08 | November | 2009 | Russkiy Hockey

Full Name: Alexander Gennadievich Mogilny
Last team: New Jersey Devils
Number: 89
Position: Right Wing
Height: 6’0″/183 cm
Weight: 210 lbs/95 kg
Born: February 18, 1969 in Khabarovsk, USSR
Drafted: Selected by Buffalo Sabres in 5th round (89th overall) of the 1988 NHL Entry Draft

Strengths: In his prime, Mogilny lived up to his nickname – Alexander the Great. He was a threat to the opposing team by making very exciting offensive moves that reflected his speed, shooting, and passing accuracy.

Weaknesses: Sometimes Mogilny went through cold streaks. Hip and back injuries forced Mogilny to retire early from professional hockey.

Biography: It took Alexander many steps to get to where he is today. Being born in Khabarovsk, a city in the Far East, there was little hope for anyone to become a hockey star. Mogilny became an exception. He was picked to the Moscow Red Army’s senior team at the age of 17. To replace the famous KLM line (Krutov-Larionov-Makarov), coach Viktor Tikhonov put Mogilny with fellow teenagers Pavel Bure and Sergei Fedorov. The line clicked immediately, helping the Soviet Union win back-to-back gold medals at the World Junior Championship in 1988 and 1989. Mogilny won the tournament MVP Award. He was so skilled that he even brought a smile to Tikhonov’s face – a rare accomplishment. During the 1989 celebrations in Sweden, Mogilny said goodbye only to Fedorov and disappeared from the team. Alexander met with Buffalo Sabres representatives and he was flown to North America. His high-profile defection led the way for other East European players to follow. Mogilny adapted easily to the NHL. He scored a whopping 76 goals in the 1992-93 season, tying for the NHL goal-scoring lead! Alex was named captain of the Buffalo Sabres in 1993, but then he was part of a blockbuster deal that sent him to the Vancouver Canucks in 1995. Mogilny and Bure were reunited. After one strong season, the next couple of years were full of injuries. The 1996 World cup was the last time Mogilny put on the Team Russia jersey, because he believed that younger players should be given a chance instead. Alexander was traded to the Devils in 2000; he immediately helped them win the Stanley Cup. The following season Mogilny was one of the best scorers, clicking on a line with Scott Gomez and Sergei Nemchinov. After signing with the Maple Leafs, Mogilny’s first season in Toronto was inconsistent, but in the playoffs he single-handedly won games 6 and 7 of the series against the Islanders, and game 7 against Ottawa. In the next season Alexander rebounded with two hat-tricks and the Lady Byng Trophy as the league’s most gentlemanly player, but missed most of the next season due to an ailing hip. In Toronto, Mogilny built a reputation for his sense of humour with reporters. After the NHL lockout, Mogilny returned to New Jersey. Because of a salary cap, the Devils could not carry Mogilny’s salary, so Alexander spent part of 2005-06 in the American Hockey League. Mogilny has retired from the NHL since, but occasionally takes part in charity games. In 2010, Mogilny was named the Vice-President of the Kontinental Hockey League.

Club Stats:

Season	Team	GP	G	A	PTS	+/-	PIM
1986-87	CSKA Moscow	28	15	1	16		4
1987-88	CSKA Moscow	39	12	8	20		14
1988-89	CSKA Moscow	31	11	11	22		24
1989-90	Buffalo	65	15	28	43	+8	16
1990-91	Buffalo	62	30	34	64	+14	16
1991-92	Buffalo	67	39	45	84	+7	73
1992-93	Buffalo	77	76	51	127	+7	40
1993-94	Buffalo	66	32	47	79	+8	22
1994-95	Spartak Moscow	1	0	1	1		0
1994-95	Buffalo	44	19	28	47	0	36
1995-96	Vancouver	79	55	52	107	+14	16
1996-97	Vancouver	76	31	42	73	+9	18
1997-98	Vancouver	51	18	27	45	-6	36
1998-99	Vancouver	59	14	31	45	0	58
1999-00	Vancouver/New Jersey	59	24	20	44	+3	20
2000-01	New Jersey	75	43	40	83	+10	43
2001-02	Toronto	66	24	33	57	+1	8
2002-03	Toronto	73	33	46	79	+4	12
2003-04	Toronto	37	8	22	30	+9	12
2005-06	New Jersey	34	12	13	25	-7	6
2005-06	Albany (AHL)	19	4	10	14		17

Totals	USSR League	99	38	21	59		42
Totals	NHL Reg. Season	990	473	559	1032	+81	432
Totals	NHL Playoffs	124	39	47	86	-2	58

National Team Stats:

Year	Tournament	GP	G	A	PTS	PIM
1986	European U18	5	4	1	5	4
1987	World U20	6	3	2	5	4
1988	World U20	7	8	10	18	2
1988	Olympic Games	6	3	2	5	2
1989	World U20	7	7	5	12	4
1989	World Championship	10	0	3	3	2
1996	World Cup	5	2	4	6	0

Totals	U18 Level	5	4	1	5	4
Totals	U20 Level	20	18	17	35	10
Totals	Senior Level	21	5	9	14	4