Tampa Bay Lightning’s Ryan Malone Arrested For DUI And Possession Of Cocaine

Ryan Malone, the 34 year old star left winger for the Tampa Bay Lightning, was arrested early Saturday morning for driving under the influence and possession of cocaine. Police reports state that he was arrested at 3:23 AM at the intersection of Platt and Rome Streets in Tampa Florida. His blood alcohol was tested to be between.112 and.116, which is twice Florida’s legal limit of.08. He was booked into Hillsborough County Jail at 5:40 AM, and was released on $2,500 bond just before 10 AM, according to the arrest report that is displayed on the Hillsborough Sheriff’s Office official website.

Tampa Bay Light Lightning General Manager Steve Yzerman issued the following statement:

“We are aware of the situation concerning Ryan Malone this morning. Ryan will not travel with the team to Washington today, but beyond that we cannot comment further at this time.”

According to WFLA News, the arresting officer saw Malone drive into a curb, and then found the cocaine in his pocket during the arrest for DUI. The local Tampa Bay Station also shared the left winger’s booking photo in the tweet about the incident.

The winger was a healthy scratch in Tampa’s Friday night win against the Columbus Blue Jackets, for his third consecutive game out of the line up as a coach’s decision. He has five goals and ten assists in 57 games for the Lightning this season. The Pittsburgh native was drafted by his hometown Penguins in the fourth round of the 1999 NHL draft, as the overall 115th selection in that years draft. He played 81 games as a rookie for the Penguins in the 2003-04 season and was third on the team in scoring that year. Malone and his father, Greg, became the first father son duo to score hat tricks for the Pittsburgh Penguins, when the younger Malone scored his first career hat trick against the New York Islanders on December 15, 2006. The elder Malone played for the Penguins after being selected by the team in he 1976 NHL draft, and returned to the area after retiring. Ryan Malone was the first Pittsburgh native to be drafted by and play for the Penguins.

Malone’s rights were traded by the Penguins to the Lightning on June 28, 2008, in exchange for a 2009 third round draft choice. He signed a seven-year contract with the Lightning worth a reported $31.5 million dollars on the following day. The winger’s production was best when he was a line-mate of superstar center Sidney Crosby. Malone did put up solid numbers with the Lightning, 20 goals and 28 assists, in the lock out shortened 2011-12 season.