On Wednesday, the Hockey Hall-of-Fame class of 2023 was announced. Former New Jersey Devils Patrik Elias and Alexander Mogilny were left off the ballot.
Those to be inducted to the Hockey Hall-of-Fame include Henrik Lundqvist, Tom Barrasso, Caroline Ouellette, Pierre Turgeon, Mike Vernon, Pierre Lacroix (builder), Ken Hitchcock (builder).
Patrik Elias
It was Elias’ fifth year eligible to be inducted into the Hockey Hall-of-Fame.
A lifelong Devil, Elias played 1,240 NHL games in red and black. He boasts a career of 408 goals and 617 assists for 1,025 points. In his rookie season, Elias was named to the 1997-98 All-Rookie Team. The Trebic, Czechoslovakia native scored 40 goals and 96 points in the 2000-01 season and was named an All-Star. The Devils legend also helped lead the Devils to two Stanley Cups, lifting Lord Stanley in 2000 and 2003.
Before Jack Hughes scored 99 points in the 2022-23 season, Elias’ 94 points in 2000-01 were the most in Devils franchise history.
There’s little doubt that Elias is the greatest offensive player in Devils’ history. He was honored as the first European-born captain in the franchise’s 40-year existence. He later became the first-ever Devils forward to have his jersey number (26) retired by the organization.
The individual awards never quite found their way to Elias. However, he was the centerfold of the Devils winning both of their Stanley Cups scoring seven goals and 20 points when New Jersey claimed the cup in 1999-00, and five goals and 13 points in 2002-03. New Jersey lost in the Final during the 2000-01 postseason, however, Elias scored nine goals and 23 points in 25 playoff games.
According to Statmuse, between the 1999-00 and 2009-10 seasons, Elias recorded the most points in the playoffs with 106 points.
Alexander Mogilny
The Hall-of-Fame honor continues to allude Mogilny as he’s been eligible for induction since 2009.
There are only six players in NHL history to have scored 75 or more goals in a season. Even in today’s era of hockey where scoring has only increased, scoring 60 goals is rare. In the last two seasons, there’s only been one 60-goal scorer per season. Auston Matthews (60) in 2021-22 and Connor McDavid (64) in 2022-23.
In the 1992-93 season, Mogilny potted 76 goals. He’s the last remaining member of the 75 and over club that stood on the outside of the Hockey Hall-of-Fame, until today.
Mogilny solidified himself as one of the NHLs best offensive forwards in his prime. He carries a career 473 goals and 559 assists for 1,032 points in 990 games.
In the 1999-00 season, Mogilny was traded from the Vancouver Canucks to the Devils. The Khabarovsk, USSR native wound up playing two-plus seasons in New Jersey scoring 43 goals and 83 points in the 2000-01 season. Mogilny helped the Devils capture the Stanley Cup in 1999-00 scoring three goals and four assists in 23 playoff games. He appeared in the cup final with New Jersey the following season, however, lost in the final.
Mogilny left New Jersey via free agency for the Toronto Maple Leafs for three seasons before he returned for the final year of his career in 2005-06. In 34 games, he scored 12 goals and 13 assists.
As a two-time All-Star and Stanley Cup Champion, it’s been puzzling to watch Mogilny be passed on by voters year after year.
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