Wanna blog? Start your own hockey blog with My HockeyBuzz. Register for free today!
 

Could Tallon Be A Buyer?

April 2, 2013, 1:57 PM ET [59 Comments]
Dan Spiegel
Florida Panthers Blogger • RSSArchiveCONTACT
images
As trades are starting and teams are either dumping salary or preparing for the stretch run, GM Dale Tallon has been very quiet. Too quiet. For someone who is known for liking to shake things up when needed, it would make sense that his last place Panthers are in dire need of some big changes.

Common sense would say players need to be shipped out and Tallon should be a seller to stockpile some picks and create some salary cap room for free agents during the summer. But with many teams having cap problems and likely looking at releasing players for financial relief, should Tallon be looking to buy instead?

There likely will be many bargains out there as teams looking to shed salary might take mid-round draft picks for bonafide talent.

With lots of home-grown youth coming up for the Cats over the next few years, the Panthers are in a much better position for the future than most realize. When looking at the standings and seeing how poor the Panthers' performance has been this season, the uneducated would say the same old Panthers have returned. But that is not the case.

The Panthers will likely lead the league in man-games lost to injury at season's end, and while it should not be an excuse it is a reality that they never had their full lineup together this season. Last year showed they can be potent when healthy, and even now they are rounding into form with many call-ups from San Antonio.

But in this shortened season it will be too late to make any serious playoff push, and it is probably best for the Panthers to finish last overall, get one of the top two picks, and reboot over the summer for a real season next year. Everyone knows this season is a bit of a crock anyway and even the players hate the 48 game schedule.

What it really comes down to is San Antonio player projections for next year. If current Rampage players can be considered starters for 2013-2014 with the Panthers, it's easy to see who might be on the block right now. Based on what we have seen, there are several young players that will be potential full-time next year. Quinton Howden has certainly earned his spot on the team next year, and Greg Rallo, Wade Megan, Alex Petrovic, Michael Caruso, and Colby Robak all will make a big push as well. The real question surrounds Nick Bjugstad, who is mulling over whether to turn pro now that his Minnesota Gophers have been eliminated from NCAA championship contention. He is a big domino in the process, and in Tallon's thinking.

While I don't expect any huge shakeup within the Panthers, I would not be surprised to see Marcel Goc and/or Brian Campbell traded. Both are very solid players and can be of great use to a team making a Cup run. In the case of Campbell, it would be a big riddance of salary that would give Tallon a lot more flexibility heading into the summer. Let's not forget that Stephen Weiss may also be traded even though he is recovering from wrist surgery. If doctors say he will be fully recovered by summer, he still has good value.

But it certainly wouldn't make sense for Tallon to stand pat, unless he feels the injury situation this year provided a culture that just couldn't be adequately measured since the lineup changed seemingly on a nightly basis.

But his itchy trigger finger has to be ready to make some moves. It should be an interesting few days in South Florida.

Dan Spiegel...
Connect with me on Facebook at www.facebook.com/dan.spiegel.7
Join the Discussion: » 59 Comments » Post New Comment
More from Dan Spiegel
» Goodbye To Hockeybuzz
» Aleksander Barkov Finally Gets His Due
» Marchessault Stings
» Are The Panthers A Tease?
» The Legacy Jagr Left Behind...