The Florida Panthers have announced two new hires to their front office, naming Paul Krepelka assistant general manager and Tom Bark assistant to the general manager. New GM Bill Zito released a statement on the hires:
Paul and Tom are crucial additions to our Hockey Operations Staff. Paul joins the Florida Panthers with a wealth of experience from his time in the NHL, ECHL and on the agent side of the hockey business. As for Tom, I know him well from our time together in Columbus where he provided exceptional insight on the scouting and evaluation side of the game. I am thrilled to have them both on our team as we prepare for the upcoming season.
The Panthers have revamped their entire management group since the end of the season, bringing Zito over from the Columbus Blue Jackets and surrounding him with experienced pieces from around the league. Krepelka is another one, coming over from the Carolina Hurricanes after serving as their VP of hockey operations the last two seasons.
Bark meanwhile has experience with Zito from Columbus, where he served in several roles including a similar assistant to the GM title.