The new Collective Bargaining Agreement (CBA) set for the 2026-27 season includes an 84-game schedule and various provisions that could impair Canadian teams, especially the Toronto Maple Leafs. A significant change affecting the Leafs relates to signing bonuses, which are used to minimize players' tax burdens. With Canadian teams heavily utilizing this strategy, the new CBA may diminish their appeal to free agents due to heightened tax burdens compared to U.S. teams that benefit from lower income tax thresholds.
Hidden in the changes to the new CBA are provisions that could seriously hamper Canadian teams. A crucial change could make it hard for the Toronto Maple Leafs to attract free agents.
The specific change pertains to signing bonuses that teams can pay to players as part of their contracts. The Leafs heavily load up contracts with signing bonuses as a strategy to minimize the tax bill on players.
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