A trend is forming in Boston’s sports scene: if a team is struggling, state taxes are blamed for the poor performance.
The Massachusetts Opportunity Alliance, a business coalition focused on improving economic competitiveness, has released an analysis showing how the Bruins are losing top talent to teams in states without income taxes.
A month into the NHL season, Boston sits at the bottom of the Atlantic Division, recording just nine points, as of Friday. The Florida Panthers, the 2023 Stanley Cup winners, lead the division, playing in a state with no income taxes.
“The Boston Bruins are off to a rough start this season, thanks to a weak offense, the loss of Jake DeBrusk, or a tough top six, depending on who you ask,” the Massachusetts Opportunity Alliance said in a statement Friday. “Bruins fans can also blame an unexpected culprit: state taxes.”
The Bruins’ top players — superstar righty David Pastrnak, lefty Brad Marchand, defenseman Charlie McAvoy and goaltender Jeremy Swayman — could all have made hundreds of thousands, if not nearly $1 million more in a state with no income tax under the same contract conditions, the analysis found.
For example, Marchand, who has been in Boston since 2009-10, is in the final season of an eight-year, $49 million contract. The deal signed before the 2017-2018 campaign had an average annual salary of $6.13 million.
Last season, Marchand earned an estimated $5 million in compensation — $2 million in signing bonuses and $3 million in base salary, according to reports.
Of the total compensation, the left-hander took home roughly $2.9 million after regular income taxes, at a rate of 5%, and the state’s new surtax of 4% on earnings above $1 million, the Massachusetts Opportunity Alliance found .
Marchand could have made roughly $3.3 million in total salary—a difference of $365,700—if he played for a team in a state with no income tax (eg Tampa Bay Lightning, Nashville Predators, Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars, Seattle Kraken). analysis states.
Four of the last five Stanley Cup championship teams have come from states that do not collect income taxes – the Panthers, Knights, Lightning and Stars.
“With the Boston Bruins’ last Stanley Cup win in 2011, more than a decade ago now, fans are clamoring for another championship,” the Massachusetts Opportunity Alliance said in its statement. “It looks like we may have to wait if Massachusetts income taxes remain at their high rate.”
The alliance also pointed out how the Fair Share Amendment, or the so-called “millionaire’s tax,” is making Bruins players miss out on earning more if they played in a state that had an income tax but not a surtax.
Bill Belichick drew fire when the legendary former Patriots coach slammed the millionaire’s tax in August for making it difficult to recruit NFL free agents to play in what he called “Taxachusetts.”
Current defensive linemen Keion White and Davon Godchaux echoed their former coach’s statements, with Godchaux saying, “If you can sign with a team without state taxes, then go ahead and sign with them because that’s more money than keep it in your pocket.”
In response, state Rep. Michael Connolly, D-Cambridge, told the players, via social media, to “stop complaining” and focus more on “winning ball games.”
“If Massachusetts is to remain a Commonwealth of Champions, we must incentivize the best talent — in sports and beyond — to advance their careers here,” said the Massachusetts Opportunity Alliance.
The millionaire’s tax has not affected the Celtics and their spending patterns.
The 2025-26 Celtics are on track to be the most expensive roster in NBA history, with $225 million in payroll plus $210 million in luxury taxes.