Ilya Nikolayevich Bryzgalov (; russian: Илья Николаевич Брызгалов; born 22 June 1980) is a Russian former professional
ice hockey
Ice hockey (or simply hockey) is a team sport played on ice skates, usually on an ice skating rink with lines and markings specific to the sport. It belongs to a family of sports called hockey. In ice hockey, two opposing teams use ice hock ...
goaltender
In ice hockey, the goaltender (commonly referred to as the goalie) is the player responsible for preventing the hockey puck from entering their team's net, thus preventing the opposing team from scoring. The goaltender mostly plays in or near t ...
who played in the
National Hockey League
The National Hockey League (NHL; french: Ligue nationale de hockey—LNH, ) is a professional ice hockey league in North America comprising 32 teams—25 in the United States and 7 in Canada. It is considered to be the top ranked professional ...
(NHL) for the
Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California. The Ducks compete in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division, and play their home games at Honda Center.
...
,
Phoenix Coyotes,
Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Well ...
,
Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
and
Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and play their home games at the Xcel Ener ...
. He was drafted by Anaheim in the second round of the
2000 NHL Entry Draft, 44th overall.
In
2006–07, Bryzgalov won the
Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...
with the Anaheim Ducks. Internationally, he has earned a
bronze medal
A bronze medal in sports and other similar areas involving competition is a medal made of bronze awarded to the third-place finisher of contests or competitions such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc. The outright winner receive ...
with
Russia
Russia (, , ), or the Russian Federation, is a List of transcontinental countries, transcontinental country spanning Eastern Europe and North Asia, Northern Asia. It is the List of countries and dependencies by area, largest country in the ...
at the
2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Salt Lake 2002 ( arp, Niico'ooowu' 2002; Gosiute Shoshoni: ''Tit'-so-pi 2002''; nv, Sooléí 2002; Shoshoni: ''Soónkahni 2002''), was an internation ...
, and a
silver medal
A silver medal in sports and other similar areas involving competition is a medal made of, or plated with, silver awarded to the second-place finisher, or runner-up, of contests or competitions such as the Olympic Games, Commonwealth Games, etc ...
at the
2000 World Junior Championships. Bryzgalov also competed in the
2004 World Cup of Hockey and is a three-time
Olympian. As the starting goaltender, he helped Russia win back-to-back
gold medal
A gold medal is a medal awarded for highest achievement in a non-military field. Its name derives from the use of at least a fraction of gold in form of plating or alloying in its manufacture.
Since the eighteenth century, gold medals have bee ...
s at the
2009 World Ice Hockey Championships, making them
ranked number one in the world. He was also runner-up for the
Vezina Trophy
The Vezina Trophy is awarded annually to the National Hockey League's (NHL) goaltender who is "adjudged to be the best at this position". At the end of each season, the thirty-two NHL general managers vote to determine the winner. It is named in ...
and a top-five finalist for the
Hart Memorial Trophy
The Hart Memorial Trophy, originally known as the Hart Trophy, is an annual award for the most valuable player in the National Hockey League (NHL), voted by the members of the Professional Hockey Writers' Association. The original trophy was dona ...
in the
2009–10 season.
Playing career
Early years and Anaheim tenure
Bryzgalov started his professional career in his native Russia, splitting the 1999–2000 season between
Spartak Moscow Spartak Moscow may refer to the following teams based or formerly based in Moscow, Russia:
* FC Spartak Moscow, an association football club
* HC Spartak Moscow, a professional ice hockey team
* Spartak GM Moscow, a semi-professional rugby club
* WB ...
of the
Russian Supreme League (RSL-2) and
Lada Togliatti of the
Russian Superleague
The Russian Superleague (russian: Чемпионат России Суперлига, ''Russian Championship Superleague''), commonly abbreviated as RSL, was the highest division of the main professional ice hockey league in Russia. It was consi ...
(RSL). Bryzgalov played two seasons with Lada Togliatti before joining the
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
Mighty may refer to:
* ''Mighty'' (The Planet Smashers album)
* ''Mighty'' (Kristene DiMarco album)
* ''The Mighty'' (1929 film), a 1929 American action film
*'' The Mighty'', a 1998 comedy-drama film
* ''The Mighty'' (comics), a DC Comics title
* ...
, who had drafted him in the second round, 44th overall, in the
2000 NHL Entry Draft.
However, with
Jean-Sébastien Giguère
Jean-Sébastien Giguère (; born May 16, 1977) is a Canadian retired professional ice hockey goaltender. He played with the Halifax Mooseheads in the Quebec Major Junior Hockey League (QMJHL), where he was drafted 13th overall by the Hartford Wh ...
and
Martin Gerber
Martin Gerber (born 3 September 1974) is a Swiss former professional ice hockey goaltender. He was drafted in the eighth round of the 2001 NHL Entry Draft (232nd overall) by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. He played in the National Hockey League (N ...
ahead of him in the club's depth chart, Bryzgalov spent the better part of his first four seasons in North America with the
Cincinnati Mighty Ducks
The Cincinnati Mighty Ducks were a professional ice hockey team based in Cincinnati, Ohio. They were members of the American Hockey League, and played their home games at the Cincinnati Gardens. Throughout their existence they were the primar ...
of the
American Hockey League
The American Hockey League (AHL) is a professional ice hockey league based in the United States and Canada that serves as the primary Minor league#Ice hockey, developmental league for the National Hockey League (NHL). Since the 2010–11 AHL se ...
(AHL). He made his Mighty Ducks debut in
2001–02, playing in his first of two games during that four-season stretch.
![Hockey goal cmd 2004](https://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/7/7f/Hockey_goal_cmd_2004.jpg)
With the departure of backup Gerber, Bryzgalov took over behind Giguère in
2005–06 season. However, injuries to the Ducks starter allowed Bryzgalov to play more games than he otherwise would have and he responded to the challenge with a 13–12–1 record with a 2.51
goals against average
Goals against average (GAA) also known as "average goals against" or "AGA" is a statistic used in field hockey, ice hockey, lacrosse, soccer, and water polo that is the mean of goals allowed per game by a goaltender or goalkeeper (depending on s ...
(GAA) and .910
save percentage
Save percentage (often known by such symbols as SV%, SVS%, SVP, PCT) is a statistic in various goal-scoring sports that track saves as a statistic.
In ice hockey and lacrosse, it is a statistic that represents the percentage of shots on goal ...
. In the subsequent
playoffs
The playoffs, play-offs, postseason or finals of a sports league are a competition played after the regular season by the top competitors to determine the league champion or a similar accolade. Depending on the league, the playoffs may be eithe ...
, Bryzgalov made three starts and one relief appearance for the Ducks in their first-round series against the
Calgary Flames
The Calgary Flames are a professional ice hockey team based in Calgary. The Flames compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division (NHL), Pacific Division in the Western Conference (NHL), Western Conference, and ...
. In Game 1, he filled-in for an injured Giguère, taking a 2–1
overtime
Overtime is the amount of time someone works beyond normal working hours. The term is also used for the pay received for this time. Normal hours may be determined in several ways:
*by custom (what is considered healthy or reasonable by society) ...
loss.
He relieved Giguère once more in Game 5 and stopped all 19 shots he faced in a 3–2 loss.
[ He then took over the starting job for Games 6 and 7 of the series, winning 2–1 in Game 6 and recording a shutout in the decisive Game 7. Moving past the Flames, Bryzgalov then recorded 5–0 and 3–0 shutouts in the first two games of the second series against the ]Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The Avalanche play thei ...
for three consecutive shutouts. He tied Frank McCool's 1945
1945 marked the end of World War II and the fall of Nazi Germany and the Empire of Japan. It is also the only year in which nuclear weapons have been used in combat.
Events
Below, the events of World War II have the "WWII" prefix.
Januar ...
playoff record for most consecutive shutouts by a rookie and passed Giguère, who had recorded consecutive shutouts in 2003 for the third-longest playoff shutout streak of all time. Despite his success in the first two rounds, Bryzgalov struggled in the semifinals against the Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
and was eventually replaced by Giguère for the rest of the series as the Ducks were eliminated in five games.
Bryzgalov continued to play backup to Giguère the following season and into the 2007 playoffs. Bryzgalov made comments regarding Ducks head coach Randy Carlyle
Randolph Robert Carlyle (born April 19, 1956) is a Canadian professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is the former head coach of the National Hockey League (NHL)'s Toronto Maple Leafs and the Anaheim Ducks. He won the Stanley Cup in 2 ...
, saying he believed Carlyle had no confidence in him. However, he briefly took over as the starter for the first four games of the Western Conference Quarterfinals, winning three games as Giguère took a leave of absence with personal issues. Bryzgalov came in for relief in the Western Conference finals against the Detroit Red Wings
The Detroit Red Wings (colloquially referred to as the Wings) are a professional ice hockey team based in Detroit. The Red Wings compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Atlantic Division (NHL), Atlantic Division in the East ...
, but remained on the bench as the Ducks went on to defeat the Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...
in the Finals in five games to win the franchise's, and Bryzgalov's, first Stanley Cup
The Stanley Cup (french: La Coupe Stanley) is the championship trophy awarded annually to the National Hockey League (NHL) playoff champion. It is the oldest existing trophy to be awarded to a professional sports franchise in North America, an ...
.
Phoenix Coyotes
With the re-signing of Giguère to a four-year contract in the off-season and the acquisition of Jonas Hiller
Jonas Hiller (born 12 February 1982) is a Swiss former professional ice hockey goaltender. Hiller played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for the Calgary Flames and the Anaheim Ducks, the latter with which he began his NHL career with in 2007 ...
from Switzerland,[ the Ducks attempted to trade Bryzgalov, but were unable to do so. Anaheim general manager Brian Burke claimed he had a deal worked out at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, but could not finish it.] As a result, on 16 November 2007, Bryzgalov was placed on waivers and claimed by the Phoenix Coyotes the following day, on 17 November. In his first game with the team that same day, Bryzgalov made 27 saves for his third career shutout in a 1–0 win over the Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
. Phoenix promptly signed him to a three-year contract extension and he went on to record 26 wins in 55 games for the Coyotes as they battled for a playoff spot, establishing himself as the club's starting goaltender.
Bryzgalov again recorded 26 wins for the Coyotes during the 2008–09 season, though the Coyotes did not qualify for the playoffs. But the 2009–10 season would be a different story for Bryzgalov and the Coyotes, who would qualify for the playoffs for the first time since 2002 on the back of Bryzgalov's 42 victories. The fourth-seeded Coyotes would face-off against the veteran Detroit Red Wings in the Western Conference Quarterfinals. The series proved to be a see-saw battle that eventually saw Detroit prevail in seven games. Bryzgalov averaged 3.43 goals against per game during the series.
Despite the uncertainty surrounding the Coyotes during the 2010–11 season, Bryzgalov's 36 wins helped them to the sixth seed in the Western Conference and a return trip to the playoffs. Once again, the Coyotes faced the Red Wings. Despite Bryzgalov's strong play throughout the regular season, he struggled in the playoff rematch with Detroit, averaging 4.36 goals against per game as the Red Wings swept the Coyotes in four straight games. Set to become an unrestricted free agent in the off-season, the Coyotes did not meet Bryzgalov's asking price for a contract extension. On 6 June 2011, Bryzgalov's negotiation rights were traded to the Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Well ...
for a third-round pick in the 2012 NHL Entry Draft, forward Matt Clackson
Matthew Clackson (born April 26, 1985) is a Canadian-born American former professional ice hockey right winger who played six seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL) for five different teams. His father, Kim Clackson, played in the National Ho ...
and future considerations. Bryzgalov averaged 33 victories a season the past four seasons with the Coyotes.
Philadelphia Flyers
During the previous two seasons, the Flyers had lacked a player who consistently filled the starting goaltender position. The duo of Michael Leighton
Michael W. Leighton (born May 19, 1981) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) with the Chicago Blackhawks, Nashville Predators, Philadelphia Flyers and Carolina Hurricanes.
Playi ...
and Brian Boucher
Brian Boucher ( ; born January 2, 1977) is an American former professional ice hockey goaltender who is a game and studio analyst on national ESPN and ABC games and also Philadelphia Flyers games on NBC Sports Philadelphia. He played 13 season ...
were able to help the team to the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals in place of the injured starter Ray Emery
Raymond Robert Emery (''né'' Nichols; September 28, 1982 – July 15, 2018) was a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for eleven seasons, between 2003 and 2015. Emery was chosen 99th over ...
, but neither goaltender held onto the starting position for an extended period of time. Rookie Sergei Bobrovsky
Sergei Andreyevich Bobrovsky (russian: Серге́й Андреевич "Боб" Бобровский; born 20 September 1988) is a Russian professional ice hockey goaltender for the Florida Panthers of the National Hockey League (NHL). He has ...
was the Flyers' starter in the 2010–11 season, but he and Boucher formed another tandem with similar inconsistency, including a dismal playoff for both.
On 23 June 2011, the Flyers signed Bryzgalov to be their new starter, and signed him to a nine-year, $51 million contract. In order to accommodate his contract under the team's salary cap, the Flyers made two high-profile trades an hour before the Bryzgalov signing was first reported, sending Jeff Carter
Jeffrey J. Carter (born January 1, 1985) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre for the Pittsburgh Penguins of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously played for the Philadelphia Flyers, Columbus Blue Jackets, and Los Angeles Kings ...
to the Columbus Blue Jackets
The Columbus Blue Jackets (often simply referred to as the Jackets) are a professional ice hockey team based in Columbus, Ohio. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference, ...
(for Jakub Voráček
Jakub Voráček (; born 15 August 1989) is a Czech professional ice hockey right winger who plays for the Columbus Blue Jackets of the National Hockey League (NHL). Voráček was drafted seventh overall by the Blue Jackets at the 2007 NHL Entr ...
, as well as first- and third-round picks in the 2011 Entry Draft) and captain Mike Richards Michael Richards (born 1949) is an American actor best known for playing Cosmo Kramer in ''Seinfeld''.
Michael Richards or Mike Richards may also refer to the following people:
Arts and entertainment
*Mike Richards (television personality) (born ...
to the Los Angeles Kings
The Los Angeles Kings are a professional ice hockey team based in Los Angeles. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division in the Western Conference and was founded on June 5, 1967, after Jack Kent ...
(for Wayne Simmonds
Wayne Simmonds (born August 26, 1988) is a Canadian professional ice hockey player for the Toronto Maple Leafs of the National Hockey League (NHL). Simmonds has previously played for the Los Angeles Kings, Philadelphia Flyers, Nashville Predato ...
, Brayden Schenn
Brayden Michael Schenn (; born August 22, 1991) is a Canadian professional ice hockey centre and alternate captain for the St. Louis Blues of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Los Angeles Kings fifth overall in the 2009 N ...
and a second-round pick).
On 27 October 2011, following a 9–8 loss to the Winnipeg Jets
The Winnipeg Jets are a professional ice hockey team based in Winnipeg. The team competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and is owned by True North Sports & Entertainment, pl ...
, Bryzgalov commented on his own play: "I have zero confidence in myself right now," he said. He also likened himself to somebody "lost in the woods" and that, "If you probably throw a ball instead of the puck, I'm not gonna stop it." However, Bryzgalov would quickly rebound by winning six of his next eight games.
Bryzgalov would become well known for his comments regarding the Universe
The universe is all of space and time and their contents, including planets, stars, galaxies, and all other forms of matter and energy. The Big Bang theory is the prevailing cosmological description of the development of the universe. Acc ...
during the filming of HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
's '' 24/7'' series – "Solar system is so humongous big, right? But if you see, the like, our solar system and our galaxy on the like on the side, you know, like, and we're so small — you can never see it — our galaxy is like huge, but if you see the big picture, our galaxy (is like a) small tiny like dot in Universe. Like, and I think like, 'And we have some problems here on the Earth we worry about?' Compared to like ... nothing. Just ... be happy. Don't worry, be happy right now." His comments have resulted in some good fun, including how when requesting information about the Universe, Siri
Siri ( ) is a virtual assistant that is part of Apple Inc.'s iOS, iPadOS, watchOS, macOS, tvOS, and audioOS operating systems. It uses voice queries, gesture based control, focus-tracking and a natural-language user interface to answer qu ...
instead returns information about Bryzgalov, referring to him as "Mr. Universe".
Bryzgalov made news when he said he believed Sergei Bobrovsky would be the starter for the 2012 NHL Winter Classic: "I have great news and even better news. Okay, great news is I'm not playing, and better news is we have a chance to win the game... 'llmake sure I don't forget my thermos with some nice tea and enjoy the bench," he said. Bobrovsky then started the Winter Classic on 2 January 2012, a 3–2 Flyers loss to the New York Rangers
The New York Rangers are a professional ice hockey team based in the New York City borough of Manhattan. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home ...
at Citizens Bank Park
Citizens Bank Park is a baseball stadium located in Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, in the city's South Philadelphia Sports Complex. It is the home playing field of the Philadelphia Phillies, the city's Major League Baseball (MLB) franchise. The ...
.
Following a 6–4 loss to the Pittsburgh Penguins
The Pittsburgh Penguins (colloquially known as the Pens) are a professional ice hockey team based in Pittsburgh. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division of the Eastern Conference, and have playe ...
on 18 February 2012, Bryzgalov was quoted as saying, "I know I was frustrated in my game today and I know I have to be better and I will continue to work on this, but ... I will try to find peace in my soul to play in this city."
From 4 to 13 March 2012, Bryzgalov recorded four shutouts and allowed just two goals over a five-game span. Two days later, on 15 March, Bryzgalov set the Flyers all-time record for longest shutout streak, in a game against the New York Islanders.
Bryzgalov was named the NHL's First Star of the Month for March 2012.
On 8 May 2012, the Flyers and Bryzgalov recorded a 3–1 loss to the New Jersey Devils
The New Jersey Devils are a professional sports, professional ice hockey team based in Newark, New Jersey. The Devils compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference (NHL), Eastern ...
, and were eliminated in the second round of the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs. He recorded a 3.46 goals against average combined with an .887 save percentage during the playoffs.
On 2 March 2013, he won his 200th career game, a 2–1 win against the Ottawa Senators
The Ottawa Senators (french: Sénateurs d'Ottawa), officially the Ottawa Senators Hockey Club and colloquially known as the Sens, are a professional ice hockey team based in Ottawa. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a membe ...
.
On 25 June 2013, Bryzgalov was informed the Flyers would use a compliance buyout
Compliance buyouts (sometimes referred to as amnesty buyouts) allow National Hockey League (NHL) teams to buy-out a player's contract by paying him two-thirds of the remaining value of a contract over twice the remaining length of the contract. If ...
to buy the remaining seven years on his contract.
Las Vegas Wranglers
On 2 October 2013, Bryzgalov signed a try-out contract with the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL
The ECHL (formerly the East Coast Hockey League) is a mid-level professional ice hockey league based in Shrewsbury, New Jersey, with teams scattered across the United States and Canada. It is a tier below the American Hockey League (AHL).
The E ...
. According to the ECHL website, Bryzgalov was signed as an emergency backup goaltender by the Wranglers on 17 October 2013. He would be released two weeks later, on 16 October, without ever playing a game for the Wranglers.
Edmonton Oilers
On 8 November 2013, Bryzgalov entered a verbal agreement to sign a one-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers. He began on a conditioning assignment with the Edmonton's AHL affiliate, the Oklahoma City Barons
The Oklahoma City Barons were a professional ice hockey team in the American Hockey League (AHL). The team's first season was 2010–11. They played their home games at the Cox Convention Center, in Oklahoma City, Oklahoma.
History
On February 9 ...
, but was finally called up to the Oilers on 17 November. On 28 November, Bryzgalov made his first start of the season with a 3–0 shutout win over the Nashville Predators
The Nashville Predators (commonly referred to as the Preds) are a professional ice hockey team based in Nashville, Tennessee. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference, and ha ...
, stopping all 33 shots. After coming in a relief role the previous night, Bryzgalov posted his 31st career shutout. Head coach Dallas Eakins
Dallas Franklin Eakins (''né'' Yoder; February 27, 1967) is an American professional ice hockey coach and former player. He is the head coach of the Anaheim Ducks of the National Hockey League (NHL). He previously served as the head coach of the ...
said after the game, "And he picked up right where he left off last game. I thought he was solid. He looked big in the net, everything. Check marks right across the page for him." Starting goaltender Devan Dubnyk
Devan Dubnyk (born May 4, 1986) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played in the National Hockey League (NHL). He was originally drafted by the Edmonton Oilers in the first round, 14th overall, of the 2004 NHL Entry Draft ...
sat as Bryzgalov's backup for the night. However, Bryzgalov was injured only two games later, temporarily halting his bid to supplant Dubnyk to become the Oilers' starter. However, Dubnyk was then traded to Nashville in January, which made Bryzgalov Edmonton's new starter until he was traded.
Minnesota Wild
On 4 March 2014, Bryzgalov was traded to the Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and play their home games at the Xcel Ener ...
in exchange for a fourth-round draft pick. He played well for the Wild down the stretch, posting a 7–1–3 record, and he shared playing time with goaltender Darcy Kuemper
Darcy Kuemper (born May 5, 1990) is a Canadian professional ice hockey goaltender currently playing for the Washington Capitals of the National Hockey League (NHL). He was selected by the Minnesota Wild in the sixth round, 161st overall, of the 2 ...
in the 2014 playoffs. The Wild defeated the Colorado Avalanche
The Colorado Avalanche (colloquially known as the Avs) are a professional ice hockey team based in Denver. They compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference. The Avalanche play thei ...
in the first round but lost to the Chicago Blackhawks
The Chicago Blackhawks (spelled Black Hawks until 1986, and known colloquially as the Hawks) are a professional ice hockey team based in Chicago. The Blackhawks compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division i ...
in round two. Bryzgalov became an unrestricted free agent at the conclusion of the season.
Return to Anaheim
On 3 December 2014, Bryzgalov signed a tryout contract with the Anaheim Ducks, the team for which he played from 2001 to 2008. After a successful tryout, the Ducks signed him to a one-year deal reportedly worth $2.88 million on 9 December 2014.
On 23 February 2015, the Ducks placed Bryzgalov on waivers and he was assigned to their AHL affiliate, the Norfolk Admirals Norfolk Admirals has been the name of two professional ice hockey franchises:
* Norfolk Admirals (AHL), a team which played in the American Hockey League from 2000 to 2015
*Norfolk Admirals (ECHL)
The Norfolk Admirals are a professional ice hock ...
, after fighting for the Ducks' third-string position with Jason LaBarbera
Antonio Jason LaBarbera (born January 18, 1980) is a Canadian former professional ice hockey goaltender who played parts of 11 seasons in the National Hockey League (NHL).
He was originally drafted by the New York Rangers in the 1998 NHL Entry ...
. However, on 26 February, the Ducks put Bryzgalov on unconditional waivers, normally an indication a team is about to release a player. Shortly after, the Ducks made a public statement saying Bryzgalov would be returning home to his family and not finish the 2014–15 season with them, ending his professional career.
International play
Bryzgalov competed for Russia in the 2000 World Junior Championships in Umeå
Umeå ( , , , locally ; South Westrobothnian: ;). fi, Uumaja; sju, Ubmeje; sma, Upmeje; se, Ubmi) is a city in northeast Sweden. It is the seat of Umeå Municipality and the capital of Västerbotten County.
Situated on the Ume River, U ...
. He recorded a 0.77 GAA in four games to help Russia to a silver medal. Later that year, he was named to the Russia's senior team for the 2000 World Championships, where he played in four games as Russia failed to reach the podium. Two years later, he competed for Russia at the 2002 Winter Olympics
The 2002 Winter Olympics, officially the XIX Olympic Winter Games and commonly known as Salt Lake 2002 ( arp, Niico'ooowu' 2002; Gosiute Shoshoni: ''Tit'-so-pi 2002''; nv, Sooléí 2002; Shoshoni: ''Soónkahni 2002''), was an internation ...
in Salt Lake City
Salt Lake City (often shortened to Salt Lake and abbreviated as SLC) is the Capital (political), capital and List of cities and towns in Utah, most populous city of Utah, United States. It is the county seat, seat of Salt Lake County, Utah, Sal ...
, earning bronze. Playing in a backup position, Bryzgalov did not appear in any games.
However, Bryzgalov played in a more expanded role at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, playing in 240 minutes and recording a 2.34 GAA in three games. Bryzgalov received his first international gold medal at the 2009 World Championships after defeating Canada
Canada is a country in North America. Its ten provinces and three territories extend from the Atlantic Ocean to the Pacific Ocean and northward into the Arctic Ocean, covering over , making it the world's second-largest country by tot ...
in the final.
Personal life
Bryzgalov and his wife, Yevgeniya, have a daughter, Valery, and a son, Vladislav. The family lived in Yorba Linda, California, during Bryzgalov's tenure with the Anaheim Ducks. He spent five summers attending college in Russia, where he earned his degree, allowing him to teach and coach in Russian schools. He reads books and enjoys studying philosophy. Bryzgalov is the proud owner of a Siberian husky, a breed of dog he considers very beautiful. In HBO
Home Box Office (HBO) is an American premium television network, which is the flagship property of namesake parent subsidiary Home Box Office, Inc., itself a unit owned by Warner Bros. Discovery. The overall Home Box Office business unit is ba ...
's ''24/7 Flyers/Rangers: Road to the NHL Winter Classic'' series, he compared his dog to a "hot blonde girl".
Career statistics
Regular season and playoffs
International
Awards and achievements
Transactions
*24 June 2000 — Drafted by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
Mighty may refer to:
* ''Mighty'' (The Planet Smashers album)
* ''Mighty'' (Kristene DiMarco album)
* ''The Mighty'' (1929 film), a 1929 American action film
*'' The Mighty'', a 1998 comedy-drama film
* ''The Mighty'' (comics), a DC Comics title
* ...
in the second round, 44th overall.
*17 November 2007 — Claimed off waivers by the Phoenix Coyotes from the Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California. The Ducks compete in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division, and play their home games at Honda Center.
...
.
*7 June 2011 — Traded to the Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Well ...
for Matt Clackson
Matthew Clackson (born April 26, 1985) is a Canadian-born American former professional ice hockey right winger who played six seasons in the American Hockey League (AHL) for five different teams. His father, Kim Clackson, played in the National Ho ...
, a third-round draft pick in 2012 and a conditional draft pick.
*23 June 2011 — Signed a nine-year, $51 million deal with the Philadelphia Flyers
The Philadelphia Flyers are a professional ice hockey team based in Philadelphia. The Flyers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Metropolitan Division in the Eastern Conference. The team plays its home games in Well ...
.
*26 June 2013 — Remaining seven years on his contract bought out by the Philadelphia Flyers.
*8 November 2013 — Signed a one-year, $2 million deal with the Edmonton Oilers
The Edmonton Oilers are a professional ice hockey team based in Edmonton. The Oilers compete in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division of the Western Conference. They play their home games at Rogers Place, which ...
.
*4 March 2014 — Traded to the Minnesota Wild
The Minnesota Wild are a professional ice hockey team based in Saint Paul, Minnesota. The Wild competes in the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Central Division in the Western Conference and play their home games at the Xcel Ener ...
for a fourth-round draft pick in 2014.
*9 December 2014 — Signed a one-year, $2.88 million deal with the Anaheim Ducks
The Anaheim Ducks are a professional ice hockey team based in Anaheim, California. The Ducks compete in the Western Conference of the National Hockey League (NHL) as a member of the Pacific Division, and play their home games at Honda Center.
...
.
References
External links
*
{{DEFAULTSORT:Bryzgalov, Ilya
1980 births
Living people
Anaheim Ducks players
Cincinnati Mighty Ducks players
Edmonton Oilers players
HC CSKA Moscow players
HC Lada Togliatti players
HC Spartak Moscow players
Ice hockey players at the 2002 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey players at the 2006 Winter Olympics
Ice hockey players at the 2010 Winter Olympics
Medalists at the 2002 Winter Olympics
Anaheim Ducks draft picks
Mighty Ducks of Anaheim players
Minnesota Wild players
Norfolk Admirals players
Oklahoma City Barons players
Olympic bronze medalists for Russia
Olympic ice hockey players of Russia
Olympic medalists in ice hockey
Sportspeople from Tolyatti
Internet memes
Philadelphia Flyers players
Phoenix Coyotes players
Russian ice hockey goaltenders
Stanley Cup champions