The most recent guilty verdict against an NHL player for slamming down too much alcohol came yesterday in Scottsdale, Arizona when Edmonton Oilers goaltender Nikolai Khabibulin was found guilty of speeding and operating a vehicle with a blood alcohol over twice the legal limit.

The 37-year-old goalie was originally arrested on February 8, 2010 after he was pulled over for speeding in his black Ferrari and blowing a .164 count. The cops responded by cuffing him and having him cheese for the mugshot shown here. Not really a bad mug considering how much the dude drank.

This guilty verdict is bad news for the Oilers and their netminder since driving with a blood-alcohol content more than twice the legal limit in Arizona is known as an extreme DUI and extreme DUI offenders many times spend a minimum of 30 days behind bars.

If that happens then Khabibulin may miss a few weeks of the Oilers’ training camp that starts Sept. 17. Although a veteran, Khabibulin could use the ice time after missing most of last year due to a herniated disc that required going under the knife in January.

The sentencing trial is said to be set for August 31 pending approval of the state.

Khabibulin joins other NHL stars Patrick Kane and Chris Chelios in our Jocks Behind Bars and don’t forget the honorable mention for Sergei Federov who can be found cheesing in our Athletes Mugshots Gallery.

Used with permission of the author.

Jay Donetelli is a Tampa-based freelance sportswriter and contributor to Sports Climax. With an opinion sharper than an Ovechkin skate blade with the sting of an Ali jab, Donetelli has a loyal cult of readers who have found a way to love him.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax, LLC

NHL player Chris Chelios avoided any possible jail time when prosecutors dropped a DUI charge against him. Here’s the video of his sobriety test that got him arrested just blocks from his Chicago home in December 2009:

The judge presiding in the case did convict the Atlanta Thrashers player of improper lane usage and speeding.

Chelios, shown in his mugshot here, was sentenced on Wednesday to six months of conditional discharge and fined $500 fine, which is barely equivalent to a few shifts of ice time.

The 48-year-old Chicago native is an iron man in the NHL having played in more games than any other American-born player, donning Montreal Canadians, Chicago Black Hawks, Detroit Red Wing and Atlanta Thrashers colors.

Known as a leader in the locker room, he won three Stanley Cups and was a three-time winner of the Norris Trophy as the league’s top defenseman.

“I want to put this behind me and learn from it,” Chelios said after the verdict.

Currently, Chelios is playing back in Chicago after the Thrashers sent him back to the Chicago Wolves of the American Hockey League shortly after this incident.

More Mugshots: Jocks Behind Bars – Sports Climax

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax™

Say cheese! A collection of mugshots from Roger Clemens to “Pacman” to the old-time favorites O.J. and Marv Albert.

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Our newest additions to Jocks Behind Bars are two Montreal Canadiens who spent last night behind bars after getting cuffed and taken into a Tampa area police station. Rookie defenseman Ryan O’Byrne and forward Tom Kostopoulos slept it all off in a concrete cell after being arrested and booked–O’Byrne for grand theft and Kostopoulos for resisting an officer without violence.The arrests occurred outside a drinking joint called Whiskey Park at 3 a.m. when most of us on EST were long into REM stages of sleep.

According to reports, a chick that was hanging out at the bar, set her purse on the counter top then when she noticed it missing, she alerted the bouncers. Moments later, O’Byrne was found outside with the purse in one hand and the chick’s cell phone in the other.

O’Byrne told the cops it was his girlfriend’s purse, but after it was verified as being the chick’s purse, he was cuffed and tossed in the back of the police car to go in and cheese for the mugshot, pictured here. (O’Byrne left/Kotopoulis right)

FYI: O’Byrne is making $590,000 skating for the Habs this season yet it was reported that $20 was missing from the purse.

O’Byrne forked over $2,000 for his bail while Kostopoulos paid $500 to get out.

Kostopoulis’ charge of resisting without violence was basically made possible when according to the reports:”Several associates, who were identified as National Hockey League players, crowded around the officers and the police car. They were told numerous times to get away from the car and not to interfere.”

Kostopoulos was arrested when he refused to obey that direct order.

Bullshit!

Yes we know but the 29-year-old veteran should have known better than to be put into that situation to begin with.
Stay tuned to Jocks Behind Bars for any other updates pertaining to this ordeal.

For more NHL mugshots go to the Sports Climax Mugshot Gallery.

Copyright ©2010 Sports Climax™