Steve Dangle & co. blast commish Gary Bettman for 'gaslighting' fans into thinking NHL does not have a tax problem

NHL podcasters Steve Dangle, Adam Wylde and Jesse Blake of SDPN criticized league commissioner Gary Bettman for gaslighting fans by denying the existence of tax issues affecting players.

Wylde expressed frustration with Bettman's dismissal of the issue, arguing that he should acknowledge its impact rather than downplay it. Dangle contended that the tax disparity is a real concern for players and those within the hockey community, despite being beyond the league's control due to the salary cap structure.

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"I think it’s annoying to say that it’s not a thing. Exactly. Acknowledge it’s a thing and say there’s not much we can do about it," Dangle said.

Jesse Blake chimed in and criticized Bettman's recent response to Paul Bissonnette, where he claimed the tax issue is not a problem.

"He’s gaslighting fans by saying it’s not a thing. It’s a thing. Amongst players, they obviously think about it. People within the game think about it. It’s just something they can’t control. The reality of life is, the tax thing isn’t something you can control with the salary cap," Blake said.

Dangle added:

"But you know what you can control? Not having a hard cap. You could have a little bit of an income tax—I’m just saying, not income tax—a flexible cap. Anyway, this is Allan Walsh and Adam Wylde chatting about the tax thing, called it on Agent Provocateur, the best podcast in the universe, better than anything Steve Dangle’s ever done."

Gary Bettman dismisses tax concerns raised by Paul Bissonnette as 'ridiculous'

Earlier this month, former NHLer Paul Bissonnette raised concerns about tax advantages for NHL teams in states without income tax, such as the Florida Panthers.

NHL commissioner Gary Bettman firmly dismissed the idea as a "ridiculous issue." During a discussion on NHL on TNT ahead of Game 3 of the Stanley Cup Final, Bettman argued that the topic only gained attention recently due to the success of Florida teams.

He emphasized that factors like good organization, a desirable city, quality facilities, and the chance to win, rather than tax considerations, have more influence on players.