Tallon on radio: "Everyone here had better pick it up"
Panthers GM Dale Tallon was interviewed briefly this afternoon on NHL Home Ice via XM/Sirius radio. A couple of quick hits from the show before Thursday's Free Agent madness:
On Thursday's Free Agent Frenzy: We'll evaluate what's out there...(and) look at not only what makes sense for us next year but long-term. We look at it as a marathon, not a sprint. We'll be pursuing the right type of player at the right time.
On how much to shake up the roster through free agency: Our blueprint is to develop through the draft, make some prudent trades, then add from free agency as we go along. Free agency makes sense if it's one player who puts you over the top. We'll be very aware of who's available that may fill some of the holes on this team.
Thoughts on last weekend's Entry Draft after taking 13 players in seven rounds: We added a variety of players - mostly big players. Three guys over 6'-4", a group of guys in the 6'-3" and 6'-2" level; only one was under six feet. We got a lot of the guys we had pointed out as future Panthers. Overall (chief scout) Scott Luce and the whole amateur staff did a great job.
Everyone knows about Erik Gudbranson, but what's the story with John McFarland (sliding out of the first round)? We were happy to get both (Alex) Petrovic and John McFarland early in the second round. I saw (John) play a few games with Sudbury this year; I liked his presence on the ice, quick feet, quick hands, quick shot, and he's got a bit of an edge as well. Fortunate to get him at 33.
Having dealt forward Nathan Horton, are you looking to address some issues up front?: I like offense, I like scoring, I like a puck-possession game. Definitely we need to improve in that area. We need to improve in all areas, defense and special teams and offense. It's going to take more than one player, so we need to take our time so we don't make any mistakes.
On Stephen Weiss: He' a valuable asset; Stephen's staying here, he's going to play here. I like him a lot, and he's expressed that he's happy here and wants to play well and raise his game here. We're happy to have him. Hopefully we'll get him some players to complement him and give him a lot of assists.
Timeline for the future: We want to make the playoffs as soon as possible. That's the goal. We're looking at (Thursday) adding some possible free agents who can get us to the next level. We'll take this one step at a time. I can't put a timeframe on it; it happened a little quicker than we expected in Chicago.
On players (such as Olesz, Frolik) not utilizing that "extra gear": You're exactly right. And they'd better find another gear or they won't play for the Panthers, simple as that. And not just those two; everyone here had better pick it up. I'm not going to put up with mediocrity.
Ed. note: clarification on the Olesz/Frolik thing in the comments.
0 recs |
26 comments
|
Comments
I love this guy… My only hope is that our ownership won’t lose sight of the big picture, and that Tallon is allowed to build this team in his image! I truly believe that Viner and Seigel are the real deal and that they are committed to turning this franchise around.
It was mentioned after Olesz’s name by one of the hosts; just trying to be general in the gist of the question by adding Frolik, who it was noted is young and still only a second-year guy. No one was ripping Frolik.
by Donny Rivette on Jun 30, 2010 10:28 PM EDT up reply actions
“It” being Frolik’s name. I guess if there is a complaint it’s that he suffered the dreaded sophomore slump. In reality of course he didn’t, just failed to exceed the expectations after such a great first campaign. Again, it wasn’t Frolik being singled out.
by Donny Rivette on Jun 30, 2010 10:33 PM EDT up reply actions
Thanks for posting the interview.
I like the part about Frolik and Oslez. Frolik should be playing a lot better than he has been. He was demoted a couple times in the line up.
I wish they had talked a little bit about who he thinks will make the jump to the AHL. They have Chevrie and bunch of other guys ready to make the jump. I wish they would have talked more about the goalie situation: Salak, PLante, Markstrom, Cheverie.
Im looking forward to tomorrow, I will be working from home so I can hear about what trades happen all day.
Leafs won this one – short term, anyway.
by Donny Rivette on Jun 30, 2010 10:46 PM EDT up reply actions
Leafs get Versteeg + Sweatt from Chicago for Stalberg, DiDomenico + Paradis
by Donny Rivette on Jun 30, 2010 10:47 PM EDT up reply actions
And in Florida it will could be, “Dale Tallon builds it, Yormark tears it down.”
by keithwozniak on Jun 30, 2010 10:48 PM EDT up reply actions
Rookie Camp begins September 10.
Per the Herald’s GR:
The Panthers will hold their rookie camp at their training facility in Coral Springs in the week prior to training camp.
The "Frolik" comment in its entirety
For clarification…
XM Host: "You’ve got a couple of guys on the roster that, when people look at this team, they say “Boy, we would really like to see more out of these guys, and I guess one of those guys would be Rostislav Olesz. And maybe it’s unfair to put him in this category because he’s still very young, but Michael Frolik…a lot of people think he could have an extra gear. What do you think about these two guys going into next year?”
Tallon: “You’re exactly right. And they’d better find another gear or they won’t play for the Panthers, simple as that. And not just those two; everyone here had better pick it up. I’m not going to put up with mediocrity.”
Alexander Frolov
Just saw a (probably waaaaay out there) Tweet saying the Cats and Devils have interest.
Passing it along.
What an idiot.
When you talk to the press, you make generalisations, you NEVER single out individuals. All you do when you criticise your players in public is to lower their value. Even when a reporter lists specific names, you make sure you don’t single them out in your response.
He may want to move Frolik and Olesz eventually. Gratulations Dale, you’ve just lessened the return we’ll get for them.
I do and don’t understand the criticism of Olesz – yes he has disappointed, but if you look at this career prior to be drafted its not as if he was a big goal and points scorer and we never game him the chance to acclimatise to the NHL before we flung him in at the deep end. His points total and goals have increased virtually every season, and he might become a very useful 3rd/4th line center or LW.
As he’s on a biggish long pro-contract, rather than slate him in public why don’t Tallon and DeBoer talk in private in how to utilise him better? Just a thought.
Before we know it he’ll be spending $7m+ and $5.5m+ a season on the next Campbell and Huet
And not just those two; everyone here had better pick it up.
He never spoke either of their names, and went out of his way to ensure that the whole roster was covered.
by Donny Rivette on Jul 1, 2010 9:56 AM EDT up reply actions
Tallon should say whatever he wants. The whole league knows the Panthers roster has glaring holes in it. It is not a secret. Look at the Panthers first line production over the last three years, and in retrospect the other lines. Not good. 9 years no playoffs. Enough said.
Speaking of which, Lebrun states that the Panthers are in the Ladd sweepstakes. Sounds like Neimi is going to cost the Hawks a bundle to keep. Doesn’t matter though, the Hawks will still be one of the league’s best due to their overall depth. All they are going to need to do is find some good fourth line guys to eat up some minutes.Let’s remember that everyone thought that the Caps were going to sweep to the Stanley Cup. But everyone forgot that the Caps only have one really good defenseman in Green.

by 






















