Rapid City Rush hockey team, former player locked in dispute

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RAPID CITY (AP) — A judge has ordered a minor league hockey team in South Dakota and one of its former players to take their dispute to arbitration.

According to media reports, an arbiter will make a binding determination on defenseman Joe Grimaldi's benefit claim and the Rapid City Rush's position on breach of contract.

Grimaldi was released after spending part of last October and most of November on the injured list. He refused to sign his exit physical and later filed a grievance against the Rush seeking medical expenses and lost salary. The Rush denied Grimaldi's injury claim and countered by suing him for breach of contract, contending he wasn't healthy when he reported for training camp last September.

Grimaldi is from Ronkonkoma, N.Y., and is currently living in Omaha, Neb.

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