Recent NHL announcement means bad news for the Winnipeg Jets
Photo credit: Global News
NHL Deputy Commissioner Bill Daly has made a recent announcement for the league which could mean more bad news for the Winnipeg Jets.
Despite the hold the NHL has on hockey fans, there are few and far between who do not have issues with longtime Commissioner, Gary Bettman. The reasons so many do not like the former lawyer are several, from softening the level of play, to what some may find an overcommercialization of the sport. On top of that, many place him further into blame for the increased number of lockouts in the league, which never occurred in more than a short strike before the start of his tenure.
"This might be the most common answer. Before Gary Bettman's reign, the NHL had never had a lockout, although they did have a short, 10-day 'strike' in the season before he became commissioner. Strikes and lockouts were nothing new in professional sports or a unique creation by Bettman.
However, Bettman's NHL seemed to be a different breed. The NHL has had three lockouts under Bettman, including the only time in North American professional sports history an entire season was canceled back in 2004-2005. I remember that year: with no hockey I had to resort to watching basketball to entertain myself (it wasn't as fun). Under Bettman, lockouts have sadly become almost predictable and commonplace."
However, Bettman's NHL seemed to be a different breed. The NHL has had three lockouts under Bettman, including the only time in North American professional sports history an entire season was canceled back in 2004-2005. I remember that year: with no hockey I had to resort to watching basketball to entertain myself (it wasn't as fun). Under Bettman, lockouts have sadly become almost predictable and commonplace."
However, NHL fans have been most aggravated by the simple fact that no Canadian team has won the Stanley Cup since Gary Bettman's first year as Commissioner. This was more than 30 years ago when in 1993, the Montreal Canadiens became the last champion from the nation. Many expect with the way business has been run, there will never be another fighting chance.
Unfortunately, things do not seem to be getting better for any Canadian team's chances at the Cup. In a recent article he wrote for The Athletic, Michael Russo stated that state taxes have an undeniable correlation with championship outcomes. While many players have to pay higher taxes in Canada and some US states, many recent champions or finalists pay less to their state than in federal taxes, or simply none at all.
"LAS VEGAS - Four of the past five Stanley Cup championship teams have come from states that don't collect state income taxes - and seven of the past 10 finalists.
Those runs, by the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars, have understandably sparked a debate over whether the teams involved have an unfair advantage in signing players at below-market rates.
In many cases, players signing in those states - Florida, Tennessee, Texas, Nevada and Washington are among the states that deduct no further income tax than the federal taxes - would lose millions of dollars over the lives of their contracts if they played north of the border or in high-income-tax states such as California, New York, New Jersey and Minnesota."
Those runs, by the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning, Vegas Golden Knights and Dallas Stars, have understandably sparked a debate over whether the teams involved have an unfair advantage in signing players at below-market rates.
In many cases, players signing in those states - Florida, Tennessee, Texas, Nevada and Washington are among the states that deduct no further income tax than the federal taxes - would lose millions of dollars over the lives of their contracts if they played north of the border or in high-income-tax states such as California, New York, New Jersey and Minnesota."
Following this breakdown, he shared the words of the NHL Deputy Commissioner and Chief Legal Officer Bill Daly, who has stated that ultimately, leveling the playing field is too difficult a task for him and the NHL Players' Association to do. Additionally, he does little more than shoo the grievance away, claiming that quality of life is a bigger factor than net income.
"'It's an issue that comes up from time to time in our room at the board level and general managers level. There are no easy fixes. It's not like we can just pick from Column A and fix the problem overnight. Players make decisions on where they want to play for a variety of reasons. Their bottom line is one of them, but the quality of life and the communities they live in is probably more important.'
Daly echoed that sentiment Tuesday at the NHL's North American player media tour in Las Vegas. He said while it's too early to determine if this is something that may have to be addressed, he has talked to the NHL Players' Association about the subject and the mutual feeling is that leveling the playing field would be too complicated."
Daly echoed that sentiment Tuesday at the NHL's North American player media tour in Las Vegas. He said while it's too early to determine if this is something that may have to be addressed, he has talked to the NHL Players' Association about the subject and the mutual feeling is that leveling the playing field would be too complicated."
The Winnipeg Jets are one team that is looking to become an even greater contender for the Stanley Cup after losing in a gentleman's sweep in round one to the Colorado Avalanche. However, Manitoba has one of the highest tax rates of any Canadian province or territory, and will undoubtedly have a harder time attracting the level of players they need to be successful. With no improvement in sight, GM Kevin Cheveldayoff will have to get very creative to even have a chance. Hopefully, the players will be able to band together and force the board to take some action instead of complaining about how hard it is while Gary Bettman and his friends continue to count their own money.
| POLL | ||
22 SEPTEMBRE | 98 ANSWERS Recent NHL announcement means bad news for the Winnipeg Jets Will this issue for the Winnipeg Jets ever be solved with Gary Bettman in charge? | ||
| Yes | 4 | 4.1 % |
| No | 87 | 88.8 % |
| Only partly | 7 | 7.1 % |
| List of polls | ||
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