Bill Zito Could Acquire a Big Forward for Free with the Florida Panthers

Feb 7, 2026 (9:47)

Photo credit: Sam Navarro-Imagn Images

The Olympic break hasn't stopped the roster shuffling, as Julien BriseBois just made a surprising move by placing Jack Finley on waivers.

Insider Elliotte Friedman broke the news first. The Lightning are officially exposing the 23-year-old center to the rest of the league.

That means he is free for the taking. Any of the other 31 general managers can claim him for absolutely nothing.

You can't teach size. And Finley has plenty of it.

We are talking about a mountain of a man here. He stands 6-foot-6 and tips the scales at 227 pounds. That is a lot of heavy lifting down the middle.

He isn't just a pylon, either. He showed some decent hands with the Syracuse Crunch last year, burying 14 goals in 40 games.

But let's be real for a second. He hasn't exactly lit the world on fire at the NHL level yet.

In 22 games with the Bolts this season, he only managed 2 goals and a single assist. Three points isn't going to secure you a top-six role.

He does bring an edge, though. He sat in the box for 21 minutes in that short span. He plays mean.

Could Bill Zito take a swing? The Florida Panthers love guys who make life miserable for opponents.

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It’s a low-risk gamble. You get a former 57th overall pick who takes up a massive amount of ice.

If he clears, he heads back to Syracuse. If not, someone just got a very big piece of clay to mold.

Previously on Sunrise Hockey Insider

POLL
FEVRIER 7\|54 ANSWERS Bill Zito Could Acquire a Big Forward for Free with the Florida Panthers Would you claim Jack Finley for your team?
Yes	39	72.2 %
No	15	27.8 %
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