Former Canuck snubbed from Hockey Hall of Fame, again

The inductees for the Hockey Hall of Fame were announced Wednesday, and former Vancouver Canuck Alexander Mogilny has been notably left off the list.

It’s essentially a yearly topic of conversation for Canucks fans, explains Randip Janda with Sportsnet 650.

“This is a guy that, especially for Vancouverites, should have been in the Hall of Fame a few years ago based on his accolades,” he said after the inductee announcement.

This year’s induction class featured three goaltenders: Henrik Lundqvist, Tom Barasso, and Mike Vernon. Pierre Turgeon and Caroline Oullette made the cut as players, with Ken Hitchcock and Pierre Lacroix getting the nod as builders.

What the heck is wrong with the HHOF?
Alexander Mogilny is still not in…https://t.co/iiXZU1TkeZ

— Robert Sandler (@bojje_se) June 21, 2023

Mogilny spent five seasons in Vancouver from 1995 to 2000, racking up 139 goals and 308 points in 312 games with the Canucks. That included a 55-goal, 107-point campaign in 1995-96.

Overall, the Russian forward finished his career with 1,032 points in 990 career games, winning a Stanley Cup and an Olympic gold medal. Off the ice, he was the first NHL draft pick to defect from the Soviet Union in 1989, paving the way for many other Russians to play in North America in the years that followed.

“He’s someone who changed the game on and off the ice, so in this year’s Hall of Fame class, one that was a little thinner, it felt like a shoe-in,” Janda noted.

“Any alumn I talk to and ask them that question: ‘Who’s the most skilled player you’ve played with?’ … Alex Mogilny is the answer that I always get.”

Janda adds he was surprised to see three goalies get the call this year instead of Mogilny.

“It’s rare to see three goaltenders go in. Could you have gone with another player?” he questioned, suggesting Turgeon’s or Barasso’s place could have been taken by Mogilny.

The Mogilny HHOF snubs are ridiculous.

— Mark Bermingham (@backissuecomics) June 21, 2023

Last year, three Canucks got inducted into the Hall of Fame: Henrik and Daniel Sedin, along with Roberto Luongo. Janda says he appreciates the legacy that those three players have in Vancouver, but says Mogilny should be in the same conversation.

“His legacy is that he’s an ultra-skilled player. But in the world of public relations, he wasn’t somebody that was front and centre patting himself on the back,” he said. “Unfortunately, it seems like maybe during the Hall of Fame induction process, that’s something that’s sticking with him.”

Mogilny has been eligible for the Hockey Hall of Fame since 2010 — four years after he retired. He will remain eligible for induction indefinitely.