2020 NHL DRAFT Florida Panthers Draft Guide PANTHERS PR MEDIA ACCESS Please be advised that the 2020 NHL Draft will be held digitally, with all media availabilities featuring Panthers draft picks and staff being facilitated via Zoom. Day 1 of the 2020 NHL Draft will take place on Tuesday, Oct. 6 at 7 P.M., with Day 2 of the Draft taking place on Wednesday, Oct. 7 at 11:30 A.M. Pre-Draft Media Availability with Florida Panthers General Manager Bill Zito will take place on Monday, Oct. 5 at 5 P.M. via Zoom. Additionally, Zito will be available to the media following the conclusion of Day 1 and Day 2 of the 2020 NHL Draft. Panthers PR will provide further media availability information. Media members will have the opportunity to ask questions live during Zoom media conferences. Each media member will be muted upon entry to the Zoom confer- ence and will be asked through Zoom’s participation panel to select the ‘raise hand’ feature to be queued for their questions. Upon being unmuted, it is requested that media members state their names and media affiliation. Raw video interviews will be distributed through the Panthers Video Share following Day 1 and Day 2 of the NHL Draft: www.FloridaPanthers.com/PressBox To Access Video: click on – PANTHERS VIDEO SHARE Password: press Folder: 2020 NHL Draft SENIOR DIRECTOR, COMMUNICATIONS MANAGER, COMMUNICATIONS Adelyn Biedenbach Chrissy Parente HOCKEY COMMUNICATIONS SPECIALIST COMMUNICATIONS COORDINATOR Mike Lewis Thomas Harding PANTHERS PR CONTACT INFORMATION Adelyn Biedenbach...(954) [email protected] Chrissy Parente...(954) [email protected] Mike Lewis...(954) [email protected] Thomas Harding...(954) [email protected] 1 FLORIDA PANTHERS FRONT OFFICE PRESIDENT & CEO Matt Caldwell Matthew Caldwell was named the President & CEO of the Florida Panthers Hockey Club on April 9, 2016. Caldwell, 40, joined the Panthers in 2014 as the organization’s Chief Operating Officer. Prior to joining the Panthers, Caldwell worked as a Vice President at Goldman Sachs in their Investment Management Division where he helped families and institu- tions invest their capital. Before transitioning into the finance industry, Caldwell served five years in the U.S. Army as a military officer, where he conduct- ed combat operations in Iraq, peacekeeping operations in Kosovo, and spent time in Germany training soldiers as they prepared to deploy to Iraq and Afghanistan. During the course of his Army career, Caldwell was awarded a Bronze Star Medal, an Iraq Campaign Medal and a NATO Kosovo Military Medal. Caldwell currently sits on the Orange Bowl Committee, the Greater Fort Lauderdale Alliance CEO Council, the Broward Workshop Executive Committee and has been appointed to the Broward College District Board of Trustees. Caldwell received his JD from Northwestern University School of Law, his MBA from Northwestern Kellogg School of Management, and his Bachelor of Science from West Point. Caldwell resides in Fort Lauderdale with his wife, Fernanda and their daughter, Flora. CHAIRMAN & ALT. GOVERNOR General (RET.) Raymond T. Odierno General (RET.) Raymond T. Odierno was named Chairman and Alternate Governor of the Florida Sunrise Sports & Enter- tainment on Oct. 12, 2017. General Odierno, 63, a native of Rockaway, New Jersey served as the 38th Chief of Staff of the Army. A graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point, General Odierno commanded the United States Joint Forces Command in Iraq from 2010 to 2011, served as Command General from 2008 to 2010 and as Commanding General, III Corps from May 2006 to May 2008. He is only the second American military officer to command at the Division, Corps and Army level during the same conflict with this distinction since the Vietnam War. Over the course of a decorated military career spanning more than 39 years of service, he has commanded units at every echelon with duty in Germany, Albania, Ku- wait, Iraq and the United States. General Odierno retired from active duty in 2015. As Chairman of the Florida Panthers and Alternate Governor General Odierno will function as a senior consultant to own- ership on hockey and business matters. General Odierno joins a senior Panthers leadership group that includes President and CEO Matthew Caldwell and President of Hockey Operations and General Manager Dale Tallon. General Odierno holds a Bachelor of Science degree in Engineering from West Point and a master’s degree in Nuclear Effects Engineering from North Carolina State University. He is a graduate of the Army War College and holds a master’s degree in National Security and Strategic Studies from the Naval War College. He also holds two honorary degrees, a Doctorate in Humane Letters from North Carolina State University and a Doctorate of Laws Honoris Causa from the Institute of World Politics. His awards and decorations include four Defense Distinguished Service Medals, two Army Distinguished Service Medals, the Defense Superior Service Medal, six Legions of Merit, the Bronze Star Medal, the Defense Meritorious Service Medal, four Meritorious Service Medals, the Army Commendation Medal, the Army Achievement Medal, and the Combat Action Badge. He has also received the Secretary of State Distinguished Service Medal and Orders of Military Merit from Brazil, Columbia, Romania, and Italy. He was also appointed as an Officer in the French National Order of the Legion of Honor. CHIEF OPERATING OFFICER Sean McCaffrey Sean McCaffrey was named Chief Operating Officer of the Florida Panthers in April 2018 after serving as the organization’s Chief of Staff since June 2016. McCaffrey currently oversees the organization’s arena operations, human resources, food and beverage services, merchandise, public affairs and all special projects, including the War Memorial Auditorium restoration project in Fort Lauderdale. Prior to joining the Panthers, McCaffrey served as a Director with the global investment firm Morgan Stanley working in both the Baltimore and New York City offices. The native of Shelton, Conn., served five years in the United States Army as an Infantry Officer where he gained his Airborne and Ranger qualifications. He deployed to Iraq in support of Operation Iraq Freedom from 2006-2007 and was awarded the Bronze Star Medal and Army Accommodation Medal for Valor. A 2004 graduate of the United States Military Academy at West Point where he received his Bachelor of Science, McCaffrey earned his MBA from the McDonough School of Business at Georgetown University in 2014. Sean currently lives in Fort Lauderdale with his wife Lauren, daughter Adelynn and son Patrick. 2 FLORIDA PANTHERS FRONT OFFICE SENIOR VICE PRESIDENT Shawn Thornton Shawn Thornton joined the Florida Panthers executive staff on June 1, 2017, after playing three seasons with the club (2014-15 to 2016-17) over his 20-year professional hockey career. Thornton, 42, began his tenure in the Panthers front office as Vice President, Business Operations and has served as the organi- zation’s Senior Vice President since April 2018. In his role with the Panthers, Thornton oversees and works closely with the team’s Community Relations, Public Relations, Game Presentation, Marketing and Corporate Partnership departments. A proactive leader within the organization, Thornton has contributed greatly to many of the Panthers community efforts ranging from youth hockey to hurricane relief and played a major role in assisting Marjory Stoneman Douglas High School and its hockey team following the tragic events at the school on February 14, 2018. He played in his final NHL game as a member of the Panthers on April 8, 2017, against the Buffalo Sabres. A two-time Stanley Cup champion (2007, 2011), the native of Oshawa, Ontario, appeared in 705 NHL games with the Panthers (2014-15 to 2016-17), Boston Bruins (2007-08 to 2013-14), Anaheim Ducks (2006-07) and Chicago Blackhawks (2002-03 to 2005-06) recording 102 points (42- 60-102). During his playing career with the Panthers, Thornton became the only player in professional hockey history to begin his career after expansion and play in over 700 NHL games and 600 American Hockey League games. He is the only player this century to record 10 fights, score 10 goals and win the Stanley Cup in the same season. He founded the Shawn Thornton Foundation (@ThorntonFDN) in 2013 and serves as the Foundation’s President and Director. The Shawn Thornton Foundation is dedicated to helping find cures for diseases close to his heart, specifically Parkinson’s and cancer. Through his foundation, Thornton holds an annual ‘Pucks and Punches for Parkinson’s’ golf event and does charitable work throughout Boston and South Florida. Thornton resides in Parkland with his wife Erin and their daughters Nora and Ainsley. CHIEF OF STAFF Jerome Burke Jerome Burke was named the Florida Panthers Chief of Staff in March 2018. Burke, 35, acts as an advisor to President & CEO Matthew Caldwell and the executive team of the Panthers. First joining the Panthers organization in May 2012 as a staff accountant, Burke has held several diverse positions for the club ranging from Financial Analyst, Team Services Manager and Director of Business Operations. Prior to his career with the Panthers, the native of Montreal, Quebec, served as a financial controller for the Montreal Junior Hockey Club (QMJHL). He earned his Bachelor of Business Administration from McGill University in 2008 and earned his MBA in Sports Manage- ment from Florida Atlantic University. Burke resides in Fort Lauderdale with his wife, Amanda. 3 FLORIDA PANTHERS HOCKEY OPERATIONS GENERAL MANAGER Bill Zito Bill Zito was named General Manager of the Florida Panthers on September 2, 2020. Zito, 55, oversees the club’s hockey operations including all matters relating to player personnel, scouting department and minor league operations. Prior to joining the Panthers, Zito spent seven seasons with the Columbus Blue Jackets organization (2013-14 to 2019-2020) holding the position of Assistant General Manager for six seasons before his promotion in 2019 to Vice President of Hockey Op- erations, Associate General Manager and Alternate Governor.