University school grad Bill Zito wins back-to-back Stanley Cups

LAKE GENEVA, Wis. (CBS 58) -- Bill Zito grew up in Whitefish Bay and went to University School.  Today, he's the general manager of the back-to-back NHL Stanley Cup winning Florida Panthers. 

He recently came back home to be honored at the National Italian Invitational at the Grand Geneva Resort in Lake Geneva.

CBS 58 Sports Director Lance Allan asks the easiest question to start with is, what is it like to win back-to-back Stanley Cups? It's hard enough to win one Bill.  But back-to-back? That's amazing. 

"Probably I can't answer that yet because I haven't figured it out," Bill Zito says. "I think back to the hockey games at 5 in the morning in Waupun.  Or our rink that didn't have heat.  And the sacrifices that people made to help us.  I don't think anybody would dream oh someday I'll get a Stanley Cup. "

What about the state of the game, and the growth of hockey in southeast Wisconsin? 

"The game is continuing to grow.  The Admirals do so much to promote the game."

CBS 58 asked him why he never won GM of the year. 

"No. That's not a thing.  It isn't," Zito says with a laugh. 

And when Bill Zito had his day with the cup - he spent it in Florida with the animal kingdom. 

"It's called Theater of the Sea. And I'll do a promo for them," Zito says. "There's beautiful pictures. I can show you when we're done. I said can we ever take pictures with the dolphins and the sea lions? Sure. So, we went in. They could not have been nicer.  It's a great place.  And I'll give you guys the pictures for the show. It's breathtaking some of the shots we got. I mean, like I've got the cup, and the dolphins are here in the air.  And then the sea lions are eating out of it. It was really neat. So, lots of fun."