Mogilny is a landmark player in NHL history; he was the first player from the Soviet Union to defect for the purpose of playing in the League.

The speedy left wing had already won an Olympic gold medal and played two seasons with CSKA Moscow in the Soviet Union's top league when the Buffalo Sabres selected him in the fifth round (No. 89) of the 1988 NHL Draft. He played one more season in the Soviet Union, helping his country win the 1989 IIHF World Championship.

Mogilny made his NHL debut against the on Oct. 5, 1989, wearing No. 89, and scored a goal 20 seconds into his first shift. He finished his first season with 15 goals and 43 points, then scored 30 and 39 goals in his next two seasons before having his career year in 1992-93. With Pat LaFontaine as his center, Mogilny tied for the NHL lead with 76 goals and finished with 127 points, the most by a Russia-born player until Nikita Kucherov of the Tampa Bay Lightning had 128 in 2018-19. Mogilny scored six goals in Buffalo's first-round sweep of the Boston Bruins in the Stanley Cup Playoffs but broke his leg in Game 3 of the second round against the Montreal Canadiens, who went on to win the series. It was the second time in as many years that Mogilny had broken his leg during the playoffs.

The injury limited him to 66 games in 1993-94, when he scored 32 goals. He scored 19 goals and finished with 47 points during the lockout-shortened 1994-95 season and the Sabres traded Mogilny to the Vancouver Canucks on July 8, 1995.

The move reunited Mogilny with Pavel Bure, his linemate during their playing days in Russia. Mogilny scored 55 goals in his first season with the Canucks and was selected to the NHL Second All-Star Team for the second time in his career, but the Canucks lost to the eventual champion Colorado Avalanche in the first round.

Vancouver missed the playoffs in each of the next three seasons and traded Mogilny to the New Jersey Devils on March 14, 2000. Two months later, he was a Stanley Cup champion after the Devils defeated the Dallas Stars in a six-game Final. That made him a member of the Triple Gold Club, reserved for those who've won the Cup, an Olympic gold medal and played on a first-place team at the World Championship.

Mogilny scored 43 goals in 2000-01, helping the Devils return to the Stanley Cup Final, where they lost to the Avalanche in seven games. He signed with the Toronto Maple Leafs on July 3, 2001 and scored 24 and 33 goals in his first two seasons with Toronto, winning the Lady Byng Trophy for skillful and gentlemanly play in 2002-03, but missed most of 2003-04 because of a hip injury.

New Jersey signed Mogilny before the 2005-06 season, but he was plagued by hip problems. He scored 12 goals in 34 games.

Mogilny retired with 1,032 points (473 goals, 559 assists) in 990 NHL games, as well as 86 points (39 goals, 47 assists) in 124 playoff games.

NOTES & TRANSACTIONS

• WJC-A All-Star Team (1988)
• Best Forward at WJC-A (1988)
• NHL Second All-Star Team (1993, 1996)
• Played in NHL All-Star Game (1992, 1993, 1994, 1996)
• Traded to Vancouver by Buffalo with Buffalo's 5th round pick (Todd Norman) in 1995 NHL Draft for Michael Peca, Mike Wilson and Vancouver's 1st round pick (Jay McKee) in 1995 NHL Draft, July 8, 1995.
• Traded to New Jersey by Vancouver for Brendan Morrison and Denis Pederson, March 14, 2000.
• Signed as a free agent by Toronto, July 3, 2001.
• Signed as a free agent by New Jersey, August 17, 2005.