"Commish dropped the hammer on Biz" "Dumbest hockey take": NHL fans react as Gary Bettman rips into Paul Bissonnette over ‘ridiculous’ state tax issue

NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman fired back at broadcaster Paul Bissonnette for claiming that teams in states without income tax have an unfair edge.

On an NHL on TNT panel, Bissonnette suggested that the league should “balance things out” since teams like the Florida Panthers, Tampa Bay Lightning and Dallas Stars play in states with no income tax. He implied this gives them an edge in attracting free-agent players.

Bettman dismissed Bissonnette's concerns, calling it a “ridiculous issue.” He emphasized factors like great facilities, strong coaching and a chance to win as what truly attracts players, not tax rates.

Gary Bettman also noted that taxes are high in cities like Los Angeles and New York, asking:

“What are we going to do, subsidize those teams?”

Fans reacted strongly on social media to Bettman's harsh rebuttal of Bissonnette. One tweeted:

“Commish dropped the hammer on Biz!!!”

Another fan wrote:

“I love ya @BizNasty2point0 but you're an idiot. That's the DUMBEST hockey take I've heard in a while. It does take cajones to ask that to the Commissioner. So, uh, stick taps to you for that.”

Here are some fan reactions:

"He f**king owned that nobody," one fan wrote.

"Biz has openly talked about tax rates for years and how it shapes players' decisions," another fan wrote.

"Wild idea Gary, hear me out. Measure the salary cap at net earnings. Simple enough?" A user commented.

"I have yet to see people cry about a team and their state tax factoring into them winning a championship … people are clowns man," another user wrote.

Bettman also took a jab at Bissonnette’s on-air outfit, pointing out that he had seen him wearing Maple Leafs gear during past broadcasts. He suggested it raised questions about his journalistic objectivity.

NHL legend Wayne Gretzky and Gary Bettman have similar take on the state tax issue

The Great One, Wayne Gretzky, weighed in on the debate over states with no income tax gaining an advantage in signing free agents.

Gretzky acknowledged that places like Florida and Tampa Bay have become desirable destinations strictly from a financial perspective. However, he argued that choosing where to play based solely on minimizing taxes overlooks other important factors.

“From a financial point of view, if that’s what a player’s thinking about, obviously, but if a player’s thinking, you know, what I want to play in a hockey culture, like playing and living in the city of Edmonton, I loved it for 10 years,” Gretzky said on "The Pat McAfee Show."

Ultimately, he hopes that up-and-coming stars will make decisions based on more than just dollars and cents.