Someone On the Phone with Dale: Insiders report on possible Islanders-Tallon connection

Barring some serious intervention by the hockey gods - or some serious collapses from a couple of teams up north - we are but a scant few days away from the end of another Islanders season.

I mentioned on the latest episode of Islanders Anxiety that I feel like a lot of news will come out of the team as soon as the season is over, whether it’s next week or next month. Owners Jon Ledecky and Scott Malkin have been mostly quiet since the firing of Jack Capuano, and I kinda get the feeling that they’re waiting for the players to do their thing before doing theirs. Whatever those things may be.

As far as we know, the search for a team president/head of hockey ops continues and both Kelly Hrudey and Elliotte Friedman recently dropped some info on the Islanders and Dale Tallon, who still holds some kind of nebulous big shot title with the Panthers.

Hrudey first mentioned a rumor about the two parties on Hockey Night in Canada. Here’s the video and here’s the transcript:

Hrudey: So, earlier this week I heard the New York Islanders were going to ask the Florida Panthers for permission to talk to Dale Tallon. So I reached out to the Islanders and they told me that their official remark is that they don’t comment on rumors or speculation. Elliotte?

Friedman: Well I followed up today with the Panthers and they officially said they have not been asked for permission to speak to Dale Tallon. And what they wouldn’t say and what I believe, though, Ron, is that I don’t think Florida would be inclined to give permission to Tallon right now. I think they plan on having him come back with them next year.

Friedman then followed up today in his 30 Thoughts column. It’s mostly the same, but he adds that the talking may have occurred when the Islanders asked about Gerard Gallant’s availability after the Panthers left him on that curb in Raleigh. There’s also this extra nugget:

Tallon and Islanders GM Garth Snow have a good relationship, and I don’t assume that the former was pursued to replace the latter. If there was contact, it may have been to work together.

My Steaming Hot Take: At some point, someone from the Islanders maybe might have talked to Dale Tallon but it doesn’t sound like he’s going anywhere anyway. I know, I know. I’m really sticking my neck out here. Hey, that’s the price you pay in the (very low-paying, low-prestige) blogging business.

In his previous installment of 30 Thoughts, Friedman mentioned John Tavares’ agent Pat Brisson being approached by the Islanders for the hockey ops job but turning it down. I’m not sure where this search is going but so far, all we know about are the misses.

You should be reading 30 Thoughts every week anyway, but this week’s also includes small notes about John Tavares requiring only recovery time and not surgery for his injury, as well as KHL goalie Ilya Sorokin possibly playing a big role for Team Russia at the 2018 Olympics with the NHLers staying home (for now).