Ice Hockey Special Report: Nikolai Khabibulin appealing 30 day Jail term for DUI
Edmonton goalie Nikolai Khabibulin has been handed a 30 day jail term, the minimum under Arizona law for driving under the influence. Nikolai announced his decision to appeal the verdict.
Almost 6 months ago, Nikolai was stopped by police officers late at night driving a Ferrari in an urban area at almost twice the speed limit. His blood alcohol level was found to be far above the legal limit. The Russian was a first time offender and that is why he got off comparatively easily for a very serious DUI charge. The 30 day term could have been as long as 6 months in the state of Arizona.
Considering the evidence against him and the seriousness of the charge, the appeal came as a surprise to all involved. The appeal is most likely just an attempt to delay the term. If he can keep the appeals process going until the end of the season, Nikolai would be able to be present at all the practices and play the regular season, collecting the entire sum of his $3.75 million pay check. Addressing the appeal Oilers general manager, Steve Tambellini said that Nikolai and his lawyers exercised their right and that the process continued.
Tambellini said that Nikolai had made a mistake and that the Oilers were treating the situations seriously. Answering questions after a guilty verdict was handed down; Tambellini said that disciplinary actions against Nikolai were still on the table. Following the announcement of the decision to appeal, the Oiler’s general manager expressed a slight bit of disappointment. “It doesn't allow me, unfortunately, to comment on behalf of the team as we thought we'd be able to do,” He said adding that the team was put on hold. “It doesn’t allow us to go forward.”
The Oilers had amassed two goaltenders apart from Nikolai in anticipation of a guilty verdict from the Arizona courts and concerns regarding Nikolai physical condition. At present Nikolai is on the long term injured reserve and has not been cleared to play the coming season. Tambellini now has a decision to make regarding the Oilers goaltending situation. All three goaltenders on the roster have been given one way contracts. The combined cost of the Edmonton goaltenders nears the $5 million mark.
The situation remains uncertain again and Tambellini is again unable to make a decision. “It could take months, for what I understand,” he said regarding the appeals process. Had Nikolai simply accepted the sentence and served the 30 days starting from Saturday, he would have been out before the Oilers first preseason game. Now the uncertainty looms over Edmonton for the foreseeable future. If the appeals process can’t be dragged on long enough, Nikolai might be forced to complete his term in the middle of the Oilers season. That would be a significant blow to the team.
The likely outcome is the sentence could be reduced by as much as two thirds. It isn’t unheard of in DUI cases for appeals to produce results for the defendants. While his lawyers sort out the legal tangles, a separate public relations campaign would be put into high gear. Nikolai would offer a public apology to fans and to his teammates, get himself into an alcohol abuse program and be a model citizen. By the time the appeals process concludes, the whole thing would have blown over and Nikolai would be back stopping pucks. With him at the net would be Deslauriers and Dubnyk. The Oilers it seems would remain stuck with the three headed goaltending monster.
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