Latest news with #Zito
Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
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. Advertisement 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. Advertisement 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 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.' Advertisement 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.
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Florida Panthers' Bill Zito: GM who doesn't 'do anything' (but gets everything done)
The NHL's general manager of the year — OK, he hasn't actually won the award yet, but c'mon — was doing his best to do what the Florida Panthers always seem to do. He was deflecting praise away from himself, and taking it to comical extremes. 'I don't do anything, right?' Bill Zito was saying. 'So I'm in the way a lot.' Advertisement Know how people like to tell other people they had one job? According to Zitologic, that's precisely his role. 'Yes,' Zito said. 'Stay out of the way.' Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito with the one piece of hardware the team is interested in handling after these playoffs, the Stanley Cup. Nobody bought it. Mere hours earlier, the Panthers had beaten the Carolina Hurricanes 5-3 to win the series 4-1, capture their third consecutive Eastern Conference championship and earn the right to chase a second consecutive Stanley Cup against the Edmonton Oilers or Dallas Stars. Aleksander Barkov's sublime pass to set up Carter Verhaeghe's winning goal is the type of play that will go down in Panthers lore, right alongside that diving save by Sergei Bobrovsky against Tampa Bay last year (you know which one). But who's to say Barkov and Verhaeghe would have had any shot at creating that magic had it not been for Zito, well, doing something. Advertisement Again. Pre-Bill Zito years seem like a lifetime ago for Florida Panthers Zito has been the Panthers' GM for 4 1/2 years, although in one important way it may as well be three lifetimes ago. When Zito arrived, the Panthers had missed the playoffs six of the previous seven seasons and a staggering 16 of the previous 18. You could say Zito imported outstanding players to completely flip this franchise on its head, but you might be admonished by forward Matthew Tkachuk, one of Zito's best acquisitions. 'Some big free-agent signings, some great trades,' Tkachuk said. 'But I think it's all built on great guys and of workers and guys that fit really in the style of game that we want to play here. So each addition has been great, but you can't build a great team with bad guys. And we don't have any in there.' Advertisement That's what Zito put together via trades with Calgary to bring in not just Tkachuk but also Sam Bennett. Sam Reinhart, he swiped from Buffalo. Gustav Forsling, he found in the scrap heap of the waiver wire. Everybody would want a Gustav Forsling now. Zito was the only one sharp enough to act upon it. And then there's that little matter of Zito's role in bringing Paul Maurice aboard as coach. Come to Florida. Play alongside Sasha Barkov. Pay no state income tax. Now, Zito has a blossoming dynasty on his hands. In Florida, with no state income tax. Free agents are looking south. Such a tough sell, right, Bill? Advertisement 'I guess you could call it a recruiting sales pitch,' Zito joked before citing that would-be pitch: 'Yeah, you know, it's gonna be hard. You might have to play with Sasha (Barkov). But, you know, if you suck it up, we really appreciate it.' And if you stuff in a conference-championship-winning goal on a dish from Barkov, they'll really appreciate that, too. Zito was just starting to compare where the Panthers once were to where they are when a thought occurred to him. 'Probably don't need the mic,' he said, such was his level of excitement over the opportunity before this team. 'Twenty years, I don't even know … ' he said of the Panthers' playoff drought before his arrival. Advertisement Then came baby steps such as making the playoffs ('Awesome, right?') and a series win ('That was exciting and fun') and deeper advancement ('Oh my goodness'). Look where they are now, winning the Prince of Wales Trophy as conference champions but treating it as if it were kryptonite. 'The journey isn't over and there's work to do,' Zito said. 'And we have to be focused and keep your eye on the goal. Don't let success get in your way.' Seth Jones, Brad Marchand key acquisitions this year Zito, a Yale man who began his career as an agent, has been a finalist for the Jim Gregory GM of the Year Award four of the past five years. That's a first in NHL history, even though he hasn't won it. Yet. Advertisement At the trade deadline this year, Zito was swinging deals that brought defenseman Seth Jones from Chicago and Bruins captain Brad Marchand from Boston. Bold moves, both were. Moves that some GMs may not have had the inclination or courage to make. But Zito saw something in Jones that even those in Chicago did not. He has been proven right. Marchand was a pest, with a history against Florida, not to mention about to turn 37. Zito has been proven right on that one, too. 'Look, we screw it up, for sure,' Zito said. 'We make errors. But we try.' They don't just try. They do. So when Zito tries to downplay his role, when he says he doesn't do anything, do what other GMs should learn to do when Zito calls to propose a trade. Don't buy it. Advertisement Florida Panthers have plenty of confidence they can close out Hurricanes on road | D'Angelo Florida Panthers unable to complete sweep in NHL playoff series, head to comforts of road Florida Panthers advance to Stanley Cup Final: Recap from Game 5 of ECF This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Stanley Cup 2025: Florida Panthers' Bill Zito best GM in NHL
Yahoo
2 days ago
- Sport
- Yahoo
Florida Panthers back-to-back champs and it all started with Matthew Tkachuk trade
SUNRISE — There was Florida Panthers star Sam Reinhart, skating right around an Edmonton Oilers defenseman, falling down, yet going backhand to forehand and beating Stuart Skinner, again. Reinhart? Yeah, he was a Bill Zito acquisition. Advertisement There was Florida Panthers star Matthew Tkachuk, and who knows which body parts work and don't work at this point, firing a shot from the slot and beating Skinner, again. Tkachuk? Yeah, he was a Bill Zito acquisition. If you somehow don't know the name Bill Zito, you should. Zito is the architect of back-to-back Stanley Cup champions. Legend. Icon. Legitimate GOAT. SUNDAY FUNDAY: Florida Panthers parade reportedly Sunday along Fort Lauderdale Beach Florida Panthers GM Bill Zito builds model franchise This is the Florida Panthers' dynasty era, 5-1 Game 6 winners over the Edmonton Oilers on a muggy night in June. Advertisement They got the Cup. Again. Rat-to-rat. And Zito, a former sports agent, has done (almost) everything right. He's built a balanced team. A tough team. A skilled team. A gritty team. GET THE GEAR: Florida Panthers win Stanley Cup: Get the latest gear to celebrate repeat champions! He's built the model franchise, not only for South Florida but for the entire NHL. Zito has made bold and fearless moves, like adding defensemen Seth Jones from the Blackhawks, even though Jones was struggling. Struggle? Yeah, not in Florida. And he acquired Brad Marchand, who did nothing less than score six goals in the Stanley Cup Final. Zito didn't see a 37-year-old past the prime of his career. Advertisement Zito saw the impact Marchand could still make both on and off the ice. And he has. Zito was right. It's never enough for Zito. It's, how can our roster become deeper and deeper and deeper? Panthers General Manager Bill Zito places the Stanley Cup on a table on Wednesday August 14, 2024 at Fiserv Forum in Milwaukee, Wis. The Oilers had world-class Connor McDavid and Leon Draisaitl, but they were overworked and exhausted and overwhelmed by wave after wave of Florida talent. It's never enough for Zito. He's always working to explore even the most long shot of moves. This all shows how important decision-making is. And adding the right pieces. Zito can be placed alongside South Florida roster-building heroes Don Shula and Pat Riley. 'I've never even considered that,' Zito told The Post on the ice after Florida won the Cup. Advertisement Too much is said and written about culture, but, yeah, Zito has particularly added players who fit into the team-first culture reinforced by steady coach Paul Maurice. When he hears the Panthers are now a dynasty, does Zito embrace it or cringe? 'Cringe,' Zito said. 'We're just a bunch of guys playing hockey. I envisioned we'd have success, but you need a lot of good fortune.' Florida Panthers add players who fit their team-first culture Zito brilliantly signed defenseman Gustav Forsling off waivers. This move can be compared to the Dolphins signing Zach Sieler off waivers. The Panthers have just had more of these maneuvers. A lot more. Advertisement Zito smartly signed clutch forward Carter Verhaeghe. Game 6: The Florida Panthers pose for a photo with the Stanley Cup after winning the 2025 Stanley Cup Final against the Edmonton Oilers. Sam Reinhart a Stanley Cup Final hero with four goals Zito astutely traded for star forward Sam Reinhart, who scored 50 goals in the regular season last year and four goals in the Cup-clinching Game 6. An empty-netter by Reinhart put Florida ahead 4-0 with under seven minutes to play. Another empty-netter by Reinhart put Florida ahead 5-0 with five minutes to play. Why is Reinhart even on the Florida Panthers? It's because Zito recognized the Sabres were in a distressed position. And he attacked. Yeah, Florida is an attractive destination, with palm trees and no state taxes. But it was an attractive destination before Zito arrived and there wasn't nearly enough winning. Bill Zito acquired Sam Reinhart and Sam Bennett Zito wisely traded for forward Sam Bennett, now a star but not in Calgary. Game 6: Florida Panthers head coach Paul Maurice hoists the Stanley Cup. In Calgary, Bennett was an inconsistent role player. Zito saw what Bennett could be. Advertisement Why do the folks in Calgary even pick up the phone when Zito calls? Bennett and Tkachuk? All Bennett did was score 15 – count 'em, 15 – goals this postseason, and was named the Conn Smythe Trophy winner as the NHL playoff MVP. What's the common thread among the players he's acquired? 'Ironically, very little to do with what happens on the ice," Zito said. 'It's that they fit into the room, and that the room accepted them seamlessly.' Matthew Tkachuk is defining acquisition of Bill Zito Panthers era In back-to-back years, the Panthers stole Bennett and Tkachuk from Western Canada. It's led to back-to-back Cup champions. Advertisement Matthew Tkachuk, all that attitude and relentlessness and toughness, has been in South Florida for three years. And all he's done is lead his team to the Stanley Cup Final all three years. Jun 17, 2025; Sunrise, Florida, USA; Florida Panthers left wing Matthew Tkachuk (19) celebrates after his goal against the Edmonton Oilers during the first period in game six of the 2025 Stanley Cup Final at Amerant Bank Arena. Mandatory Credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images Tkachuk is a hard-nosed, straight-lined, pain-tolerant beast. After Game 6, Tkachuk revealed he had played though a torn adductor muscle in a hip and a sports hernia. Crazy. When your best player and leader is not only highly skilled but incredibly tough, competitive, fearless and respected, you've made the ultimate addition. Every NHL team wants its own Matthew Tkachuk. Every NHL team should closely study Bill Zito. Advertisement Some general managers may not have been willing to trade popular and talented Jonathan Huberdeau, but Zito did not hesitate in 2022 to include him in the move for Tkachuk. When Zito made that move, it was franchise-altering. Tkachuk is the ultimate alpha in a game full of alphas. Do not underestimate the impact the right move can make. Tkachuk was the ultimate right move from Bill Zito, who has constructed an emerging dynasty, and whose name will go down in South Florida sports lore. Stanley Cup Final: Florida Panthers, Matthew Tkachuk can repeat with 1 more win vs. Edmonton Florida Panthers win Stanley Cup again! A breakdown of Florida's Game 6 defeat of Edmonton Oilers Advertisement Marchand Magic: How does Brad Marchand's Stanley Cup Final performance stack up? Joe Schad is a journalist covering sports at The Palm Beach Post. You can reach him at jschad@ and follow him on Instagram and on X @schadjoe. Sign up for Joe's free weekly Dolphins Pulse Newsletter. Help support our work by subscribing today. This article originally appeared on Palm Beach Post: Florida Panthers win Stanley Cup again; give credit to GM Bill Zito
USA Today
2 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
What's next for Panthers, Oilers? Contract decisions await during offseason
What's next for Panthers, Oilers? Contract decisions await during offseason Show Caption Hide Caption Florida Panthers capture second straight Stanley Cup The Florida Panthers beat the Edmonton Oilers to win their second-straight Stanley Cup. Sports Pulse General manager of the year finalist Bill Zito hasn't heard yet whether he has won the award, but he has plenty of hard work ahead that could determine whether he's in the running again next year. The Florida Panthers won their second consecutive Stanley Cup title on June 17, two weeks before NHL free agency opens up on July 1. That gives Zito little time to work through the team's list of significant pending unrestricted free agents. Last year, he got an eight-year deal done with Sam Reinhart (for less than $9 million a year) before free agency opened. That paid off when the forward scored seven goals in the Stanley Cup Final, including four goals in the clinching game. This year's list includes some key players. According to puckpedia, the Panthers have $19 million in cap space. Here is what's awaiting the Panthers and Edmonton Oilers during the offseason: Run It Back! Celebrate Florida Panthers' back-to-back Stanley Cups with our commemorative hardcover book What's next for the Florida Panthers? The biggest free agent is Sam Bennett, 28, who won the Conn Smythe Trophy as playoff MVP after scoring a league-best 15 goals. He had 51 points in 62 games during the Panthers' three consecutive runs to the Stanley Cup Final. In addition to his scoring prowess, he plays with an edge and is sometimes accused of going over the line. Brad Marchand, who came over in a shocking trade from the Boston Bruins, is also a pending UFA. The 37-year-old had six goals during the final, scoring on breakaways and spectacular moves. Panthers teammates and coach Paul Maurice raved about his attitude. Pending UFA defenseman Aaron Ekblad, 29, has been key to the Panthers through the years since he was taken No. 1 overall in 2014. He's on the top defense pairing with Gustav Forsling but missed 20 games with a PED suspension and another two for a playoff hit. Other pending UFAs include Nate Schmidt, Tomas Nosek, Nico Sturm and backup goalie Vitek Vanecek. No. 1 goalie Sergei Bobrovsky is entering the final year of his contract, as is defenseman Niko Mikkola. Core players Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe, Anton Lundell, Seth Jones, Forsling and Dmitry Kulikov are signed long-term, and Eetu Luostarinen and Evan Rodrigues have two years left on their contracts. What's next for the Edmonton Oilers? The Oilers fell short for the second year in a row as the Panthers' forechecking scheme frustrated them again. They have $11 million in cap space as Leon Draisaitl's extension kicks in and makes him the NHL's highest-paid player. Connor McDavid, entering the last year of his contract and a potential free agent at the end of the season, is eligible to sign an extension as early as July 1, which should restore him atop the league's salary structure. Or he can wait. An extension would take effect in 2026-27. The Oilers have a long list of pending UFAs, including Connor Brown, 40-year-old Corey Perry, Trent Frederic, Kasperi Kapanen and John Klingberg.. Defenseman Evan Bouchard is a restricted free agent. He's known for his offensive abilities but also had a playoff-high 41 giveaways. Goalies Stuart Skinner and Calvin Pickard have one left on their contracts at a combined $3.6 million cap hit. Defensemen Mattias Ekholm, Jake Walman, Brett Kulak and Troy Stecher also have a year left on their deals.
NBC Sports
2 days ago
- Sport
- NBC Sports
‘A well-oiled machine': How the Florida Panthers' team-first mentality led to another Stanley Cup
SUNRISE, Fla. — Aleksander Barkov hoisted the Stanley Cup, skated with it for a few moments and then handed it to a grinning Nate Schmidt, in his first year with the Florida Panthers and raising hockey's hallowed trophy for the first time. Before any repeat winner touched it, every Panther who never had before got the chance. 'There's a lot of guys they play a ton of minutes that are huge contributors to this group, and they bypassed them and said: 'We had it last year. We'll never not cherish this moment,'' Schmidt said. 'It was amazing.' It also personified the Panthers, who did not have the best player in the final, not facing Connor McDavid and the Edmonton Oilers again. They may not have even had the second-best with Leon Draisaitl there, too, but Florida repeating as champions showed exactly why hockey is the ultimate team sport. 'We just have so much heart, so much talent: Heart meets talent,' said winger Matthew Tkachuk, who played through a sports hernia and torn adductor muscle. 'Our team was a team. When things were getting hard for them, they looked to one guy. But our team, we do it collectively.' The Panthers had 19 non-goalies on the ice over six games against the Oilers; 15 registered a point and 11 scored at least once. Coach Paul Maurice said the team is 'just really deep — unusually so,' making the point that he essentially had three first lines to roll out at any given time. 'A very talented group of guys, so when you bring somebody in, we're going to play you with a really good player,' Maurice said. General manager Bill Zito, who inherited Barkov, defenseman Aaron Ekblad and goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky, built the rest of the roster to win in the playoffs. With Maurice and his staff in charge, players who were adrift or simply mediocre elsewhere thrived in Florida. 'For the most part, every guy who's come here has had the best season of their careers,' Zito said. 'From that perspective, it's gratifying to think that we can create an environment where the guys can do that, but it's the team. It's that room. It truly is.' Fourth-liner A.J. Greer is one of those players after nearly giving up on his NHL dream a few years ago. He, Zito, Conn Smythe Trophy winner Sam Bennett and so many others use the word 'culture' to explain the Panthers' greatness, and it translates into results on the ice. The forecheck is never-ending, the harassment in the neutral zone relentless — and the offense burgeoning with talent. 'Everyone levels their game up here — every one of us,' Greer said. 'There's a sentiment of greatness but of just like wanting to be as good as you were yesterday.' Tkachuk, acquired by Zito in a trade from Calgary in the same summer of 2022 when Maurice was hired as coach, shook his head when asked about scoring the Cup-clinching goal in Game 6. He wanted to make a point that it doesn't matter who scores. 'I don't care about personal stats,' Tkachuk said. 'I don't care. Our team doesn't (care) about that. That's what makes us a team, and that's why we're lifting the Stanley Cup right now because we're a team and not a bunch of individuals.' McDavid, who had seven points in six games in the final, had nothing but praise after a second straight loss to the Panthers on the NHL's biggest stage. 'They're a really good team,' McDavid said. 'Very deserving. They were really good.' Florida was in the final for a third consecutive year, and the only loss during this stretch came to Vegas in 2023 when injuries ravaged Tkachuk, Ekblad and others. That was the start of the winning blueprint that has made the Panthers so successful for so long. 'There's a way that we do things here, and it's not easy,' said Bennett, who led all players in the playoffs with 15 goals. 'We don't play an easy style of hockey. It demands a lot of you. Every single guy's bought into it. When some new guys came in, they instantly bought into what we do here and the commitment to being great, to winning. Every single guy just really bought into that.' Schmidt found that out quickly. He played for Maurice in Winnipeg, got bought out last summer and just wanted to get his game back. That happened quickly, and the Stanley Cup was the reward after going through another long grind as a team. 'It's the system. It's the group. It's just completely selfless,' Schmidt said. 'Guys just play one way, and they say, 'Hey, this is how we do things' and you've got to jump on board. Guys, once they mold themselves into the game, you just become another cog in the wheel here. That's just the way it runs. It's just a well-oiled machine.'
