3. Fire Dale Tallon
It’s remarkable how long of a leash the Florida Panthers have given Dale Tallon. I wouldn’t trust my very well-behaved dog with a leash that long, let alone a front office executive with a history of making bad decisions.
Tallon arrived to the Panthers in 2010. Since then, they have made the postseason just three times (twice if you don’t want to call the play-in round the postseason). Tallon has done far more bad than good for the Panthers.
Lately, though, Tallon has been especially bad. He’s not the general manager anymore, but recent moves suggest he still has a lot of power over the organization. The Sergei Bobrovsky contract reeks of Tallon. They needed a goaltender, Bobrovsky was the sexiest name available, and Tallon set his sights on him.
Tallon has had more than enough time to build a contender with the Panthers. He hasn’t drafted that well. Nor has he made smart free agency decisions. Tallon has done fairly well in trades, but the good barely outweighs the bad there.
Every year, Panthers fans have to wonder what’s wrong with their team. Tallon has made a number of changes, but they remain stuck in mediocrity or just barely above mediocrity. It’s time for the Florida Panthers to let go of Tallon.