Zito after Day 1 of Free Agency: 'We're happy that we are where we are'

SUNRISE, Fla. -The opening day of free agency was quietly productive in South Florida.
Having already locked up several core players such as Anthony Duclair, Gustav Forsling and Sam Bennett in recent weeks -- not to mention trading for Sam Reinhart -- Panthers general manager Bill Zito went into the NHL's open market not needing much to round out his roster.
That said, there was still plenty to be done.

In addition to continuing to work on getting an extension done with Reinhart (a restricted free agent), the Panthers managed to bolster their depth in multiple areas on Wednesday afternoon by signing forwards Maxim Mamin and Juho Lammikko, defenseman Brandon Montour and goaltender Christopher Gibson, while also extending the contract of forward Carter Verhaeghe.
"We knew what we wanted to do ahead of time, what we were trying to execute," Zito said. "I think the acquisition of Sam Reinhart threw a little bit of a wrench, player personnel-wise, into what we were able to do cap-wise. As far as actually today is concerned, it's been rather quiet, but we didn't think we would be able to be active. We're happy that we are where we are."
After finishing with the fourth-best record in the league during the regular season and then taking the eventual Stanley Cup champion Lightning to six games in the opening round of the playoffs, Zito said he felt it was important to really make an earnest investment in the core group of players behind that resurgence rather than go looking elsewhere for help during free agency.
"These guys come in here and dedicate themselves to help the collective win," said Zito, who held his end-of-day media conference on a scenic balcony at BB&T Center. "It's real important. It's nice to be able to keep the collective together and the core together. That's what we're trying to do."
Getting out ahead of some important business, the Panthers opened up their afternoon by signing Verhaeghe -- aka "Swaggy" -- to a three-year contract extension that, given he still has one year left on the two-year deal he inked in October, will kick into effect beginning in 2022-23.
Possibly the under-the-radar steal of last year's free agency period, Verhaeghe shined while receiving a top-line role right out of the gate during his first season in Florida after previously helping the cross-state Lightning win their first of back-to-back Cups as a rookie in 2019-20.
Saddling up alongside Aleksander Barkov, the 25-year-old forward tallied 36 points (18 goals, 18 assists) and a +24 rating over 43 games this past season. A model of offensive consistency, his longest point drought of the campaign was just three games, and that only happened once.
Lauded for his abilities as a relentless forechecker and puck retriever, Verhaeghe also played a key role in the team's up-tempo possession game. His 58.72 CF% trailed only Barkov's mark of 58.90% among Florida's regulars, while the team owned big advantages in shots attempts (717-504) and scoring chances (290-204) when he was deployed at 5-on-5, per NaturalStatTrick.com.
"We want to get the players who have excelled, and we believe will excel in the future, and have them continue to be a part of pushing the team forward and getting better and better," Zito said.
Adding further depth to a forward group that feels like it's already overflowing with talent, the Panthers then inked the versatile duo of Lammikko and Mamin to a pair of one-year contracts.
Returning to South Florida after spending parts of two seasons in Europe, Lammikko, a veteran of 84 career NHL games, registered five points (four goals, one assist) and 50 hits while playing a primarily fourth-line role over 44 regular-season contests with the Panthers this past season.
A third-round pick in the 2014 NHL Draft, the 25-year-old also skated 42:50 on the penalty kill.
"Juho consistently contributed heart, passion and grit to our lineup," Zito said. "We're excited to have him return to strengthen our forward group in 2021-22."
Hoping to take a similar route back to the NHL, Mamin is slated to re-join the Panthers after fine-tuning his game in the KHL over the past three seasons. Coming into his own, the 26-year-old accumulated 35 points (15 goals, 20 assists) in 55 games with CSKA Moscow in 2020-21.
Last appearing in a game with the Panthers in 2018-19, the 26-year-old, who was taken in the sixth round in 2016, has tallied four points (three goals, one assists) in 33 career NHL games.
"We've been very blessed with players with lots of versatility who can play up and down the lineup on either side," Zito said. "Max gives us size, speed and a little bit of scoring. We think maybe he's somebody that can fit right in."
Bulking up their blue line, the Panthers then re-signed Montour to a three-year deal.
Acquired from the Sabres at the trade deadline, the 27-year-old defensemen, like so many other players that have joined the Cats during Zito's tenure, saw his game take off in South Florida as he registered four points (two goals, two assists) over 12 games to close out the regular season.
Finding some early chemistry with Markus Nutivaara, Montour posted a 59.73 CF% at 5-on-5 over those 12 games while the Panthers outscored the opposition 15-7 when he was on the ice.
"I felt like I was one of the guys right away [when I got here]," Montour said of his success after arriving to the Panthers. "On the ice, you can see the team that we have and the talent we have. I wanted to find something where I'm on a winning team and a team that wants to win now."
Putting a bow on a successful afternoon of wheeling and dealing, the Panthers added some padding to their goalie depth by signing Christopher Gibson to a one-year, two-way contract.
In two games with the Lightning this past season, the 28-year-old went 1-1-0 with a 2.66 goals-against average and .875 save percentage. He also manned the crease for two games in the AHL with Syracuse, going 2-0-0 with a 2.51 goals-against average and .925 save percentage.
An experienced asset, Gibson has played in 210 career games in the AHL and 16 in the NHL.
"You look at them and project," Zito said when asked about how the organization evaluates players. "You make the projection and a lot of information we can get factors in those contracts. You get a comfort level of what you think and where you project those players are going to be. "
With the upcoming season fast approaching and their roster beginning to take shape, it's hard not to feel confident looking at all of the recent moves made by the Panthers as they continue to work tirelessly during the offseason to build a team capable of contending for the Stanley Cup.
"We want to get better and we want to continue to move forward in the playoffs and we want to win," Zito said. "That's' the only barometer that we judge ourselves on. … We need to put a team on the ice that wins consistently and goes deep. That's what we're trying to do."
For a more in-depth look at these signings, check back at FloridaPanthers.com later this week.