Boston Bruins keep losing because of Massachusetts state income tax, pro-business group says

The Boston Bruins’ championship drought drought can partly be blamed on Massachusetts’ tax policies, according to a business advocacy group.The Bruins, who last hoisted Lord Stanley’s Cup in 2011, are losing out on top talent who prefer to play in states with lower taxes so they walk away with more in income, according to the Mass Opportunity Alliance.The group noted that four of the last five Stanley Cup winners and seven of the last 10 to make it to the final round hail from states with no state income tax.The Florida Panthers won the Cup last season, dethroning Las Vegas Golden Knights.In 2020, the Tampa Bay Lightning won the franchise’s second Stanley Cup.The club would go on to repeat the next year.Florida and Nevada do not have a state income tax.

Neither does Texas, which helped the Dallas Stars amass enough talent to appear in the Cup final in 2020, the group noted.Playing in Boston comes at a significant greater cost to the players, compared to those no-income-tax states.Brad Marchand, the Bruins’ veteran forward, earned $5 million before taxes in the 2023-24 season.But after being levied a state income tax in Massachusetts, his take-home pay was just $2.934 million.Had Marchand played for a team in either Nevada, Washington State, Florida or Texas, he would have walked home with $3.3 million, or around $400,000 more, according to MOA.David Pastrnak, the Bruins’ star scorer, is also making a financial sacrifice by staying in Boston.Pastrnak earned an annual salary of $13 million last season.

If he were a member of the Dallas Stars, the Vegas Golden Knights, Seattle Kraken, Florida Panthers or Tampa Bay Lightning, his net income would be $7.97 million.Instead, Massachusetts charges Pastrnak an income tax that leaves him with $6.884 million.Pastrnak would have also saved some money in taxes if he had played for the Carolina Hurricanes.His take-home pay would have been $7.38 million.While North Carolina has an income tax, it has no income surta...