The Florida Panthers recently won the first Stanley Cup in franchise history. A grueling playoff run that saw many players rise to the occasion. The bruises, broken bones, and self-assurance that winning would be everything that led to the most successful season in franchise history. However, one person is responsible for putting this team together, General Manager Bill Zito.
Panthers' Zito has recipe for success
Zito was hired by Florida in September 2020 as the team's new general manager and instantly made it known he was not waiting for success, he was going out to get it. His first action was hiring Head Coach Paul Maurice as the team's new bench boss, relieving Andrew Brunette of his duties. Maurice is on of the winningest coaches in history and he comes witha solid resume.
Soon after the Maurice hiring, we woudl find out that Zito was indeed the right man for the job. He signed defenseman Oliver Ekman-Larsson, He claimed, and signed, defenseman Gustav Forsling and signed forward Carter Verhaeghe. Those three would end up being key pieces to the successful run to the Cup. He also acquired Matthew Tkachuk, Kyle Okposo, Vladimir Tarasenko, Claude Giroux, Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, and Brandon Montour. He also drafted forward Anton Lundell.
That is a lot of moves in a short amount of time but Zito was placing his stamp on this championship caliber team. Some of these players were given up on and others needed a change of scenery. Most of the players acquired played a critical part in the Panthers' Stanley Cup run and he got them at a good price. He didn't give up many assets or draft picks but, instead he gave up players who would be dealt in the right situation.
Zito will have his name on the Cup but he will not get the recognition for the team he assembled. Regardless if they won the Cup, this team looks, and plays, a dramatically different game with this group. They do not score a ton of goals, but they buy into the system that Maurice puts out there and they are successful because of it. Could Florida have had success without half of the players acquired? Maybe, but it took this special group to come together and win the ultimate prize. Zito has put a team together that may win more than one championship, and they are built for another run.
This team has talent on the ice, but without the moves Zito made, a Stanley Cup may not have been possible. Tkachuk has raised his game. Forsling was a gem of a claim and was maybe the best player since opening night. Giroux is proving age does not matter, and Montour is a player that fans don't talk about enough. Zito did an amazing job in acquiring this talent for little in exchange. He did not play a single minute this season, but he was massive in why the Panthers won the Stanley Cup.