1. GM Bill Zito is ready to work
The Florida Panthers made headlines in the hockey world when they announced
Bill Zito as the next General Manager of the team in early September
. The big news came on the heels of the Cats' brief appearance in the modified 2020 NHL Playoffs, where the team saw postseason action against the New York Islanders. Following the official conclusion of their season, the Panthers sought to start the next chapter of their history off strong, calling Zito to head up hockey operations.
"My brain can't stop working, thinking about everything this job entails," Zito said with a smile. "The excitement is…overwhelming. I can't wait to get to work."
True to his word, he didn't wait - Zito has already made some major moves in his very short tenure as a Panther.
Just a few weeks after being named general manager, Bill Zito made a pair trades to bolster both the Cats' offense and defense.
First, Zito brought in two-time Stanley Cup Champion Patric Hornqvist, who's best known for his net front presence and blazing passion for hockey.
"My game is not going to change," Hornqvist said. "I'm going to still be hard to play against. [I'm going to] play hard every shift, go to the net, and score some goals."
Not long after the dust settled, Zito traded for Columbus Blue Jackets defenseman Markus Nutivaara.
"It's a really good opportunity for sure," Nutivaara said on a video conference call following the transaction. "I just want to give my best and do my best. I think I can be good help for the team…I'm really, really excited."
With the wheels of change already turning, Bill Zito set his sights on the upcoming league-wide events set to impact his team.
2.The Panthers locker room doubles as a pretty awesome work room.
With the NHL's Free Agency on the horizon, Zito assembles his staff in the Florida Panthers locker room.
It's around these tables that decisions are made, conversations are had, and the foundation of the future of the franchise is built.
First on the calendar is NHL Free Agency, virtual this year due to the COVID-19 pandemic. Zito and his team game plan for an active end to the week.
"We need to address some type of support/communications/accountability paradigm shift from the staff, the management, and the organization," Bill said to the room. "[It needs] to be an institutional mindset that everybody needs to be treated like family."
The first move for the new GM is to bring on battle-tested defenseman Radko Gudas, who personifies the culture Zito is looking to instill.
"I'm working hard to be in the best shape I can be and play the tough, physical role" Gudas said. "I always look forward to playing a physical game and make sure that teams don't like coming to our building."
After fortifying the blue line, Zito picked up forwards Alexander Wennberg and Carter Verhaeghe.
Verhaeghe, who is a defending Stanley Cup Champion, is looking forward to moving south to Sunrise.
"I think I'm going to get a lot more opportunity than I would in Tampa," he said. "It seems like a really good fit."
The Florida Panthers closed out NHL Free Agency by adding two more hard-hitting forwards with Ryan Lomberg and Vinnie Hinostroza.
"I'm excited to come to Florida," the 26-year-old Hinostroza said. "It's a new beginning."
After building up the Cats roster, Bill Zito's message is clear: "We want people who compete and who approach the game in a businesslike, professional manner and every day come to the rink and want to win."
