Prior to shifting to front-office roles in the NHL, Florida Panthers president of hockey operations and general manager Bill Zito spent close to two decades as a player agent, representing a slew of players from big name stars to hopeful up-and-comers before becoming the architect of a team that has won back-to-back Stanley Cups and made three consecutive appearances in the Stanley Cup Final.
One of those players from his former life is now on the team he oversees.
The Panthers in late August signed forward Luke Kunin to a one-year deal to shore up their bottom-six forward depth with fourth-line center Tomas Nosek set to miss “several months” to start the season after undergoing surgery for a lower-body injury. Zito represented Kunin when he was at the junior level.
It’s a nice full-circle moment for both Zito and Kunin.
“I probably shouldn’t say it, but if I’m going to be transparent, it’s nice,” Zito told the Miami Herald a week after the signing. “It’s like, ‘Hey, the two of us, maybe we can help each other.’ When you have people that you know and like and respect and you’re able to work with them, it’s great. I think it’s a privilege. It’s not lost on me how fortunate we are to have things like that.”
Kunin, 27, is an eight-year NHL veteran and former first-round pick by the Minnesota Wild in 2016. He has played in 434 career NHL games, producing 73 goals and 69 assists for 142 points during stops with Minnesota, the Nashville Predators, San Jose Sharks and Columbus Blue Jackets. He has 887 career hits, including at least 165 in three of the past four seasons.
He’ll fit right in on that front with the Panthers’ grind-it-out style of hockey under coach Paul Maurice.
“I’m physical, fast, in your face,” Kunin said Friday. “I play with that grit and play on the edge. It’s something I try to do. They obviously do it, too. So yeah, there are a lot of similarities.”
And Kunin hopes to take advantage of this opportunity of being a role player for a contender. He has played in just 14 total Stanley Cup playoff games, never making it out of the first round in any of the three years his team got there (2020 with Minnesota and 2021 and 2022 with Nashville). He has four goals in those 14 games.
Kuning can play either on the wing or at center for Florida. With Nosek out, center would likely be where he has the best chance for playing time with Jonah Gadjovich and A.J. Greer on the wings of Florida’s fourth line. Jesper Boqvist, who signed a two-year extension with a $1.5 million cap hit, will be competing with that threesome for playing time as well.
“Joining the back-to-back Stanley Cup champions, it’s obviously a special group,” Kunin said. “Happy to be part of a winning culture and just do whatever I can to help and find a role.”
As for re-connecting with Zito, albeit in a different work relationship?
“It’s pretty crazy,” Kunin said. “Obviously, seeing what he’s been able to do, to get that call, obviously and to have this team and organization reach out, you want to play for the best. You want to be a part of the best. And right now, the Florida Panthers are the best. So that was very exciting. There wasn’t much thought that needed to go into that decision when he called.”