Tallon’s contract extended
CORAL SPRINGS — For the past two decades the Panthers have had a revolving door of owners, coaches, general managers and players.
Now, owners Vinnie Viola and Doug Cifu are focusing on creating longterm stability and continuity off the ice for the firstplace Panthers.
On New Year’s Eve they gave general manager Dale Tallon a -year contract extension and promoted the coach of their AHL affiliate in Portland, Tom Rowe, to be Tallon’s associate general manager.
“Dale and Tom bring a wealth of leadership, credibility and hockey experience that will enrich our organization for years to come,” Viola said in a statement.
They have also come to terms with a two-year extension on the contract of coach Gerard Gallant, as well as working on extensions for blossoming stars Aleksander Barkov and Vincent Trocheck, according to a source.
“In the past it’s been a training ground for other teams because we haven’t had the capital or wherewithal to keep the players,” Tallon said after practice Friday at the IceDen.
“Doug and Vinnie have given us the stability and tools to be successful. I’m excited to continue to work with them to make this an elite franchise in the league and win multiple championships. That’s the goal and we’re headed in the right direction; we’re going to work our rear ends off to make sure we realize that goal sooner than later.”
Tallon, who had a huge hand in transforming the Chicago Blackhawks from doormats into three-time Stanley Cup champions in a similar role, is excited about completing the task in South Florida that he began in the spring of 2010.
Only defenseman Dmitry Kulikov remains from that first season, and now nine of Tallon’s draft picks form the team’s solid nucleus that has the Panthers on a seven-game winning streak. “You go through a lot of pain and suffering when you’re rebuilding a team,” Tallon said. “I’ve been through it before and it’s hard. … I want to finish this thing and want to keep going. We’re far from where we want to be but we’re very close. I’m excited about what’s happening today, tomorrow and the future.
Tallon is the franchise’s ninth GM in 22 years, and if he finishes out his contract will have served for eight seasons, the most by any of Florida’s GMs, surpassing Bryan Murray’s seven-year tenure from 1994-2001.
Gallant, who guided the Panthers to a league-best 25-point improvement last season, and is a front-runner for Coach of the Year honors, is thrilled with the newfound stability of the organization that was buoyed by last month’s lease renegotiation with Broward County.
“Everything is positive the last month … starting with the on-ice product,” Gallant said. “It’s not about what you’ve done in the past. We got to get ready for the next one. We’ll be in a playoff battle all year long and hopefully just got to keep winning.”
Tallon and Gallant realize the Panthers are now the hunted and not the hunters.
“Teams are going to come after us now and we got to be ready for the challenge,” Tallon said. “We’re going to have some hiccups. We’re a young team and got a tough schedule. Moving ahead we got to be continue the process, be fearless and believe in the process and be ready to play and good things will happen.”