Nikolai Khabibulin of the Edmonton Oilers has been found guilty of a multitude of alcohol related charges.

Nikolai Khabibulin has been found guilty of Extreme DUI, and will likely be sentenced to some jail time.

From The Sporting News

With Friday’s conviction of goalie Nikolai Khabibulin on alcohol-related driving charges, the Edmonton Oilers have a problem. They expect to see their nominal No. 1 goalie miss at least part of training camp, depending on whether he gets jail time.

They also could have the opportunity to rid themselves of his burdensome contract, if the conviction could be construed as justification to use morals terms of the collective bargaining agreement.

The New York Rangers seem set to pay Wade Redden 6.5 million to play hockey in the minors.

Wade Redden may be on a bus headed to the New York Rangers minor league affiliate in Hartford as soon as training camp opens.

From The NY Post

There’s no doubt the plan calls for Redden to be waived at some point during camp so his $6.5 million albatross of a cap hit can be removed from the ledger when the season commences, no doubt whatsoever.

The construction of the roster, including the recent signing of Alexander Frolov and trade for Todd White, indicates GM Glen Sather expects to have Redden’s space available, and so does pretty much everything the organization is communicating this summer to anyone in the industry who will listen.

Original Photos  NY Times, wikimedia

Calgary will host the 2011 Heritage Classic, which will pit the Calgary Flames against the Montreal Canadiens.

Gary Bettman poses with Josh Gorges of the Montreal Canadiens and Steve Staios of the Calgary Flames, who kind of looks a little like Ronald McDonald in that new Flames Heritage Classic jersey.

From NHL.com

The Montreal Canadiens and Calgary Flames will take part in the 2011 Heritage Classic on Feb. 20 at McMahon Stadium, home to the Canadian Football League’s Calgary Stampeders. The League made it official during a warm Wednesday afternoon news conference, which took place on the field that will play host to the NHL’s sixth-ever outdoor game.

“Our first regular-season outdoor game was played in Canada, and it’s great to be coming back,” NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman said. “As everyone knows, the roots of our game are in Canada. And the roots of our game emanate from frozen ponds and backyard rinks in Canada. When you have a heritage as proud and as strong as we do, you want to celebrate it.”

Original Photos Yahoo, djcrystalstone

The NHL Players Association is planning to file a grievance on behalf of Ilya Kovalchuck.

The NHLPA sees dollar signs when they look at Ilya Kovalchuck, and they plan to file a grievance on his behalf (katchop)

From sportsnet.ca

A source told sportsnet.ca that the only way a grievance would not be filed was if the Devils and Kovalchuk restructure the deal. However, the source also said that even if the two parties do re-work the contract, the NHLPA may still elect to file a grievance to prevent the league from taking similar action on future deals.

Kovalchuk’s contract with the Devils was rejected by the NHL earlier this week after the league ruled that the deal violated its salary cap.

Under the signed agreement, Kovalchuk was slated to earn $98.5 million in the first 11 years of the deal and only $550,000 in each of the last five seasons. The extra years tacked on at the end of the deal took the contract through the 2026-27 season and lowered the overall salary cap hit to $6 million.

Original Photos zimbio, post.thing

Ilya Kovalchuk got a massive contract out of the NJ Devils.

Ilya Kovalchuk is still a Devil, after he accepted a 102 million dollar contract to steal the souls of New York Rangers fans (katchop)

From The LA Times

It can’t be a coincidence that the final number was $102 million. That makes it more–by $1 million–than the offer Kovalchuk turned down from Atlanta before the Thrashers traded him to New Jersey in February. He wanted Alexander Ovechkin-like numbers and no one thought he’d get $100 million in this league and with this economic climate. He not only got his numbers, he got more than the most lucrative previous offer.

Here’s the contract structure, as first reported by Michael Russo of the Minneapolis Star Tribune and later verified by capgeek.com:

Kovalchuk, in his prime at 27, will earn $6 million in each of the first two seasons. But then he will earn $11.5 million each of the next FIVE seasons. Then his salary goes to $10.5 million for one year, followed by seasons of $8.5 million, $6.5 million, $3.5 million and $750,000. The last five seasons he’s scheduled to be paid $550,000 each. He will be 40 then.

Original Photos zimbio, buyscaryhalloweencostumes

The Blackhawks will bring the Stanley Cup to the Chicago Gay Pride Parade today.

The Chicago Blackhawks may introduce a new alternate jersey at this weekend's Chicago Gay Pride Parade (katchop)

From Freep.com

The Chicago Gay Hockey Association invited the Blackhawks to join Sunday’s Gay Pride Parade — and the team said yes. So did the Chicago Cubs, who will have their own float for the first time.

Blackhawks defenseman Brent Sopel and his wife, Kelly, will accompany the Cup on a float. Sopel, traded to Atlanta this week, is a father of three and said he’s not trying to make a statement.

“But everybody is a person, and we all have feelings,” he said.

Original Photos flickr, easycart

The 2010 NHL Draft kicked things off on Friday night and there were several shocking picks, most notably the New York Rangers selecting Dylan “The Undertaker’ McIlrath with the 10th pick.

The New York Rangers used the 10th pick of the 2010 NHL draft on Dylan "The Undertaker" McIlrath (katchop)

From USA Today

McIlrath, who is 6-foot-4 and 212 pounds, was selected Moose Jaw’s most improved player for the second consecutive season after establishing career highs in games played, goals, assists, points, penalty minutes, and a plus-20 rating <emdash /> a plus-42 improvement from the previous season.

He said his game is patterned after the one played by Nashville Predators star defenseman Shea Weber.

“I’m a big, physical ‘D’ man,” McIlrath said in Los Angeles, where the draft was held. “I try to be hard to play against and strike fear in the opposition. Also my game is improving. I think I can be a two-way guy, or develop into a two-way guy in the near future.”

Original Photos Yahoo, suite101

The NJ Devils hired John MacLean as their new head coach.

Lou Lamoriello makes his Yoda face in response to a question from the media during the introduction of new Devils Coach John MacLean (katchop)

From The NY Post

“John was the prime candidate from Day 1,” GM Lou Lamoriello said, despite taking nearly seven weeks to make the decision. “There’s no question in my mind that he’s ready to take the full reins.”

MacLean, who scored 347 goals for New Jersey, spent eight seasons prepping for yesterday’s anointing, seven years as a Devils’ assistant coach, before fulfilling Lamoriello’s final prerequisite last season as head coach at Lowell, guiding the Devils’ top farm team to the playoffs for the first time in years.

“It’s a little bit surreal. I’m very excited, almost like [1983] draft day,” MacLean said.

Original Photos Yahoo, JediSanctuary