During the NHL’s hiatus, we at Last Word on Hockey are going to look back at each date’s historical significance to the game. We’ll remember the moments that shaped the sport of hockey that happened on this day. Here’s our look at this date in hockey history for July 8th, featuring Alexander Mogilny.
Today in Hockey History
Alexander Mogilny Traded to Canucks
1995: The Vancouver Canucks and Buffalo Sabres pull off a blockbuster trade. Vancouver gets the Russian forward in exchange for Michael Peca, Mike Wilson and first-round pick Jay McKee. Mogilny scores 19 goals in the lockout-shortened season with the Sabres.
The deal allows Mogilny to reunite with CSKA Moscow teammate Pavel Bure. They helped form a devastating line along with Sergei Fedorov in the late 1980s. Bure and Mogilny have some solid seasons, but they can’t reclaim the magic of their younger days. Mogilny is traded at the 2002 deadline to the New Jersey Devils.
The Calgary Flames are the big winner after getting Jarome Iginla. He’s drafted by the Dallas Stars, but traded for Joe Nieuwendyk on Dec. 19, 1995.
Other Notable Events
1988: The Boston Bruins sign free agent defenceman Garry Gallley. He spent just over a season-and-a-half with the Washington Capitals.
1995: Defence is the name of the game as the 1995 NHL Draft sees blueliners taken with the first three picks. The Ottawa Senators take Bryan Berard with the first pick while Wade Redden goes second to the New York Islanders. Aki Berg is selected third by the Los Angeles Kings. Berard and Redden get swapped after Berard refuses to report to Ottawa.
The Toronto Maple Leafs acquire Larry Murphy from the Pittsburgh Penguins. Pittsburgh get Dimitri Mironov and a second-round pick in the 1996 NHL Draft.
The St. Louis Blues sign free agent forward Dale Hawerchuk. He played for Buffalo for the last five seasons.
1996: The Kings sign free agent Ed Olczyk to a deal. He goes to Pittsburgh after a trade during the season.
1999: Los Angeles hires Dave Tippett as an assistant coach. Tippet helped the Houston Aeros win the IHL title and stays three seasons with the Kings. He’ll go on to coach the Stars, Arizona Coyotes and the Edmonton Oilers. He won the Jack Adams Award in 2010 with the Coyotes.
2003: The Carolina Hurricanes sign free agent defenceman Glen Wesley. Carolina traded him at the deadline to Toronto.
2004: The Minnesota Wild sign free agent Brian Rolston, but doesn’t debut until 2005-06 because of the lockout. He comes over from the Bruins after four-plus seasons.
Happy Birthday to You
1926: Martin Riesen
1955: Greg Smith
1957: Brad Maxwell
1962: Jan Erixson
1963: Mike Ridley
1964: Alexei Gusarov
1972: Karl Dykhuis
1980: Eric Chouinard
1982: Rich Peverley
1992: Nikita Gusev
1994: Andrew Copp
