Bill Zito, Florida Panthers Get Their 2025 Stanley Cup Championship Rings. They Real Nice

face the face with the two cups. It’s I’m going to start crying like when we open them. I I kind of glanced at Paul and glanced at my wife and I was um so blessed, so lucky, so appreciative the the the time and the effort that um Biola has put into designing it, creating it for all of us. It’s uh it’s really humbling. Bill, usually in the offseason you you lose a couple guys, you deliver the rings later. Only a handful of guys not on last year’s team are not here tonight. What does it mean to pretty much almost have the full team here that team? Yeah, it it’s just it’s it’s consistent, Jameson, with the theme, you know, when you when you hear us talk about the family part of the team. It you you you could see this evening that how real that is and how tangible it is. Sorry. you got up and toasted the families and you referenced the families. Yeah. In your speech in the rock game six as well. How much are they kind of sometimes the forgotten part what what they sacrifice for? You know, we try so hard not to and in in my instance I’m not allowed to, right? My kids are part of everything and um and my wife and I think for everybody I think so I think we have um really tried extra hard to remember. I mean, a few years ago, we had a kids trip. That’s unheard of. Um, but um it the truth of the matter is that toast was sincere and it was true that none of this happens without the support of our families and and everybody the support everyone’s families. You know, I know we travel and and play and and we’re in press conferences like this, but there’s people who have to work at the arena, you know, 40 plus, let’s just say 60 plus nights a year and uh and it’s hard and you miss things and the sacrifices that that our families make for us cuz they love us. Um I don’t think you can say thanks enough. Bill Barov ditched the crutches to walk up and get his his rig. What do you What does that say? Next week, I think. Next week. Yeah. Yeah. What does it say? What does that say about him that that he wants to show that he opens for the NBA? Yeah. He’s not a a real bold statement kind of guy. I I might have been um [Music] I don’t know. I I I’ll ask him because I I don’t know. I apologize. And I’m not being koi. And uh you know, knowing him, he’s not like I’m going to, you know, I I um Speaking of bold statements, just talk about that ring being a bold statement because you got to go big and better than the one from the year before. Yeah, it’s and and there there’s similarities. I’m going to take uh that was one the guys had them downstairs. So, that was from the American League in 2016. But putting them together, they’re very very similar and um yet yet unique and different. So it’s um it’s hard to miss. Feel like the monster ring. I’m sure when you won that monster ring, you thought that was the top of the mountain. Last year you probably thought was the top of the mountain. Now here you are again. Just how does the feeling change each and every time? It doesn’t. So, just before we got him, um, we were sitting with the Maurices and Paul looked and said, “I’m so excited. I I can’t explain to you.” And I said, “I know.” This is the coolest. This is the greatest thing ever. And we I think back and it the excitement is the same. Um, if not better. I think maybe we appreciate it even more. I’m not sure, but no, it’s real. It’s a bunch of little kids down there. Yeah. Paul compared the leadup to it sort of like the lead up to Christmas morning, just not knowing the play’s going to look like that, all that. What was your just the leadup to tonight like for you and then for it to transition into starting all over again as you get ready for tomorrow? Yeah, I I had a I had the opportunity on a couple of occasions to see versions and I declined because I I wanted to have this be special and and boy oh boy was I ever rewarded. Um same thing for tomorrow. I think it’s it’s as much about seeing everybody and some families came in and and everyone gets to dress up and come have a nice night together and tomorrow we’re back to work and uh yeah, you just you just feel blessed and and hungry to start it and try to do it again. That segus into my question actually. I mean, now the thought is always 3P when you’ve gotten to this opportunity and and just how much are you guys embracing now heading into I don’t think we’re embracing that. I think it’s more okay, it’s a new season. Um, even with our injuries, we have a pretty good team. What can we accomplish? We have a goal and we’ll try to do that. And um, you know, it’s this year’s trophy that we that you try to just like everybody else. Well, I think for every signing or trade you started with, first I’d like to thank the Biola family and then announce the news. Just what does it mean to have the BA family being the ones giving out the rings? You talk about family. I mean, I know it starts starts up there with their family. It and it’s it’s and Vinnie and Teresa and Michael and Travis and John, it’s it’s preached all the time. If you’ve ever spent any time with them, you can see that the love that they have for each other. So, it’s real. It resonates. It transcends down. And it’s very special because I I I do have the luxury of knowing how much time and effort and love they put into designing this and it makes it extra special. So only a few people in this room knew what the rings looked like. Anybody within the franchise or only uh only the family? I don’t know. That’s a good question. People kept asking me today video. Um I guess the video guy must have known, right? But but I I don’t know actually. Swear to God. Obviously, you’re missing some key guys to start for a couple months, but like you were talking about, you’ve got a pretty deep team and everything. And how do you feel with the depth you have to kind of offset? You’re never going to replace those two guys, but at the same time being able to kind of weather through the time. Yeah, we feel pretty good. If you just look pragmatically at our team last year and you said, “Hey, you’re going to have Barkov and Chuck out, but you know what? We’re going to help you. We’re going to give you Jones and Marshon for a little while with a similar type group. You know, we think we’re bullish on our team. Um, and I think the biggest part of it is appreciating how hard it’s going to be and and that it’s not easy and the fact that we know it might make that a little bit easier. Thanks, Bill. Thanks. Thank you

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