Bill Zito signed a multiyear contract with the Florida Panthers and was promoted to president of hockey operations and general manager on Monday.
“From his first day as a Panther, Bill has demonstrated his complete commitment to success both on and off the ice. He has worked steadfastly and tirelessly to establish a new standard of excellence for our franchise,” Panthers chairman, owner and governor of Sunrise Sports & Entertainment Vincent Viola said. “The future has never looked brighter in South Florida, and we are thrilled that Bill will continue to lead the way.”
Zito, who was hired Sept. 2, 2020, was a finalist for the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award for the 2020-21 season, when the Panthers finished 37-14-15. He was the first finalist in his debut season as NHL GM since Pierre Dorion (third place) for the Ottawa Senators in 2016-17. Zito was also a finalist for the award last season, when Florida reached the Stanley Cup Final for the first time since 1996 before losing to the Vegas Golden Knights in five games.
Since 2020-21, Florida is 188-88-25, fifth among NHL teams in that span. It leads the NHL in shots on goal per game (35.7) and overtime goals (34), are second in third-period goals (370) and third in goals per game (3.56).
“Under Bill’s leadership we have seen renewed fan excitement, consistent playoff appearances and a sustained culture of success,” Panthers alternate governor Michael Viola said. “Through this extension, we are recommitting to stability and strength at the heart of our organization, as well as the continued growth of our sport throughout Broward County and South Florida.”
The Panthers have qualified for the Stanley Cup Playoffs in each of Zito’s first four seasons as GM. His biggest trade came when Florida acquired forward Matthew Tkachuk from the Calgary Flames for forward Jonathan Huberdeau and defenseman MacKenzie Weegar on July 22, 2022. The Panthers also acquired forward Sam Reinhart (from the Buffalo Sabres in 2021), forward Sam Bennett (from the Flames in 2021), defenseman Brandon Montour (from the Sabres in 2021) and forward Vladimir Tarasenko (from the Ottawa Senators on March 6).
Zito was named assistant GM for the United States in the NHL 4 Nations Face-off, which is scheduled for Feb. 10-20, 2025, and for the U.S. men’s hockey team for the 2026 Milano Cortina Olympics.
The Panthers (51-24-6) are second in the Atlantic Division, one point behind the first-place Boston Bruins. They wrap up their regular season against the Toronto Maple Leafs at Amerant Bank Arena on Tuesday (7:30 p.m. ET; ESPN, TSN4).
