Reports: Florida Panthers replacing general manager Dale Tallon

The day after the Florida Panthers lost to the New York Islanders in the 2016 playoffs, my phone was buzzing with word Dale Tallon would no longer be the team’s general manager.

This time, the news moved faster.

Not long after the Panthers’ season came to a close Friday afternoon — again, at the hands of the Islanders — the first report that Tallon was out surfaced.

Andy Strickland of Fox Sports Midwest first reported that the Panthers were moving on from Tallon a rumor which had been bubbling for the past few weeks.

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A short while later, Canada’s Sportsnet confirmed Strickland’s initial report.

The Panthers have not commented on the rumors and Tallon’s name remains on their website as of Friday evening as the team’s president of hockey operations.

Hearing a change is coming with the Florida Panthers. Team moving on from Dale Tallon #flapanthers

— Andy Strickland (@andystrickland) August 7, 2020

When Hall of Fame defenseman Chris Pronger, who was seen as being groomed as Tallon’s replacement, left the team as its Senior VP of Hockey Operations last month, reports surfaced he did so not entirely to focus on a family business, but because the team had someone else in mind for Tallon’s job.

Eric Joyce, the team’s assistant general manager and confidant of owner Vinnie Viola, is thought to be the potential replacement although the team could look elsewhere.

Eric Joyce, Florida Panthers assistant GM

Joyce joined the team’s hockey operations department not long after Viola bought the team in 2013.

Aside from being co-GM with Steve Werier during the 2016-17 season when Tom Rowe stepped down to be the team’s interim head coach, Joyce has run the team’s AHL affiliate since 2014.

More as the story develops.