With no first-round pick, Panthers aim to be active on Day 2 of NHL Draft

NASHVILLE --The Florida Panthers are turning their attention to Day 2 of the 2023 NHL Draft after not being able to secure a selection in the first round at Bridgestone Arena on Wednesday.

Despite working the phone lines all night, general manager Bill Zito said no deals materialized.

"It's tough without a pick, but you never know," said Zito, who's running his fourth draft since being hired by the Panthers back in 2020. "We investigated a few different things, but it's OK."

With that, the Panthers will now head into Day 2 of the draft with five picks at their disposal.

First on the board in the second round (63rd overall), they'll also pick in the fourth round (127th overall), fifth round (159th overall), sixth round (191st overall) and seventh round (198th overall).

"We certainly need to restock," Zito said. "If we can get more [picks], we'll certainly try."

In many ways, success after Day 1 is how the best organizations are built.

If fact, several key players for the Panthers in 2022-23 were selected after the first round, including Gustav Forsling (5th Round, 2014), Brandon Montour (2nd Round, 2014), Eetu Luostarinen (2nd round, 2017) and Carter Verhaeghe (3rd Round, 2013), just to name a few.

When asked about a strategy, Zito said the goal for Rounds 2-7 is simple.

"Just best player available," he said confidently. "Our core is pretty solid."

At the midway point of Round 1, the NHL also announced the winner of the Jim Gregory General Manager of the Year Award. Dallas Stars general manager Jim Nill took home the honor, with Zito, who's been named a finalist for the award in two of the last three seasons, finishing third.

"It's a humbling thing to even be a finalist," said Zito, who's clearly already gained immense respect among his peers in the NHL. "Jimmy Nill is one of the best people you'll ever meet. Hardest working guy. Excellent scout, excellent GM. I couldn't be happier for him or prouder for him."

As it has been ever since he took over the reins in South Florida, Zito is confident in the list of potential draftees that his scouts have meticulously crafted heading into Day 2. Described as "a yearlong effort," the list endures many revisions before it's finalized.

"It's an onerous, time-consuming exercise," Zito said of the process. "Kudos to the scouts for the work they put in and the diligence and the thoroughness they do when they do it."

With their list in hand, the Panthers are itching to finally be on the clock and spring into action.

To see how Day 2 unfolds, tune in to NHL Network at 11 a.m. ET on Thursday.

Additionally, fans can follow along via the team's official Draft Central page HERE.