George Richards, FHN Publisher
The NHL has cleared former Florida Panthers general manager Dale Tallon of any wrongdoing in an investigation that he used racially-charged language while the team was in the Toronto bubble.
On Thursday, the NHL said the “allegations were neither corroborated nor substantiated, and are inconsistent with Tallon’s past actions and his affirmative efforts in support of diversity and inclusion initiatives.”
The league added there was “no established violation of NHL policy or protocols.”
Tallon was under investigation by the league following an allegation he used some sort of racially-charged language before Florida’s Game 1 against the Islanders in Toronto.
Florida Hockey Now was first to report the investigation into Tallon.
When reached later that day, Tallon said the allegation could have stemmed from the emotional speech Minnesota Wild defenseman Matt Dumba gave on racial inequalities on Aug. 1 — a few hours before Florida was scheduled to play the Islanders.
Dumba, who is Filipino-Canadian, joined the Blackhawks and Oilers before their NHL playoff qualifier and knelt for the playing of the U.S. and Canadian anthems at center ice.
Afterward, he spoke on systemic racism.
“Racism is everywhere, and we need to fight against it,” Dumba said.
“Hockey is a great game, but it could be a whole lot greater. And it starts with all of us.”
Tallon said if he said anything racial while watching the Dumba speech (likely from the Panthers’ private box at Scotiabank Arena), he did not “recall it.
“I don’t remember it. I don’t ever use the word. They said I said something after Dumba’s speech and I don’t remember even seeing Dumba’s speech.
“I didn’t know Dumba was Black; I have only ever seen him as a hockey player. I did not know he was of color. That’s all I can say.”
Tallon added: “I am not racist by any means. I have never said anything of the sort. I am all for peace, am all this alliance and what everyone is trying to do right now.”
The Panthers parted ways with Tallon after a decade following the team’s four-game series loss to the Islanders, officially announcing the move on Aug. 10.
Sources have said the allegations against Tallon had nothing to do with his contract not being renewed.
Bill Zito was hired as Tallon’s replacement on Sept. 1.
Thursday, the NHL officially acknowledged the investigation dealt into Tallon’s past, saying an anonymous source said Tallon had previously made “openly racial, religious, and ethnic comments.”
The day the NHL was informed of Tallon’s comments, the league “retained Seyfarth Shaw LLP to conduct a full, confidential investigation.”
The league said Seyfarth “interviewed over a dozen individuals in the Panthers’ organization, and reviewed all information made available from representatives of the source through which the anonymous report was made.”
Now cleared, it appears Tallon is free to pursue other opportunities within the league.
At the time the investigation got out, word was, Tallon was talking to various teams about jobs in their front office in an advisory role.
Earlier this week, Rob Rossi of The Athletic reported Penguins’ GM Jim Rutherford is revamping Pittsburgh’s front office and Tallon has “emerged as a candidate.’’
Tallon and Rutherford are longtime friends and have worked together on trades over the years — the biggest coming in 2019 when Florida sent Nick Bjugstad and Jared McCann to Pittsburgh to clear up cap space.