A pattern is forming within the Boston sports activities scene: if a crew struggles, state taxes are blamed for the poor efficiency.
The Massachusetts Alternative Alliance, a enterprise coalition targeted on bettering financial competitiveness, has launched an evaluation pinpointing how the Bruins are shedding out on high expertise to groups in states with out revenue taxes.
A month into the NHL season, Boston sits on the backside of the Atlantic Division, recording simply 9 factors, as of Friday. The Florida Panthers, the 2023 Stanley Cup winners, lead the division, enjoying in a state with out revenue taxes.
“The Boston Bruins are off to a rough start this season, thanks to a weak offense, the loss of Jake DeBrusk, or a struggling middle six, depending on who you ask,” Massachusetts Alternative Alliance mentioned in a press release Friday. “Bruins fans can also blame an unexpected culprit: State taxes.”
The Bruins’ high gamers — famous person right-winger David Pastrnak, left-winger Brad Marchand, defenseman Charlie McAvoy and goalie Jeremy Swayman — all might have made tons of of 1000’s if not practically $1 million extra in a no-income-tax state below the identical contract phrases, the evaluation discovered.
As an illustration, Marchand, who has been in Boston since 2009-10, is within the ultimate season of an eight-year, $49 million contract. The deal inked earlier than the 2017-18 marketing campaign carried an annual common wage cap hit of $6.13 million.
Final season, Marchand is estimated to have obtained $5 million in compensation — $2 million in signing bonuses and $3 million in base wage, in accordance with reviews.
Of the overall compensation, the left-winger took residence roughly $2.9 million after common revenue taxes, at a price of 5%, and the state’s new surtax of 4% on incomes over $1 million kicked in, Massachusetts Alternative Alliance discovered.
Marchand might have made roughly $3.3 million in whole pay — a $365,700 distinction — if he performed for a crew in a state with out an revenue tax (i.e., Tampa Bay Lightning, Nashville Predators, Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars, Seattle Kraken), the evaluation states.
4 of the previous 5 Stanley Cup championship groups have come from states that don’t acquire revenue taxes — Panthers, Knights, Lightning and Stars.
“With the Boston Bruins’ last Stanley Cup win in 2011 being over a decade ago now, fans are itching for another championship,” Massachusetts Alternative Alliance mentioned in its assertion. “It looks like we might have to wait if Massachusetts income taxes remain at their high rate.”
The alliance additionally highlighted how the Honest Share Modification, or the so-called “millionaire’s tax,” is inflicting Bruins gamers to lose out on making as a lot in the event that they performed in a state that did have an revenue tax however not a surtax.
Invoice Belichick set a hearth when the legendary former Patriots coach slammed the millionaire’s tax in August for making it laborious to recruit high NFL free brokers to play in what he referred to as “Taxachusetts.”
Present defensive linemen Keion White and Davon Godchaux echoed their former coach’s statements, with Godchaux saying, “If you can sign with a team with no state tax, then go ahead and sign with them because that’s more money you keep in your pocket.”
In response, State Rep. Michael Connolly, D-Cambridge, instructed the gamers, through social media, to “stop complaining” and focus extra on “winning ballgames.”
“If Massachusetts wants to remain a Commonwealth of Champions, we need to incentivize the best talent — in sports and beyond — to grow their careers here,” the Massachusetts Alternative Alliance mentioned.
The millionaire’s tax hasn’t impacted the Celtics and their spending methods.
The 2025-26 Celtics are on monitor to be the costliest roster in NBA historical past, with $225 million in payroll plus upward of $210 million in luxurious tax prices.
