AI-assisted summary

Florida Panthers General Manager Bill Zito deflects praise despite helping the team to its third consecutive Eastern Conference championship.

Zito's strategic acquisitions, including Matthew Tkachuk, Sam Bennett and Sam Reinhart, have transformed the Panthers into a powerhouse.

The Panthers' consistent success under Zito has made Florida an attractive destination for free agents.

The NHL’s general manager of the year — OK, he hasn’t actually won the award yet, but c’mon — was doing his best to do what the Florida Panthers always seem to do. He was deflecting praise away from himself, and taking it to comical extremes.

“I don’t do anything, right?” Bill Zito was saying. “So I’m in the way a lot.”

Know how people like to tell other people they had one job? Accordi

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