The Florida Panthers are closing in on choosing Bill Zito as the club’s next general manager, Sportsnet’s Elliotte Friedman reports.
Zito, 55, has been an assistant general manager with the Columbus Blue Jackets since 2013. He would be replacing Dale Tallon, who was let go by the Panthers after the team failed to advance past the Stanley Cup qualifying round in August.
The Panthers conducted a wide search for Tallon’s replacement. In his most recent 31 Thoughts blog Sunday, Friedman named 13 people who had interviewed for the job and Zito was not one of them. The candidates included former NHL GMs, current assistant general managers and broadcasters.
Zito was a co-founder of Acme World Sports and worked 20 years as a player agent before he joined the Blue Jackets. At the time of his hiring, Blue Jackets GM Jarmo Kekalainen called Zito “an astute businessman who understands all facets of our game.”
The Blue Jackets have enjoyed their longest string of success under Kekalainen and Zito’s leadership, reaching the playoffs in each of the last four seasons.
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