On Tuesday the Florida Panthers will name former-Chicago Blackhawks GM Dale Tallon to the same position with their organization.
What does this mean for the Panthers?
Let's look at how Tallon built these Blackhawks:
- Jonathan Toews: drafted 3rd overall in 2006.
- Patrick Kane: drafted 1st overall in 2007.
- Niklas Hjalmarsson: drafted 108th overall (fourth round) in 2005.
- Antti Niemi: signed as a free agent rookie on May 5, 2008.
- Patrick Sharp: acquired from Philadelphia on Dec. 5, 2005 with Eric Meloche for Matt Ellison anda 2006 3rd round pick.
- Kris Versteeg: acquired from Boston on Feb. 3, 2007 for Brandon Bochenski.
- Ben Eager: acquired from Philadelphia on De. 18, 2007 for Jim Vandermeer.
- Andrew Ladd: acquired from Carolina on Feb. 26, 2008 for Tuomo Ruutu.
- Marian Hossa: signed as a free agent on July 1, 2009.
- Tomas Kopecky: signed as a free agent on July 1, 2009.
- John Madden: signed as a free agent on July 2, 2009.
- Brian Campbell: signed as a free agent July 1, 2008.
- Cristobal Huet: signed as a free agent on July 1, 2008.
- Brent Sopel: signed as a free agent on Sept. 28, 2007.
- Jordan Hendry: signed as a free agent on March 18, 2006.
These are just the roster moves made while Tallon was sitting in the GM's office. From 1998-2002, Tallon served as the Director of Player Personnel, and was named the assistant GM in 2003. While sitting in his two previous positions, Tallon was responsible for the draft strategy and talent evaluation of the team. In the drafts while he was in those roles, consider the following draft picks:
- Duncan Keith: drafted 54th overall (second round) in 2002.
- Adam Burish: drafted 282nd overall (ninth round) in 2002.
- Brent Seabrook: drafted 14th overall (first round) in 2003.
- Dustin Byfuglien: drafted 245th overall (eighth round) in 2003.
- David Bolland: drafted 32nd overall (second round) in 2004.
- Troy Brouwer: drafted 214th overall (seventh round) in 2004.
When you consider the roles that these six players have had this season, highlighted by Keith's Norris Trophy nomination, and the reality that Seabrook is the only first round pick among them, it's clear that Tallon has a fabulous eye for talent.
So while some might point to Huet and Campbell's contracts as disasters for the Blackhawks, Tallon's overall track record with the Blackhawks is soiled with success after success. In Florida, which unloaded some veterans at the trade deadline in 2010 and has been at the heart of a lot of trade rumors with goalie Tomas Vokoun, Tallon's a great person to be behind the wheel for the Panthers moving forward.
