Though several reports have now surfaced that list former Minnesota Wild GM Chuck Fletcher as the front runner, the Philadelphia Flyers will not rush the interview process for their vacant GM spot. Today, Pierre LeBrun of The Athletic reports that the Flyers have received permission to speak with Bill Zito, who currently serves as the assistant GM for the Columbus Blue Jackets. Bob McKenzie of TSN adds that the team has also received permission to speak with Dave Nonis, who is working with the Anaheim Ducks organization.
Zito, 54, has been around the NHL for decades, first as one of the most powerful player agents in the world and now in management with the Blue Jackets for the last several years. His work in both roles had been widely praised, and he has been a candidate for several job openings around the league the last few offseasons. He was GM of the Lake Erie Monsters (now Cleveland Monsters) when they won the Calder Cup in 2016, and has overseen the development of several key players for the Blue Jackets roster. There seems to be little doubt that he will eventually get an NHL team of his own to run. Zito will interview this weekend with Philadelphia president Paul Holmgren.
Nonis on the other hand is a veteran GM that has been given the keys to both the Vancouver Canucks and Toronto Maple Leafs in the past. While neither of those teams finished where Nonis was trying to push them, he still is a respected member of the hockey executive community and could very well be put into a GM role once again. The 52-year old may also be the most available of the three listed candidates, given that he is only serving as a consultant for Anaheim.