Bryzgalov repays Coyotes' trust

When the Phoenix Coyotes claimed Ilya Bryzgalov on waivers from the Anaheim Ducks on Nov. 16, 2007, then-coach Wayne Gretzky made it clear the goaltender's days as an understudy were over.

"He said, 'We have 65 games left, and I want you to play all of them,'" Bryzgalov recalls, laughing. "I said, 'I like this idea.'"

Two years later, Dave Tippett has replaced Gretzky, but the Coyotes' trust in Bryzgalov's ability to be their star remains as strong as it was when The Great One anointed him No. 1. Maybe it's stronger today because over parts of three seasons, Bryzgalov has proved himself to be among the NHL's top netminders.

"He's been one of the top five," Coyotes goaltending coach Sean Burke says.

Bryzgalov has the statistics to back up Burke's claims. He entered the weekend with an NHL-leading four shutouts and a 17-8-2 record and 1.98 goals-against average.

"You can't survive in this league with average-to-good goaltending. You need great goaltending," Coyotes general manager Don Maloney says, "and we have been getting that from Day 1."

With the Olympics roughly two months away, Bryzgalov has seemingly put himself in position to be Russia's top goalie. He has given up seven goals during a five-game winning streak.

"He has been our best player most nights," Coyotes captain Shane Doan says. "His focus has been incredible."

Bryzgalov has played 27 games this season, and Burke says there have only been one or two outings where he wasn't at his best.

"I don't know if there are five other guys in the league you could say that about," Burke says. "There are lots of guys who have played well, but I don't think there are too many consistently good games as he has had."

Anaheim liked Bryzgalov, but he was stuck behind Jean-Sebastien Giguere. Then-Ducks GM Brian Burke said Bryzgalov deserved a shot to be a No. 1 but could not give him the chance.

"He is a good man. It was like he gave me a gift," Bryzgalov says of being placed on waivers.

Bryzgalov was a No. 1 goalie in Russia before joining the NHL.

"I appreciate (the Coyotes) have had trust in me," Bryzgalov says. "They say, 'You are our guy, and no matter what, we stick with you.' "

Bryzgalov spreads the wealth when talking about his success, saying this year's team, supplemented by the addition of a handful of veterans, is playing better in front of him.

"He is a big goalie, an athletic goalie, and you can tell when he's off because he's all over the place," Maloney says. "Now he's more in control."

Burke, a former NHL goaltender, has helped refine Bryzgalov's game to make it simpler.

"He has the ability to play a little flashier, and he can sprawl around and get the job done," Burke says. "But over the course of the season, we believe he can be more effective and be less erratic by playing a solid, simple game and letting his athletic ability take over."

Bryzgalov played 65 games last season and 64 the season before. Burke worries about the Coyotes overtaxing him, especially since travel in the Western Conference is more wearying.

"He is still going to play a lot of games, but when he is not playing he needs to take time off," Burke says. "I've strapped on the gear a number of times in practice to give him time off. Bryz has practiced a lot less."

Bryzgalov likes that idea as much as he liked Gretzky's idea. He said when a goalie practices or plays every day, it wears him down by the end of the season.

"It's the human body," he says. "It gets tired. We are not a robot. Of course, even robots break down and sometimes you have to fix them."