Confirmed with Link: Bill Zito is the Panthers new GM

[TheImpatientPanther]

Report: Panthers hiring Bill Zito as general manager Report: Panthers hiring Bill Zito as general manager

Welcome Bill Zito, your new GM.

Click to read more...

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

 

[Gizmo Tkachuk]

Interesting that he wasn't even part of the list of candidates being interviewed according to Friedman

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Wanna know how your franchise is inept? A 26 year old team that had 1 GM for 9 years is on their 11th gm

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

The Panthers got their figurehead GM. Viola got fed up with how Tallon handled the contracts and the rest is history, or future I might say.

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

Interesting that he wasn't even part of the list of candidates being interviewed according to Friedman

Just shows how little these insiders know about the Panthers' dealings. Probably the names of the aforementioned GM candidates got leaked via other organizations.

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

Said in the thread before I saw this, wanna know how your franchise is inept? A 26 year old team that had 1 GM for 9 years is on their 11th gm

 

[5 Hole]

Just shows how little these insiders know about the Panthers' dealings. Probably the names of the aforementioned GM candidates got leaked via other organizations.

You’re absolutely right. I have no idea who this guy is.

 

[Ryuji Yamazaki]

Ok.

At least it didn’t drag on too long

 

[XX]

Grats on the savvy hire guys, especially with some weird names out there. I think he will be great for you.

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

 

[Sticksandsun]

I voted who, he is a former agent with a couple years as an AHL gm

 

[rt]

I'm a Coyotes fan. This guy was my #1 choice. I'm pissed we didn't hire him. I'm pissed that you guys aren't jumping for joy.

 

[Cats2TheCup]

Does this have "Florida Panthers Are Stanley Cup Champions" written on it?

 

[Cats2TheCup]

I'm a Coyotes fan. This guy was my #1 choice. I'm pissed we didn't hire him. I'm pissed that you guys aren't jumping for joy.

Why was he your number 1 choice?

 

[ucanthanzalthetruth]

I'm a Coyotes fan. This guy was my #1 choice. I'm pissed we didn't hire him. I'm pissed that you guys aren't jumping for joy.

I think its unrealistic for anyone to have heard of an AHL GM of a small market team that has never been an NHL gm and isnt a former player. I could not tell you Arizonas AHL gm if my life depended on it.

 

[Jean Luc Discard]

Does this have "Florida Panthers Are Stanley Cup Champions" written on it?

This means that an accountant is running club from now on. However, I dunno if a better balance sheet analysis gets the Panthers closer to the Cup.

 

[rt]

I think its unrealistic for anyone to have heard of an AHL GM of a small market team that has never been an NHL gm and isnt a former player. I could not tell you Arizonas AHL gm if my life depended on it.

He's been a top candidate for a lot of open positions. He's definitely a one to watch guy. Pretty well-known.

 

[rt]

Why was he your number 1 choice?

• He played at Yale
• He went law School at Wisco
• He was a very successful NHL player agent (this means he went toe-to-toe with NHL GMs and won)
• He took over an AHL team as GM (not an AGM who's a glorified head scout like Futa)
• He hired Jared Bednar and won a championship
• Bednar got an NHL job and has been successfull
• The Monsters team that won the Calder Cup was very young (this is rare in the AHL)
• Many of those players are fixtures on a surprising Columbus team
• He has a demonstrated track-record of success
• His influence has led to Columbus keeping the right young players
• This means good development
• After hiring John Madden who turned out to be the wrong fit, he didn't hesitate to let him go
• He hired Eaves, who's a solid hire
• He worked under Jarmo Kekelainen who's a top GM and probably learned a lot
• Columbus was viewed as a team with no future - Zito helped make them a Cindarella
• Columbus had a disastrous off-season, they still competed
• The Coyotes are in a very dark place - no picks, a rotten core, blown out of the playoffs, and a bad coaching staff

Zito had the unique experience to be the right guy not to give out terrible contracts (like Chayka), not to get in trouble for illegal combines (he's a lawyer) and cost us a 1st and 2nd round pick (like Chayka), not to remain loyal to bad hires for too long (like Chayka), to develop a farm system that actually feeds the NHL team (we got NOTHING from the farm this year- nada).

Also he's not somebody's friends. Some good guy from around the league. He earned his job based on the merit of his professional accomplishments. It's not cronyism.

 

[Gizmo Tkachuk]

Also been assistant GM in CBJ since 2013

 

[batting1k]

This is a great choice imo, I'm on board.

From CBJ website:

Zito joined the Blue Jackets after using scouting as a platform to build Acme World Sports into one of the top hockey agencies in the business. In 2013, Forbes ranked Acme as the eighth-most valuable hockey agency in the world with almost $200 million in contracts under management. In 2007, The Hockey News lauded Zito in their "genius" issue for his scouting prowess, noting his ability to uncover late-round or undrafted, lesser-known players as well as the top picks.

Former agent so he knows that side of the business well so I bet we won't be seeing anymore stupid contracts.

CBJ AHL team won a championship with him at the helm, and they managed to push on without any issues after losing Panarin, Bob, etc after last season. People describing him as "sharp", "brilliant," and "no-nonsense." Outside voice with no ties to anyone here which is great.

 

[rt]

This is a great choice imo, I'm on board.

From CBJ website:



Former agent so he knows that side of the business well so I bet we won't be seeing anymore stupid contracts.

CBJ AHL team won a championship with him at the helm, and they managed to push on without any issues after losing Panarin, Bob, etc after last season. People describing him as "sharp", "brilliant," and "no-nonsense." Outside voice with no ties to anyone here which is great.

I’ve been on the edge of my seat hoping to get the news you guys got.

Congrats! I’m cheering for you. I feel like the Coyotes and Panthers are brothers in bad luck.

 

[BabyBennettov]

Caldwell said we were down to a couple of candidates... Would be fun to know who is the other one !

But if GR isn’t confirming it, I think we should wait !

 

[Howboutthempanthers]

All right. Well Z, show us what you got.

 

[TheImpatientPanther]

Caldwell said we were down to a couple of candidates... Would be fun to know who is the other one !

But if GR isn’t confirming it, I think we should wait !

Friedman said they will announce it tomorrow, he was on Hockey Central just 30 mins ago, seems official so far.