The Lightning and Panthers GMs never complain about salary cap constraints. They don’t worry about how difficult it seems to be to make trades in the NHL. They just make them, says Ken Campbell.
A couple of years ago, I told Florida Panthers GM Bill Zito that I thought he was a cowboy when it came to making trades in the NHL.
He took exception to the label, saying that every move he makes is dissected and examined from every angle before it’s made.
So much for paralysis by analysis. The difficulties and obstacles in making deals in the NHL simply don’t pose that much of a challenge to Zito and his cross-state counterpart, Tampa Bay Lightning GM Julien BriseBois. (Gawd, why didn’t the Montreal Canadiens work harder to keep this guy back in the day?)
Both GM’s deals in the leadup to the NHL trade deadline are perfect examples of bold moves that prioritize the present over the future.
The Lightning traded two first-round draft picks, a second-rounder and Mikey Eyssimont for forwards Yanni Gourde and Oliver Bjorkstrand from the Seattle Kraken on Wednesday. The Panthers traded their goalie of the future, Spencer Knight, and a first-round pick for defenseman Seth Jones from the Chicago Blackhawks last Saturday.
It’s no coincidence either the Lightning or the Panthers have been in each of the past five Stanley Cup finals. Success starts at the top and to have guys as decisive and bold as Zito and BriseBois at the helm, there’s a good chance one of them will be back there in 2025.
Today’s video column has more.
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