TAMPA – Never give Gary Bettman a reason to say ‘I told you so.’
There’s been some controversy lately over the compensation rules redrawn in January, which give teams the right to ask for a second-round or third-round draft pick – depending on when the hire was made – if they lose a coach, general manager or president of hockey operations to another team while those people are still under contract.
It’s a scenario that’s played out multiple times this season, in the hiring of Peter Chiarelli and Todd McLellan by the Edmonton Oilers; Mike Babcock by the Toronto Maple Leafs (although that was a somewhat different circumstance); and Dan Bylsma by the Buffalo Sabres, whose confirmation of his hiring was delayed as compensation was worked out with the Pittsburgh Penguins.