Panthers GM Bill Zito has gone on record stating that the State of Florida’s lack of an income tax is an advantage for the club, but a negligible one at best.
As notable insider Chris Johnston reported, Bill Zito declared:
“I think the tax thing is marginal at best.”
Zito’s comments came during the official Stanley Cup Final media day on Wednesday. His attempts to downplay the situation sounded politically correct.
However, fans have been none too pleased to hear Bill Zito downplay the issue. Zito’s remarks have led to a flurry of fan reactions.
Here’s a look at what fans had to say:
“No, it isn’t. It’s not everything but it matters. Of course, he’ll play it down,” a fan opined.
“’ The tax thing is marginal’ is exactly what he’d say when it’s a huge advantage,” this fan chimed in.
“It’s still a factor in the decision process,” another fan weighed in.
Meanwhile, other fans agreed with Zito’s take, stating that it’s been Bill Zito’s good decisions, not the tax advantage, that have made the Florida Panthers a powerhouse.
Here’s what these fans had to say:
“I don’t recall anyone saying this was a ‘competitive advantage’ when the cats were bad,” a fan commented on X.
“Zito pulled off the Tkachuk trade which practically everyone immediately thought they got fleeced and traded for Reinhart,” this fan remarked.
“Bill is a risk taker that seems to be paying off,” another fan wrote.
The Florida Panthers, under Bill Zito’s tutelage, will embark on their third Stanley Cup Final in a row, as they look to make it back-to-back championships this spring.
Bill Zito behind the Florida Panthers’ tax advantage is negligible
A piece in The Hockey News published on May 31 looked into the matter of the so-called tax advantage the Florida Panthers have.
The piece highlighted how it’s been Zito’s savvy leadership, not the supposed tax advantage, that has vaulted the Panthers into a championship window. The piece underscored Zito’s smart moves by declaring how Zito got Gustav Forsling off waivers or acquired Carter Verhaeghe when the Tampa Bay Lightning didn’t make him a qualifying offer.
These seemingly minor moves, in addition to major ones like trading for Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Seth Jones, and Brad Marchand, have been the hallmark of Zito’s uncanny ability to build a strong, winning team.
As the piece pointed out, yes, there is a tax advantage in the State of Florida. But there’s a similar advantage in Texas and Tennessee, and, thus far, the Nashville Predators or the Dallas Stars have yet to dominate the NHL.
That is why the article concludes that, while there’s a tax advantage is negligible.
A decade ago, players didn’t want to sign in Florida, not because the tax advantage is a recent thing, but because the team was bad. Now that the team is in good hands, that situation alone is enough to attract the best players in the league to one of its top teams.
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Edited by Nestor Quixtan
