Post by thedarkangel1975 on Jun 23, 2011 20:13:57 GMT -5
The Philadelphia Flyers signed goalie Ilya Bryzgalov to a nine-year deal worth $51 million, a source told ESPN.com Thursday.
Flyers On The Move
Flyers The Flyers made a big splash, trading Jeff Carter to Columbus and Mike Richards to L.A. before locking up goalie Ilya Bryzgalov.
• Carter shipped to Blue Jackets
• Richards to Kings for prospect Schenn
• Bryzgalov inks 9-year deal with Flyers
• Joyce: Ceiling is high for Schenn Insider
The Flyers acquired the rights to Brygazlov earlier this month from the Phoenix Coyotes. He was to become an unrestricted free agent July 1.
Earlier Thursday, the Flyers traded Jeff Carter and Mike Richards, clearing salary cap room to sign Bryzgalov.
Bryzgalov, 30, was a Vezina Trophy finalist in 2009-10 and went 36-20-10 with a 2.48 goals-against average and seven shutouts last season.
Philadelphia won the Atlantic Division title last season with 106 points but lost in the Eastern Conference semifinals to the Boston Bruins -- who eventually won the Stanley Cup -- in a four-game sweep that did not sit well with the organization. In their 11-game postseason, Philadelphia used three goaltenders with little success: Sergei Bobrovsky, Brian Boucher and Michael Leighton.
Bryzgalov and his agent, Ritch Winter, spent two days last week in Philadelphia hammering out details of the contract and visiting the city.
"When you get a goalie you view as an upper-echelon goalie," GM Paul Holmgren said, "you know you have to pay him."
Flyers On The Move
Flyers The Flyers made a big splash, trading Jeff Carter to Columbus and Mike Richards to L.A. before locking up goalie Ilya Bryzgalov.
• Carter shipped to Blue Jackets
• Richards to Kings for prospect Schenn
• Bryzgalov inks 9-year deal with Flyers
• Joyce: Ceiling is high for Schenn Insider
The Flyers acquired the rights to Brygazlov earlier this month from the Phoenix Coyotes. He was to become an unrestricted free agent July 1.
Earlier Thursday, the Flyers traded Jeff Carter and Mike Richards, clearing salary cap room to sign Bryzgalov.
Bryzgalov, 30, was a Vezina Trophy finalist in 2009-10 and went 36-20-10 with a 2.48 goals-against average and seven shutouts last season.
Philadelphia won the Atlantic Division title last season with 106 points but lost in the Eastern Conference semifinals to the Boston Bruins -- who eventually won the Stanley Cup -- in a four-game sweep that did not sit well with the organization. In their 11-game postseason, Philadelphia used three goaltenders with little success: Sergei Bobrovsky, Brian Boucher and Michael Leighton.
Bryzgalov and his agent, Ritch Winter, spent two days last week in Philadelphia hammering out details of the contract and visiting the city.
"When you get a goalie you view as an upper-echelon goalie," GM Paul Holmgren said, "you know you have to pay him."
