Music: {allcanada} Oilers' Nikolai Khabibulin faces DUI case decision Friday

Friday, August 27, 2010

{allcanada} Oilers' Nikolai Khabibulin faces DUI case decision Friday

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Edmonton Oilers goalie Nikolai Khabibulin (notes) could finally learn his fate Friday in connection with a February alcohol-related driving charge. His long-delayed case is expected to be heard in Scottsdale, Ariz., Jim Matheson of the Edmonton Journal reports.

Khabibulin could be sentenced to jail in Arizona if found guilty of misdemeanor charges of driving under the influence and speeding. A 30-day mimimum sentence is possible, meaning Khabibulin, nominally the Oilers' No. 1 goalie, could miss the first two weeks of training camp.

Maximum sentence could be six months in strict imprisonment in the Arizona desert.

Khabibulin, 37, was arrested Feb. 8. At the time, he was living at his home in the Phoenix area while recovering from a back injury.

Police reports say Khabibulin was stopped and investigation lawmen smelled alcohol. He failed a field sobriety test and blew 0.164 on a blood-alcohol test. That would be twice Arizona's legal limit, resulting in extreme DUI, Matheson reports.

Khabibulin played 18 games last season before leaving the roster with a back injury that required surgery.

The Oilers have three other goalies under contract—Jeff Deslauriers (notes) and Devan Dubnyk (notes) returning, and journeyman Martin Gerber (notes), signed as an unrestricted free agent.

Deslauriers, 26, played in a career-high 48 games last season and was the starter after Khabibulin's injury. He was 16-28-4 record with a 3.26 goals-against average and .901 save percentage on the NHL's worst team. He had a five-game winning streak in December, all in road games.

By season's end, Dubnyk was splitting time with a shell-shocked Deslauriers.

Both Dubnyk and Deslauriers are tall goalies who continue to develop. Dubnyk has less experience—2010-11 was his first crack at being an NHL starter. He is more likely than Deslauriers to be headed for the minors.

Gerber was signed to provide a more experienced goalie to the mix. His one-year deal allows the Oilers to send him to their AHL affiliate at a lower pay rate.