According to reports, the Florida Panthers are parting ways with general manager Dale Tallon. This report comes shortly after the Panthers were eliminated in four games by the New York Islanders during their qualifying-round series.
Tallon was hired by the Panthers to take over as their general manager in 2010. He would also be given the distinction of president of hockey operations in 2017.
This decision is an interesting one as the Panthers finished just three points behind the Toronto Maple Leafs for third place in the division this season with one game in-hand and 13 games to go on the year for the Panthers as a whole before the pause.
For some, there could be an argument that the Panthers needed change and Tallon was the obvious candidate to be replaced to facilitate that change. Though he would be responsible for putting together a very strong team together, he also made some questionable moves in the last year that could have been seen as counter-productive for the team.
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Still, no general manager is exempt from making poor decisions and hindsight is also 20/20. Regardless, Tallon’s time does seem to be up in Florida and the team will look to move in a different direction.
Tallon Will Land on His Feet, Panthers Still in Good Shape
Since taking over as the Panthers’ general manager, Tallon would lead the team to three playoff appearances and their only two division titles coming in 2011-12 and again in 2015-16.
Tallon has the history and credentials to land on his feet. From his time in Chicago to many of the moves he made in Florida, it would be very surprising to see Tallon struggle in finding a new job.
The Panthers will also have no shortage of suitors for their general manager and president of hockey operations roles. There are a plethora of qualified individuals who can take over the role and bring this already well-constructed roster to a prominent position in the standings.
As mentioned, the Panthers were already in good shape leading up to the pause in the season. Building on this foundation and moving forward with some of the talented young pieces already in place is almost a dream-scenario for an incoming general manager.
With the Panthers being eliminated in the qualifying round, they are also put into the pool for the second phase of the NHL Draft Lottery on Monday, Aug. 10 which will determine the team who gets to select first in the 2020 NHL Entry Draft. The team who wins the lottery is likely going to take Alex Lafreniere, considered by many to be a generational talent.
The Panthers will have a 12.5 percent chance at winning the lottery which could be monumental for their franchise. Only time will tell, but things don’t look to be too bad for the Panthers in the long-term.