Controversy is once again brewing in the NHL, as fans are taking to social media to accuse the Florida Panthers — and the league itself — of exploiting the Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA), particularly the Long Term Injured Reserve (LTIR) rules, in pursuit of the Stanley Cup.
For years, franchises like the Tampa Bay Lightning and Vegas Golden Knights have been criticized for using the LTIR loophole to stockpile talent and gain a cap advantage during the playoffs. Now, with the Panthers potentially joining that list in 2025, hockey fans are reigniting debate around what they see as a growing issue.
Much of the recent discourse has shifted to the broader structural advantage enjoyed by teams in no-income-tax states. Remarkably, a Florida-based team has now reached the Stanley Cup Final in six consecutive seasons — a streak that has many questioning the fairness of the playing field. However, the outcry over LTIR usage has not disappeared entirely.
Sports reporter Drew Livingstone pointed out that, if Florida secures the championship in 2025, three of the past five Stanley Cup winners will have featured a player making $9.5 million or more on LTIR until Game 1 of the playoffs. This trend has only intensified calls for reform, with many demanding accountability from NHL Commissioner Gary Bettman and the league’s front office.
The current NHL CBA is set to expire in September 2026, setting the stage for what could be a highly contentious renegotiation. While Bettman has downplayed the impact of no-tax states on team-building advantages, fans and analysts alike believe that both tax disparities and LTIR manipulation will be key topics of discussion when the new agreement is hammered out.
📊 Fan Poll:
Should the NHL change its LTIR rules in the next CBA?
▢ Yes
▢ No
💬 Join the conversation below — what do you think needs to change to keep the NHL fair?
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