Gary Bettman Rips Paul Bissonnette to Shreds Over Toronto Maple Leafs Tax Question
NHL commissioner Gary Bettman appeared on last night's Stanley Cup Finals broadcast, where Paul Bissonnette asked him about the Toronto Maple Leafs.
Over the last few weeks, there has been a lot of chatter about the Toronto Maple Leafs and other Canadian teams that are at a tax disadvantage.
Compared to the Florida and Texas teams, who don't have to deal with state tax, Canadian teams are being passed over in free agency. Or, on the flipside, Canadian teams have to offer more money to attract big-name talent.
Gary Bettman and the NHL have maintained that this is a non-issue. However, last night, during the Stanley Cup Finals, Paul Bissonnette pressed the commissioner on this topic.
Gary Bettman goes after Paul Bissonnette
Unfortunately, things did not go according to plan for Bissonnette, who was chewed up and spat out by Bettman. In fact, the commissioner was almost offended by the question.
Will you stop? It's a ridiculous; when Florida wasn't good for about 17 years, nobody said anything about it, and for those who played, were you sitting at the tax table; no you wanted a place to live and raise your family and play with a first class organization with good teammates.
Could it be a factor if everything were equal?
Potentially, but state taxes are higher in Los Angeles, in New York, what are we doing? Subsidize those teams?
Could it be a factor if everything were equal?
Potentially, but state taxes are higher in Los Angeles, in New York, what are we doing? Subsidize those teams?
Subsequently, Bettman continued to roast Bissonnette by stating that his Leafs coverage in previous rounds was a bit too over the top.
I was watching you during the prior rounds.
Your attire was a little suspect in terms of your journalistic objectivity.
Your attire was a little suspect in terms of your journalistic objectivity.
At the end of the day, the NHL has little interest in addressing this tax problem, and they probably won't unless things get worse than they already are.
For now, Canadian teams just have to deal with the current conditions, for better or for worse.
Meanwhile, the Florida Panthers will continue to laugh as they have made their third-straight Stanley Cup Final, and find themselves up 2-1 on the Edmonton Oilers.
| POLL | ||
JUIN 10 | 334 ANSWERS Gary Bettman Rips Paul Bissonnette to Shreds Over Toronto Maple Leafs Tax Question Do you think Gary Bettman hates the Toronto Maple Leafs? | ||
| YES | 296 | 88.6 % |
| NO | 38 | 11.4 % |
| List of polls | ||