Bill Zito has come a great distance since his days as a batboy with the Milwaukee Brewers.
From a World Series appearance as a teenage thug boy to the Stanley Cup Final as an NHL general manager, it's a life well lived.
The Florida Panthers took a probability on Zito in September 2020, giving him his first GM job within the NHL after the previous player agent with the Columbus Blue Jackets accepted several GM jobs elsewhere.
Zito interviewed for GM openings on the Buffalo Sabers (Jason Botterill was hired), Minnesota Wild (Paul Fenton was hired), Wild Again (Bill Guerin got it), Carolina Hurricanes (owner Tom Dundon ultimately didn't hire a GM after several After interviewing candidates, team president Don Waddell named GM as an alternative, Philadelphia Flyers (Chuck Fletcher got it), Edmonton Oilers (Ken Holland got it), and New Jersey Devils (where the owner interviewed several people, including Zito, before finally leaving appointed interim GM Tom Fitzgerald to the full-time position).
That being said, Zito didn't take the straightforward path to where he’s today. He needed to be patient. First of all, he took the chance of giving up his player agency business. Acme World Sports, an organization he founded in 1995, had represented the likes of Tim Thomas, Tuukka Rask, John Madden, Kimmo Timonen and Brian Rafalski. As the Blue Jackets' AGM in 2013, he was immersed in an entire recent world.
So when the Panthers announced this week that they’d signed Zito to a multi-year extension (his previous contract expired after next season) and promoted him to president of hockey operations, one had to take a seat back and reflect on the trail they were taking.
“You feel very lucky, blessed and humbled,” were Zito’s first words after we spoke on the phone Monday evening. “I am so grateful to the Violas (the team’s owners) for this opportunity.
“And for the opportunity to be part of something. You know, we've been lucky enough to bring together a really good group of like-minded people here. Being able to be part of it is a privilege.”
It's been quite a journey. You're still missing out on the Stanley Cup, but Zito has built a team in Florida that may compete not only this yr but for several years to return.
“One of the blessings here is the core group,” Zito said. “They are not just good players, they are great people.
“And the group of people I work with every day, learn from, interact with, and be challenged by is so extraordinary.”
Team USA Olympic GM Bill Guerin has gotten to know Zito well and they’re going to now work together as a part of the country's 4 Nations and Olympics management group.
“Honestly, I love Billy,” Guerin said Tuesday. “NO. 1, as a person, he and I have become closer over the last 10 years or so when we were both assistant GMs. He's one of the smartest people I know. He thinks differently. I really respect that. He thinks outside the box, he is aggressive.
“There’s always something going on upstairs. I just think the world of him.”
The Panthers have only had four players on their NHL roster since Zito was named GM on September 2, 2020: captain Aleksander Barkov, Aaron Ekblad, Sergei Bobrovsky and Eetu Luostarinen. The first three are undoubtedly great and important veterans.
Aleksander Barkov and Aaron Ekblad were already a part of the Panthers' core before Bill Zito took over as GM. (James Guillory/USA Today)
Zito makes a degree of tipping his hat to former Panthers GM Dale Tallon, who left behind a robust core and good assets to inherit.
“I played against some pretty good players here,” Zito said. “A little will for Dale, right?”
But Zito was as aggressive as some other GM within the league, moving on his starter and trading for guys like Sam Reinhart, Sam Bennett, Matthew Tkachuk and Brandon Montour. There was also his reticent signing of Carter Verhaeghe, his waiving of Gustav Forsling, etc.
“Billy has done an outstanding job in transforming the Panthers,” Waddell said Tuesday.
“Looking back on his time as an agent, I always found Bill to be a creative, outside-the-box thinker,” said Tampa Bay Lightning GM Julien BriseBois. “It served him well then and it continued to serve him well as he moved into team management. He has proven to be a thoughtful and courageous GM and his leadership since his hiring has helped the Panthers become a top team in the league.”
Some first-time GMs sit idle an excessive amount of, afraid to get beaten on a trade. That wasn't Zito.
Not every first-time GM gets their second contract. That's only a fact of life within the fast lane. And a few of these first-time GMs won’t ever get one other probability.
One thing I've heard from experienced GMs through the years is that they should learn to delegate more over time. When you turn into a GM, you realize that each decision is your butt on the road. The money stays with you. It's an awesome feeling, and also you'll often see first-time GMs feel the necessity to delve into every aspect of it day-after-day. GMs must learn to grow right into a place where they know people care about certain things, they usually must learn to let go a bit.
Zito took a deep breath before answering.
“Everything you said is correct and to the point,” he said. “It’s a little different for me because I had a sports agency so I have experience running a business.”
“Knowing the interaction you just referenced and my personal experience, I still don’t fully understand it,” he added with fun. “It remains to be difficult to delegate. I even have problems.”
Bill Zito and Panthers coach Paul Maurice speak to the media before the 2023 Stanley Cup Final. (Lucas Peltier/USA Today)
Zito can laugh at himself about it because he hopes he'll get well at it over time. But all of it comes from caring a lot about every little detail within the day-to-day operations of the hockey side of the franchise.
He truly lives and dies with every victory or defeat.
In the meantime, Zito has tried to soak up as much knowledge as possible from people across the league.
He points to a call from the Board of Governors in the course of the pandemic when Bruins owner Jeremy Jacobs made a comment to all the group that actually stuck with him.
“He said, 'Someone smart once told me that no one would ever get into trouble,'” Zito said. “I found that really interesting. I know I have to do better. And I think probably anyone could.”
Right now it's all concerning the Stanley Cup Playoffs. The Panthers are hoping for one more deep run.
The offseason will likely be busy as at all times, Reinhart is an impending unrestricted free agent who’s having a profession season. One of the things I discovered interesting just a few weeks ago once I spoke to Reinhart about his upcoming contract decision was that he cited his comfort level with Zito as a reason why he isn't stressed about not having signed a contract extension yet.
“I think the relationship that we have, me and Billy, me and the organization, it's all positive, it's all mutual,” Reinhart said. “I am very happy that things are continuing. Hopefully we have bigger things in mind in the next few months. But I’m not going to lose any sleep over it.”
This feeling is mutual.
“I have nothing but respect for Sam and it will be done at the right time,” Zito reiterated on Monday evening.
If Reinhart stays, it should undoubtedly cost lower than his market demand can be on July 1st. But who can blame him if he's willing to take less?
They built something special in South Florida. And everyone wants a bit of it.
image credit : theathletic.com