Defector: The Alex Mogilny Story

[sjci]

http://www.sportsnet.ca/hockey/nhl/defector-2/

Sportsnet takes a special look at the story of Alexander Mogilny and his defection from Soviet Union.

There was never a question of his talent, the big unknown was would Alexander Mogilny ever be allowed to leave the Soviet Union to play in the National Hockey League? The Sabres decided to roll the dice and use their 5th round pick (89th overall) in the 1988 draft on the speedy

Taken from http://www.wgrz.com/story/news/2014...-the-defection-of-alexander-mogilny/13152647/

Includes interviews with many former Sabres brass. Don't know how to embed the video, but posted the link. It's a bit long at 23 minutes, but a great watch.

Click to read more...

 

[Paxon]

Awesome.

Here are some other relevant videos

 

[La Cosa Nostra]

It's a shame that we had to trade Mogilny not due to anything that happened on the ice but the fact that the Russian mob was in Buffalo and extorting/threatening him. Hence why he was moved literally to the opposite end of the continent. Truly scary the amount of big time players from the former Soviet Union that were threatened/extorted; Mogilny, Bure,Zhitnik,Kamensky,Tverdovsky, Fetisov etc.

 

[kenfury]

It's a shame that we had to trade Mogilny not due to anything that happened on the ice but the fact that the Russian mob was in Buffalo and extorting/threatening him. Hence why he was moved literally to the opposite end of the continent. Truly scary the amount of big time players from the former Soviet Union that were threatened/extorted; Mogilny, Bure,Zhitnik,Kamensky,Tverdovsky, Fetisov etc.

Not really germane but I love that "La Cosa Nostra" is complaining about the mob.

 

[buffalowing88]

It's a shame that we had to trade Mogilny not due to anything that happened on the ice but the fact that the Russian mob was in Buffalo and extorting/threatening him. Hence why he was moved literally to the opposite end of the continent. Truly scary the amount of big time players from the former Soviet Union that were threatened/extorted; Mogilny, Bure,Zhitnik,Kamensky,Tverdovsky, Fetisov etc.

He was certainly being extorted but I have a hard time believing that was the main reason he was traded...

 

[Nibbler]

This has to be the coolest thing an NHL team has ever done to get a player on their roster.

He was such a good scorer...