Some interesting Islanders news regarding Neil Smith’s brief time as GM last summer, it turns out that Bettman doesn’t believe the Islanders owe him any money. Smith began work on building an Islanders team without ever signing a contract, something I am sure he regrets after both sides parted ways.
The Globe and Mail ran a story today about this decision, here is a quote: “A source says NHL commissioner Gary Bettman has ruled Neil Smith is not entitled to any meaningful compensation for his brief run as the New York Islanders general manager.
A source told The Globe and Mail that while Bettman’s ruling is not final because not all parties have signed off on it, the commissioner did make his decision known to the parties involved. An NHL spokesman said that Bettman has not rendered a decision and has not held an official hearing and a settlement could still be reached.”
The article is goes further into detail, so if you are interested, please head over to The Globe and Mail to check out the rest.
Mind you, this could all change – but it is news. Personally, I felt Smith should have just signed a contract before he began work – that’s the logic most people follow regarding contracts. Wang is a smart businessman, it is no wonder he and his lawyers found the magical loophole in this one.
