Canadiens' Michael Pezzetta calls Montreal taxes 'crazy' and explains why

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TJ Tucker
July 24, 2024 (12:18)

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Michael Pezzetta gives fans a run down of just how much salary he loses in taxes, etc., as a player with the Montreal Canadiens working on a league minimum contract

The whole issue of the advantage or disadvantage of playing in certain NHL cities has been coming up much more often over the past couple of years, and we have another example that adds fuel to the fiery talk. Michael Pezzetta, a mostly fourth line player for the Montreal Canadiens, has given a rundown of what he loses in taxes and other fees while living in the city. Even with the huge bump in pay from the AHL, it's still surprising what gets lost.

In an interview with the Cam & Strick Podcast, Pezzetta was asked point blank what he's lost over the last two seasons playing 60 plus games each year and getting the league minimum of $750,000. The 26 year old forward called it "crazy", going over the list of taxes and fees that come put of each cheque.

"Yeah, I know, it's crazy. We're like 54 percent tax, then you lose four to your agent, escrow, too"

Pezzetta mentioned that escrow, which is held back from every contract in the league, will actually benefit players this year, instead of NHL owners. Who gets what depends on how much revenue and profit the league makes as a whole.

"But, I remember my first year, my first year making whenever I got called up to the NHL, seven [hundred thousand], seven fifty or whatever...

But then you get that first pay cheque and you're like, 'oh my God, where's all the money?' like 54 percent tax, escrow was at like 14 percent, and you're just like, where's all the money going?"

Barry Trotz recently confirmed what everyone already thought any way when the General Manager of the Nashville Predators told TSN there was no disputing that teams located in US states with no income tax have an advantage..

"I think it is an advantage because your dollar goes a little bit farther. There's no question it is a little bit of an advantage."

Trotz did point out that the biggest advantage when it comes to lower, or no taxes is for players on the mid to lower pay scales, rather than stars making big chunks of each team's salary cap, explaining that he thinks "it's more for the guys that are sort of in the second and third tier in your group."

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Are you surprised to hear what is lost in taxes and other things as a member of the Montreal Canadiens?
Yes	20	29 %
No	47	68.1 %
Not sure	2	2.9 %
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