Panthers reward GM Zito with new contract, title

Bill Zito isn’t leaving the Panthers anytime soon.

The Panthers on Monday announced that they have signed Zito to a multi-year extension. Terms of the deal were not announced and when his contract would have expired isn’t publicly known.

With the deal, the Panthers are also updating Zito’s title from general manager to president of hockey operations.

“From his first day as a Panther, Bill has demonstrated his complete commitment to success both on and off the ice,” Panthers owner Vincent Viola said in a statement. “He has worked steadfastly and tirelessly to establish a new standard of excellence for our franchise. The future has never looked brighter in South Florida and we are thrilled that Bill will continue to lead the way.”

Zito is wrapping up his fourth season as the general manager, and in that time he has turned the Panthers into an annual contender and a place that top players want to play.

He overhauled the roster bit by bit, big move by big move, to get Florida in its current position and put together a core that has begun to bring sustained success to Sunrise.

Entering the Panthers’ regular-season finale Tuesday, Florida has a combined 188-88-20 record in Zito’s four seasons at the helm. The Panthers have made the

Stanley Cup playoffs every season and have made strides in the postseason each time. After a firstround exit in 2021, Florida advanced to the second round in 2022 and reached the Stanley Cup Final last season.

“I think we’re a little bit ahead of what I would have thought,” Zito said after the NHL trade deadline last month. “I’d be lying if I told you ‘Oh yeah, this is the script.’”

But the script he’s writing has worked — and now he’ll have the chance to keep writing it.

Only four members of the Panthers’ active roster — captain and top-line center Aleksander Barkov, top-pair defenseman Aaron Ekblad, goaltender Sergei Bobrovsky and forward Eetu Luostarinen — were with the franchise before Zito took over.