from Mark Spector of Sportsnet,

Ilya Bryzgalov’s strategy was apparent as he met the Edmonton media for the first time on Monday. Forget the past, hope everyone else forgets the past, and if that doesn’t work, then deny the past. So the average player-media exchange went something like this:

Reporter “Do you see this as a second chance for you?”

Bryzgalov “What do you mean?”

Reporter “Just, the way things ended up in Philadelphia…”

Bryzgalov “I never lost my first chance, you know.”

So it turns out that Bryzgalov, a contrarian if nothing else, was not blackballed by hockey these past few months. He just took a little longer to find a contract after that compliance-buyout thing in Philadelphia. The whole situation was completely out of his control, actually, which must include a save percentage that ranked 59th and 55th among NHL goalies the past two seasons. Does being paid $23 million over 14 years just to go away bother him? “Not at all,” Bryzgalov says, breaking into a big smile. “You know, it’s out of my control. I can’t do anything about it. It’s just like, ‘Ok, guys. If you decide… to make that move, I’ve just got to accept it and move on.’”

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