Panthers GM Reveals Offseason Spending Plans Ahead of Free Agency
Panthers GM Reveals Offseason Spending Plans Ahead of Free Agency originally appeared on Athlon Sports.
After winning back-to-back Stanley Cups, the Florida Panthers are staring down a critical offseason that could make or break their chances of completing a three-peat next year.
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Three key members of the Panthers — forwards Brad Marchand and Sam Bennett and defenseman Aaron Ekblad — are heading into unrestricted free agency, barring a contract-extension agreement before July 1.
Panthers general manager Bill Zito, however, made the organization's approach clear and revealed the big plans within Florida less than two weeks before that date: the Panthers aren't backing down, and the franchise is ready to spend.
"We're going to spend to the cap," Zito said during an appearance on "The Pat McAfee Show" on Wednesday. "The Viola family ownership has empowered us to try to do everything we can to have the best team we can.
"So we're going to spend it all."
The Panthers' core, which added Marchand via mid-season trade, has now appeared in three consecutive Stanley Cup Finals, winning the last two, and cementing themselves as a true NHL dynasty.
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But with outside interest growing in Florida's key players—especially Bennett, who just won the Conn Smythe, and Marchand, possibly the best trade-deadline acquisition ever—Zito knows the challenge to keep everyone in tow.
'It's just trying to keep everybody together and have a meaningful team,' Zito said. 'And if players sign up to come here, we want to be able to also have other good players, so hopefully they can appreciate that.'
Florida Panthers center Sam Bennett (9) is going to be an unrestricted free agent on July 1.Sergei Belski-Imagn Images
Zito also acknowledged Florida's off-ice advantage because of the no-tax market the Panthers play in, and other things such as the warm Florida weather.
'There's the hockey piece, but the environmental piece, I'll call it, the weather, the fun, the flip flops—that's all part of it,' Zito said. 'It's too hard to not be happy when you're at the rink.'
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The Panthers enter the offseason with $19 million available in cap space. That said, Daily Faceoff projects Marchand to sign a contract with a cap hit of $5.1 million, Ekblad for an AAV of $7.8 million, and Bennett for $6.4 million, which would amount to a combined $19.3 million, slightly over the Panthers' current room.
Related: Panthers' Brad Marchand Addresses Future Immediately After Winning Stanley Cup
Related: Connor McDavid Doesn't Hesitate to Point Out Oilers' Mistake in Stanley Cup Loss
This story was originally reported by Athlon Sports on Jun 19, 2025, where it first appeared.
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