Bill Zito, Florida Panthers GM After 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas

Bill Zito, Florida Panthers GM After 2024 NHL Draft in Las Vegas

obviously Mondays in 48 hours where are things with Sam Reinhard right now you know for all the all the ufas you know we’re talking to to our guys trying to trying to get stuff done and uh you know we’ll see uh see what shakes out on Monday next and final given the the timelines like how quickly do those conversations start after you win the cup well is it like the next day or is it we we were everybody was knew what was going on right and nobody everybody knew well we can’t really do this now so talked to the agents and said listen be ready the day after so it was wasn’t as uh I I know you want to be careful what you say on Sam but I mean I can assume given how the time crunch obviously made him an offer uh you know how to use that word assum round6 NHL and the last question I would have is you have other core players that have a year vett also priority items yeah we’re going to try to keep everybody obviously it’s a special it’s a special group and try to keep as many guys as we can and be mindful that you know there’s opportunity for people and there and there’s sometimes and we have a cap and uh Radco gas was a good example of you know just what but you know what that’s good for us too while it’s a loss in one [Music] area maybe the next guy will come and say hey you know what it worked out for me so terms of O coming in just any player like we have a chance because not just us but all the cap teams dep so many players can come and then for helping us put this together and execute what I thought was a great we reach their reach their levels of uhon achievement or or or R razor game either way a good yeah it’s it’s it’s just it’s just fun for us like you know I never could ever even imagin would be part of ITC to be determined so it it not really I mean I then tomorrow I’ll worry about it but have my phone on so traditionally at these things I feel like teams will go up there during the first round and kind of say a few things of congratulations to the family Cup winner we didn’t see that at all this year what what do you make of that no one likes us is there any Canadian media here no it’s just us I’m kidding uh I think just streamlining it I I could not have gotten more congratulations today um it was it was like I I had to go actually do a trade and someone stopped me a good friend oh Cong I couldn’t walk by him you know so it’s all good it’s all nice what did you think just at the sphere the last time you know potentially you could all be together wonderful exciting and uh what a beautiful facility and everybody together it’s great it seemed like you had gave me some setup here it seems like you guys had a type with your pit a lot of big kids a lot of Europeans no we take best player available generally you know within so it wouldn’t it would have just worked out that way it wouldn’t be like there was no type so in fact we were teasing Shane that geez we’re taking all Europeans you know he’s a traditional sort of sort if you take stereotypes but [Music] no class well you know you don’t know till they get get here and play but if you would have asked us prior to the draft hey I guarantee you get these these five six guys we would have been very very happy you you’ve seen your team now at the ultimate level obviously you know your identity now how much easier does that make Drafting and you know exactly kind of where you want these guys to fit with it it it’s so far out and remember even the best dra the best drafting team three out of seven you know four so it’s hard to do it that way it’s more like players that can realize their potential and then you find a play place for them and the real good players will find a place for themselves and for uh lenus at what point in the second round did you guys finally think you know hey we got to hit this button we really want this guy let creight in it I can’t tell you exactly I don’t know but so you have a list right and you’re sitting there and you check them and check them and check them and you’re looking you’re going well we had them here and it’s all over the place early on it’s easy and then when we had a we thought perhaps he might be there then we thought it was worthwhile and it’s good for us too because we need to restock the covers and if we if we mortgage next year just get it in a little earlier then it might help us uh in years past we’d ask P you know what excites you about joining the Panthers they’d say Florida the sun it’s awesome but this year is the first time where they’re all same that’s Champion they’re the best team here I’m so excited I was watching them in the final what does it mean now to kind of add something new to the reputation yeah um well we have to work harder right cuz now the expectation there and the standards are starting to get set so we’re going to have to keep them and improve them and work harder and one of your picks ether uh said that he Compares himself to Kevin stemley which usually don’t hear guys like that get the comparison how cool is that for you to to hear that from proect yeah it’s it’s it’s it’s nice now I don’t know if it sound by or not but if you you know could very well know him right and know the player and I’m sure it was the most WI watched Cup Final ever so so many people watched it so it it’s neat it’s nice and I got goenda is that kind of part of the philosophy giving those guys a pick every year yeah um our goal tending uh Excellence Department’s been pretty good so pretty much whatever they want they want to pick they get it so

Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito speaks at the end of the 2024 NHL Draft at Sphere Las Vegas a few days after after his team won the Stanley Cup with a 2-1 win over the Edmonton Oilers in Game 7 in Sunrise on Saturday, June 29, 2024.

Zito and the Panthers won the Stanley Cup for the first time; he finished third in the Vezina Trophy voting.

He spoke about Florida’s five picks as well as what’s going on with free agency.

The Florida Panthers Are Stanley Cup Champions: https://floridahockeynow.com/can-you-believe-it-florida-panthers-are-stanley-cup-champs/

Tkachuk and the Florida Panthers Take the Stanley Cup to the Beach: https://floridahockeynow.com/tkachuk-florida-panthers-take-stanley-cup-to-lauderdale-beach/

The Panthers Will Hold Their Parade on Sunday: https://floridahockeynow.com/florida-panthers-to-hold-stanley-cup-parade-along-the-beach/

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On Monday night, the Panthers took a 1-0 lead in the first on a goal from Carter Verhaeghe off a sharp pass from Evan Rodrigues.

Tied at 1 in the second, Dmitry Kulikov swept away the puck from an empty net — and Sam Reinhart scored on the ensuing rush.

The rest was up to the Florida defense which clamped down on the Edmonton offensive — with the help of some stellar goaltending from Sergei Bobrovsky.

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Video Courtesy Florida Panthers