Latest news with #BillZito
Yahoo
16 hours ago
- Business
- Yahoo
Comparing The 2024-25 GM Moves Of The Panthers And Oilers Ahead Of The Stanley Cup Final
The Florida Panthers and Edmonton Oilers will meet in the Stanley Cup final for the second-straight season, beginning Wednesday at Rogers Place in Edmonton. It marks the first time that the same two clubs have met in consecutive years since Pittsburgh and Detroit in 2008 and 2009, but there has been an evolution of each club since they faced each other a year ago. While the core groups of each club are the same, the Panthers started the season with nine players who played on their championship squad departing via free agency or retirement. Florida GM Bill Zito faced the challenge of restocking the shelves with limited cap space. Advertisement Zito plugged some of the holes last summer with bargain free agent veteran forwards Jesper Boqvist, A.J. Greer, Tomas Nosek and defenseman Nate Schmidt, while also giving larger roles to youngster Mackie Samoskevich and Latvian blueliner Uvis Balinskis. Where Zito worked some magic was at the trade deadline, taking advantage of being able to place injured forward Matthew Tkachuk on long-term injured reserve to create cap space. Florida filled a gaping hole on the right side of their blueline created by the departure of Brandon Montour with the acquisition of Seth Jones from Chicago, and dealt a conditional 2027 pick to Boston for Brad Marchand. Jones has been a minutes-eater on defense and stepped up in the series-deciding victory over Toronto, while Marchand has 14 points in the post-season playing on the third line with Eetu Luostarinen and Anton Lundell. Bill Zito (Jovanny Hernandez / Milwaukee Journal Sentinel / USA TODAY NETWORK) The Oilers went through a managerial reshuffle last summer, moving on from Ken Holland and hiring three-time Cup-winning GM Stan Bowman. Edmonton's CEO of Hockey Operations, Jeff Jackson, took over as interim GM in early July, and the moves he made (signing veteran forwards Jeff Skinner and Viktor Arvidsson, and trading center Ryan McLeod for prospect Matthew Savoie) were less than spectacular. Advertisement Bowman lost youngsters Dylan Holloway and Philip Broberg to St. Louis on offer sheets and had to swap veteran blueliner Cody Ceci to San Jose for Ty Emberson to open up cap space. But he made several useful depth additions early on, such as acquiring winger Vasili Podkolzin from Vancouver for a fourth-round pick, claiming Kasperi Kapanen off of waivers from the Blues, and signing veteran defenseman John Klingberg as a free agent in January. Edmonton used long-term injured reserve to their benefit at the deadline, keeping Evander Kane on LTIR until the playoffs, which enabled them to bolster their blueline with the acquisition of Jake Walman from San Jose, as well as adding rugged forward Trent Frederic from Boston. Get the latest news and trending stories by following The Hockey News on Google News and by subscribing to The Hockey News newsletter here. And share your thoughts by commenting below the article on
Yahoo
a day ago
- Entertainment
- Yahoo
The Stanley Cup Final Dilemma For Rangers Fans
It's a dilemma. Rangers fans can't make up their minds as to which team to support in the upcoming Stanley Cup Final Round – the defending champions Panthers or the challenging Oilers. My buddy Bernie Rohde tells me he's going for Edmonton "because of Connor McDavid." He's the top; like sarsaparilla – or root beer. Advertisement The Maven's conscience tells me I should root for Florida because we want the Cup to remain in America. Another pal says: "You can't root for Florida, they play dirty." What Blueshirts Fans Need To Know About The Stanley Cup Final What Blueshirts Fans Need To Know About The Stanley Cup Final 1. There are many theories about picking the Cup winner. The easiest to remember is this: NEVER BET AGAINST THE CHAMPS! And since when are the Oilers clean? They beat Dallas when Edmonton defenseman Darnel Nurse played woodsman and chopped down the Stars best center Roope Hintz. Imagine if a Dallas guy cut down McDavid like that. If such a move ever was made, the province of Alberta would declare war against the state of Texas. Advertisement One buddy of mine majors in sports management. Lew King tells me he's for Florida because of the way GM Bill Zito has built his team. "You have to admire the way Zito has constantly managed the Salary Cap while at the same time keeping his club at the top," says King. "And look what he did at the Trade Deadline, bringing in Seth Jones and Brad Marchand." On the other hand, Marchand – Like Ken (The Rat) Linseman from another era – is hateful to many spectators who would like to wash that man right out of their hair. "More hateful to me," seethes Moe Blanding, "are players like Sam Bennettand Matthew spend half the time running goalies and generally playing on the other side of the rulebook. They get away with way too much." Advertisement Panthers coach Paul Maurice has more admirers than ever. He thoughtfully answers all media questions and often will insert some quip that disarms even the veteran journalists. On the other side Kris Knoblauch is fast becoming popular even outside Edmonton. He's straightforward, fair but not nearly as funny as the coach of Florida. "The thing about Knoblauch that's so neat," says Jessica Myers, "is that he knows that he could have coached the Rangers. So they bypassed him for (Peter) Laviolette. When Kris got the Edmonton gig, he didn't go around bad-mouthing the Rangers. He thanked them for the Oilers opportunity." What Edmonton features and Florida cannot match is star quality. No question, the Oilers own the best player in the world – McDavid – and arguably the second best in Leon Draisaitl. Advertisement That's not to say that Aleksander Barkov, Sam Reinhart, Carter Verhaeghe or Matt Tkachuk are flubs. They are why Florida is on top but Edmonton is just the sexier team; and that's that. Well, maybe it isn't that. There is something sexy about a goaltender like Sergei Bobrovsky and his defenseman Gustav Forsling. But I'm not sure what it is. And speaking of goalies, there are few better stories than Edmonton native Stu Skinner who has climbed from the depths of derision to become one of the most competent of playoff-reliable puck stoppers. He's a living Dipsy-Doodle. So, if you're a Rangers fan, who are you rooting for – The Champs or The McDavids? Advertisement My old pal Sig Demling has an interesting answer: "I'm not rooting for either team," Demling concludes. "What I want is a seven-game series and then triple overtime. After that, may the better team win!" Amen!
CBS News
2 days ago
- Business
- CBS News
For Florida Panthers, wrapping up 3rd consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final didn't lead to celebrating
Bill Zito didn't do any significant celebrating after the Florida Panthers wrapped up their third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final. He got some food and went back to work. At this point, no one around the team would expect anything different. The franchise that could not win a playoff series for a quarter-century now is in the midst of a back-to-back-to-back run to the NHL's championship round. Florida won 25 playoff games in its first 28 seasons combined; the Panthers have won 41 playoff games — and counting — in their most recent three seasons. The novelty of winning at this time of year hasn't worn off, but the Panthers have simply become used to it now. The main thing — the Cup — is the main thing. That's why after the most recent win, beating Carolina on Wednesday night to finish off the Eastern Conference title in five games, there were no helmets being thrown in the air, no raucous beer-spraying locker room scene, no thick wafts of cigar smoke. A few handshakes, something to eat, and that was it. He looked at potential travel scenarios to Edmonton, where Games 1 and 2 of the Stanley Cup Final — a title-series rematch from last year — will be played next week. "I think everybody likes it right when people are kind to you and say things that are nice," Zito, the team's hockey operations president and general manager, said before the Panthers flew home from Carolina on Thursday. "But we learned. The journey isn't over and there's work to do and we have to be focused on that and keep your eye on the goal. Don't let success get in your way." To be fair, for the Panthers, this is unprecedented levels of success. The Florida Panthers pose with the Prince of Wales trophy after defeating the Carolina Hurricanes to advance to the finals at the end of Game 5 of the NHL hockey Stanley Cup Eastern Conference finals Wednesday, May 28, 2025, in Raleigh, N.C. Chris Seward / AP They have now played 11 playoff series since the start of the 2023 postseason — their first one with Matthew Tkachuk in a Florida sweater. They have won 10 of those series, only falling in the 2023 final to Vegas. They're 41-21 in playoff games under coach Paul Maurice and actually have a better road record in those games (23-10) than they do at home (18-11). "I didn't even think about it," Tkachuk said after the Carolina series ended. "Just reacted how I reacted. I mean, I think it was different a few years ago. I remember a few years ago it felt like such an accomplishment from where we were at one point. I know we talked about it last year. It's part of the journey. And same way with this year. It's all business, and we've got a bigger goal in mind." So, of course, do the Oilers. And both teams surely expect the rematch to be a classic. "They're a heck of a team," Edmonton star Connor McDavid said in the on-ice televised ESPN interview Thursday night when asked about the Panthers. "Obviously, it's their third finals. They're a special group. We're a special group. It's going to be fun. Couldn't ask for a better opportunity than to go up against the team that beat us last year. Really excited about it." The mind games are already underway. Florida touched the Prince of Wales Trophy after winning the East in 2023 and lost the final; the Panthers didn't touch the conference trophy in 2024 and won the Cup, and didn't touch it on Wednesday either to preserve that tradition. In turn, the Oilers didn't touch the West trophy last year — but McDavid grabbed it this year, trying to change up the Cup luck. When the East title series ended, Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour paid the Panthers — who won their first Cup last season — the ultimate compliment. "They're the standard now," Brind'Amour said. It has been a long time since the league has seen a run like this. Tampa Bay made three straight finals from 2020 through 2022 (with two of those seasons shortened by COVID), but no team — until now — has navigated three consecutive full regular seasons and gotten to the Stanley Cup Final in each of those years since Edmonton from 1983 through 1985. By the time this year's title series is over, the Panthers will have played more games in a three-year span than any team in NHL history. It's an accomplishment, for certain. Zito wasn't thinking about any of that after the Carolina series. There were travel plans to put together, reports to look at, somewhere between four and seven more games left in this season to think about. "I don't think that the elation or the appreciation for the moment diminishes," Zito said. "I think perhaps the way it manifests itself, it's just channeled differently. ... That level of respect and appreciation for where you are, in tandem with the hunger, you want to do it again. You want to do it again. What can we start doing now? Don't stop. Don't get content. And those guys, they woke up with 100 texts each from everyone telling them how great they are. Everyone did. And it's not over."
Washington Post
2 days ago
- General
- Washington Post
For Panthers, wrapping up 3rd consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final didn't lead to celebrating
SUNRISE, Fla. — Bill Zito didn't do any significant celebrating after the Florida Panthers wrapped up their third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final. He got some food and went back to work. At this point, no one around the team would expect anything different. The franchise that could not win a playoff series for a quarter-century now is in the midst of a back-to-back-to-back run to the NHL's championship round. Florida won 25 playoff games in its first 28 seasons combined; the Panthers have won 41 playoff games — and counting — in their most recent three seasons.
Globe and Mail
3 days ago
- Entertainment
- Globe and Mail
For Panthers, clinching a 3rd consecutive trip to the Stanley Cup Final didn't lead to celebrating
Bill Zito didn't do any significant celebrating after the Florida Panthers clinched their third straight trip to the Stanley Cup Final. He got some food and went back to work. At this point, no one around the team would expect anything different. The franchise that could not win a playoff series for a quarter-century now is in the midst of a back-to-back-to-back run to the NHL's championship round. Florida won 25 playoff games in its first 28 seasons combined; the Panthers have won 41 playoff games – and counting – in their most recent three seasons. The novelty of winning at this time of year hasn't worn off, but the Panthers have simply become used to it now. The main thing – the Cup – is the main thing. That's why after the most recent win, beating Carolina on Wednesday night to finish off the Eastern Conference title in five games, there were no helmets being thrown in the air, no raucous beer-spraying locker room scene, no thick wafts of cigar smoke. A few handshakes, something to eat, and that was it. 'I think everybody likes it right when people are kind to you and say things that are nice,' Zito, the team's hockey operations president and general manager, said before the Panthers flew home from Carolina on Thursday. 'But we learned. The journey isn't over and there's work to do and we have to be focused on that and keep your eye on the goal. Don't let success get in your way.' To be fair, for the Panthers, this is unprecedented levels of success. They have now played 11 playoff series since the start of the 2023 postseason – their first one with Matthew Tkachuk in a Florida sweater. They have won 10 of those series, only falling in the 2023 final to Vegas. They're 41-21 in playoff games under coach Paul Maurice and actually have a better road record in those games (23-10) than they do at home (18-11). 'I didn't even think about it,' Tkachuk said after the Carolina series ended. 'Just reacted how I reacted. I mean, I think it was different a few years ago. I remember a few years ago it felt like such an accomplishment from where we were at one point. I know we talked about it last year. It's part of the journey. And same way with this year. It's all business, and we've got a bigger goal in mind.' When the East title series ended, Carolina coach Rod Brind'Amour paid the Panthers – who won their first Cup last season – the ultimate compliment. 'They're the standard now,' Brind'Amour said. It has been a long time since the league has seen a run like this. Tampa Bay made three straight finals from 2020 through 2022 (with two of those seasons shortened by COVID), but no team – until now – has navigated three consecutive full regular seasons and gotten to the Stanley Cup Final in each of those years since Edmonton from 1983 through 1985. By the time this year's title series is over, the Panthers will have played more games in a three-year span than any team in NHL history. It's an accomplishment, for certain. Zito wasn't thinking about any of that after the Carolina series. There were travel plans to put together, reports to look at, somewhere between four and seven more games left in this season to think about. 'I don't think that the elation or the appreciation for the moment diminishes,' Zito said. 'I think perhaps the way it manifests itself, it's just channelled differently. … That level of respect and appreciation for where you are, in tandem with the hunger, you want to do it again. You want to do it again. What can we start doing now? Don't stop. Don't get content. And those guys, they woke up with 100 texts each from everyone telling them how great they are. Everyone did. And it's not over.'
