Rosie DiManno

VANCOUVER. He been there, done that. Got the T-shirt. And the gold medal. Which is why, although many observers cannot fathom this, Alexander Mogilny has no regrets about turning down an Olympic invitation from the Russian hockey squad.

"Nothing has changed in my mind. It hasn't changed since 1989."

That's when Mogilny was part of the Soviet squad that copped gold at the world championship. The previous year, at 19, he had become the youngest Russian hockey player ever to win Olympic gold.

"Wonderful experience. But once is enough. How many times do you want to play in the Olympics? I'd rather see guys like (Ilya) Kovalchuk play. He's pretty to watch. But I'm over that hump."

Mogilny, now a wizened 32, has always marched to his own drummer. Oft described as enigmatic and mercurial, he should perhaps be more fairly characterized as unapologetically frank and remarkably forthcoming since arriving in Toronto as a $22 million (U.S.) free agent. He might no longer be the scoring genius who potted 76 goals for Buffalo in the '92-93 season. But Mogilny's still got the wheels and the wonderfully soft hands.

With the Maple Leafs in Vancouver, where Mogilny played nearly five seasons - and had a sometimes antagonistic relationship with both fans and media - he was immediately pounced upon yesterday by reporters wanting to know how he has changed, how his perspective on the game has altered. The chroniclers have not forgotten that, upon his departure from the west coast, Mogilny declared he was not unhappy about leaving behind an atmosphere of negativity. "It seems like I was never good enough here," he said, refusing the opportunity to recant. "I loved the city. But, professionally, there's not much to remember."

Ouch.

Mogilny did not respond benignly to the constant scrutiny he absorbed as a Canuck. There were concerns the even more intense media glare in Toronto would get under his skin. That has not occurred. "There's no problem in Toronto. It's been better than I thought it would be."

The Leafs are simply glad he's back in the lineup after missing three games with a bruised spine. Toronto lost them all. First game back, in Calgary, Mogilny scored twice and added an assist. His presence has also squared up the forward lines. "When you lose a guy as skilled as Alex, it affects more than one line," noted coach Pat Quinn. "Although we shuffled lines around, we didn't seem to have that same balance that we had during the November-December stretch."

Quinn further described Mogilny as a complete professional, which might well also explain the player's dim view of the Olympics. He's a money player, a Russian who came to North America for the riches as much as the glory. And the only glory that moves his spirit now is the kind that comes with a Stanley Cup attached. He experienced that in New Jersey, where he won a championship with the Devils in 2000 after being acquired at the trade deadline. Duplicating that achievement is all that motivates him now professionally.

"Winning the Stanley Cup was the highlight of my career, by far. No question, nothing comes near it. I can't even put anything else in the same category. The amount of work, the sacrifices, how hard it is. You can never imagine. I had never imagined it. I have so much respect for people who've been there and done it. It's just so hard."

That, he said to his interrogators, is how his perspective has changed since his days as a Canuck. "I've got a taste of winning. I've seen what it takes. When you've been there, you want to get there again. If you don't get there, it's a major disappointment. I wish everybody could play for a Stanley Cup and have a chance to experience that feeling."