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Yahoo
a day ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Panthers found a way to keep the core together, and Zito says it was player-driven
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Bill Zito looked exhausted Tuesday. The Florida Panthers' hockey operations president and general manager was trying to schedule a fishing trip. He was trying to figure out how the next few weeks will work. He needed a nap, desperately. The good news: He can finally get a bit of a break. Advertisement The Panthers are running — skating? — it back next season, with all 12 of the forwards that they used in the clinching game of the Stanley Cup Final under contract for 2025-26 and in many cases long beyond. The final moves came Tuesday, when the signings of Brad Marchand and Tomas Nosek became officially official as Florida prepares to try and win a third consecutive title next season. And with that, Zito and the Panthers pulled off a stunning haul: They went into free agency trying to figure out who among the trio of Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad and Marchand could fit under the salary cap for next season — and kept them all. It begged the obvious question Tuesday: How did he do this? Advertisement 'I didn't. It was those guys,' Zito said. 'There's no gray area whatsoever. This is 100% those guys wanting to be part of something that they created. We kind of wax poetic about the team and the community that they've become. And I think this is a great example of what it means to them. It's 100% those men who made that decision that they all wanted to continue to try to win together.' Bennett took an eight-year deal worth $64 million, Ekblad took an eight-year deal worth $48.6 million and Marchand took a six-year deal worth about $32 million. And much in the same way that Zito — who has 10 players, most of the team's biggest names, under contract through at least 2030 — didn't want credit, Ekblad deferred the credit for all of this happening as well. 'It speaks a lot about the organization and everything that they do for us and how bad guys want to play here," Ekblad said. 'Our practice rink, our game rink, the hotels that we stay in on the road, the food that we eat ... the organization does everything for us. It's easy to want to stay here. And then the culture of winning is just a huge draw to guys, right? It's the most important thing. It's why we play the game. And we've all been taken care of extremely well." Bennett, Ekblad and Marchand all could have commanded more on the open market; the NHL's free agency period opened at noon Eastern on Tuesday, or about an hour after Zito met with reporters inside the Panthers' theater at their new practice facility. They chose to stay for less and try to win more. Advertisement It's a simple formula. 'It was always Florida," said Ekblad, who is now in position to potentially spend the entirety of what could be a nearly two-decade career with the Panthers. 'I don't think you guys understand. Florida is home now.' Before that nap, Zito had a couple more things to monitor. The Panthers still had a couple pursuits in free agency to tend to, but the core is built and in place for years to come. And that means, when he finally gets to sleep, Zito will sleep well. 'I think they see the players having fun, and enjoying hockey, and they know how hard they work," Zito said. "I think they want to be part of that.' ___ AP NHL: Tim Reynolds, The Associated Press
Miami Herald
a day ago
- Business
- Miami Herald
Bill Zito's latest magic: Bolstering Panthers' core with Bennett, Ekblad, Marchand deals
Bill Zito might not have played in the NHL, but the Florida Panthers' president of hockey operations and general manager pulled off one of the more improbable front office hat tricks possible over the past few days. With just $19 million in cap space available, Zito managed to re-sign all three of Florida's primary pending free agents in center Sam Bennett, defenseman Aaron Ekblad and winger Brad Marchand. Bennett and Ekblad each received eight-year deals, while Marchand is signed for six years. And why stop there? Zito also inked fourth-line center Tomas Nosek to a one-year extension Tuesday. But don't look to Zito to take any sort of credit for what just happened. 'I didn't [do it]. It was those guys,' Zito said. 'There's no gray area whatsoever. ... It's those guys wanting to be part of something they created. We kind of wax poetic about the team and the community they've become, and I think this is a great example of what it means to them. And it's 100 percent those men who made that decision that they all wanted to continue to try it together.' That's fair. But it was also Zito getting Florida to this point — to being back-to-back Stanley Cup champions and to having a clear window for contention for years to come — that has players wanting to stay. The players recognize that. It's why Florida has been able to retain so much top-end talent for, in most cases, significantly less than what they would likely get on the open market. 'BZ is the man with the plan, right?' Ekblad said. 'That's why they brought him in. He has an idea of the way things should be run and what needs to be done to win and how guys need to be treated and treated fairly. Total and utmost respect for his ability to do his job but also continue to be a good person in the process. We as players appreciate that. Can't say enough great things about what he's done, both as a GM and as a person — and I know the second part as a person probably means more to him than being a good GM. It's a true testament to everything he's done for us.' As a result, the Panthers' future is in good hands. They have 10 core players all signed for at least the next five years at deals that will help the team continue to build in years to come. The group: ▪ Ekblad, Bennett and forward Carter Verhaeghe signed through the 2032-33 season. Bennett has an annual cap hit of $8 million, Verhaeghe $7 million and Ekblad $6.1 million. ▪ Forward Sam Reinhart and defenseman Gustav Forsling signed through the 2031-32 season. Reinhart's annual cap hit is $8.63 million and Forsling's is $5.75 million. ▪ Marchand is signed through the 2030-31 season with a $5.25 million annual cap hit. ▪ And forwards Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk and Anton Lundell plus defenseman Seth Jones are signed through the 2029-30 season. Barkov's cap hit is $10 million, Tkachuk's $9.5 million, Jones $7 million and Lundell $5 million. Combined, that's 10 integral players for an annual cap hit of $72.23 million each of the next five years, which starting in the 2026-27 season will be less than 70 percent of the league's salary cap. 'You hate to use the word content, but [I'm] content in the moment where, OK, we've got this core and they're solid,' Zito said. 'Are people going to get hurt? Yeah. Can we address that? Yeah. How do we get back and how do we allow for some of the other players and the other assets, if they're ready, to get in? It's this constant — and I think almost any GM would tell you the same — it's a constant cycle of thoughts in your head, in the middle of the night, when you're driving, when you're distracted. 'What about this? What about that? What about this?' It doesn't really change. It's just maybe more comforting to know we have some pretty good players who are going to be here for a while — and good people — so as we add moving to the future, I feel pretty confident that this group can absorb them and get the most out of them.' Now, there are still some hurdles to work through before the season begins and a quest for a third consecutive Stanley Cup begins. Florida currently is $2.175 million over the salary cap, and that's before factoring in a contract for restricted free agent forward Mackie Samoskevich. Florida is able to be up to 10 percent above the $95.5 million cap during the offseason but needs to be cap compliant by the start of the season. The Panthers can get there either by trading away players currently on the roster or by utilizing long-term injured reserve once the season begins. They have time to figure all that out. And they have a front office leader in Zito to figure it out. He's worked wonders already getting Florida to this point. The past three days of fortifying the roster is just the latest example, even if he doesn't want to take credit for it. 'I don't want to spoil the Hollywood part of it, but I believe in all of them,' Zito said. 'If you're around it all the time, you feel it, you know it, and you know that this is a special group of people. It's a special environment, and these three guys in particular understand and value and appreciate the opportunity, even though they're significant contributors to it on their own. I think that they're aware that they make the group better, and the group makes them better.'
NBC Sports
a day ago
- Business
- NBC Sports
Panthers found a way to keep the core together, and Bill Zito says it was player-driven
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. — Bill Zito looked exhausted. The Florida Panthers' hockey operations president and general manager was trying to schedule a fishing trip. He was trying to figure out how the next few weeks will work. He needed a nap, desperately. The good news: He can finally get a bit of a break. The Panthers are running — skating? — it back next season, with all 12 of the forwards that they used in the clinching game of the Stanley Cup Final under contract for 2025-26 and in many cases long beyond. The final moves came when the signings of Brad Marchand and Tomas Nosek became officially official as Florida prepares to try and win a third consecutive title next season. And with that, Zito and the Panthers pulled off a stunning haul: They went into free agency trying to figure out who among the trio of Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad and Marchand could fit under the salary cap for next season — and kept them all. It begged the obvious question: How did he do this? 'I didn't. It was those guys,' Zito said. 'There's no gray area whatsoever. This is 100% those guys wanting to be part of something that they created. We kind of wax poetic about the team and the community that they've become. And I think this is a great example of what it means to them. It's 100% those men who made that decision that they all wanted to continue to try to win together.' Bennett took an eight-year deal worth $64 million, Ekblad took an eight-year deal worth $48.6 million and Marchand took a six-year deal worth about $32 million. And much in the same way that Zito — who has 10 players, most of the team's biggest names, under contract through at least 2030 — didn't want credit, Ekblad deferred the credit for all of this happening as well. 'It speaks a lot about the organization and everything that they do for us and how bad guys want to play here,' Ekblad said. 'Our practice rink, our game rink, the hotels that we stay in on the road, the food that we eat ... the organization does everything for us. It's easy to want to stay here. And then the culture of winning is just a huge draw to guys, right? It's the most important thing. It's why we play the game. And we've all been taken care of extremely well.' Bennett, Ekblad and Marchand all could have commanded more on the open market; the NHL's free agency period opened, or about an hour after Zito met with reporters inside the Panthers' theater at their new practice facility. They chose to stay for less and try to win more. It's a simple formula. 'It was always Florida,' said Ekblad, who is now in position to potentially spend the entirety of what could be a nearly two-decade career with the Panthers. 'I don't think you guys understand. Florida is home now.' Before that nap, Zito had a couple more things to monitor. The Panthers still had a couple pursuits in free agency to tend to, but the core is built and in place for years to come. And that means, when he finally gets to sleep, Zito will sleep well. 'I think they see the players having fun, and enjoying hockey, and they know how hard they work,' Zito said. 'I think they want to be part of that.'
Winnipeg Free Press
a day ago
- Business
- Winnipeg Free Press
Panthers found a way to keep the core together, and Zito says it was player-driven
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Bill Zito looked exhausted Tuesday. The Florida Panthers' hockey operations president and general manager was trying to schedule a fishing trip. He was trying to figure out how the next few weeks will work. He needed a nap, desperately. The good news: He can finally get a bit of a break. The Panthers are running — skating? — it back next season, with all 12 of the forwards that they used in the clinching game of the Stanley Cup Final under contract for 2025-26 and in many cases long beyond. The final moves came Tuesday, when the signings of Brad Marchand and Tomas Nosek became officially official as Florida prepares to try and win a third consecutive title next season. And with that, Zito and the Panthers pulled off a stunning haul: They went into free agency trying to figure out who among the trio of Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad and Marchand could fit under the salary cap for next season — and kept them all. It begged the obvious question Tuesday: How did he do this? 'I didn't. It was those guys,' Zito said. 'There's no gray area whatsoever. This is 100% those guys wanting to be part of something that they created. We kind of wax poetic about the team and the community that they've become. And I think this is a great example of what it means to them. It's 100% those men who made that decision that they all wanted to continue to try to win together.' Bennett took an eight-year deal worth $64 million, Ekblad took an eight-year deal worth $48.6 million and Marchand took a six-year deal worth about $32 million. And much in the same way that Zito — who has 10 players, most of the team's biggest names, under contract through at least 2030 — didn't want credit, Ekblad deferred the credit for all of this happening as well. 'It speaks a lot about the organization and everything that they do for us and how bad guys want to play here,' Ekblad said. 'Our practice rink, our game rink, the hotels that we stay in on the road, the food that we eat … the organization does everything for us. It's easy to want to stay here. And then the culture of winning is just a huge draw to guys, right? It's the most important thing. It's why we play the game. And we've all been taken care of extremely well.' Bennett, Ekblad and Marchand all could have commanded more on the open market; the NHL's free agency period opened at noon Eastern on Tuesday, or about an hour after Zito met with reporters inside the Panthers' theater at their new practice facility. They chose to stay for less and try to win more. It's a simple formula. 'It was always Florida,' said Ekblad, who is now in position to potentially spend the entirety of what could be a nearly two-decade career with the Panthers. 'I don't think you guys understand. Florida is home now.' Thursdays Keep up to date on sports with Mike McIntyre's weekly newsletter. Before that nap, Zito had a couple more things to monitor. The Panthers still had a couple pursuits in free agency to tend to, but the core is built and in place for years to come. And that means, when he finally gets to sleep, Zito will sleep well. 'I think they see the players having fun, and enjoying hockey, and they know how hard they work,' Zito said. 'I think they want to be part of that.' ___ AP NHL:
San Francisco Chronicle
a day ago
- Business
- San Francisco Chronicle
Panthers found a way to keep the core together, and Zito says it was player-driven
FORT LAUDERDALE, Fla. (AP) — Bill Zito looked exhausted Tuesday. The Florida Panthers' hockey operations president and general manager was trying to schedule a fishing trip. He was trying to figure out how the next few weeks will work. He needed a nap, desperately. The good news: He can finally get a bit of a break. The Panthers are running — skating? — it back next season, with all 12 of the forwards that they used in the clinching game of the Stanley Cup Final under contract for 2025-26 and in many cases long beyond. The final moves came Tuesday, when the signings of Brad Marchand and Tomas Nosek became officially official as Florida prepares to try and win a third consecutive title next season. And with that, Zito and the Panthers pulled off a stunning haul: They went into free agency trying to figure out who among the trio of Sam Bennett, Aaron Ekblad and Marchand could fit under the salary cap for next season — and kept them all. It begged the obvious question Tuesday: How did he do this? 'I didn't. It was those guys,' Zito said. 'There's no gray area whatsoever. This is 100% those guys wanting to be part of something that they created. We kind of wax poetic about the team and the community that they've become. And I think this is a great example of what it means to them. It's 100% those men who made that decision that they all wanted to continue to try to win together.' Bennett took an eight-year deal worth $64 million, Ekblad took an eight-year deal worth $48.6 million and Marchand took a six-year deal worth about $32 million. And much in the same way that Zito — who has 10 players, most of the team's biggest names, under contract through at least 2030 — didn't want credit, Ekblad deferred the credit for all of this happening as well. 'It speaks a lot about the organization and everything that they do for us and how bad guys want to play here," Ekblad said. 'Our practice rink, our game rink, the hotels that we stay in on the road, the food that we eat ... the organization does everything for us. It's easy to want to stay here. And then the culture of winning is just a huge draw to guys, right? It's the most important thing. It's why we play the game. And we've all been taken care of extremely well." Bennett, Ekblad and Marchand all could have commanded more on the open market; the NHL's free agency period opened at noon Eastern on Tuesday, or about an hour after Zito met with reporters inside the Panthers' theater at their new practice facility. They chose to stay for less and try to win more. It's a simple formula. 'It was always Florida," said Ekblad, who is now in position to potentially spend the entirety of what could be a nearly two-decade career with the Panthers. 'I don't think you guys understand. Florida is home now.' And that means, when he finally gets to sleep, Zito will sleep well. 'I think they see the players having fun, and enjoying hockey, and they know how hard they work," Zito said. "I think they want to be part of that.' ___
