Are the Flyers Still Paying this Former Goaltender?

He was supposed to be the cure of the goaltending issues here in Philadelphia. The Flyers organization moved their captain in Mike Richards and one of their best players in Jeff Carter to make room for goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov.

Two Ilya Bryzgalov quotes

«Great news, I'm not playing tomorrow night. Good news, we have a chance to win the game.»

«I'm not afraid of anything. I'm afraid of bears. But bear in the forest.»— Hask (@The_Hask) August 15, 2022

During the previous two seasons, the Flyers had lacked a player who consistently filled the starting goaltender position. The duo of Michael Leighton and Brian Boucher were able to help the team to the 2010 Stanley Cup Finals in place of the injured starter the late Ray Emery, but neither goaltender held onto the starting position for an extended period of time.

Rookie Sergei Bobrovsky was the Flyers' starter in the 2010–11 season, but he and Boucher formed another tandem with similar inconsistency, including a dismal playoff for both. Bobrovsky was also moved at some point and has had quite a career.

Wow y'all have A LOT to say about the goaltending here for fans of a league that Ilya Bryzgalov once called home. pic.twitter.com/JnwfopU7Vs— Sam Stern (@SammmyStern) August 25, 2021

On 23 June 2011, the Flyers signed Bryzgalov to be their new starter, and signed him to a nine-year, $51 million contract. In order to accommodate his contract under the team's salary cap, the Flyers made two high-profile trades an hour before the Bryzgalov signing was first reported, sending Jeff Carter to the Columbus Blue Jackets for Jakub Voracek, as well as first- and third-round picks in the 2011 Entry Draft and captain Mike Richards to the Los Angeles Kings for Wayne Simmonds, Brayden Schenn and a second-round pick.


Bryzgalov did not last long on the Flyer's roster and sadly they are still paying for it, literally. See the breakdown of the contract and buy outs.


As you can see, the organization still paying Ilya Bryzgalov until the year 2026-2027 with a total amount of $23mil. dollars. He has collected over $74million in his career and probably more than half of that has been from the Flyers.

Just another great move by the Flyers Organization.