COYOTES RE-SIGN BRYZGALOV TO THREE-YEAR CONTRACT

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Tuesday, January 22, 2008

GLENDALE, ARIZONA — Phoenix Coyotes General Manager Don Maloney announced today that the Coyotes have re-signed goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov to a three-year contract. As per club policy, terms of the contract were not disclosed.

Bryzgalov, 27, has posted a 16-10-2 record with a 2.33 goals against average (GAA) and a .921 save percentage (SV%) in 28 games with the Coyotes this season. Bryzgalov, who was claimed off waivers from the Anaheim Ducks on Nov. 17, won his first four games with the Coyotes, trying him for the third-longest winning streak by a goaltender to begin his career with a new club after playing for a different team earlier in the season.  The 6-foot-3, 210-pound netminder was also named the NHL’s ‘Second Star” for the week ending Nov. 25, 2007. Bryzgalov posted a 3-0-0 record with a 1.62 GAA and .938 SV%.

“I’m extremely excited to sign with the Phoenix Coyotes,” said Bryzgalov. “I’m very excited about our team, coaches and management. I chose to stay in Phoenix because I love our fans, my teammates and I’m confident that we have a bright future ahead of us.”

Bryzgalov also collected a 2-3-1 record with a 2.55 goals against average (GAA) and a .909 save percentage (SV%) in nine games with the Ducks this season.  The native of Togliatti, Russia helped lead the Ducks to a Stanley Cup Championship last season, posting a 3-1-0 record with a 2.25 GAA and .922 SV% in five playoff games.

“We are extremely pleased to sign Ilya to a long-term contract,” said Maloney. “He’s a world class goaltender with a Stanley Cup on his resume and has been a great addition to our hockey club. We are thrilled to have him in a Coyotes uniform for the next three years.”

During the 2006-07 regular season, Bryzgalov posted a 10-8-6 record with a 2.47 GAA and .907 SV% in 27 games with the Ducks. He went 5-1-3 in his last eight games of the season (all starts), recording a 1.96 GAA and .934 SV%.

Bryzgalov led the NHL in GAA (1.46), SV% (.944) and shutouts (3) in the 2006 Stanley Cup Playoffs. He recorded a shutout streak of 249:15, the second longest streak in NHL postseason history, while tying an NHL record for consecutive shutouts (3). In addition, Bryzgalov became the first rookie goaltender to post consecutive shutouts in the playoffs since 1945. In Anaheim ’s four-game series sweep of the Colorado Avalanche, Bryzgalov posted a 0.93 GAA and .967 SV%. In Anaheim ’s first-round, seven-game series versus Calgary , Bryzgalov shut out the Flames in Calgary to give the Ducks the Game Seven victory.

Bryzgalov has earned a career NHL record of 42-33-10, with a 2.44 GAA and .913 SV% with Anaheim and Phoenix . He was drafted by Anaheim in the second round (44th overall) of the 2000 NHL Entry Draft.

-COYOTES-

~photo stolen errr borrowed from BOC~ - http://battleofcalifornia.blogspot.com/2007/11/boom-goes-bryzgalomite.html

COYOTES ANNOUNCE “ROAD TRIP WITH GRETZKY AND THE COYOTES” CONTEST

All Fans Who Attend Coyotes – Blue Jackets Game on Jan. 17

Will Be Eligible to Win a Trip to Dallas on the Team Charter Flight

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

Saturday, January 5, 2008

GLENDALE, ARIZONA — Phoenix Coyotes President and Chief Operating Officer Douglas Moss announced today that the Coyotes are holding a “Road Trip With Gretzky and the Coyotes” Contest, where one lucky fan and a guest will win the opportunity to accompany Managing Partner – Head Coach Wayne Gretzky and the Coyotes on a road trip to Dallas from Sunday, Feb. 10 to Monday, Feb. 11.

The package will include airfare to Dallas on the team flight, one hotel room and two tickets to see the Coyotes take on the Dallas Stars on Feb. 11 at American Airlines Center .  The winner will also receive two tickets to the Coyotes’ home game against the Nashville Predators on Feb. 10.  The fan and guest will depart Phoenix with the team immediately following the game.

Any fan possessing a valid game ticket to the Coyotes-Blue Jackets game on Jan. 17 and who is present at Jobing.com Arena on the night of the game will be eligible to win.  The winner will be randomly selected and announced during the second intermission at center ice. 

A ticket purchase is not required to enter the contest.  For all entry procedures, please see the official rules at PhoenixCoyotes.com.

-COYOTES-

Woke up this morning to lots of interesting discussion and a couple of press pieces that were good to read.

View from the press box - AZCentral

Mike Emrick, the lead announcer for NBC and Versus who is entering his 35th year of broadcasting, doubts the Coyotes will make the playoffs but does not see that as a trigger to try to make things happen too quickly.

“I think gradual improvement is what they’re going to have to learn, and I think (Don Maloney) has done this the right way,” Emrick said. “And the fact that he’s not overspending at this point, I think means a lot, too. When you have the money, and the money winds up being equal, players who are the caliber you want to get with that money usually want to go to a team that will win right away.

“My assessment is Phoenix won’t win a lot of games right away, but they’re building for something that’s much better in the future. That’s why he has to take it slowly. It’s easy to say, ‘You know, really, we need to fill the building, we need to sell the place out, we need to win 40, 50 games this year out of the 82,’ but that just isn’t going to happen overnight . . . it’s going to have to be patiently run, and I think Don Maloney really paid his dues for a lot of years, not only as a player, but also learning as an assistant GM, and now this chance to show how a team can be built.”

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Panger is everywhere! You can’t throw a cotton ball without hitting Darren Pang these days.

http://www.hockeybuzz.com/blog.php?post_id=9780

If you haven’t been to Gretzky.com , go there… new look and bits and pieces that should be informative and fun during the season… and Darren Pang

Local press getting the positive vibes out to the world.

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/1002nhlpre-main1002.html

http://www.azcentral.com/sports/coyotes/articles/1002nhlpre-salary1002.html