Best NHL goalie from each franchise: Arizona Coyotes – Ilya Bryzgalov
Just like the Blue Jackets, the Arizona Coyotes have unfortunately been a franchise that hasn’t done much of anything in 20+ years of existence. No championships, Division titles, Conference titles, nothing. When it comes to the many goalies they’ve had over the years, only one comes to mind that truly stood out from the rest.
Goalie Ilya Bryzgalov truly did his best during the brief stint of four years on the Coyotes. During his tenure, he made headlines quickly as he helped the Coyotes squeak into the Stanley Cup playoffs twice in 2009 and 2010. Sadly, they didn’t win any championships but Bryzgalov at least made those seasons memorable for fans of the Coyotes.
To this day, Bryzgalov owns the franchise record for most wins in a season at 42. Even though he didn’t stay for long with the franchise, this was at least something positive the hockey world spoke of involving the Coyotes then.
Sometimes the best goalies in a franchise aren’t always those that won numerous championships or still own many team records. It’s all about the impact they had to at least be a turning point toward hope. For teams like the Coyotes, sometimes hope can go a long way to keep people excited about what can happen.