Bill Zito Biography

Bill Zito is the President of Hockey Operations and General Manager of the Florida Panthers. Hailing from Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, he has crafted a multifaceted career in hockey, transitioning from a player to an attorney and sports agent and now a highly regarded NHL executive.

Zito played varsity ice hockey at Yale University from 1984 to 1987 and briefly played professionally in Europe after graduating. He later earned a law degree from the University of Wisconsin, where he also served as an assistant coach and radio commentator for the Badgers hockey team. After practicing law in New York and Chicago, Zito founded Acme World Sports in 1995, a sports agency that represented prominent NHL players like Tim Thomas, Tuukka Rask, and Brian Rafalski, becoming one of the top hockey agencies globally.

In 2013, Zito joined the Columbus Blue Jackets as an assistant general manager and later served as general manager of their AHL affiliate, the Cleveland Monsters, leading them to a Calder Cup championship in 2016. He was hired as the Florida Panthers’ general manager in September 2020 and promoted to President of Hockey Operations in April 2024. Under his leadership, the Panthers have achieved significant success, including back-to-back Stanley Cup championships in 2024 and 2025. 

Zito has been a finalist for the NHL’s Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award four times (2020-21, 2022-23, 2023-24, 2024-25), a record for a GM with one team.

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