Nashville Predators general manager Barry Trotz agreed during an interview with TSN that NHL teams located in a tax-free State have an advantage over the remaining NHL clubs. 
The Predators have had quite an exciting offseason since being eliminated from postseason contention due to a first-round loss to the Vancouver Canucks in the 2024 Stanley Cup Playoffs. 
Since then, they haven’t held back, especially during free agency when the team picked up a wealth of talent, including signing Steven Stamkos, Jonathan Marchessault, and Brady Skjei.
However, the Predators’ geographical location may come as an aid that brings players to The Volunteer State because it is one of nine U.S. States that does not levy a state income tax, meaning players can keep more of their hard-earned cash. 
Trotz knows this is a massive advantage with a hard salary cap in play. 
“It is an advantage because your dollar goes a little bit farther,” Trotz said on TSN’s Overdrive on Wednesday. “There’s no question.”
Although the absence of a state income tax is an additional benefit to playing in Nashville, Trotz believes it’s not always an essential factor for high-end players. 
“When you talk to Stamkos or Marchessault or players that are serial winners, guys that have gone deep, have had good careers, and made a lot of money, it doesn’t go that far,” Trotz said.
“But it does help the middle group a little bit. For the elite players, the top players, they’re just looking for a place that’s serious about winning, wants to win, fits in their window.”
The Predators are just one of six NHL teams in a state that does not levy the state income tax. The other five teams include the Tampa Bay Lightning, Las Vegas Golden Knights, Dallas Stars, Florida Panthers, and Seattle Kraken.
Ironically, four of the last five Stanley Cup Champions have been won by a team in a tax-free state: Florida in 2024, Las Vegas in 2023, and Tampa Bay in 2021 and 2020. 
Since the NHL initiated the hard salary cap ahead of the 2005-06 campaign, all 32 teams have the same cap ceiling regardless of their location or tax situation. 

Rangers sign defenceman Braden Schneider

On Saturday, the New York Rangers announced they have agreed to terms with defenceman Braden Schneider on a two-year contract.
The deal, according to PuckPedia, will carry a cap hit of $2.2-million and see him earn more salary in the second year of the deal, while receiving a small signing bonus in year one.
The 22-year-old was initially selected 19th overall by the Rangers in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. After spending half of the 2021-22 season with the team’s American Hockey League Affiliate, the Hartford Wolf Pack, he would eventually be called up to play in the big league with the Rangers, recording two goals and 11 points in 43 games.
Since then, the defenceman has been a full-time roster player, scoring 12 goals and 48 points across 206 NHL games. Last season proved to be his best season yet, as he registered 15:54 of average ice time per night with five goals, 19 points, and 16 penalty minutes.
Additionally, Schneider has proven himself on the international stage, dawning the Maple Leaf for Team Canada at the 2021 World Championships (gold medal) and the 2021 World Junior Championships (silver medal). He also represented Canada on the Under-18 team at the 2018 Hlinka Gretzky Cup, bringing home the gold medal.
The New York Rangers had a remarkable 2023-24 campaign, ending with the best regular-season record in the league and earning the prestigious Presidents’ Trophy with a record of 55-23-4.
The New York Rangers boasted a roster packed with talent in the 2023-24 season. Forward Artemi Panarin led the team in scoring with an impressive 49 goals and 120 points, while blue liner Adam Fox had his second 70-point season, scoring 17 goals and 73 points.

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