Bryzgalov Signs One-Year Contract

The Mighty Ducks signed goaltender Ilya Bryzgalov to a one-year contract for $400,000, with a team option for the following season at $600,000.

Bryzgalov, 24, is considered the Ducks’ goaltender of the future and is expected to be Jean-Sebastien Giguere’s backup next season. He spent the last three seasons with minor league Cincinnati but was called up for one game with the Ducks in March. Bryzgalov stopped 26 shots in a 3-2 win over Phoenix.

The Ducks have committed more than $36 million to 15 players for next season, including last week’s signing of Andy McDonald, who will make about $1.6 million over two seasons.

The Ducks still have to sign restricted free agents Rob Niedermayer, Ruslan Salei and Vitaly Vishnevski, while trying to find a way to trim $12 million from their $54-million payroll.

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The Ducks announced their exhibition schedule. They have home games against Phoenix (Sept. 24), San Jose (Sept. 29), Vancouver (Oct. 3) and the Kings (Oct. 8), provided a collective bargaining agreement is reached and there is no lockout.

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The Ducks have not begun a search to hire a new general manager, according to a hockey source, who said officials from the Walt Disney Co., which owns the team, probably will wait until a labor agreement is reached before filling the position permanently.

Al Coates, the Ducks’ vice president of business operations, also is serving as interim general manager. Coates may also be named permanent general manager, removing one salary from the team budget.

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The Kings have agreed to terms with goalie Adam Hauser on a one-year contract. Hauser, 24, had a 20-15-7 record with a 1.94 goals-against average, a .926 save percentage and seven shutouts with the Manchester Monarchs of the American Hockey League last season.

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Associated Press contributed to this report.