Jury deliberations in the criminal trial of former Toronto Maple Leaf captain Rob Ramage have been postponed until Tuesday.

Justice Alexander Sosna has delayed giving instructions to the eight men and four women to consider a legal issue.

The jury was expected to begin deliberating on Thursday afternoon to decide whether Ramage, 48, is criminally responsible for the death of former Chicago Blackhawks defenceman Keith Magnuson.

Ramage has pleaded not guilty to five criminal offences, including impaired driving and dangerous driving, stemming from the December 2003 car crash that killed Magnuson.

Magnuson, 56, was Ramage's passenger in a rented Chrysler Intrepid and died instantly due to head and chest injuries sustained in the head-on collision.

Test results showed Ramage had at least 2 1/2 and perhaps nearly four times the legal limit of alcohol in his blood and urine.

Defence attorney Brian Greenspan argued Wednesday that Ramage was sober during the time of the accident and that blood and urine samples were flawed.

A nurse admitted in court she used an alcohol swab to take samples and not the approved non-alcohol kit.

Ramage was driving Magnuson home after they attended the funeral of NHL Alumni Association chair Keith McCreary in nearby Bolton, Ont.

The pair was travelling eastbound when the vehicle crossed over the centre median and smashed into a Nissan Pathfinder.

The jury heard when Ramage was pulled from the mangled vehicle he didn't remember driving the car and was confused as to who the passenger was.

A number of York police officers also testified there was a pungent smell of alcohol emanating from the wreckage and from Ramage's breath.

However, other emergency workers testified Ramage did not appear inebriated while receiving treatment.

Ramage was captain of the Toronto Maple Leafs from 1989 to 1991. During his 15-year career, he also played for the Calgary Flames and Montreal Canadiens, winning Stanley Cups with both teams.