Alexander Mogilny snubbed from Hockey Hall of Fame once again

Buffalo, N.Y. (WGR Sports Radio 550) - For a 16th-straight year of eligibility, Buffalo Sabres legend and staple of Russian hockey Alexander Mogilny did not hear his name called as part of the newest class of the Hockey Hall of Fame in Toronto.

The former fifth-round pick of the Sabres in the 1988 NHL Draft spent six seasons with the organization from 1989 to 1995. During that time, he scored 211 goals and registered 233 assists for 444 points in 381 games.

Mogilny still holds the franchise record for the most goals in a season during his 1992-92 season, when he netted 76 goals in 77 games played.

Following the 1994-95 season, Mogilny was traded to the Vancouver Canucks, where he played parts of five seasons and racked up 308 points (139+169) in 312 games played.

The native of Khabarovsk in the old Soviet Union played a total of 16 seasons in the NHL, where he played a total of 990 games, scoring 473 goals and adding 559 assists for 1,032 points. He also spent time with the Toronto Maple Leafs and New Jersey Devils, where he won his only Stanley Cup back in 2000.

What makes Mogilny such a prominent figure in hockey lore is him being the first player to defect from the Soviet Union in 1989 in order to join the Sabres. After Mogilny's jump to the NHL, it opened the door for other players from the Soviet Union and Russia to make the jump to North America.

In addition, Mogilny was a predominant player during his time in the NHL and the international ranks. Not only did he win a Stanley Cup, but he was also an Olympic gold medalist, a World Championship gold medalist, and a World Junior gold medalist.

Mogilny also won the Rocket Richard Trophy and Lady Byng Trophy during his time in the NHL, while also being the league's first European captain and a two-time NHL All-Star.

In 2011, Mogilny became the 39th inductee of the Sabres Hall of Fame along with the late sports news columnist Jim Kelley.

Another prominent former Sabres player who was left off the list of inductees for the 2024 class of the Hockey Hall of Fame was goalie Ryan Miller.

2024 was Miller's first year of eligibility for the Hockey Hall of Fame after retiring from the sport in 2021 after 18 seasons with the Sabres, St. Louis Blues, Vancouver Canucks and Anaheim Ducks. In 796 career games, Miller finished with a 391-289-88 overall record, a 2.63 goals-against average, a .914 save percentage and 44 shutouts.

During his tenure with the Sabres after being as a fifth-round selection in the 1999 NHL Draft, Miller established franchise records in games played (540) and wins (284).

During his prime, Miller was, arguably, just as good of a goaltender as the likes of Henrik Lundqvist, Roberto Luongo, Marc-Andre Fleury and Jonathan Quick, who have either been inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame recently or will seen hear their name called.

In addition, Miller is one of the most decorated goaltenders in hockey history, being the first and only goaltender to be named the top goalies at the collegiate level, AHL level, NHL level, and at the Olympics. Not to mention, he was also an MVP at the junior level in his days playing in the NAHL.

For a while, Miller ranked first all-time for wins among U.S.-born goaltenders, but that mark was recently eclipsed by Quick.

Among the players inducted into the Hockey Hall of Fame as part of the 2024 class includes first-time eligible players Pavel Datsyuk and Shea Weber. The other recent NHL player to get the call from the Hall is Jeremy Roenick after waiting 13 years since retiring from hockey in 2009.

Also included in the 2024 class for the Hockey Hall of Fame is the NHL's executive vice president and director of hockey operations Colin Campbell, longtime Washington Capitals and Nashville Predators general manager David Poile, and famed USA women's hockey players Natalie Darwitz and Krissy Wendell-Pohl.