Hi, this is Fred Wallace with ” Off the Wire “, proudly sponsored by Pete’s Auto Body.
Pete’s Auto Body; because we care about our community….
Among the people I speak with frequently on the hockey circuit is Rob Kitamura, an Ontario based scout for the Tampa Bay Lightning.
Rob isn’t wholly & fully responsible for all the OHL products on Tampa Bay’s back-to-back Stanley Cup winners, but there is certainly a strong presence; Stamkos, Cirelli, Sergachev, Cernak, Goodrow, Maroon plus Katchouk & Stephens waiting in the wings.
Quite some time ago, Rob Kitamura offered some interesting theories on why the Lightning have enjoyed success, especially compared to the 7 Canadian based NHL teams.
1) Climate. If you have a choice of where you want to play in the NHL, isn’t Florida during hockey season preferable to a Canadian landscape ?
2) Immediate Family. If you go on an extended NHL road trip leaving your wife and family at home, isn’t it better to leave them in the Florida sunshine as opposed to a raging blizzard.
3) Visiting Family. You go to Tampa Bay, there’s all kinds of attractions beyond hockey. In Canada….?
4) Anonymity. there’s certainly media coverage, but I doubt the Lightning are as dissected as much by the hockey experts as say, the Leafs, or Montreal, or…..
& 5) maybe most significantly; Taxation. Florida does not collect individual income tax. Playing for the Tampa Bay Lightning can save a high-income tax bracket hockey player a massive amount of money in taxes and that’s got to be a major consideration when a free agent is choosing an NHL destination.
The Tampa Bay Lightning are back-to-back Stanley Cup Champions. They won the title on the ice. But other factors off the ice contributed to that success, and quite possibly will again in the future.
For Pete’s Auto Body, I’m Fred Wallace