Bill Torrey's Legacy of Class, Positivity Sticks With Panthers

SUNRISE, Fla. -The essence of Bill Torrey could be summed in the trademark bow ties the longtime executive wore to the rink every day throughout his 50-plus years working in hockey.
The father of the Florida Panthers and architect of the New York Islanders dynasty that won four consecutive Stanley Cups in the early '80s, Torrey passed away in May at the age of 83, leaving behind a long-lasting legacy of professionalism, positivity and, like his attire, a touch of class.

"That's what I want our organization to be," Panthers General Manager and President of Hockey Operations Dale Tallon said of Torrey's legacy. "We want to follow that way, the lead that he's given us over the years. That's what impressed me most about Bill is that he's just the classiest guy and never had a negative word to say about any other team or any other organization."
As part of the organization's ongoing "Legacy Saturdays" series, Tallon was one of many that donned special neckwear in honor of Torrey on Saturday night, as the Panthers paid homage to the man affectionally dubbed "Bow Tie Bill" prior to beating the New York Islanders 4-2 at BB&T Center.
In attendance were numerous members of Torrey's family, including his four sons - William, Richard, Peter and Arthur - who all sported No. 93 jerseys. The team retired that number in honor of Torrey, the team's inaugural President, back in 2010. Along with the team's founder and original owner H. Wayne Huizenga, his jersey is one of just two in hanging in the rafters.

Huizenga, who died in March at age 80, had 37 - his lucky number - retired in January.
"He loved the game, and obviously this team was a big part of his life after leaving the Islanders," Tallon said. "Even every game we sit in the box there and I look for him to start cussing the referees after I cuss them. He had a lot of fire in his belly still even till the end. I was shocked when it happened and I'm still shocked. I'm a very lucky man that I got to be that close to him for so many years. I miss the hell out of him."
Following a moving tribute to their late father, the four sons took part in a ceremonial puck drop at center ice. And even though he wasn't counted among Torrey's blood relatives, Tallon said the gentle hockey sage had also become sort of a father figure to him during their time together.
"I'm here because of him," said Tallon, who was named Florida's General Manager in 2010. "I lost my dad and kind of Bill was that… not a replacement, but similar to. He was a guy that I leaned on every day. As I said, coming to Florida, I came because of Bill. Mr. Viner, when he owned the team, asked Bill and I to sit down and go through things and discuss things and we agreed to terms on a contract. Ever since that time, we were together all the time. Just such a wonderful gentleman. Learned so much from him every day, leaned on him, relied on him."
During Tallon's tenure with Florida, Torrey worked alongside him as a Special Advisor.
"Every time he hung up the phone, the last thing he would say is, 'What can I do to help you?'" Tallon said. "He was the most giving man, the most gentlemanly. I think we all should learn a lesson from him and if we all acted and behaved like him, the world would be a better place. He was a wonderful human being. Every day he used to butt-dial me about six times. He was technically not the best. I'd get a lot of calls from him sometimes, five or six times a day, and I miss those calls. Just a great man. He's with us every day."
In speaking with Panthers players, it's clear that Torrey -- or "Mr. Torrey" as he was known in and around the team -- is still deeply missed within the locker room. Win or lose, he made his way into Florida's weight room after most games, conversing with players about that night's result. And, regardless of the game's outcome, these talks usually left everyone with a smile.
"He was always a happy guy, always joyful to be around," said Panthers forward Nick Bjugstad, who has been with the team since 2010. "He loved the Panthers and loved hockey. It was definitely tough for us to see him go. He's done a lot for the game. He's an absolute legend.
"He'll be remembered. He was a big bow tie guy, so we whipped those out [on Saturday]. We're going to miss him. We miss seeing him every day in the room. The experience and energy he had was fun to be around. Even as he got older, he never skipped a beat. We fed off that."
When Roberto Luongo was traded back to the Panthers in 2014, the veteran goaltender, who has spent parts of 11 seasons in South Florida, said Torrey he was one of the first people to welcome him back into the fold after he had spent the previous seven seasons in Vancouver.
"He was the only recognizable face," said Luongo, cracking a reminiscent smile. "He's a staple around the league. It's nice that we are able to honor him, his legacy, and the bow tie, of course… He'd always come over and congratulate me and shake my hand [after wins]. Just being here and seeing him around after games was really nice. He was a nice man. It was sad to see him go."
Gone but not forgotten, Torrey's contributions to the sport speak for themselves.
Born on June 23, 1934 in Montreal, Quebec, Torrey served as an executive for three different NHL expansion franchises: the Oakland Seals (1968-1971), New York Islanders (1972-1993) and Florida Panthers (1993-2018). In 1995, he was elected to the Hall of Fame as a builder.
In his first season with the Panthers, Torrey helped assemble the club's inaugural roster for the 1993-94 campaign -- a team that went on to set expansion club records for wins (33) and points (83) that stood up until this past season. In 1996, the Panthers became the fastest expansion team to ever reach the Stanley Cup Final - still the most successful season in franchise history.
"He started this franchise and put them right in the Finals right off the bat," Tallon said. "I think he was progressive. I think he was someone that hired great people, let them do their work. I think he was ahead of his time… He was different. He adapted. He changed. He was a modern guy."
That said, for those that knew him best, personal stories outshine those of professional success.
"There's so many," Tallon said when asked to share a few of his favorite memories of Torrey. "We had some good times on the golf course… there's a whole series of things. At the end, he would drive down here on days off. No one would be here and he's like, 'I'm at the building.' And I go, 'What are you doing?' He says, 'Well, I gotta get my mail.' I'd say, 'Don't you have a mailbox?'
"He drove an hour from where he lived and an hour back, and he wasn't Parnelli Jones, let's put it that way. I worried about him. I worried about him driving down here and driving back. But he just loved it and wanted to be here. Just a great human being. He's sorely missed."