The NHL’s “Sun Belt teams” have sparked widespread debate.
Alexander Barkov skipped the Florida Panthers championship in 2024. Mika Kylmäniemi / AOP
In recent years, the NHL playoffs have seen a strong trend in which so -called “Sun Belt teams” have taken over.
Sun Belt generally refers to a zone through the southern US, literally a “solar zone”. It is not a really threatening hockey tradition.
However, this spring, three out of four conference finalists, Carolina Hurricanes, Dallas Stars and Florida Panthers came from the US warm climate states. The same phenomenon was also seen a year ago.
Sun Belt teams have won the last nine of the last twenty Stanley Cup championships. Of these, four championships have come in the last five years.
The Panthers are already seeking their second consecutive championship, which emphasizes the current strong position of the area at the top of the NHL.
This has caused jealousy in the more traditional hockey market, especially in Canada.
The NHL was strongly expanded to the southern US states in the 1990s, including Tampa Bay Lightning, Nashville Predators and Phoenix Coyotes. In the early years, success remained low, but years and changes in the league, such as pay cap and income distribution, have changed the playing field.
Recently, the success of southern states has sparked much debate, especially in traditional hockey cities such as Toronto, Montreal and New York.
There are many reasons, and money is repeated in many explanations.
Low taxation
Perhaps the biggest topic of the issue is, for example, the lower tax rates of states such as Florida and Texas. It can make teams more attractive to free agents compared to higher tax states or Canada.
Many hockey fans feel that such things weigh too much in players’ club choices.
The Athletic According to the player agents, taxes have only a limited importance, and the player’s decision is influenced by many other factors, such as the level and lifestyle of the organization.
Also ESPN’s NHL supplier Greg Wyshynski He took a stand on the message service X.
– Great places to live. Well led teams from owners to hockey operation and how to treat players. Tax benefits. Low criticism of media and fans. That’s it your Belt -“problem”.
The Athletic emphasizes that the success of newer hockey towns can be a positive thing for the future of the series.
– Whether this is the real problem of Sun Belt’s market rule for the NHL depends largely on the point of view. In the longer term it is probably a positive thing, a supplier James Mirtle write.
The story says that there are more hockey players in the United States than ever before. More and more people are also watching games on the spot as the footprint of the sport expands rapidly.
Wage difference
Mikko Rantanen was sold during the season first from Colorado to Carolina and then to Dallas. AOP / USA Today Sports
Differences in taxation in North America can be viewed this season with a great interest Mikko Rantanen through.
Rantanen entered into an eight -year contract with Dallas Stars, $ 96 million (approximately $ 88.6 million). Thus, the Finnish star earns $ 12 million per season.
The following amounts are brutal calculations and indicatives.
PuckpediaAccording to the site, Rantanen would have about $ 7.6 million in season revenue. Texas is one of the least taxable states of the NHL.
If Rantanen had been left in the Colorado Avalanche with a similar contract, there would have been a little over 7 million in the season. Rantanen would have paid a salary in Käpälä’s site in the New York Rangers. There, according to the calculation, the post -tax period would have been around $ 5.3 million.
It should be noted that there are many impressive factors in the taxation of NHL players, and the net income of players cannot be said with certainty. For example, from guest and home games, players earn different sums. For example, travel schedules, residence and bonuses also affect income.