Ilya Bryzgalov signs with ECHL team

Dave Isaac | USA TODAY Sports

Former Philadelphia Flyers goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov is back in hockey. Not in the National Hockey League, not the American Hockey League either.

"Bryz" signed a tryout agreement with the Las Vegas Wranglers of the ECHL. Some teams in the league have affiliations with the AHL and NHL, but Las Vegas is completely independent.

"Having a world-class player like Ilya in camp is a great opportunity for our organization and our players," Wranglers coach and general manager Mike Madill said in a news release. "Operating independently of an NHL affiliation allows us the freedom to explore these types of opportunities, and we are thrilled to have Ilya here to work with us, and our goaltenders especially. It will be an amazing experience for them."

Bryzgalov, 33, spent the last two years with the Flyers until his contract was bought out this offseason. As recently as last week, he was still living in Haddonfield, N.J., with his family. He had a .900 save percentage and 2.79 goals-against average last season in 40 games. He didn't play badly at all. He was, however, a constant distraction for the Flyers. The team will continue to pay him $1.67 million until 2027.

"To be clear, I intend to return to the NHL, and to be ready for game action when an NHL opportunity opens up," Bryzgalov said in a statement. "I intend to work hard while I am here in Las Vegas, and to return the support I have received from my family, the many fans who have reached out to me with words of encouragement, and the Wranglers organization with actions, not words.

"This is a unique opportunity for me to be an example to my own children, to the young fans who have supported me, to my new teammates, and eventually to the NHL teammates who will come to rely on me again."

According to one report, there is an NHL club with interest in Bryzgalov. They weren't willing to make a commitment to signing him until they saw him play.

Bryzgalov signing in the ECHL means he could sign as a free agent in the NHL without being subjected to waivers. Had he found a job in the Kontinental Hockey League, the collective bargaining agreement would require him to go through waivers because his season started overseas.

Dave Isaac writes for the (Cherry Hill, N.J.) Courier-Post, a Gannett property.