Dear Canadian fans,
Zito did say he will listen to any offers; no that does not mean we need to trade him absolutely now or that we want to trade him. That even means that we won't trade him for your package of five players and prospects that include a 2nd-3rd line tweener (that scored 20 goals once), your 3rd best prospect, a cap dump and a pick (with protection against a lottery selection!).
This does not that we are broke. If you read the initial source that lets you salivate over our elite talent in blue or (rouge et blanc):
' If there was one thing that surprised Florida GM Bill Zito in our conversation, it was that I’d heard Panthers’ ownership wished to cut payroll.
“No one said that me,” he said after a pause. “That’s news to me.”'
In fact our owners' financial firm had 70% return this years and we are one of the 14 teams that have not cut staff salaries yet. So what does this mean? We aren't trading our number defenseman to clear 1M in salary (and taking on 3 M in additional cap).
How disappointing it must be? One of the best young defensemen won't be coming to your team for scraps; how dare these non-traditional markets! It is our game (As we see teams from Florida and Texas fight for the cup)
Sincerely,
Florida Fans (and all Sunbelt franchises)
P.S.-In all seriousness, good hockey trades for other top talent are possible and that's what young, team-controlled, undisgruntled defensemen go for. Weber for Subban; Jones for Johansen.