Two players with ties to the Vancouver Canucks could get call from the hall on Wednesday
Last year, the Hockey Hall of Fame welcomed Daniel and Henrik Sedin along with Roberto Luongo to its exclusive club. Vancouver Canucks legends accounted for three of the four slots in the male player inductee category along with former Ottawa Senator captain Daniel Alfredsson.
When the HHOF reveals its class of 2023 on Wednesday, it's possible that two of the inductees will also have strong ties to the Vancouver Canucks.
It feels like the time — at long last — is right for Alexander Mogilny to get the call from the Hall. Of his 990 career National Hockey League games, 312 were played in Canucks colours from 1995 through 2000. Aside from Buffalo, Vancouver was Mogilny's second-longest stay in one NHL city. Over his illustrious 16-year career, the talented Russian racked up 1,032 points, which included a league-high 76-goal season with the Sabres in 1992-93. His best season in Vancouver was a 55-goal and 107-point campaign in his first season with the club (1995-96). In the spring of 2000, Mogilny was dealt to New Jersey where he won the Stanley Cup with the Devils.
Over his career, Mogilny appeared in four NHL All Star games, was twice a 2nd team All Star at season's end and won the Lady Byng Trophy in 2002-03. Internationally he represented Russia at the World Juniors, the Olympics and in a World Cup.
Mogilny's countryman — and current Canucks defensive development coach — Sergei Gonchar may also hear his name called. Gonchar was a Stanley Cup winner with Pittsburgh in 2008-09 and finished among the top-five in votes for the Norris Trophy as the league's best defenceman four times. Gonchar, who played in 1,301 NHL games, sits 18th all-time in points (811) by a defenceman. He eclipsed the 50-point mark eight times over his career, and on three occasions posted more than 60 points. In 2001-02 he scored a career-best 26 goals with Washington.
Gonchar also competed in four Olympic Games, three World Championships and a pair of World Cups.
The results of the secretive Hockey Hall of Fame voting will be revealed on Wednesday. New York Rangers goalie Henrik Lundqvist appears to be the only lock for the Class of 2023. Others likely to get strong consideration include Henrik Zetterberg, Patrik Elias, women's players Caroline Oulette, Meghan Duggan and longtime Nashville Predators GM David Poile in the builder category.
A maximum of four male players, two female players, two builders (or one builder and one on-ice official) may be inducted in a given year.