Zito to auction panther sculptures for cancer research

MIAMI -- Standing on the west side of loanDepot park hours before the puck dropped on the 2026 Discover NHL Winter Classic, Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito looked around and smiled.

Not only is his team fulfilling a dream many said could never happen by playing an outdoor game in South Florida against the New York Rangers on Friday (8 p.m. ET; HBO MAX, truTV, TNT, SNW, SNO, SNE, TVAS), but Zito was surrounded by over 20 panthers.

No, not Sam Reinhart or Brad Marchand.

These were life-sized panther sculptures all painted in various designs and colors.

And these works of art are doing good in the community.

"It's hard to find the words to describe how wonderful this day is," Zito said, the ballpark to his back. "It really is a special day."

Zito and his wife Julie, who is a breast cancer survivor, created Panthers on the Prowl, a fundraising campaign to support cancer research last March.

Inspired by Chicago's famous Cows on Parade, donors to Panthers on the Prowl purchased a blank life-sized panther sculpture to design in any way they chose.

Tennis great Martina Navratilova, for instance, dipped tennis balls in paint and fired them at her panther to create a polka-dot effect.

Hall of Famer Wayne Gretzky has some of his stats, depictions of the Stanley Cup, and his famed '99' painted on his.

There are also statues painted by renowned artists Romero Britto and Guy Harvey. Entertainer Michael Buble designed a panther as well.

Now, you can own one.

Zito said in March that his goal was to raise $1 million for cancer research through the program. Friday, he said the total was $700,000.

The panther statues are being auctioned through Charitybuzz, with the money raised going to cancer research.

Fans walking into the baseball home of the Miami Marlins on Friday through the west plaza will be able to not only enjoy looking at the artistic renderings of the panthers, but can bid on their favorite cats using a scannable code.

Zito said he could not pick a favorite. They all mean something special to him, to the artist, and to whomever initially bought the statue and helped design it.

"Each one of these has a story," Zito said. "When you look at them, some are fun, some are silly. Some of them are creative beyond anything I could have ever imagined. … It is so important that we take advantage of this opportunity to not only raise as much money as we can, but raise awareness as well. Because together, we truly can fight this insidious disease. I am truly proud of the work that the people have done.

"If you stroll up and down this aisle, I think you will be touched. You know, you might also cry. Some may just bring a tear to your eye but also a smile and a laugh. So, thank you for that."

Since the Panthers on the Prowl initiative began last season, Zito's panther statues have popped up all around the region from local restaurants, offices, and the team's training facility in Fort Lauderdale.

Even the NBA's Miami Heat bought two of them.

Zito said he was touched by the outpouring of people who purchased the panther figures to help out, and in turn, donated them to raise even more money.

When asked what he thought when he looked out over the rows of these artistic creations, Zito said it gave him "hope."

"You know what? There's a reason everyone is so engaged," he said. "There's a reason everyone gave their time and their talent. It's because it works. They could have just thrown money at this and it would have gone away in a couple of weeks. This is bigger than all of us, and everyone has a connection."

Fans can visit charitybuzz.com/panthersontheprowl to bid through Feb. 6, and FloridaPanthers.com/panthersontheprowl to learn more about the campaign.

Zito said there may also be some celebrity surprises coming to the Panthers on the Prowl bidding process in the coming weeks.

"We're trying to raise as much money as we can in this fight against cancer," Zito said.