Mogilny finally gets the call as the Hockey Hall of Fame elects him as part of the class of 2025

Alexander Mogilny's long wait for the Hockey Hall of Fame is over, as the high-scoring Russian winger was selected Tuesday as part of the eight-member class of 2025.

Mogilny was joined by fellow former NHL players Joe Thornton, Zdeno Chara and Duncan Keith as well as women's hockey stars Brianna Decker and Jennifer Botterill. Mogilny had been eligible for election 16 previous years going back to 2009, passed over time after time until getting in on the 17th chance.

Keith grew up watching Mogilny play for the Vancouver Canucks and marveled at how fast he was.

“I was sitting up in the nosebleed sections and he stood out just with his speed and skill,” Keith said. “I can remember it very clearly just how good he was in person. You see it on TV, but it was another level being able to witness that in person. It’s a huge honor to be inducted with everybody, and Alex is one of those guys. I think he’s probably happy that he’s inducted now, finally, and it’s especially a cool honor to go in with him.”

Ron Francis, chairman of the 18-person selection committee for the first time, in announcing Mogilny's inclusion mentioned that Mogilny is one of just 30 players in the Triple Gold Club for winning the Stanley Cup and gold at the Olympics and world championships. Mogilny also led the league in goals in 1992-93 with a total of 76 that is tied for the fifth most in a single season.

All that came after Mogilny defected from the Soviet Union by leaving the 1989 world championships in Stockholm to join the Buffalo Sabres, who drafted him the previous year.

Mogilny, who along with Thornton and Chara were not on the annual conference call, said in a statement: “I am happy to be part of a great organization like the Hockey Hall. I want to thank both my Russian and NHL teammates for helping me achieve this honor.”

Outgoing Hall of Fame chairman Lanny McDonald said Mogilny picked up when he finally got the call this time in the middle of the night in Russia.

“He actually answered the phone,” McDonald said. “Talk about a Hall of famer. That’s a Hall of Famer answering the phone at 3 o'clock in the morning.”

Keith, Thornton and Chara all got in in their first year of eligibility. Carey Price and Ryan Getzlaf were among the first-timers who did not get elected.

Thornton won the Hart Trophy and led the NHL in scoring in 2005-06, and his 1,539 points rank him 14th all time. Former teammate Mike Grier said Thornton “saw plays happening a step before they did and found lanes and through layers where you never really thought he was going to be able to get you the puck.”

“He was underrated, very tough and kind of mean,” said Grier, now general manager of the San Jose Sharks. “Not an easy guy to play against. He would fight. He would stick up for himself. He would stick up for his teammates. Just kind of a unique player who at that size and that reach could make the plays he could and make everyone around him better.”

Chara won the Norris Trophy as the best defenseman in ‘08-09 and captained Boston to the Cup in 2011. Keith hoisted it three times with Chicago, including in 2015 as playoff MVP, and won the Norris twice.

This is just the third time in the decade and a half since the Hall of Fame began considering female candidates that two women were part of the same class.

Botterill was part of three Olympic championship teams for Canada and is the only player to win the Patty Kazmaier Award as the top NCAA women's player twice. Decker also won the Kazmaier and was part of the next generation of U.S. women's hockey, capturing gold at the 2018 Games in Pyeongchang along with six world championship titles.

"It’s incredible to be a part of a class with her," Decker said of Botterill. “She’s done so much for the game. Obviously I’m a little bit younger, but at the same time, I just tried to pave the way as much as possible just as much as she had.”

Longtime Boston University coach Jack Parker and women's coach Daniele Sauvageau were elected in the builders category. Sauvageau, currently the GM for Montreal in the Professional Women's Hockey League, is the first woman to make it in as a builder.

"When I received the call, I couldn't talk," said Sauvageau, who got the news hours before the PWHL draft after interviewing a player who could be chosen. “The timing could not have been better.”

AP Hockey Writer John Wawrow contributed.

AP NHL: https://apnews.com/hub/nhl

FILE - Brianna Decker of the United States celebrates her goal against Sweden during the third period of the 2014 Winter Olympics women's semifinal ice hockey game at Shayba Arena, Feb. 17, 2014, in Sochi, Russia. (AP Photo/Petr David Josek, File)

FILE - Chicago Blackhawks' Duncan Keith, right, is awarded the The Conn Smythe Trophy by commissioner Gary Bettman after the Blackhawks 2-0 victory over the Tampa Bay Lightning in Game 6 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Final series on June 15, 2015, in Chicago. (AP Photo/Charles Rex Arbogast, File)

FILE - Team Canada's Jennifer Botterill, center, and other team members leap from the bench to celebrate defeating Sweden 4-1 in the women's ice hockey gold medal match at the 2006 Turin Winter Olympic Games in Turin, Italy on Feb. 20, 2006. (AP Photo/Julie Jacobson, File)

FILE - San Jose Sharks center Joe Thornton (19) skates to the puck during the first period of an NHL hockey game against the Arizona Coyotes on Nov. 22, 2017, in Glendale, Ariz. (AP Photo/Ross D. Franklin, File)

FILE - Boston Bruins' Zdeno Chara, of Slovakia, hoists the cup following the Bruins' 4-0 win over the Vancouver Canucks in Game 7 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Finals on June 15, 2011, in Vancouver, British Columbia, Canada. (Jonathan Hayward/The Canadian Press via AP)

FILE - Finnish hockey team Jokerit's Martti Jarventie, left, and Toronto Maple Leaf's Alexander Mogilny compete for the puck during their friendly ice hockey match played in Helsinki, Finland, Sept. 16, 2003. (Tor Wennstrom/Lehtikuva via AP, File)

CLEVELAND (AP) — Things have quickly gone from bad to worse for the injury-plagued Denver Nuggets, who don’t have a true healthy center on their roster after losing three-time MVP Nikola Jokic and backup Jonas Valanciunas earlier this week.

Three other core players, Aaron Gordon, Cam Johnson and Christian Braun, were already sidelined with injuries, leaving point guard Jamal Murray as their last starter standing Friday against the Cleveland Cavaliers.

“There is no complaining here, but sometimes it’s a mystery to the head coach what’s going to happen,” Nuggets coach David Adelman said. “I can’t tell you how we’re going to be. I’ve just got to try things through these next few weeks.”

Jokic went down with a left knee hyperextension at Miami on Monday, just four days after his historic 56-point, 16-rebound, 15-assist performance against Minnesota on Christmas. He will be re-evaluated in four weeks.

The 7-foot Serbian is averaging 29.6 points and leads the NBA with 12.2 rebounds and 11.0 assists per game. Jokic has 16 triple-doubles in 32 games.

Valanciunas strained his right calf in Toronto on Wednesday and also will not have his status updated until the end of January, forcing Denver to start 6-foot-9 rookie forward DaRon Holmes II at center in Cleveland.

“Right now, we are who we are,” Adelman said. “I’m actually excited for it, seeing DaRon out there for his first real action.”

Power forward Gordon (right hamstring strain), small forward Johnson (right knee soreness) and shooting guard Braun (left ankle sprain) do not have projected return dates, leaving Denver without players averaging a combined 80 points.

Remarkably, the Nuggets have maintained the third-best record in the West at 23-10.

“No one knows what’s going to happen with Aaron and Christian,” Adelman said. “And obviously, Cam, Jonas and Nikola are going to be out a while.”

Murray has been steady, regardless of who he is on the court with, averaging career highs of 25.1 points and 6.9 assists. The 10th-year pro is seeking his initial All-Star appearance and is logging a team-best 35.2 minutes per game.

The bumps and bruises are piling up, though, as Murray is playing through a left ankle sprain. Keeping him in the lineup is an ongoing issue for Adelman, who is in his first full season as Denver’s coach.

“It’s my biggest worry because Jamal is a concern,” Adelman said. “It’s a daily conversation with trainers and our medical staff, but he feels responsibility for his teammates to be out there.

“There is open communication every day. We’ll do our best to take care of him.”

AP NBA: https://apnews.com/hub/nba

Toronto Raptors forward/center Sandro Mamukelashvili (54) shoots over Denver Nuggets center Jonas Valančiūnas (17) during the second half of an NBA basketball game in Toronto, Wednesday Dec. 31, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)

Denver Nuggets guard Jamal Murray (27) makes pass as Toronto Raptors forward Brandon Ingram (3) and guard Ochai Agbaji (30) defend during first half NBA action in Toronto on Wednesday Dec.31, 2025. (Frank Gunn/The Canadian Press via AP)