Some rather serious disappointment to set the stage for Florida but in the end Dale Tallon – an eventual and spectacularly shocking loser in the NHL’s GM of the Year category – sees his crowning acquisition of the 2011 offseason head back to Broward with a Lady Byng Trophy for an all-around – albeit expensive – Good Guy in veteran defenseman Brian Campbell.
Campbell, the first blueliner to win the award since Red Kelly in 1954 – given to the player that best exemplifies “sportsmanship and gentlemanly conduct” – beat fellow nominees Jordan Eberle of Edmonton and Matt Moulson of the Islanders. “Soup” collected a total of 6 penalty minutes (2 via an over-the-glass call) in 82 games during the 2011-12 season while leading all players with 2205:31 TOI and pacing defenseman on the power play (339:41).
Tallon’s effort – a legitimate worst-to-first situation – evidently wasn’t the equal of St. Louis general manager Doug Armstrong, who to his defense did hire the evening’s Jack Adams winner (Ken Hitchcock) when the Blues spun their wheels deep into a layer of mud as the season began under Davis Payne. Nashville’s David Poile was the other finalist.
“Snubbed” or not on the Dale front, the Panthers were well represented Wednesday night. It all begins anew on Friday.
Dale “snubbed”?
| No question…who else accomplished a similar turnaround? | 78 |
| Not at all…each situation is different and worthy of equal scrutiny | 29 |