PITTSBURGH, Oct. 19 (UPI) -- Former National Hockey League great Mario Lemieux is set to receive $21 million as part of Pittsburgh's settlement of its 1990s bankruptcy.
Lemieux, who played for the Penguins before becoming part owner of the franchise when he retired as a player in 1997, was owed $32 million in deferred compensation.
The Pittsburgh Post-Gazette Friday said co-owner Ron Burkle, a California businessman, and other investors who purchased a piece of the team when it came out of bankruptcy in 1999, will be given varying percentages of their original outlay in conjunction with the refinancing.
Lemieux, a hall-of-famer and five-time NHL First All-Star Team choice in 17 seasons as a player, will not get any additional money, and is believed to be the only unsecured creditor from the bankruptcy to receive less than 100 percent of money owed.
