The case

The Panthers have again won the Stanley Cup – was their victory due to tax privileges?

Source: Neue Zürcher Zeitung, 19 June 2025

The commentary

The dominance of The Panthers has ignited yet another chapter of an old debate in Canada: The one about financial inequality.

The NHL limits their salary, so at least in theory there is equality. The state of Florida does not levy income tax, the same goes for Las Vegas, Dallas, Nashville and Seattle, so compared to most of the seven Canadian teams, Florida players pay up to 15 % less in taxes. A few days ago, Brad Marchand, one of nine Canadians on The Panthers team, stated that teams from Canada and California are forced to pay more than other teams due to their tax situation.

In Switzerland the ZSC Lions ice hockey team defended their title from 2024, which marked the 11th championship title for the team. Parallel to this championship, the ZSC Lions also won the Champions Hockey League, crowning a successful season.

This goes to show that winning has little to do with taxes. In Switzerland ice hockey players’ salaries are not limited, and the best hockey players join the teams that pay the highest salaries.

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