If it werent for teams like the Washington Capitals and Pittsburgh Penguins, Florida might very well bear the title themself. ", Julie Zito, his wife, responded: "Florida! It can be risky to trade away future picks, especially ones in the early rounds, but the Panthers are not in the same position theyve generally been during the teams history. They went to the postseason three times in the decade that Tallon spent with the club, though still haven't won a playoff series since the franchise's lone run to the Stanley Cup Final in 1996. Find out the highest paying jobs at Florida Panthers and salaries by location, department, and level. Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito speaks to the media on June 2, 2021. His mother, Priscilla Zito, had a second bout of pancreatic cancer last year. That was an absolute priority, but, to go deeper than that, you need a leader. General Manager Bill Zito has done an exemplary job building a roster that can and should compete for the Stanley Cup when the postseason arrives in a couple months. When do you get to do an eight-hour overview of an NHL organization with an owner?" Copyright 2023 Local10.com is published by WPLG INC., a Berkshire Hathaway company. The 38-year-old forward has been one of the biggest surprise of the year for the Panthers, scoring 12 goals and recording 14 points all since the start of the new year. "My family and I want to thank Matt Caldwell and the Viola Family for their confidence in me for this opportunity with the Panthers. He attended law school at the University of Wisconsin and served as an assistant coach for the Badgers varsity hockey team and a radio color commentator for Badger hockey. "I remember thinking 'God, am I tired,' but at the same time feeling emotionally great. Panthers hire Blue Jackets' Bill Zito as new . He served in that role for two years before also taking on the role of General Manager of the American Hockey League's Cleveland Monsters (then Lake Erie Monsters) in 2015-16. David Dwork joined the WPLG Local 10 News team in August 2019. GM Bill Zito defends Paul Maurice, Panthers process near the end of disappointing season, Mysterious creature seen hopping along rainforest river for first time in 24 years, Little dragon found on uninhabited Australian island is a new species. While there are no roster limits after the Trade Deadline, teams still must remain under the salary cap. While Bobrovsky is gobbling up significant cap space, Zito takes over a team with just 13 players under contract for next season and over $20.9 million in open space under the flat $81.5 million salary cap. Either way, eyes are on future for Florida, Seven things the Panthers need to do on a 7-game homestand to get back into playoff hunt, Short-handed Panthers keep playoff hopes afloat with dominant start, huge win in Tampa. Theyre both high-scoring, shoot-first wingers and will battle for pricing. To the surprise of no one, Florida Panthers general manager Bill Zito has been named one of the three finalists for the Jim Gregory GM of the Year Award. Its a double-edged sword. March 03, 2023 5:17 PM. He handled our team really well.". Real-time updates and all local stories you want right in the palm of your hand. Its overwhelming right now and I cant wait to get started.. Columbus success at developing homegrown talent is the sort of model Florida would like to follow. With the qualifying rounds over, the Florida Panthers aren't bringing back GM Dale Tallon. Florida Panthers fans have messages for there favorite players during warm ups prior to the start of the game against the Nashville Predators at the FLA Live Arena on March 2, 2023 in Sunrise,. Needless to say, its muddy. The Official Florida Panthers Membership Hub. Round 1 best picks | Round 1 recap Theyll lie somewhere in the middle of two extremes: high-end playoffs and relocation. And you can trust me," he told the Panthers, "and if I betray them to you, then you're going to think I'm going to betray you. When you're a team as deep as the Florida Panthers, the surplus of players can sometimes be a luxury that is difficult to afford. This is a franchise in desperate need of postseason success. The Florida Panthers are a community focused organization led by an authentic management team that served our country and now serves the South Florida community. The Panthers officially announced the hire Wednesday as Zito flew from Ohio to Florida to start in his new post. Big takeaways | Top 100 rankings Organize your next outing with the Florida Panthers. initiatives. If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search. No one's the same. Florida Panthers goalie Sergei Bobrovsky will be out with a lower-body injury. Bill is all that.. Aleksi Saarela has done well in the minors but hasnt found his groove in the NHL. The agreement, following months of settlement discussions, was approved by Miami . In an effort to stay competitive, its likely that the Panthers simply re-sign whichever will take the cheaper deal. The process was exhilarating.". He brings great experience to our club and possesses a strong business acumen.. All Rights Reserved. They've had to grow up a little too much for kids their age," he said. How Bill Zito finally went from perpetual finalist to GM, How the Rangers, Bruins, other East powers took over the trade deadline. The Florida Panthers will have a new general manager next season, making the announcement early Monday that Dale Tallon is leaving the franchise after 10 years. And how will the grim salary-restraint affect the teams re-signing of pending-FAs like Erik Haula, Brian Boyle, Mark Pysyk, or MacKenzie Weegar? Use arrows to navigate between autocomplete results. And if Quenneville turns the Panthers into a winner, once again Tallon will be watching from elsewhere. If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search. With Zitos help, Columbus has reached the Stanley Cup playoffs in four straight years after qualifying just twice in their first 15 seasons of existence. Click below for a list of all upcoming events at the home of the Florida Panthers! Led by General Manager Bill Zito, the Panthers are coming off their best season in franchise history. Terms have apparently been reached with a new Florida Panthers general manager. The GM role and leader of hockey operations -- that role has evolved so much. Hes taking the reigns of one of the most challenging situations in the league. David Wilson, a Maryland native, is the Miami Heralds utility man for sports coverage. They made the Qualifying Round this year and, with some help, couldve easily made the First Round. Maxim Mamin is alright but hes 25 and isnt producing as much as hoped in the KHL. Florida parted ways with Tallon, whose contract was expiring, last month, three days after the Panthers fell to the New York Islanders in the qualifying round of the expanded postseason. Patience might also be the only way to approach one of the more controversial aspects of the Panthers' current roster: their goaltending. Defend Panthers Territory as they play the top teams of the NHL at FLA Live Arena. Get started with your Free Employer Profile, average salary for a Manager is $67,877 per year in United States, The Ultimate Job Interview Preparation Guide. Zito waited too long for this opportunity to give anything less. And Roberto Luongo, the longtime Panthers goalie whose jersey was retired by the club earlier this year, is expected to remain with Florida. She thinks it's one of the coolest things ever," Zito said. When the Panthers' job inquiry came in, he dove a little deeper, not only to be prepared for the eventual conversations but to find out "if I really wanted to talk to these guys. ", "N.H.L. Everything about 2022-23 Season Memberships for the Florida Panthers! It was from Aleksander Barkov, the captain and face of the franchise, welcoming Zito to his new home. If no results appear, use Enter to do a full site search. List of Florida Panthers general managers, "Clarke Starts With Nothing --- And Likes It", "SPORTS PEOPLE: HOCKEY; Compensation for Clarke", "SPORTS PEOPLE: HOCKEY; Bryan Murray Named Panthers' G.M. Some even mentioned that they didnt feel like the benefits of season-tickets were worth it anymore now that parking wasnt free because simply purchasing tickets on a service like StubHub would amount to cheaper year-long spending. "I worked for the Blue Jackets and I'll tell you what I think and I'll tell you conceptually how my brain works. Then, moments later and almost in unison, they stopped and asked: "Where? The dance began: How much does a candidate give away in an interview that long? They were constantly bringing in guys that fit their system, without missing a beat. Eleven of the players on Columbus current roster were drafted by the Blue Jackets in Zitos time with the organization. Zito and his wife, Julie, are the parents of twin daughters Frankie and Gigi and son Billy. 1 overall pick and chance to draft prized winger Alexis Lafreniere. Of Tallons 12 first-round picks, only five played for the Panthers this season and they once again fell short of the traditional 16-team playoffs. "I'm humbled and honored to accept the position of General Manager of the Florida Panthers," said Zito. Additionally, Zito served on the management team for Team USA for the 2015 IIHF World Championship team earning a Bronze Medal and served on the International Council for USA Hockey. Giroux, also a pending free agent, would be quite the addition to Floridas deep well of forwards. Last offseason, Florida hired coach Joel Quenneville after he helped lead the Chicago Blackhawks to three Stanley Cups last decade and signed superstar goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky to a seven-year, $70 million deal after he twice won the Vezina Trophy with the Blue Jackets. Division: Atlantic. Not even the exciting Wild Card race Florida was enthralled in could fix that. Stream full replays of every game Embed from Getty Imageswindow.gie=window.gie||function(c){(gie.q=gie.q||[]).push(c)};gie(function(){gie.widgets.load({id:'7B3Cv-bGSw1Xz0SAM7Xvfw',sig:'qOrL1wcsNlDimfcCmVVqTCIQAL0ewnZPlOoILl6-pUw=',w:'594px',h:'396px',items:'1209298155',caption: true ,tld:'com',is360: false })}); Gabriel Foley serves as the Senior Editor and SEO Analyst for Last Word on Hockey. Bill Zito touched down in South Florida on Wednesday to be announced as the Florida Panthers new general manager and had a text message waiting for him as he got off the plane. FloridaPanthers.com is the official Web site of the Florida Panthers. 1999-2023 Ticketmaster. Get the latest official stats for the Florida Panthers. "I would like to thank the South Florida fans and community for the last 10 years, and the Viola family for the last seven with this franchise," Tallon said. Florida Panthers 2022-2023 Salary Cap. Former Trump campaign manager and Palm Beach Gardens resident Paul Manafort has agreed to pay $3.2 million to settle federal charges that he failed to disclose foreign bank accounts he used to funnel "millions of dollars" to himself without paying income taxes. Only four players drafted by Florida during Tallons tenure played in an All-Star Game and three of those Barkov, defenseman Aaron Ekblad and left wing Jonathan Huberdeau were top-three picks, who have combined for just four All-Star appearances. Better marketing of star players like Barkov and Ekblad also seems crucial. Although the Panthers played in the 24-team postseason tournament in the NHL's restarted season, they were eliminated by the New York Islanders in four games. Florida is also about to begin a stretch where theyll play almost exclusively on the road, with nine of the teams next 10 contests coming away from FLA Live Arena. Its no secret that Zito has been looking to bolster Floridas back line. The scouts with the Blue Jackets had a philosophy: If you're not watching him 20 times, at least watch the player 10 times. The Official Site of the Florida Panthers. So I'm not going to.". Tallon wasn't there for those Chicago titles; he was fired less than a year after delivering Quenneville. He brought Luongo back to Florida in a trade, swung a deal in 2015 that added Jaromir Jagr, assembled the 2015-16 roster that set team records for wins (47) and points (103), and last year was instrumental in the talks that lured his close friend Joel Quenneville to take over as coach of the Panthers. The Panthers are members of the Atlantic Division of the Eastern Conference in the National Hockey League (NHL). "But we'll be fine.". He interviewed with the Buffalo Sabres, Minnesota Wild, Philadelphia Flyers, New Jersey Devils, the expansion Seattle Kraken and others. The "Most Likely Range" represents values that exist within the 25th and 75th percentile of all pay data available for this role. Florida panthers occur in the peninsula of Florida, primarily south of Orlando. The Panthers were eliminated from the playoffs Friday, falling to the New York Islanders in four games. "We are thrilled to welcome Bill Zito as General Manager of the Florida Panthers," said Viola. Entering play on Monday, the Panthers have the fourth-highest point total in the league, with their 79 points in 55 games only trailing Colorado (85 points in 56 games), Carolina (83 points in 56 games) and Tampa Bay (80 points in 55 games). Bill Zito's daughter Gigi, for example, became mildly obsessed with one day owning a limousine. Zito has for years been considered one of the NHLs most promising up-and-coming GM candidates. While still a good prospect, hes not likely for the stardom that Florida needs. Aside from those three, theres not exactly a name that sticks out in Floridas pool. Regarding Sergei Bobrovsky (lower-body), Maurice said [] Teams that drafted new top prospects Florida is struggling. In 2018, season-ticket holders complained about new changes made to the format. FloridaPanthers.com is the official Web site of the Florida Panthers. Florida Panthers and floridapanthers.com are trademarks of the Florida Panthers Hockey Club, Ltd. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup and NHL Conference logos are registered trademarks and NHL Draft name and logo are trademarks of the National Hockey League. The Florida Panthers are a professional ice hockey team based in Sunrise, Florida, United States. "When we were interviewing, I told [the Panthers] we're going to have a '100% Rule.' Show your Panthers pride and tweet at us with #FromTheTerritory, Click to view our upcoming Vamos Gatos! He first joined the Blue Jackets as assistant general manager in 2013 and took over as the GM for AHL Cleveland in 2015, leading the Cleveland Monsters, then called the Lake Erie Monsters, to win the American Hockey League in 2016. The Florida Fish and Wildlife Conservation Commission has documented males as far north as Georgia. Obviously, you have to be a great talent evaluator and a team builder and, at the end of the day, to build a team you have to have great hockey sense, Caldwell said. More Information The team was founded as an expansion franchise on December 10, 1992. The estimated additional pay is $19,447 per year. They might have grabbed a beer in a group, he said, but didn't have the kind of personal relationship they'll have now. Not the big stretch one, but just a regular Cadillac limo. The Florida Panthers are a community focused organization led by an authentic management team that served our country and now serves the South Florida community. Florida Panthers and floridapanthers.com are trademarks of the Florida Panthers Hockey Club, Ltd. NHL, the NHL Shield, the word mark and image of the Stanley Cup and NHL Conference logos are registered trademarks and NHL Draft name and logo are trademarks of the National Hockey League. SUNRISE, Fla. - Florida Panthers Owner & Governor Vincent Viola announced today that Bill Zito has been named General Manager of the Panthers. Owen Tippett has fallen far from the expectations fans had for him when he was drafted. The estimated base pay is $57,890 per year. Mason Marchment, Anthony Duclair and Lundell scored in the first period as the home side built a commanding 3-1 lead. If you need help with the Public File, call (954) 364-2526. The Panthers extensive search led them to interview about two dozen candidates, ranging from assistant general managers, such as Zito, to television analysts, such as former Florida goaltender Kevin Weekes. GM Bill Zito explains. Mike Hoffman and Evgenii Dadonov are both pending-free agents whose salary would just nearly account for the second half of the $10 million that needs to be voided. A typical senior interactive designer salary at Florida Panthers is $92,207 per year. This number represents the median, which is the midpoint of the ranges from our proprietary Total Pay Estimate model and based on salaries collected from our users. "Bill is a leader, who possesses the passion, knowledge and work ethic needed to instill a winning culture in all aspects of our business. : ROUNDUP; Panthers Clean House, Firing Coach and G.M. We're looking forward to getting more familiar with each other in terms of what we are, what we're really looking for in identifying players and how we can get better. Florida Panthers employees earn an average salary of $57,114 in 2023, with a range from $37,000 to $86,000. Florida Panthers. Zito and Bednar won the 2016 Calder Cup with the Lake Erie Monsters, which put the then-assistant GM on every team's radar. Everybody in the room. Bill Zito, who had been with the Columbus Blue Jackets since 2013, heads to Florida to replace Dale Tallon. The cost for Bennett was a 2022 second-round pick and former second-round pick Emil Heineman. Only the best games, only on weekends and during the holidays! The new GM needs to find a way to fix this quickly. Zito graduated from Yale University, where he played varsity hockey from 1984-87.