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Ex-Toronto Maple Leafs Stars Snubbed Yet Again by Hall of Fame

By James Tanner

KANATA, CANADA - APRIL 14: Alexander Mogilny #89 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates after the play against the Ottawa Senators during game four of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2004 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Corel Centre on April 13, 2004 in Kanata, Ontario, Canada. The Senators defeated the Maple Leafs 4-1 to tie the series 2-2. (Photo By Dave Sandford/Getty Images)
KANATA, CANADA - APRIL 14: Alexander Mogilny #89 of the Toronto Maple Leafs skates after the play against the Ottawa Senators during game four of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinals of the 2004 Stanley Cup Playoffs at the Corel Centre on April 13, 2004 in Kanata, Ontario, Canada. The Senators defeated the Maple Leafs 4-1 to tie the series 2-2. (Photo By Dave Sandford/Getty Images) /
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The Toronto Maple Leafs did not have a former player elected to the Hockey Hall of Fame today.

Inexplicably, ex-Toronto Maple Leafs star Alexander Mogilny was yet again snubbed by the Hockey Hall of Fame selection committee.

Of course, Mogilny, when he goes in, and he will, eventually, will go in as a member of the Buffalo Sabres.

Still, as an important member of one of the best Toronto Maple Leafs teams since 1967 expansion, all Leafs fans are hoping for Mogilny to get the honour he deserves.

Frankly, the fact that he was not elected is more of condemnation of the selection committee than it is of Mogilny.

The committee has, as far as I can tell, one women and one person under 50  on it (they are both Cassie Campbell-Pascal who is 46).

It also features Brian Burke, Pierre McGuire and well, need I go on?   On one had, sure it’s absolute nonsense that Alexander Mogilny isn’t in the Hall of Fame, but on the other hand, I wouldn’t trust this group of people to vote on anything other than maybe best high-fibre cereal.

Alex Mogilny and the Toronto Maple Leafs

The Hall of Fame elected Jerome Iginla which is indisputable.

They also elected Marian Hossa, who deserves it but shouldn’t be a first-ballot slam-dunk when players like Mogilny are not in.

Doug Wilson, which, come on.  He retired in 1993 and you didn’t think to elect him for nearly 30 years?  If you have to wait 27 years to get in, are you really a hall of famer?

I’ve seen lots of ‘Hall of Pretty Good’  jokes today  and that pretty much sums it up.

I mean, Kevin Lowe?  Well let’s just say I doubt the selection committee and the guest list for his next birthday party will differ all that much.

Kevin Lowe.

O.K.

As for Mogilny he was an over-a-point-per-game player who played the majority of his career during the dead puck era, has almost 500 goals anyways, and once scored 76 goals in a single year.

There is also the argument to include based just on his influence on Russians in the NHL.  There is a legendary story of Mogilny and what he did to get to the NHL, and what followed.  I highly recommend you watch the documentary if you can find it.

To sum up:

Mogilny should already be in the Hall of Fame, and the selections of the other three guys are kind of hard to justify. (Hossa on the basis of he isn’t the kind of no-doubt superstar that should be elected in year one).

The Toronto Maple Leafs should have added another member of their alumni to the Hall of Fame, but didn’t.

One thing that is indisputable is that the Hockey Hall of Fame needs to have a much more diverse and younger selection committee.

Next. Re-Drafting the 2015 NHL Draft. dark

Brian Burke and Pierre McGuire were rightly influential in the 1990s. They are not today, and the Hockey Hall of Flame should reflect the times.

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