Latest news with #Zito
USA Today
6 days ago
- Sport
- USA Today
Stanley Cup visits with dolphins during Florida Panthers summer tour
Every member of the Stanley Cup-winning NHL team, per tradition, gets a day with the famed trophy. Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito spent part of his day with the dolphins. Not the neighboring NFL team Miami Dolphins – but the aquatic mammals. He took the Stanley Cup to Theater of the Sea, a family-owned tourist attraction in Islamorada in the Florida Keys. Video from WPLG Local10 TV station in Miami showed Zito taking fish from the Stanley Cup's bowl and feeding a dolphin. Zito also posted photos of a sea lion eating out of the bowl, joining the tradition of dogs, horses and players' children eating from the top of the Stanley Cup. Zito played a key role in helping the Panthers winning a second consecutive Stanley Cup championship. He acquired Seth Jones and Brad Marchand before the NHL trade deadline. And he managed to get playoff MVP Sam Bennett, Marchand and Aaron Ekblad signed to new deals to give the Panthers a shot at a third consecutive title in 2025-26. Where has the Stanley Cup been? The Stanley Cup was taken to the Elbo Room in Fort Lauderdale and then took center stage at the Panthers' parade. It spent a couple days at the NHL draft then went in for engraving. The names of the 2024-25 winning Panthers are now on the Cup. Forward Matthew Tkachuk took the Stanley Cup to his St. Louis hometown and while visiting with first responders in Brentwood, Missouri, he posed with the trophy inside a jail cell. Jones spent his day with the Cup in the Dallas area. The USA TODAY app gets you to the heart of the news — fast. Download for award-winning coverage, crosswords, audio storytelling, the eNewspaper and more.
Miami Herald
04-07-2025
- Sport
- Miami Herald
Extensions give Florida Panthers defined window to contend. Are they also a gamble?
The Florida Panthers have established a defined window to continue contending for Stanley Cups. Florida has 10 players from its core — forwards Aleksander Barkov, Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Carter Verhaeghe, Anton Lundell and Brad Marchand plus defensemen Aaron Ekblad, Gustav Forsling and Seth Jones — all signed through at least the 2029-30 season. All of them have no-movement clauses, meaning they can't be dealt away from the team without their approval. That gives Florida at minimum the next five seasons to remain at the top of the league with this group as it aims to build of its consecutive Stanley Cup championships the past two seasons. 'We have one of the deepest teams in the league, and we showed that over the last couple of years,' Bennett said. 'And the fact that we're keeping this main core together for the next, what is it, five years, that's pretty remarkable to do. It just shows that all these guys want to be here, and we care about winning. That's really our main focus is winning. It's going to be a fun ride for the next however many years.' That's the hope at least. But there is an inherent risk that comes with these elongated contracts, age being the biggest of them. Lundell is the baby of the group, not turning 24 until October. Tkachuk is next, turning 28 in December. Marchand is already 37, meaning he'll be 43 when his six-year extension wraps up. The other seven are all either 29 or 30 already, meaning they'll be 34-35 at the end of this window. Add in the grind that comes with extended playoff runs — Florida has played 314 games over the past three seasons and is going into its third consecutive short offseason after reaching the Cup Final every year since 2023 — and the fatigue factor certainly takes a toll. President of hockey operations and general manager Bill Zito, the architect behind retaining so much of the team's core, understands that how the Panthers manage their health over this window will be one of the chief determining factors in their success. How, exactly, do they adapt? That's still a work in progress. 'The honest answer is we don't know, but we're trying,' Zito said. 'What we've done is spent a lot of time, even over the course of the last year thinking that even if we have a little bit of a run into the playoffs that the fatigue level long-term is going to be significant. The team is getting a little bit older. We're getting into our late 20s. How can we address it? How can we get in front of it? Are there things we can do now? Should we start thinking about making some adaptations to the way we do things?' Zito said he and coach Paul Maurice have been working with Chris McLellan, the team's vice president of sports performance and strength and conditioning coach, to figure out a plan of attack that best looks at both short- and long-term solutions. That could mean baking in more rest days for players during the regular season. Florida did that just before the playoffs this season, rotating key players out of the lineup for a game or two once a postseason spot was secured to make sure everyone was as fresh as possible for the run at the Stanley Cup. That could mean altering how they travel for road games. The Panthers already don't fly out immediately after games unless there's a back-to-back, opting to stay in the city where they played an extra night and then fly the following day to their next destination. Modifications to training camp have already been discussed as well. 'We need to be creative and proactive,' Zito said. The players at this stage in their career are also cognizant of what they need to do to be in the best position to succeed. Bennett, for example, doesn't plan to get back on the ice until mid-August to recover as much as possible before slowly getting back into action ahead of training camp. 'I think now we know what works after going to the Final three years in a row,' Bennett said. 'You really have to give your body time to rest. Earlier in my career, we weren't playing nearly as long, but I think I would sometimes jump on the ice too early and not give my body enough time to rest. Certainly take a month off here. That's pretty much how I'll handle it.' They'll prepare for the inevitable ebbs and flows that come through a season. They have a blueprint of sorts now with how to maneuver consecutive trying seasons — and know the reward that awaits them if everything works in their favor once again. For at least the next five years, the window is there for the taking.
Yahoo
01-07-2025
- 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
01-07-2025
- 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
01-07-2025
- 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.'
