesses one of the five best goal-scoring seasons ever, with 76 goals in 77 games for the Buffalo Sabres in 1992-93, and is also a member of the Triple Gold club, with all three of an Olympic gold medal, a World Junior gold medal, and a World Championship gold medal.