Fansided

2 Former Toronto Maple Leafs Once Again Snubbed by HHOF

By Jeremy Ridgewell |
TORONTO - APRIL 21: Alexander Mogilny #89 of the Toronto Maple Leafs eyes the play as he turns up the ice against the Philadelphia Flyers during game six of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal game at Air Canada Centre on April 21, 2003 in Toronto, Canada. The Maple Leafs beat the Flyers in double overtime 2-1 to tie the best of seven series at three games a piece. (Photo By Dave Sandford/Getty Images/NHLI)
TORONTO - APRIL 21: Alexander Mogilny #89 of the Toronto Maple Leafs eyes the play as he turns up the ice against the Philadelphia Flyers during game six of the Eastern Conference Quarterfinal game at Air Canada Centre on April 21, 2003 in Toronto, Canada. The Maple Leafs beat the Flyers in double overtime 2-1 to tie the best of seven series at three games a piece. (Photo By Dave Sandford/Getty Images/NHLI)

Former Toronto Maple Leafs forward Alexander Mogilny has once again been snubbed by the Hockey Hall of Fame.

His incredible journey from the USSR to the NHL should be enough to get the ex Toronto Maple Leafs winger inducted. Combining that journey with his career stats and being a Stanley Cup winner, it’s hard to understand why the HHOF keeps passing him over.

Curtis Joseph, the former Leafs goaltender, was overlooked by the HHOF selection committee. For the first time in the Hall’s history, three goaltenders are being inducted in the same year. It is easy to understand Henrik Lundqvist getting the call, but Tom Barrasso and Mike Vernon going in before Joseph doesn’t make sense.

Joseph and Mogilny should already be in the Hall ahead of some who have entered in recent years. Instead, they watch as others receive the honor ahead of them. I know it can’t be an easy job to select the yearly inductees, but it’s hard to understand the thought process that allows lesser accomplished players to get in before much more deserving ones.

For now, the two former Toronto Maple Leafs will have to continue waiting for their turn. Hopefully, the wait will not be much longer.

Toronto Maple Leafs Pair Deserve HHOF Inductions

Alexander Mogilny

After being selected in the 5th round (89th overall) at the 1988 NHL draft by the Buffalo Sabres, Mogilny became the first NHL draftee to defect from the Soviet Union to North America. Mogilny was given jersey number 89 in honor of the year he defected and for being picked 89th overall in his draft year.

As a member of the Toronto Maple Leafs, Mogilny scored his 1,000th point in a game against the Buffalo Sabres on March 15th, 2004. His most memorable season with the Leafs was the 2002-03 season where he played with Mats Sundin and two combined for 151 points. He finished that season with 33 goals and 46 assists for 79 points in 73 games.

Alexander Mogilny played in 990 games over 16 seasons with four teams. He finished his career with 473 goals and 559 assists for 1032 points. The Russian Rocket also had 66 game-winning goals and is a Stanley Cup Champion. (Stats from hockey-reference.com)

Curtis Joseph

Curtis Joseph is 7th all-time amongst goaltenders in NHL wins with 454. He’s also tied for 28th all-time in shutouts with 51 and tied for 3rd all-time in playoff shutouts with 16. Yes, Barrasso and Vernon are Stanley Cup champions, and Joseph is not, but that’s not the only stat that gets you into the Hall.

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The fact that Joseph finished his career with more wins, a better GAA, and SV% than Barrasso or Vernon, yet won’t get inducted before them, is crazy. Hopefully, we will see Joseph enter the HHOF as part of the Class of 2024 after they dropped the puck in this year’s selections.

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