Panthers GM Dale Tallon Admits He Has To Do A Better Job

While there is drama and headaches occurring off the ice regarding the future of the Florida Panthers, on the ice is no better. Two years after making the playoffs for the first time since 2000, the Florida Panthers are once again at the bottom of the NHL standings, and go into an offseason of uncertainty in terms of coaching staff and roster.

When speaking to the Florida Sun-Sentinel, general manager Dale Tallon admitted that he hasn’t done the best job in terms of fielding a championship-caliber team in Sunrise, Florida.

“I’ve got to do a better job, simple as that,” he told the newspaper.

He continued: “This year, it’s just a matter of relying on an 18-year-old (Aleksander Barkov) and 21-year-old (Nick Bjugstad) to be top-line centers. That’s tough on them. It’s tough on everyone. And they were our best players.”

Despite having injuries hamper the team as well has having one of the youngest rosters in the league, Tallon is still excited about what the future holds for his team, primarily due to the fact that he will likely be able to spend to the cap under new team owner Vinnie Viola. The Panthers have a projected $30 million in cap space this upcoming offseason.

Mike’s Musings: While Tallon is rightly excited to be able to bring in free agents, should a team that is going to spend to the salary cap ceiling really be looking for tax breaks from the county to help alleviate debt? That’s just my thought, and will be discussed more at a later date. 

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