NHL star Alex Galchenyuk threatened to kill officers, used racial slur during traffic stop

NHL star Alex Galchenyuk allegedly threatened officers and used a racial slur during a traffic stop last weekend, according to a police report. That incident led the Arizona Coyotes to terminate his contract on Friday.

Galchenyuk was arrested on Sunday for private property hit-and-run, disorderly conduct, failure to obey, resisting arrest and threatening or intimidating behavior charges, according to the Associated Press. The Scottsdale Police Department said Galchenyuk was “erratic and aggressive toward officers” after he appeared to crash his car into a sign. He then talked about connections he had in Moscow, saying “I’m gunna chop you, your wife, your daughter” and “One phone call and you’re all dead, your whole family, your blood line is dead,” according to the police report.

A witness told police they saw a white BMW hit a curb and a sign, while a training officer and trainee saw Galchenyuk about 20 feet away. They also saw another man put him in the passenger seat and drive off. The officer then pulled the car over because both men were impaired, and Galchenyuk became agitated. The officer then asked him to step out of the car and the trainee helped him handcuff the NHL star.

A witness also said Galchenyuk was the driver when the car crashed and went out to lay on the ground. He also allegedly continued making threats and saying the racial slur as the officers took him to the Scottsdale Jail.

Galchenyuk signed a one-year, $775,000 contract with the Coyotes on July 1. A former No. 3 overall pick by the Montreal Canadiens, he played for the Colorado Avalanche last season. This wouldn’t have been his first stint in Arizona, though. He also played for the Coyotes in 2018 and again in the 2021 season, meaning it was his third time signing with the franchise.

The Coyotes addressed the situation in a statement after terminating his contract due to a material breach of terms. That move came a day after placing him on unconditional waivers.

“We are aware of the incident involving Alex Galchenyuk and strongly condemn this type of behavior,” the statement read. “Once the club was made aware of the allegations, we immediately began the process of terminating his standard player’s contract through the proper channels in conjunction with the National Hockey League.”

Galchenyuk has also played for the Pittsburgh Penguins, Minnesota Wild, Ottawa Senators and Toronto Maple Leafs during his career.