Ilya Bryzgalov

Infobox Ice Hockey Player
team=Phoenix Coyotes
former_teams=Anaheim Ducks
league = NHL

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image_size = 200px
position = Goaltender
catches = Left
height_ft = 6
height_in = 3
weight_lb = 198
draft = 44th overall
draft_year = 2000
draft_team = Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
nickname = Bryz
nationality = Russia
birth_date = birth date and age|1980|6|22
birth_place = Togliatti, SU
career_start = 1999

Ilya Nikolayevich Bryzgalov ( _ru. Илья Николаевич Брызгалов) (b. June 22, 1980, in Togliatti, U.S.S.R.), nicknamed Bryz, is a professional ice hockey goaltender for the Phoenix Coyotes of the National Hockey League. He was selected in the second round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft, 44th overall, by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. He was a member of the 2002 Russian Olympic team, being awarded a bronze medal. Bryzgalov also made the majority of the starts for the Russian squad at the 2004 World Cup of Hockey, playing in 240 minutes and recording a 2.34 GAA in three games.

Career

Bryzgalov started his professional career in Russian hockey league in 1999. He was "rented" to a second-league team (which used to be a usual practice for rookie players in Russia), HC Spartak Moscow but soon was spotted by his main team, Lada Togliatti. Bryzgalov played two seasons there, but decided to break the contract because of some conflicts with team management. Many Russian teams tried to compete for him after that incident, but Bryzgalov decided to try his luck overseas.

Bryzgalov spent parts of four seasons with the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks of the AHL, although he saw some limited time in Anaheim. Long considered to be the future goaltender for the Ducks, Bryzgalov's future role with the big club was likely compromised somewhat with the outstanding performance of goaltending teammate Jean-Sébastien Giguère in the 2002–03 playoffs. Giguère led the Ducks to the Stanley Cup Finals where they lost in seven games to the New Jersey Devils and was awarded the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoffs MVP. As a result, the team chose to allow Bryzgalov to develop in Cincinnati, where he could adjust to the idiosyncrasies of the North American game, and become better prepared for duties at the NHL level, while also receiving the majority of the starts and significant playing time.

During the 2005–06 season, Bryzgalov played back-up to Giguère. However, injuries to Giguère allowed Bryzgalov to play more games than he otherwise would have and he responded to the challenge with strong results. In 31 games that season, Bryzgalov had 13 wins and 12 losses with one tie, an impressive 2.51 GAA, and a strong .910 save percentage.Bryzgalov made three starts and one relief appearance for the Ducks in their first-round playoff series against the Calgary Flames. In Game 1 he filled in for a dehydrated Jean-Sébastien Giguère, taking a 2–1 overtime loss. He relieved Giguère in Game 5, and stopped all 19 shots he faced. He 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.Bryzgalov started Game 1 of the second round against the Colorado Avalanche, and recorded his second consecutive shutout as the Ducks won 5–0. Bryzgalov's consecutive shutouts were the first for a rookie goaltender in the NHL playoffs since Frank McCool achieved the feat in 1945. Bryzgalov tied McCool's rookie record of three consecutive playoff shutouts when he blanked the Avalanche yet again in Game 2, as the Ducks won 3–0. Currently, he is the 2nd all time playoff shutout streak leader, the highest rookie, and the highest in the modern era. Only one other goalie in recent times has their name on that list, albeit a few spaces lower, that being Giguère, who accomplished his own feat in the 2002–2003 playoffs.But in Round 3 against the Edmonton Oilers, everything went wrong. The Oilers took Games 1 and 2 easily, both by scores of 3–1. Bryzgalov allowed 4 goals in each game, with the other two coming from empty net goals. Then in Game 3, Bryzgalov let in three shots in a 2 minute eleven second span to make the score 4–0 Edmonton. The Ducks tried to fight back with 4 more goals, but the final score that night was 5–4 Edmonton. It was Byrzgalov's last game of the playoffs before being replaced by Jean-Sébastien Giguère for the rest of the series. The Oilers won the series easily, 4 games to 1.Despite his playoff run, in the 2006–07 season, Bryzgalov had played significantly less games than Giguère, and had been pulled from two of his five starts. Bryzgalov also made comments regarding Anaheim Ducks coach Randy Carlyle, saying he believed Carlyle has no confidence in him. Bryzgalov became the starter after an injury to Giguère. Bryzgalov started the first four games of the 2007 Western Conference quarter finals while Giguère was dealing with personal issues. He won the first three games for The Ducks, but lost game four. Giguère was back for game five, and took over for the rest of the post season, except for one game in the Western Conference Finals where Giguère had allowed three goals and Bryzgalov came in for relief. Bryzgalov allowed two goals making the score 5–0 Detroit. The Ducks went on to defeat the Ottawa Senators in 5 games to win the Stanley Cup.

With the re-signing of Giguère to a four-year contract, Bryzgalov appeared to be on his way out of Anaheim. The Ducks attempted to trade Bryzgalov at the 2007 NHL Entry Draft, but were unable to make a trade.

On November 16th, 2007, Bryzgalov was placed on waivers by his general manager Brian Burke. He was claimed off waivers by the Phoenix Coyotes on November 17, 2007. In his first game with the team that same day, Bryzgalov made 27 saves for his 3rd career shutout in a 1–0 win over the Los Angeles Kings. Phoenix promptly signed him to a 3 year contract extension, and he went on to record 26 wins for the Coyotes as they battled for a playoff spot. He is the clear-cut starting goaltender for the Coyotes for the 2008-09 NHL Season.

Transactions

* June 24, 2000 - Drafted by the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim in the 2nd round, 44th overall.
* November 17, 2007 - Claimed off waivers by Phoenix Coyotes

Trivia

* He was once traded by the Washington Capitals as a 2nd round draft pick to the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim for their 2nd round draft pick who turned out to be Matt Pettinger during the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.

Career statistics

Regular season

Playoffs

External links

*nhlprofile|8468524
*TSN-NHL-profile|2252
*hockeydb|51169