Ilya Bryzgalov facts for kids

Quick facts for kids Ilya Bryzgalov
Bryzgalov with the Philadelphia Flyers in 2011
Born	(1980-06-22) 22 June 1980 (age 44) Tolyatti, Russian SFSR, Soviet Union
Height	6 ft 3 in (191 cm)
Weight	213 lb (97 kg; 15 st 3 lb)
Position	Goaltender
Caught	Left
Played for	Lada Togliatti Anaheim Ducks Phoenix Coyotes Philadelphia Flyers CSKA Moscow Edmonton Oilers Minnesota Wild
National team	Russia
NHL Draft	44th overall, 2000 Mighty Ducks of Anaheim
Playing career	1999–2015

Ilya Nikolayevich Bryzgalov (born 22 June 1980) is a Russian former professional ice hockey goaltender. He played in the National Hockey League (NHL) for several teams. These teams included the Anaheim Ducks, Phoenix Coyotes, Philadelphia Flyers, Edmonton Oilers, and Minnesota Wild.

The Mighty Ducks of Anaheim chose him in the second round of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft. He was the 44th player picked overall. In the 2006–07 season, Bryzgalov helped the Anaheim Ducks win the Stanley Cup. This is one of the biggest awards in hockey.

He also played for Russia in international games. He won a bronze medal at the 2002 Winter Olympics. He also earned a silver medal at the 2000 World Junior Championships. Bryzgalov played in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey and was an Olympian three times. As Russia's main goaltender, he helped them win gold medals in a row at the 2009 World Ice Hockey Championships. This made Russia the top-ranked team in the world.

Playing Career Highlights

Starting in Russia and Anaheim

Bryzgalov began his professional hockey journey in Russia. He played for Spartak Moscow and Lada Togliatti in the 1999–2000 season. After two seasons with Lada Togliatti, he joined the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim. They had drafted him in 2000.

For his first four years in North America, Bryzgalov mostly played for the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks. This team was in the American Hockey League (AHL), a league below the NHL. He played his first two NHL games for the Mighty Ducks in the 2001–02 season.

Bryzgalov playing for the Cincinnati Mighty Ducks in 2004.

In the 2005–06 season, Bryzgalov became the backup goalie for the Mighty Ducks. When the main goalie got injured, Bryzgalov played more games. He did well, winning 13 games. In the playoffs that year, he played in some important games. He even had three shutouts in a row, which means he didn't let any goals in. This tied a record for rookie goalies. Even though he played well, the Ducks were eliminated.

The next season, 2006–07, Bryzgalov continued as the backup. He stepped in for a few games when the main goalie had personal issues. Later, the Ducks went on to win the Stanley Cup. Bryzgalov was part of the team that won this huge championship.

Time with the Phoenix Coyotes

After the Ducks signed another goalie, they tried to trade Bryzgalov. When they couldn't, the Phoenix Coyotes picked him up on 17 November 2007. In his very first game with the Coyotes, he had a shutout win. Phoenix then signed him to a three-year contract. He became their main goalie, winning 26 games that season.

Bryzgalov won 26 games again in the 2008–09 season. The 2009–10 season was even better. Bryzgalov helped the Coyotes reach the playoffs for the first time since 2002, with 42 wins. They played against the Detroit Red Wings in a tough series that went to seven games. Detroit won in the end.

Bryzgalov warming up during the 2007 playoffs.

In the 2010–11 season, Bryzgalov's 36 wins again led the Coyotes to the playoffs. They faced the Red Wings once more. This time, Detroit swept them in four games. Bryzgalov was set to become a free agent, and the Coyotes didn't agree on a new contract with him. So, on 6 June 2011, his rights were traded to the Philadelphia Flyers.

Joining the Philadelphia Flyers

The Philadelphia Flyers had been looking for a consistent starting goalie. On 23 June 2011, they signed Bryzgalov to a big nine-year contract. To make room for his contract under the team's salary rules, the Flyers made some big trades.

Bryzgalov became well-known for his interesting comments. During the filming of an HBO show called 24/7, he talked about the universe. He said, "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, like, it's small, tiny, like dot in the 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." People found his comments funny and he was even called "Mr. Universe" by Siri.

In March 2012, Bryzgalov had an amazing streak. He recorded four shutouts and allowed only two goals in five games. He also set a Flyers record for the longest shutout streak ever. He was named the NHL's First Star of the Month for March 2012.

On 8 May 2012, the Flyers lost in the second round of the 2012 Stanley Cup playoffs. On 2 March 2013, Bryzgalov won his 200th career game. However, on 25 June 2013, the Flyers decided to end his contract early.

Later Career Teams

After leaving the Flyers, Bryzgalov had a try-out with the Las Vegas Wranglers in October 2013. He didn't play any games for them.

On 8 November 2013, he signed a one-year contract with the Edmonton Oilers. He started strong with a shutout win against the Nashville Predators. He was injured a couple of games later, but eventually became the Oilers' starting goalie.

On 4 March 2014, Bryzgalov was traded to the Minnesota Wild. He played well for them, helping them reach the 2014 playoffs. The Wild won their first round but lost in the second round.

On 3 December 2014, Bryzgalov signed a tryout contract to return to the Anaheim Ducks, the team he started with. After a good tryout, he signed a one-year deal. However, on 23 February 2015, the Ducks placed him on waivers. Shortly after, the Ducks announced that Bryzgalov would be returning home to his family, ending his professional career.

International Play

Medal record
Representing  Russia
Ice hockey
World Championship
Gold	2009 Bern
Winter Olympics
Bronze	2002 Salt Lake City
World Junior Championships
Silver	2000 Umeå

Bryzgalov played for Russia in many international tournaments. In the 2000 World Junior Championships, he helped Russia win a silver medal. Later that year, he played for Russia's senior team in the 2000 World Championships.

Two years later, he was part of the Russian team at the 2002 Winter Olympics in Salt Lake City. They won a bronze medal, though Bryzgalov did not play in any games. He had a bigger role in the 2004 World Cup of Hockey. Bryzgalov won his first international gold medal at the 2009 World Championships. Russia beat Canada in the final game.

Personal Life

Ilya Bryzgalov is married to Yevgeniya, and they have a daughter named Valery and a son named Vladislav. When Bryzgalov played for the Anaheim Ducks, his family lived in Yorba Linda, California.

He spent five summers going to college in Russia. He earned a degree that allows him to teach and coach in Russian schools. Bryzgalov enjoys reading books and studying philosophy. He also owns a Siberian husky, which is a type of dog he thinks is very beautiful. On the HBO show 24/7, he even joked that his dog was like a "hot blonde girl."

Awards and Achievements