How Bill Zito pulled off the impossible: Panthers keep Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett and Aaron Ekblad under cap but lose key free agents

Florida Panthers GM Bill Zito delivered on his promise to spend to the cap, re-signing Brad Marchand, Sam Bennett, and Aaron Ekblad before NHL free agency. While the core remains intact for a potential three-peat, the Panthers lost key depth players like Nico Sturm and Nate Schmidt, highlighting the cost of keeping stars in a tight cap era.