It’s official. Bryz is back.
Goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov inked a one-year contract with the Anaheim Ducks, the club announced Tuesday.
The deal, which will expire at the end of this season, is worth $2.88 million, according to Eric Stephens of the Orange Country Register.
The 34-year-old re-joined the Anaheim Ducks on a professional tryout basis last week.
Anaheim goaltender John Gibson has been sidelined until late December with a groin injury, and veteran backup Jason LaBarbera will need about two more weeks to recover from a broken bone in his hand. Third-stringer Igor Bobkov, 23, had been called up from AHL Norfolk temporarily but did not see any NHL action.
Bryzgalov marks the third veteran member of last year’s Wild — Clayton Stoner and Dany Heatley the others — Ducks GM Bob Murray has recruited for 2014-15.
In September, Brygalov tried out for his former team, the Minnesota Wild, but failed to land a roster spot. And in October, Sportsnet’s Damien Cox reported that Bryzgalov’s agent reached out to the Colorado Avalanche for work but was denied an opportunity.
The entertaining Russian split last season between the Wild and Edmonton Oilers after a brief stint in Las Vegas. He hasn’t played a full NHL season since the lockout-shortened 2012-13 campaign he spent with the Philadelphia Flyers.
Bryzgalov was drafted 44th overall in 2000 by the Mighty Ducks and made his NHL debut with Anaheim in 2001-02. He won a Stanley Cup with the team in 2007, backing up Jean-Sebastien Giguere, but was waived that autumn and picked up by the Phoenix Coyotes.
In 457 NHL games, Bryzgalov has posted a record of 220-158-53, with a .913 save percentage, 2.56 goals-against average and 34 shutouts.