Hockey Hall of Fame: Alex Mogilny was a Canuck like no other
Article content
It's a story that sounds familiar to plenty of Canadians, especially those who grew up in the latter half of the 20th century, before youth hockey became a big-money affair, with flashy jerseys and expensive coaches.
Article content
Article content
The difference between the Canadian image and the Russian one is simple: On Mogilny's rink, there was just one puck.
Article content
'That's how he got so good at controlling the puck, he once told me,' former Burnaby-born Canucks star Cliff Ronning told Postmedia on Tuesday, after word went out that the great Russian was heading to the Hockey Hall of Fame, at long last. 'He wanted to keep it.'
Article content
Mogilny finally getting his hall call rights a long-standing wrong — he was among the game's best during the 1980s and '90s, and indeed changed the game when he bolted from the Soviet Union in the spring of 1989, opening the door for many other Russians to head to the NHL.
Article content
Ronning's last season as a Canuck was 1995-96, Mogilny's first in Vancouver. On many nights, Ronning was Mogilny's centre. Mogilny's first season as a Canuck produced 107 points, a season so majestic that it is considered by some to be the finest all-around season in team history.
Article content
At the very least, it's up there with the power of Pavel Bure's back-to-back 60-goal campaigns, and with Henrik Sedin's masterwork of a season in 2010-11.
Article content
Article content
'He would tell me what he wanted, and when I did what he said he would end up scoring a goal. So I just started doing what he told me,' Ronning went on.
Article content
Article content
Like carrying the puck in on the left wing so that Mogilny would have all the space he wanted on the right side, where he could torch opposing defencemen one-on-one.
Article content
'His balance was phenomenal. He could do anything. He could pass forehand, backhand, nail your tape every time,' Ronning added.
Try Our AI Features
Explore what Daily8 AI can do for you:
Comments
No comments yet...
Related Articles
Vancouver Sun
3 hours ago
- Vancouver Sun
NHLPA says acquitted hockey players should get to 'return to work' after sex assault verdict
Five former world junior hockey players acquitted in a high-profile sexual assault case will remain ineligible to play in the NHL, according to the league. This move has drawn backlash from the NHL Players' Association (NHLPA), which says the players deserve to return to work. On Thursday, in a London, Ont., courtroom, Justice Maria Carroccia found Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart and Michael McLeod not guilty , more than seven years after an allegation of group sexual assault emerged involving members of the 2018 Canadian world junior hockey team. Despite the verdict, the players' conduct is still under review, and they are still sidelined according to a statement from the NHL. Start your day with a roundup of B.C.-focused news and opinion. By signing up you consent to receive the above newsletter from Postmedia Network Inc. A welcome email is on its way. If you don't see it, please check your junk folder. The next issue of Sunrise will soon be in your inbox. Please try again Interested in more newsletters? Browse here. 'The allegations made in this case, even if not determined to have been criminal, were very disturbing and the behavior at issue was unacceptable,' the league said. 'We will be reviewing and considering the judge's findings . While we conduct that analysis and determine next steps, the players charged in this case are ineligible to play in the League.' The decision drew criticism from the NHL Players' Association, which argued that the league was ignoring due process and overstepping its authority under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). In a statement, the NHLPA said that the players were acquitted of all charges, and that 'after missing more than a full season of their respective NHL careers, they should now have the opportunity to return to work. 'The NHL's declaration that the Players are 'ineligible' to play pending its further analysis of the Court's findings is inconsistent with the discipline procedures set forth in the CBA.' They added, 'we are addressing this dispute with the League and will have no further comment at this time.' The case first drew major attention in 2022, when Hockey Canada settled a civil case. It resulted in a broader scandal surrounding Hockey Canada, which triggered widespread scrutiny of how sexual violence is handled in sport, the loss of corporate sponsorships, and forced the resignation of top Hockey Canada executives. Since 2022, Hockey Canada has suspended all players involved in the case from sanctioned programming, and those suspensions remain in effect pending the outcome of an internal appeal process. In a lengthy statement, Hockey Canada said it would not comment further due to the ongoing appeal of a previous adjudicative panel decision that had examined whether players breached the organization's code of conduct. 'To ensure that we do not interfere with the integrity of the ongoing appeal … we are not able to comment further at this time,' the statement said. The organization added that it has since introduced mandatory consent training, achieved gender equity on its board, and expanded third-party reporting structures, along with other initiatives. 'As the national governing body for amateur hockey in Canada, Hockey Canada recognizes our role, responsibility and duty to be a leader in delivering a sport that is rooted in safety, inclusiveness and respect,' the statement said. The case caught the attention of many outside the hockey world as well, with federal secretary of state for sport, Adam van Koeverden, releasing a statement where he called the case a 'critical moment' in Canadian sports. He said it sparked a national conversation on the culture of men's hockey. 'It is the voices of women, and the courage and bravery it takes to come forward, that have led to the changes and toxic culture that we are seeing,' he said. 'It's critical that this work on safe sport continues across the sports system, because we know that when safeguards are weak or absent, real harm occurs.' Our website is the place for the latest breaking news, exclusive scoops, longreads and provocative commentary. Please bookmark and sign up for our daily newsletter, Posted, here .
Edmonton Journal
3 hours ago
- Edmonton Journal
NHLPA says acquitted hockey players should get to 'return to work' after sex assault verdict
Article content Five former world junior hockey players acquitted in a high-profile sexual assault case will remain ineligible to play in the NHL, according to the league. This move has drawn backlash from the NHL Players' Association (NHLPA), which says the players deserve to return to work. Article content On Thursday, in a London, Ont., courtroom, Justice Maria Carroccia found Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart and Michael McLeod not guilty, more than seven years after an allegation of group sexual assault emerged involving members of the 2018 Canadian world junior hockey team. Article content Article content Article content Despite the verdict, the players' conduct is still under review, and they are still sidelined according to a statement from the NHL. Article content Article content 'The allegations made in this case, even if not determined to have been criminal, were very disturbing and the behavior at issue was unacceptable,' the league said. 'We will be reviewing and considering the judge's findings. While we conduct that analysis and determine next steps, the players charged in this case are ineligible to play in the League.' Article content The decision drew criticism from the NHL Players' Association, which argued that the league was ignoring due process and overstepping its authority under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Article content In a statement, the NHLPA said that the players were acquitted of all charges, and that 'after missing more than a full season of their respective NHL careers, they should now have the opportunity to return to work. Article content Article content 'The NHL's declaration that the Players are 'ineligible' to play pending its further analysis of the Court's findings is inconsistent with the discipline procedures set forth in the CBA.' Article content Article content They added, 'we are addressing this dispute with the League and will have no further comment at this time.' Article content The case first drew major attention in 2022, when Hockey Canada settled a civil case. It resulted in a broader scandal surrounding Hockey Canada, which triggered widespread scrutiny of how sexual violence is handled in sport, the loss of corporate sponsorships, and forced the resignation of top Hockey Canada executives. Article content Since 2022, Hockey Canada has suspended all players involved in the case from sanctioned programming, and those suspensions remain in effect pending the outcome of an internal appeal process. Article content In a lengthy statement, Hockey Canada said it would not comment further due to the ongoing appeal of a previous adjudicative panel decision that had examined whether players breached the organization's code of conduct.
National Post
3 hours ago
- National Post
NHLPA says acquitted hockey players should get to 'return to work' after sex assault verdict
Five former world junior hockey players acquitted in a high-profile sexual assault case will remain ineligible to play in the NHL, according to the league. This move has drawn backlash from the NHL Players' Association (NHLPA), which says the players deserve to return to work. Article content On Thursday, in a London, Ont., courtroom, Justice Maria Carroccia found Dillon Dube, Cal Foote, Alex Formenton, Carter Hart and Michael McLeod not guilty, more than seven years after an allegation of group sexual assault emerged involving members of the 2018 Canadian world junior hockey team. Article content Article content Despite the verdict, the players' conduct is still under review, and they are still sidelined according to a statement from the NHL. Article content Article content 'The allegations made in this case, even if not determined to have been criminal, were very disturbing and the behavior at issue was unacceptable,' the league said. 'We will be reviewing and considering the judge's findings. While we conduct that analysis and determine next steps, the players charged in this case are ineligible to play in the League.' Article content The decision drew criticism from the NHL Players' Association, which argued that the league was ignoring due process and overstepping its authority under the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA). Article content In a statement, the NHLPA said that the players were acquitted of all charges, and that 'after missing more than a full season of their respective NHL careers, they should now have the opportunity to return to work. Article content 'The NHL's declaration that the Players are 'ineligible' to play pending its further analysis of the Court's findings is inconsistent with the discipline procedures set forth in the CBA.' Article content Article content They added, 'we are addressing this dispute with the League and will have no further comment at this time.' Article content Article content The case first drew major attention in 2022, when Hockey Canada settled a civil case. It resulted in a broader scandal surrounding Hockey Canada, which triggered widespread scrutiny of how sexual violence is handled in sport, the loss of corporate sponsorships, and forced the resignation of top Hockey Canada executives. Article content Since 2022, Hockey Canada has suspended all players involved in the case from sanctioned programming, and those suspensions remain in effect pending the outcome of an internal appeal process. Article content In a lengthy statement, Hockey Canada said it would not comment further due to the ongoing appeal of a previous adjudicative panel decision that had examined whether players breached the organization's code of conduct. Article content 'To ensure that we do not interfere with the integrity of the ongoing appeal … we are not able to comment further at this time,' the statement said.
